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Late Ghibli Animator Makiko Futaki's Picture Book Gets Collector's Edition
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
A new picture book collecting the artwork of animator Animage Bunko imprint in 1989 and new materials.
The collector's edition reprints the original story in A5-size, close to the original version by Futaki. Additionally, the end of the book adds original artwork by Futaki that was not previously published.
The original book tells the story of a great, ancient tree that exists at the center of the world. Civilization has forgotten its existence. Near the impossibly tall tree's base was a home where Cici lived with her grandmother. After over 10 years of eking out a living in near isolation, Cici begins to dream of climbing the tree.
Futaki created the book after visiting Yakushima to draw the large trees for Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro anime film. After spending time in the forest there, she kept thinking about a tree that was so large it could host all kinds of life in its branches.
Futaki When Marnie Was There as a key animator.
Apart from Studio Ghibli films, she has also worked as an animator on Moribito novels.
