Watch a genius slowly lose his mind over bamboo while Miyazaki lurks in the background.
For his first film in fourteen years, animation director Isao Takahata embarked on a visually sumptuous adaptation of The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter. A dream project for the director that would hopefully establish the recently formed Ghibli Studio 7, created to meet the demands of a new type of modern animation process. But, almost immediately, the epic production is faced with difficulties and falls dramatically behind schedule. In this compelling and insightful documentary, we follow Isao Takahata and his dedicated team of artists as they frantically strive against adversity to make their vision a reality and bring Studio Ghibli into a new era.
Direction
Takahata's maddening perfectionism exposed in real-time.
Production
Watercolor animation process that's basically witchcraft.
Writing
The passive-aggressive Miyazaki-Takahata dynamic.
Director
Akira Miki
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This documents the only time Studio Ghibli operated two simultaneous productions with two 'retired' auteurs, both blowing past deadlines and budgets.
Takahata's watercolor technique required animators to draw on white paper rather than standard blue, meaning no erasures—every 'mistake' became permanent. The man chose chaos.
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