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Ghibli's 1st CG Feature Earwig and the Witch Previewed in 1st Promo Video

Diana Wynne Jones' novel of the same name. The two-minute video is streaming on NHK's website.

Jones published the novel in 2011, and publisher HarperCollins describes the story:

Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald's Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it's been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald's, disguised as foster parents. Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most children would run in terror from a house like that . . . but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who's boss.

The anime will star:

• Helter Skelter, Oh Lucy!) as Bella Yaga
• 20th Century Boys, Her Granddaughter) as Mandrake
• Space Brothers) as Thomas
• Child actress BLEACH) as Earwig (Aya in the Japanese version)

Goro Miyazaki is directing the anime as the studio's first full 3D CG feature, and his father and studio co-founder serving as the feature's international sales agent.

Ronja the Robber's Daughter, From Up On Poppy Hill) is deg the characters for animation.

Koji Hoshino are production managers.

The 82-minute feature will air on the NHK General channel on Wednesday, December 30 from 7:30 to 8:53 p.m. The Cannes Film Festival release the feature in theaters in North America in early 2021.

Source: NHK