London-Based Anime Company’s Powerful Manga-Inspired Feature to Screen in Festival’s ‘Works in Progress’ Program
14 June 2016 – Annecy, France – Animatsu Entertainment, the new London-based producer, licensor and distributor of anime in the UK, Ireland and, soon, the rest of the world, has secured global distribution rights to the highly anticipated animated feature In This Corner of the World (この世界の片隅に Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni). The company introduces this poignant, uplifting, coming of age story to buyers at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Market today, showing the uncompleted manga-inspired title in the festival’s Works in Progress program.
Produced by GENCO, with Japanese animation studio MAPPA, In This Corner of the World has been licensed to Animatsu Entertainment for the film’s worldwide sales. GENCO, in turn, will release In This Corner of the World in Japan this October.
Based on the award-winning manga written by Fumiyo Kouno, In This Corner of the World is written and directed by Sunao Katabuchi. Katabuchi began his career working closely with Hayao Miyazaki before directing his own projects, including the acclaimed animated film Mai Mai Miracle. GENCO’s Taro Maki and MAPPA’s Masao Maruyama are producers for the project.
In This Corner of the World tells the story of the adolescent Suzu, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage, however, underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country.
“There have been previous anime films set around the devastation in Hiroshima, but none with the ultimately uplifting and positive message of In This Corner of the World, so we can’t wait to bring this beautiful film to Annecy,” Animatsu Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Jerome Mazandarini said. “We believe the rest of the world will share our enthusiasm for this story.”
“In This Corner of the World is not a typical war movie: the town is so beautifully recreated and the characters are so wonderfully achieved that the focus is on the art that is imbued in daily life itself,” GENCO President Taro Maki said. “While it is of course heart-breaking to behold the before and after scenes, the willpower that normal people muster in the name of love and caring is what really stands out.”
“War is the opposite of daily life, yet daily life must go on even through war. And perfectly normal people can achieve this miraculous feat in the most extreme circumstances one can imagine,” the film’s director Sunao Katabuchi notes. “That’s what this film explores. I believe those very specific details in this film help viewers perceive the infinite emotions experienced by these absolutely normal people.”
A successful crowdfunding effort provided part of the resources needed to produce this feature version of the award-winning manga. The campaign raised 39 million yen (approximately $350,000), almost doubling the original goal.
About Animatsu Entertainment, Ltd.
Animatsu Entertainment, Ltd., is a new specialist UK-based distribution, production and international rights management company primarily focusing on Japanese anime films and TV series, and has multiple projects in development. An affiliate company of Manga Entertainment, Animatsu Entertainment released the hugely successful game-to- live-action adaptations, Halo: Nightfall and Dead Rising: Watchtower as well as Rooster Teeth’s animated series RWBY, among others. Animatsu is spearheaded by Jerome Mazandarani who has been key to Manga Entertainment’s decade of success. Find out more at www.animatsu.com
About GENCO Inc.
Founded in 1997 by Taro Maki, the producer for “Mobile Police Patlabor” series, and “Tench Muyo” series. The company has produced hit titles like “Nodame Cantabile,” (2007) “Sword Art Online,” (2012). Along with Masao Maruyama, Mr. Maki also produced the Satoshi Kon films, “Millennium Actress,” (2002) and “Tokyo Godfather.” (2003). http://www.genco.co.jp
About MAPPA
As one of Japan’s top ranking studios, MAPPA was founded by Masao Maruyama, who in turn also founded famed animation studio Madhouse. Since its founding in 2011, the studio has created masterpieces such as “Kid’s on the Slope,” “Terror in Resonance,” and many others. http://www.mappa.co.jp
