Yonebayashi Leaves Studio Ghibli
The last few months have been hard for the internationally renowned Studio Ghibli, who after a number of disappointing box office returns, revealed that they are currently not developing any new projects. Following the retirement of the studio’s co-founder and Acadamy Award winning director Hayao Miyazaki, eyes were fixated on who could fill the shoes of one of the anime industry’s most iconic directors and unfortunately, one of the top candidates has now left Studio Ghibli.
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the director of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There revealed during a special talk event today that following a discussion with Studio Ghibli Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of Princess Kaguya), he made the decision to leave Studio Ghibli at the end of last year, stating his desire to make creative works again.
Yonebayashi’s When Marnie Was There, an adaptation of Joan G. Robinson’s novel, was released in Japan last summer and earned ¥3.36 billion; just over double it’s budget of ¥1.5 billion. Studio Ghibli’s Academy Award nominated The Tale of Princess Kaguya is set to be released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 20th March.
