Audiences get a closer look at a rare animation collaboration project with the new teaser trailer for Ghost Cat Anzu, a co-production of Japan’s Shin-Ei Animation (the studio behind the massive Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan franchises) and France’s Miyu Production (Chicken for Linda!; Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman). GKIDS snagged North American rights to the pic after its 2023 Annecy Festival WIP, and Japanese exhibitor Toho has just announced it has picked up the title. Charades handles international sales.
GKIDS is planning to release the young adults/family-targeted film sometime in 2024.
Synopsis: Karin, 11 years old, is abandoned by her father at her grandfather’s house, the monk of a small town in the Japanese countryside. Her grandfather asks Anzu, his jovial and helpful although rather capricious ghost cat, to look after her. The meeting of their strong characters causes sparks, at least at the beginning…
Based on the manga created by Takashi Imashiro, Ghost Cat Anzu is a collaboration between Shin-Ei animation artist Yoko Kuno — who has served in a variety of roles including character designer, concept designer, storyboarder and key animator on several Crayon Shin-chan movies as well as Penguin Highway and was animation director on the series The Murder Case of Hana & Alice — and live-action director Nobuhiro Yamashita (Linda Linda Linda, The Matsugane Potshot Affair).
The film is being created with digital 2D animation, rotoscoped from a complete live-action shoot. The same actors performed the captured live-action footage and voice the characters, including Mirai Moriyama (Inu-oh, Shin Kamen Rider) as Anzu and Noa Goto (Saitama Host Club, Sister) as Karin.
[Sources: GKIDS, Miyu, Variety]
