Makiko Futaki was an invaluable creative resource, and instrumental in almost every work done by Studio Ghibli, where she started up in 1981. Her last film for the studio was, When Marnie Was There.
Futaki was the go to animator on Princess Mononoke, and also worked closely on Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. Futaki was a true visionary, an unrivaled talent, and a godsend for the anime industry as a whole, may she rest in peace.
Yes, it seems the living legend, Hayao Miyazaki has one more ride in him just yet; the genius who sat at the very helm of films like 1984’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, 1988’s My Neighbor Totoro, 1997’s Princess Mononoke, and 2001’s Spirited Away, which claimed an Academy Award for best Animated Feature.
The film in question, is Kemushi no Boro, which is set to be the tale of a tiny caterpillar that Miyazaki didn't feel he could fit in the space of 20 minutes. Here's a peek at the concept art that's since surfaced:
This is just the kind of uplifting news so many of us needed after an abnormally tumultous 2016. He's reporting that he hopes to have the film completed in five years, so here's to hoping that time does nothing but blow by until then.
