Anime Limited launch Kickstarter campaign for Mai Mai Miracle
Date: 2014 February 03 14:20
Posted by Joe
After spending a few days teasing followers to guess, Anime Limited have announced the details of their Kick Starter Campaign to bring Mai Mai Miracle to the UK and US.
The film has yet to get any English speaking territory home video release, only being shown occasionally at anime film festivals. We first discovered the film at a Barbican Screening in 2009 and were immediately fans. It's made by Mad House, the studio well know for hight quality releases. The film itself has that nostalgic Ghibli like feel to it, with it's own touch of whimsy. We've been wondering why it hasn't had an English language blu-ray or DVD release yet, and we always recommend people see it if they can. It's one of those rare must see family movies.
Anime Limited are aiming to bring it on blu-ray to both the UK and US! For us this is a no brainer. This is a case of shut up and take my money.
Full Story
Press release as follows:
Anime Limited launch Kickstarter campaign for Mai Mai Miracle
Glasgow, UK February 03, 2014 - Anime Limited are excited to announce the launch of the Mai Mai Miracle Kickstarter campaign - aiming to raise $30,000 for an English language release of this niche film on blu-ray and DVD.
What is Mai Mai Miracle?
Mai Mai Miracle is a film that defied the odds on release. Directed by former Miyazaki protégé Sunao Katabuchi, the film is a beautiful look at childhood, friendship, imagination, history and of coming of age.
Set in 1950s postwar rural Japan, the film follows a young girl named Shinko as she explores the rich history of her surroundings, befriends a quiet newcomer, goes adventuring and comes to terms with the adult world, thus falling into the trap of growing up.
Visually stunning and beautifully written, Mai Mai Miracle practically slipped through the cracks when released in Japan in 2009. It was only through word of mouth and the enthusiasm of the animators and audiences that it became a niche hit in Japan - running for a full 7 months in theatres! Critically acclaimed and a favourite (and award winning) on the festival circuit, Mai Mai Miracle has been widely overlooked in the west - particularly in English speaking regions.
Why Kickstarter?
As beautiful and lovely as this film is, it had a hard time with UK and US distributors as it didn’t quite fit the standard genres - thus been deemed not commercially viable for release. We strongly disagree with this and would love to prove this film’s worth! With Kickstarter, we can take the film directly to audiences that will appreciate it.
Our goal is to give this release the best possible release we can and do Katabuchi-san’s masterpiece justice. The rights have already been acquired so the Kickstarter campaign will focus mainly on releasing a quality product with English subtitles as well as a host of limited edition Kickstarter-only goodies to say thanks for the support!
For more information on the Kickstarter, please check out our page here
About Anime Limited
Based out of Glasgow, Scotland Anime Limited brings a fresh approach to distributing the best in anime direct from Japan. As an independent company the emphasis is both breathing new life into much loved classics and introducing the cutting edge of theatrical offerings. With a focus on bringing more anime to the big screen, releasing beautifully packaged collector’s editions and trying new ways to reach fans digitally, Anime Limited is committed to offering a wide range of experiences for UK audiences.
Source: Anime Limited