The founder of Studio Ponoc is ready to change the world with his anime

When Studio Ponoc released its first full-length animated film in 2017, Mary and the Witches’ FlowerAudiences and critics celebrated Ponoc as the successor to the famous Japanese studio Ghibli, which at the time seemed to be facing a possibly permanent break. With the studio’s latest film, The ImaginaryPonoc is aiming for higher things. In an interview The ImaginaryAt the U.S. debut of “The 4000” on Netflix, Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura told Polygon he was ready for Ponoc to develop its own style and legacy and step out of Studio Ghibli’s shadow.

“With [Mary and the Witch’s Flower]I wanted to continue [Studio Ghibli’s] conviction and the legacy they have created,” said Nishimura. “For The ImaginaryI was more focused on pure filmmaking – not on continuing something from Studio Ghibli, but on creating the film itself. How would I want to portray this imaginary world?”

Based on the 2014 children’s book of the same name by AF Harrold. The Imaginary revolves around Rudger, the imaginary friend of a young girl named Amanda who lives alone with her recently widowed mother, Lizzie. Rudger and Amanda are inseparable and embark on fantastical adventures in beautiful worlds conjured up in Amanda’s imagination. When an accident separates them, Rudger embarks on his own journey of self-discovery while trying to reunite with Amanda.

The Imaginary is Studio Ponoc’s first film since the 2018 anime anthology Modest heroesand the studio’s first feature-length film since Mary and the Witches’ Flowerhis debut in 2017. Apart from The leaves of tomorrowan animated short film commissioned in honor of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Ponoc has since gone quiet Modest heroesWhen asked why it took so long for Ponoc to release a new film, Nishimura answered frankly: “The studio simply needed time to experiment before committing to a new animation style.”

“We wanted to move forward and explore different styles,” Nishimura told Polygon. “To do that, we started creating shorter pieces and set ourselves different challenges.” […] That’s one of the reasons why it took us so long.” The death of Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, with whom Nishimura had worked on Takahata’s last film, in 2018 The Tale of the Princess Kaguyaalso contributed to Nishimura’s reluctance to embark on a new full-length project.

“This is very personal for me,” said Nishimura. “Isao Takahata, who I was involved in designing things with for maybe eight or ten years, died. I really had to take time to think about what kind of work we should create. I thought a lot about [the] direction I should take in creating animations after his death.”

The result of this long period of experimentation and reflection was The Imaginary. Directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, a former Studio Ghibli animator who also directed The leaves of tomorrow and the animated short film Life will not lose

as part of Modest heroesthe film uses much of the same soft, pastel and watercolor-inspired art style as those films. But it’s accentuated by CG animation, evident in the early scenes when Amanda’s imagination transforms the cramped dimensions of her home’s attic into a winter wonderland of snow-capped hills and vast forests.

For Nishimura, the producer and screenwriter was The ImaginaryAn essential part of the creation of the film was the proprietary software of The Goldfish Moviesa French animation studio known for its work on the 2019 Netflix animated film Klaus“When I saw that, [technology]I said, “I have to use this, I have to use this,” Nishimura told Polygon. “For The Imaginary, […] We have made 130,000 drawings, so if you really want to control the shadows and lighting of all these drawings, [it would’ve taken] two to three times more than usual. Using this company’s technology, we were able to control light and shadow digitally, which was more efficient and allowed us to create faster.”

Japanese animation has grown significantly in reach and impact over the past three decades, evolving from a niche cultural export to a genuine global phenomenon. Studio Ghibli’s films – particularly those of studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki – have played a pivotal role in changing the reputation of anime around the world, despite the director himself disdaining the term. When asked about his time at Studio Ghibli, Nishimura explained why the studio distanced itself from the descriptor “anime” and why that is no longer the case.

“The reason for this is that 20 to 30 years ago, when [the] In the Western world, something was called “anime”, including pieces in which [that] “It was about something sexual or violent,” Nishimura told Polygon. “But as you know, there are so many different forms of anime now, and now that people understand anime as something very diverse, we don’t need to define and differentiate ourselves anymore.”

When asked why Studio Ponoc continues to focus primarily on creating animated films for children, Nishimura replies that he believes this is his purpose in life.

“At 14, I decided that I was going to live for children,” Nishimura told Polygon. “That’s why I went into the animation industry.” [If I could] offer [a] Message to children [about] What is important […] in their childhood, if they accepted this message, […] when they grow up in 10 or 20 years, [I would tell them] I believe this world will be a better place if they understand, which is very important. The reason is that I want to share this as someone who had the opportunity to spend time with Miyazaki-san and Takahata-san. We really believe that a film can really change someone’s life. We believe that this could even lead to changing the world itself. That’s why I want to reach out to the children. That’s why.”

The Imaginary is now streaming on Netflix.