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There probably wasn't any need to admit it so explicitly, but if there is something the subtle glory of サマーウォーズ (Summer Wars) did, it was further catapulting Madhouse into the upper echelon of world animation, but Hosoda Mamoru is certainly not the only talented director they have under contract. One of the most interesting Madhouse projects that are about to be released is Katabuchi Sunao's マイマイ新子と千年の魔法 (Mai Mai Miracle). Katabuchi was assitant director for Miyazaki Hayao on the lovely Japan-Italy co-production 名探偵ホームズ (Sherlock Hound) and later on 魔女の宅急便 (Kiki's Delivery Service), so it's not exactly a bad resume. His work solo is a bit sketchier (he even helmed some episodes of the US version of Street Fighter) and all over the place, but considering Madhouse is behind this, we're likely in very good hands (this is Katabuchi's first feature as director since joining Madhouse).
The story goes more or less like this, directly from the Shochiku website.
The story goes more or less like this, directly from the Shochiku website.
Shinko, a third grade elementary school student loves to imagine and daydream about the world of one thousand years ago. Her fantasies travel far into the days of the Heian Period (year 794-1185)... One day a girl called Kiiko transfers from Tokyo and joins Shinko's class where they become good friends. Before long, the two of them become engulfed in a strange incident of one thousand years ago...Adapted from a novel by Takagi Nobuko, Mai Mai Miracle premiered in August at the Locarno International Film Festival, and debuts in Japan on November 21.
I've seen this and the Miyazaki influence is obvious, possibly a bit too much so. It skews very young but is really well made. Interesting that Madhouse is scooping so much former-Ghibli talent ... pretty much the entire creative team behind Dennou Coil were former Ghibli employees.
Uh, Sunao Katabuchi also did Princess Arete, which though visually the direction was, shall we say, workmanlike still pretty much gets him a free pass forever. It certainly doesn't come under 'sketchy' or 'all over the place' in my book. ;-)