Ghibli's Scenery documentary, Ghibli Asemamire radio show

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) has announced that two new limited edition DVDs about the Studio Ghibli anime company will ship in Japan on June 10. Ghibli no Fūkei: Miyazaki Sakuhin ga Kaita Nihon/Miyazaki Sakuhin to Deau Europa no Tabi (Ghibli's Scenery: The Japan Depicted by Miyazaki's Works/A Trip of the Europe Encountered in Miyazaki's Works) compiles two television documentaries about the real-life locales that inspired the movies of studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki ( Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind , My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away ). In the 2008 Miyazaki Sakuhin ga Kaita Nihon documentary which ran on the BS NTV satellite channel, actress Mayu Tsuruta visited the Japanese sites of yesteryear that informed the artwork in My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away , and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea .

In 2006's Miyazaki Sakuhin to Deau Europa no Tabi documentary from the same channel and upcoming home video release, actress Yui Natsukawa ( Gedo Senki , Onmyoji ) visited Stockholm and Gotland, two locales in Sweden which served as the model for the fictional town of Koriko in Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service film. In addition, actor Tetta Sugimoto ( Higurashi no Naku Koro ni , Mei-chan no Shitsuji ) travels to the French region of Alsace to "find" the hometown of the heroine Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle . WDSHE is hosting a trailer for both documentaries in large or small file sizes.

The Suzuki Toshio no Ghibli Asemamire: Kyūjūkyū no Kotoba ( Toshio Suzuki 's Ghibli Asemamire: 99 Words) DVD compiles selections from the Ghibli Asemamire radio program that Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki hosts every week. Suzuki launched the program in October 2007, and WDSHE plans to include over 40 hours of audio recordings with 49 guests. Still photos and backgrounds will accompany the audio recordings.

In related news, Studio Ghibli revealed on Monday that the previously announced West Ghibli spinoff studio will be established next month in the western Japanese city of Toyota . Not coincidentally, the new studio will be in a building owned by Toyota , the automobile manufacturer. Less than 30 young animators will train at West Ghibli for two years by creating an animated short for screenings at the Ghibli Museum.

Source: Nausicaa.net