While studio fans Ghibli eagerly awaiting the release of the next film by Hayao Miyazakithey can currently discover a new Japanese animated feature film, which is not unrelated to Princess Mononoke.
The new Princess Mononoke?
We can never say enough how much Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata have revolutionized Japanese animation cinema. Since 1984 and the release of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, the two directors have accumulated masterpieces. To the extent that, for a number of years, fans and critics have jointly searched for the artist who could lay claim to the title of “new Miyazaki”.as if this enterprise were possible.
Yes the work of the master seems unsurpassable, it nevertheless continues to inspire many directors. We obviously think of Makoto Shinkaiwhich recalled in its very beautiful Journey to Agartha both the extent of his talent, but also that if his work has often moved away from the canons established by the Ghibli studio, he nevertheless remained a fervent admirer of Hayao Miyazaki.
We can also cite the artists of the Ponoc studioGhibli alumni, including Hiromasa Yonebayashi, and whose films, Mary and the Witch’s Flower and Modest Heroes could have been produced by the studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki.
Be that as it may, if this enterprise may seem in truth very futile, the fact remains that fans will still be able to find traces of Studio Ghibli’s influence in new films produced outside the studio, such as the King Deer, Masashi Andô’s first feature film, which he co-directed with Masayuki Miyaji.
The name of Masashi Andô may not mean anything to you, but you have seen many films on which he worked. Returned to studio Ghibli in 1990 as an intervalist on Drip memories by Isa Takahata, he was character designer and animation director on Princess Mononoke and Spirited away by Hayao Miyazaki, Memories of Marnie by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, The Tale of the Princess of Kaguya by Takahata. His career as an animation director goes well beyond Studio Ghibli, sincehe worked on Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika of the great Satoshi Konas well as on top Your Name. by Makoto Shinkai.
The Deer King is therefore his first animated film as a director. This fantasy animated film, in which a former warrior (turned slave) protects an innocent little girl in a world hit by a deadly epidemicwill undoubtedly remind many fans of Hayao Miyazaki of his greatest masterpiece: Princess Mononoke, released in 1997, and on which Andô therefore worked. Indeed, the giant wolves are reminiscent of Moro, the deer in the film evoke Yakkuru, Ashitaka’s mount. Without forgetting Andô’s criticism of imperialism, at the heart of Hayao Miyazaki’s film. Nevertheless, despite obvious commonalities between the two works, The Deer King is not a pale copy of Princess Mononokeand on the contrary has a universe of its own.
Released in theaters in France on May 4, 2022, The Deer King of Masashi Andô is likely to suffer from the competition of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (our review is available), released the same day. It would be a shame if the latest film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe could overshadow this new proposal for Japanese animation, which we strongly encourage you to see in theaters.