Studio Ghibli has officially announced acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s next animated film which is tentatively titled How Do You Live, based on the 1937 Japanese coming-of-age novel of the same name written by Genzaburō Yoshino. It is scheduled to make its debut in theaters on July 14, 2023.
The announcement comes after nearly a decade since the theatrical release of Miyazaki’s eleventh feature-length movie The Wind Rises, which is a historical drama billed as a fictionalized version of fighter aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi’s life during World War II.
The How Do You Live novel has been one of Miyazaki’s favorite books and had started developing the project in 2016. The story centers around a 15-year-old boy who “goes on a journey to discover spiritual growth, poverty, and the meaning of life with the help of his uncle, whose advice is communicated to him from a journal.”
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Studio Ghibli executive Toshio Suzuki described the project as a “big fantastical film” that is being worked on by 60 animators. In a different interview (via Geek Tyrant), Suzuki also revealed Miyazaki is dedicating the film adaptation to his grandson, which is his way of saying “Grandpa is moving on to the next world, but he’s leaving behind this film.”
Miyazaki is best known for directing moving and classic animated films including My Neighbor, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo. Fans are now able to celebrate his films through Studio Ghibli’s recently-opened theme park which features attractions and rides inspired by Miyazaki’s work.
