Photo: Studio Ghibli
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'Evangelion' creator Hideaki Anno wants to make a live-action 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'

8 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

His career hasn’t always been an easy one, but right now Hideaki Anno is living the dream. With the release of "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time" last month, he was able to bring the Eva franchise to a conclusion on his exact terms. Anno has also been riding high in the world of his other great passion, tokusatsu special effects productions. His live-action follow-up to directing 2016’s "Shin Godzilla" is writing and producing the upcoming "Shin Ultraman" theatrical feature, and after that he’ll be writing and directing the "Shin Kamen Rider" movie.

So after helming one of the most influential anime of all time and big-budget films for the holy triumvirate of kaiju/tokusatsu series, will Anno have any creative ambitions left to fulfill? Yes, at least one, according to Toshio Suzuki, one of the founding members of Studio Ghibli.

While Suzuki was appearing on last Sunday’s episode of broadcaster Fuji TV’s "Bokura no Jidai" talk show, the subject of the conversation turned to "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," largely considered the first Ghibli anime (though its theatrical release came before the formal founding of the studio). One of the guests mentioned to Suzuki that Takashi Yamazaki, director of the highly acclaimed "Always Sanchome no Yuhi "(Always: Sunset on Third Street), has been saying for years that he’d love to direct a live-action film adaptation of "Nausicaä."

This, however, wasn’t news to Suzuki. “I’ve heard that many times from Yamazaki personally,” he replied, “but the answer has always been no.” The Ghibli veteran then made a revelation of his own, though, adding “Hideaki Anno is saying he would like to make [a live-action 'Nausicaä'] too.”

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Photo: Studio Ghibli

Rumors have been floating around for years that Anno, who worked as an animator on "Nausicaä," would like to make an anime version of the remaining parts of the source-material manga that weren’t covered in the 1984 animated film. This appears to be the first time, however, that anyone has said anything about Anno wanting to transfer the story of the warrior princess to the medium of live-action.

That doesn’t mean that it’s time to start reserving tickets for a screening of "Shin Nausicaä" quite yet, though. Suzuki’s delicately phrasing of “but the answer has always been no” implies that a live-action "Nausicaä" isn’t happening without creator Hayao Miyazaki’s approval, which is going to be very hard to come by. “Everyone really wants to make a live-action "Nausicaä," don’t they?” said one of the "Bokura no Jidai" guests, only for Suzuki to smile ruefully and politely correct her with “Well, the one person who doesn’t want to make it is Hayao Miyazaki, so…”

Suzuki has spoken before about Miyazaki repeatedly shooting down offers for a Hollywood live-action "Nausicaä" remake, but apparently his aversion isn’t any less when it’s a Japanese filmmaker trying to put their spin on the story. Still, Miyazaki did give his blessing to the recent "Nausicaä" kabuki stage play, on the condition that he not be asked to help with it in any way, so it’s likely that if a live-action "Nausicaä" movie ever happens, Miyazaki will again want to be completely uninvolved, and it’s doubtful there’s anyone other than Anno that he’d feel comfortable handing over the reins to, if he ever hands them over at all.

Source: Entame RBB via Jin

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind set to become live-action Japanese kabuki play

-- Evangelion creator says even Hayao Miyazaki anime don’t have enough Miyazaki

-- Hayao Miyazaki Working on Proposed New Anime Feature Film

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

8 Comments
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...and that was without understanding a word of the dialog!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Kentarogaijin

It will never exceed the original version..

You are way beyond CORRECT in that opinion. NEVER! ...But...it would be interesting to see what might come from this as long as it's made in a world where things like 'Disney' DO NOT EXIST. And who, possibly, could adequately play Nausica? If I were a director, I'd be terrified of this project because it's almost sure that satisfying EVERYONE will be VERY difficult and I believe Nausica fans are not the quiet sort... ...two weeks in Japan living in a mansion. Turn on the TB and happens NHK is starting playing some 'cartoon' which I figured out was called "Tottoro". It was like two strong punches to the cultural head with first "Tottoro" leaving me in amazement and then a short time later "Nausica" leaving me in awe. One! Two! and I felt I had fallen into some deep, secret cultural treasure I could never have expected to find. This was not so long after they came out and, for Americans, not well known. Miyazaki was a significant 'go-between' in the development of my deep affection for the Japanese people...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

oh god...WHY?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

because live action of anime has worked out well so far?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

To make a live action of 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'

They would have to use a lot of CGI, which would make it more animation than live action.

I like the original

Not sure if i would like a remake using actors.

If they do, i will watch it to see and make my judgement then.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I would be interested in seeing what kind of ideas for the remake Anno would have, but on the other hand live action remakes of animated things are a huge risk, so I would be on the side of Miyazaki on this one.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

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