The Art of Arya and the Witch (Studio Ghibli)

The highly anticipated film "Earwig and the Witch" (planned by Hayao Miyazaki, directed by Goro Miyazaki), Studio Ghibli's first full 3DCG production, will be released nationwide on April 29th (Thursday, holiday)!

This art book unravels how "Earwig and the Witch," Studio Ghibli's first full 3DCG film, was created.

It features a long interview with director Goro Miyazaki, focusing on aspects such as "Planning," "Characters," and "Story and Setting," and includes a vast number of image boards, art boards, and character design sketches.

It also presents sketches and design drawings by character designer Katsuya Kondo, alongside the interview.

The book introduces the meticulous 3DCG creations, the result of repeated trial and error, along with the words of Hiroki Takeuchi, a key figure in the background art.

Until now, Ghibli works by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata were fundamentally "drawn by hand."

With this film, director Goro Miyazaki acquired and mastered full 3DCG technology, and in that sense, he can be said to have opened up new horizons for Studio Ghibli works.

At 53 years old, Goro Miyazaki, in a sense, surpassed his father, Hayao Miyazaki, and this book is a historically important document that records as much as possible the making process of this monumental work.

The origins of characters such as the protagonist Aya, the witch Bella Yaga, and the powerful Mandrake are also introduced in full color.