Interaction to Preview Howl's Moving Castle

Date: 2005 May 12 18:47

Posted by Joe

We've just received some very exciting news about Interaction, the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention, which will be previewing Howl's Moving Castle. It's the long awaited latest movie from Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, who is also responsible for Spirited Away (the first anime film to have won an Oscar).

They'll also be showing anime musical Interstella 5555, with music from Daft Punk, it's directed by Leiji Matsumoto & Kazuhisa Takenôchi, and has the distinctive Matsumoto character designs, even if they are blue aliens instead of humans! The convention are even screening Appleseed, a CGI movie based on the popular manga by Masamune Shirow (who is best known for Ghost In The Shell).

It appears that the event coordinator David 'Dragon' Cotterill has been a busy man, not only has he helped to secure the film screenings, but he has also managed to get leading anime experts like Jonathan Clements (co-author of the Anime Encyclopedia and the Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama since 1953), to step onboard to run panels and discussions.

The Otaku News Crew are pleased to report that this makes the convention worth while for anime fans, since the film line up is interesting, and being the first to see Howl's Moving Castle in the UK makes it worth the visit alone! It's also refreshing to see that they've got established and experienced anime experts who actually know what they are talking about, more recently we've noticed that there are quite self declared experts appearing at smaller events who have only really got into anime because it's "cool", in reality such people jumping on the bandwagon know little and often turn events into disasters. We've seen Jonathan at previous events and found him to be entertaining and informative.

Full Story

INTERACTION, THE 63rd WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION
http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/

PRESS RELEASE #36 - Interaction to Preview Howl's Moving Castle

GLASGOW, Tuesday 10 May 2005

Howl's Moving Castle to be previewed at Interaction - UK release date set for September - Appleseed and Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem also to be shown.

Animé fans attending Interaction, the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention will have an opportunity to see one on the most anticipated animated movies of the year, almost a full month before its English language version is officially released in the UK. Howl's Moving Castle is the latest movie from director Hayao Miyazaki whose previous works include the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbour Totoro.

Based on the novel of the same name by UK author Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle tells the story of Sophie Hatter, who is cursed by the Witch of the Waste to have the appearance of a 90 year old. She leaves her home to travel to Howl's Castle, where after many adventures, she finds the cure to both her and Howl's curses.

The animé programme will also feature showings of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem and Appleseed.

Interstella 5555 is an animated musical featuring the music of French band Daft Punk. Directed by Leiji Matsumoto & Kazuhisa Takenôchi it tells the story of an alien band kidnapped by unscrupulous music industry executives and their attempts to escape. Although popular on the European festival circuit Interstella 5555 has never had a general UK release.

Although premiered in the UK in April 2004 Appleseed has not been widely seen in Britain since then. Directed by Shinji Aramaki and based on the manga by Masamune Shiro, this film is set in Earth's last city, Olympus, which grew out of the chaos of a global war. Here the population, half of whom are artificial clones called Bioroids, live in peace under the guidance of a super-computer. However, human terrorists within the military seek a return to power and clash with the government's ESWAT forces led by the legendary soldier, Deunan Knute, and her boyfriend who is 75% machine.

"We are very pleased to have secured the rights to show these films," said Interaction Animé Programme coordinator David 'Dragon' Cotterill. "But they are only a small part of the overall programme. Over the five days of the convention we will be running panels and discussions featuring leading critics and animé experts such as Jonathan Clements, co-author of the Animé Encyclopedia and the Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama since 1953."