Makoto Shinkai living in London, reveals UK influences
Paul •
‘Xcomp’s Yuuenchi’ blog has posted a fascinating (English translated) excerpt from Makoto Shinkai‘s online journal in which it’s revealed that the famous anime director is currently living in London, studying English and gradually coming to terms with settling down in a foreign country (including a lament on the UK’s slow internet connections compared with Japan). Shinkai has created, written and animated Voices of a Distant Star, Places Promised… and 5 Centimeters Per Second; all currently released (or going to be released) in the UK by ADV Films.
- “My friends in Japan have told me that the cherry blossoms are about to bloom [over there]. However, [here] in London it still feels very much like Winter. There’s intervals of rain and a cold wind blows. Even so, sometimes you can catch a glimpse of the blue sky and during that moment, the streets are beautiful like a dream as if it was all unreal.”
The journal goes on to talk about Shinkai‘s passion for English writerArthur C. Clarke and his regret that the influential science fiction author recently passed away. He explains that the English title of “The Voices of a Distant Star” (known in Japan as “Hoshi no Koe“) was picked from Clarke’s novel “The Songs of Distant Earth”. You can read the full post over at Xcomp’s Yuuenchi.
