The famous co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, has returned with a new movie called “The Boy and the Heron” (also called “How Do You Live?”). This is Miyazaki’s first film as a director in ten years, and Japanese reviewers have already given it a lot of praise. The movie was first shown in Japan on July 14 and will be shown in other countries in late 2023.

“The Boy and the Heron” is based on Yoshino Genzaburo’s 1937 book of the same name. It tells the story of a young boy growing up while living with his uncle after his father died. Miyazaki gave the movie to his grandson, giving it a special meaning for him.

“The Boy and the Heron,” which is a great example of Miyazaki’s artistic vision, shows that he has always preferred hand-drawn animation to CGI. Studio Ghibli chose a simple marketing plan that was similar to what people did in the past. They only used a picture and the title to get people interested and get them thinking.

Early reviews from Japan have been mostly positive, with reviewers praising Miyazaki’s creative storytelling. The BBC review likes how the movie has many of the same themes and visual treats as Miyazaki’s best-known films, like “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Spirited Away.”

Studio Ghibli movies are distributed around the world by GKIDS. As “The Boy and the Heron” gets ready to come out later this year, fans around the world are very excited.