A very Ghibli month in Singapore :)

This has been an amazing month for anime fans, especially those of us who love Studio Ghibli's films.  While Encore Films announced late last year that they would be bringing in Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises), what really made this a truly amazing month was a series of films by Miyazaki Hayao that Golden Village screened over a one week period before the opening of Kaze Tachinu.

I managed to catch My Neighbour Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa Castle in the Sky.  I've watched the bulk of the Studio Ghibli films already and I watched these 3 films a long time ago and loved them.  The first Studio Ghibli film that I ever watched was Laputa but before that I had already read the manga for Nausicaä which I loved. Somehow, I don't remember why, I ended up watching Nausicaä after Laputa but ended up loving Nausicaä the most.  To this day, Nausicaä is still my favourite Ghibli film.

Till GV screened these films and several other Miyazaki titles on the big screen in Singapore, I had never seen them on the big screen.  The last Ghibli film I watched on the big screen was Howl's Moving Castle and I no longer remember that experience because it was really a long time ago.

When I bought the tickets to watch these films, I had only bought tickets for Totoro and Nausicaä.  While I wanted to watch all the titles, I was unable to make most of the screenings and I also felt that I was so tired that week that it would be a bad idea to try and watch two films a day from Friday to Sunday so ended up just getting tickets to Totoro and Nausicaä.

So I was really, really, really taken aback when I saw Totoro on the big screen for the first time.  It was magical!!!!  Although this was an old anime, even though Totoro's really a relatively simple story and I have already seen it, yet some who I was sooooo charmed by it's cuteness, the innocence of both the children and the magical world they lived in.  I've never been the biggest fan of Joe Hisaishi's music.  It's not that I don't love it.... I do, I really do... but I have never been able to listen to piano music or classical music on loop for hours and hours hence, why I've always preferred Kajiura Yuki's music.  But Hisaishi's music really does suit Ghibli's animes and their pairing is perfect and you cannot help but be in awe of Hisaishi's talent and Miyazaki's skills when you watch these films the way they were always meant to be seen.  In a dark hall surrounded by music, somehow you are transported into whatever world Miyazaki wants to transport you too and the only way I can describe the experience of watching these Ghibli films on the big screen is that it's MAGICAL!!! :)

Nausicaä was, of course, no less magical for me. It is still my favourite Ghibli film. I love it's themes and think that it is still pertinent to this day. I'm sure most of us know that our planet is going through a huge environmental change which may even lead to its destruction and our's too.  Nausicaä with its pro-Nature, anti-conflict themes still remain applicable to this day.  That and of course, the epic storyline, the awesome flying scenes and the terrifically brave heroine, what is there not to love. :)  Nausicaä on her glider... it always makes me want to fly. :)

Although I was extremely tired from watching two films in one night, the experience made me yearn for more but by that time most of the screenings for the other titles were already filled up and they were either sold out or only crappy seats remained. :(  Luckily for me, GV decided to open up more slots for some of these films and I was able to pick up a ticket to watch Laputa on the last day of the Miyazaki retrospective.  YAY!!!! It was AWESOME too.  Better than I remember it the first time round.  Of course when I first watched it, it was on a 14 inch tv with crappy speakers... of course it could never compare. :)

And all this was of course a build up to Kaze Tachinu. Kaze Tachinu was a really good anime.  For me, it still can't beat Nausicaä in it's epic-ness, nor can is it as charming as Totoro but it is still a beautiful film.  While some may be critical of the film and Miyazaki for not making a strong moral statement about war but I am glad he didn't.  Not because I am approving of war and Japan's behaviour during WWII but I think it would would be too heavy handed and sit uncomfortably in a film that has such a dreamy main lead who is able to see beauty and Nature in the machines that he makes.  The way Jiro transitions from dream to reality is really very nicely done too.  But what I really liked most about this film is the love story between Jiro and his wife Nahoko.  The paper plane sequence at the hotel, her stumbling towards him at the train station, the quiet moment when Nahoko pulls the blanket over Jiro and draws closer to him on the futon... no HUGE romantic moments engineered huge emotional reactions but still these nuanced moments seem so much more effective in leaving a lasting impression of the progression of their love.  So when that inevitable end is reached, the audience cannot help but be moved.

Ahhhhhh.... what a great start to the year for anime fans in Singapore.  Not only have we seen some small titles like Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin / Extra Chorus and Majocco no Shimai Yoyo to Nene and fan favourites like Mahou Shoujo Madoka ~ Rebellion and Lupin vs Conan, we've also had a Miyazaki retrospective and Kaze Tachinu.  Here's hoping that the rest of the year will continue to be awesome for anime fans.

Edit:
Before I go to bed...  I thought I should let all who are interested know that CDJapan has listed two titles of interest for Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki fans.

The first title.

Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises) BD with English subtitles and other languages
Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises) DVD with English subtitles

And the Complete BD and DVD boxsets of Miyazaki's films.

Kaze Tachinu is also included in this set.

Miyazaki's Complete Works DVD set with English subtitles
Miyazaki's Complete Works BD set with English subtitles

All these items come with a paper plane as postcard as a first press bonus item.  Which means that the not only does the boxset gets this item, the standalone Kaze Tachinu releases also gets this as a first press bonus.

I would LOVE to get the BD boxset... but... I don't think I can afford it. :'(

Ah well... time for bed!!  Oyasumi :)