Kanna doesn’t want to be a messenger of the gods anymore in the animated movie Child of Kamiari Month (神在月のこども). She just wants her mother back, and the Japanese gods she’s supposed to help aren’t all that kind in helping this 12-year-old girl to see Okasan even in the afterlife. They’re getting ready to party because it’s Kannazuki time. It’s a celebration where the gods don’t interact with the mortal world as much during the month of October. They have gathered to discuss end of harvest affairs, and they need that one person to race all over Japan to take the offerings placed at their shrines, and deliver the goods to a place known as Izumo.
Yayoi was supposed to do that, but she passed away. Her daughter, Kanna, is required to take the mantle, but she’s not ready. This young girl also loves the sport of running according to the dubbed version, but I suspect there’s more to the narrative that isn’t translated over, and I had to see it again in its Japanese form (subtitled) to understand the missing details.
Collectors of Studio Ghibli films will be glad to know the next steelbook releases are coming soon. Only Yesterday and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (Amazon USA pre-order links) will arrive on shelves April 19, 2022! They are being released in joint co-operation by license holder GKIDS and distributer Shout! Factory.
These limited edition SteelBook releases include Blu-ray and DVD edtions. The boxes feature new art, and to complement the film, each piece includes hours of bonus features and a booklet with a statements from the filmmakers. Most of this material is from prior releases, and owners of the former releases need not upgrade. This new packaging is meant for newcomers to attain, or for those enthusiasts who are building a wall of Ghibli steelbooks to proudly display.
Only Yesterday and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya now join Earwig and the Witch, The Wind Rises, Secret World of Arrietty, Porco Rosso, From Up On Poppy Hill, The Cat Returns, Whisper of the Heart, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo in a series of SteelBook releases from the Studio Ghibli collection of films.
From the Press Release:
Only Yesterday
“Gorgeous! A rare and powerful film” – Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly
Having lived her whole life in the city, 27-year-old Taeko decides to visit her relatives in the countryside. As she travels, memories of her youth resurface, and after meeting young farmer Toshio, she wonders if she’s been true to the dreams of her childhood self.
From Academy Award®-nominated director Isao Takahata and Producer Hayao Miyazaki, Only Yesterday is a masterpiece of time and tone, rich with humor and stirring emotion, and beautifully animated by Studio Ghibli, one of the world’s most revered animation studios.
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, comes a powerful and sweeping epic that redefines animated storytelling and marks a triumphant highpoint within an extraordinary filmmaking career for Academy Award®-nominated* director Isao Takahata.
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her – but ultimately, she must confront her fate and embark on a transformative journey.
Bonus Features:
● Feature- Length Documentary Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
The cinematic treatment of Hideaki Sorachi‘s Gintama is concluding with the release of The Very Final to home video in North America. For some, that may well mean a renewed interest with this amusing samurai cum science fiction manga series. The ending offered in this animated take differs from the print version and this work wastes no time in telling viewers this fact.
Ever since its debut in Weekly Shōnan Jump nearly 20 years ago, the additional products that followed quickly put this universe in other narrative mediums. The anime was released in 2006, and typical of any successful product, there came soundtracks, light novels, original animation shorts and films. There’s a lot to like because of its fourth wall breaking moments, and the humour doesn’t end there. It not only pokes fun at itself but also references anime classics, especially Dragonball. But it doesn’t stop there. It makes oddball remarks about American pop culture, which includes jabs at Beyonce and Donald Trump in this latest.
There’s just enough horror films to look forward to seeing not only at theatres, but also at home and streaming. I just don’t have any passion for Scream since it’s run its course. Instead, I prefer the true classics, especially concerning a certain Michael….
I’ve expanded out to consider other releases to extend this list beyond the traditional ten. This top thirteen choices is sure to be daemonic!
Halloween Kills January 11
This latest work has enough kills and maims to satisfy the gorehound, but as for what it sets up is the fact that it’s time to retire the franchise. This home video release of last year’s film is more enjoyable because it’s the extended cut. There’s also a great selection of featurettes for fans to delve into. From “Haddonfield’s Open Wounds,” where this piece nicely examines why some characters from this world have returned to “Strode Family Values,” to understand why three generations of women (Laurie, Karen and Allyson) have been targeted by The Shape is discussed by the production team. The information is terrific.
There’s also material to show how that vintage 1978 look is achieved. If anything, everything boils down to what “The Power of Fear” reveals. Unless you’ve read the novelization of the original film, very few people are aware of how Michael Myers is connected to Samhain. Having this work in your library is sure to help remind all that’s transpired by the time the last movie is released.
GKIDS Jan 14, 2022 (North America) Feb 4 (United Kingdom) MIld Spoiler Alert
Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle is a triumph on many levels. Not only is the animation astounding because it had assistance with Cartoon Saloon (with Studio Chizu producing), but also it goes beyond being a simple fairy tale. There’s a message of hope in this tale about Suzu Naito (Kaho Nakamura), a young teen who lost all sense of feeling. As a child who saw her mom die, it’s easy to understand why. Nobody else was willing to help a random kid stuck in the middle of a raging river but this courageous woman did.
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Available on Netflix
Collectors of Studio Ghibli films will be glad to know the next steelbook releases are coming soon. 
Shout! Factory
There’s just enough 
Halloween Kills
GKIDS