Studio Ghibli and Japan’s Polygon Pictures are joining forces to produce an animated TV series for the Japanese public television channel NHK BS Premium called Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter. The series is based on the novel by author Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking) and will follow the adventures of a little girl raised by robbers in a mysterious woodland area of Medieval Europe. Gorō Miyazaki, Hayao Miyazaki’s son, is set to direct the show which will premiere this fall.
Gorō Miyazaki directed Tales from Earthsea (2006), which was scorned by critics in Japan and of which Hayao Miyazaki said his son had no business directing. The tension between the father and son continued throughout the production of the film. Gorō Miyazaki’s second directorial film was From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) was much more successful, winning Best Animation Film award from the Japanese Academy. Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter will mark Mayazaki and Studio Ghibli’s first foray into television.
Of the series, Mayazaki said:
“Ronia the Robber’s Daughter is a story not just about a girl who grows into adulthood, but it is also a story about the love and growth between a parent and child, and a story about the bonds between friends. My goal is to create a work that everyone, from children to adults, will be able to enjoy.”
Nothing super exciting in that statement, but in any case the work will likely garner an immediate following in Japan due to the Studio Ghibli name. It may also be telling that this is happening after Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement from the studio.
This website offers ways to connect to NHK BS Premium outside of Japan.
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