
From the Press Release:
Only Yesterday

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
Available to purchase on Amazon USA
Not everyone will recall Hayao Miyazaki worked on various animated television shows before transitioning to making feature-length films. He provided key animation to films like Puss in Boots and Animal Treasure Island. Those haven’t received a Blu-ray upgrade yet, but with the release of Future Boy Conan, it’s safe to assume they will one day come. In the meantime, this product is a must to give to any collector of this filmmaker’s works. Christmas is coming.
GKIDS & Shout! Factory’s release of this whimsical post-apocalyptic style adventure can see how this first-time director whetted his feet as an up-and-coming director. Although he changed a lot of the story–it was supposed to be an adaptation of The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key–the problems that later arose meant that for a time, no North American release was possible despite having having an English dub stuck in storage for decades (it was redone for this release).
Release Date:
September 21, 2021
Anyone who have been collecting the SteelBook™ releases of GKIDS’ Studio Ghibli collection will be happy to know two new titles have been added! These companies and Shout! Factory (the distributor) are working together to release Porco Rosso and From Up On Poppy Hill next. This limited edition series offers a sharp looking way to proudly show off a fan’s love for this animation house’s works!
These two films are now part of the library of works which also includes Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, The Cat Returns, Whisper of the Heart, The Secret World of Arrietty, The Wind Rises, and Earwig & the Witch.
By Shawn Trommeshauser
Disclaimer: Review copy was supplied
Played for over 8 hours
Located 201/244 sources of Earth
Developer: Playism
Available on Steam for the PC.
Tasomachi: Behind the Twilight is a fairly simple platforming game which is visually gorgeous. You play as Yukumo, a young adventurer who journeys around the world in her airship. Unfortunately it takes some damage and crashes in a region covered in an oppressive fog. She soon meets a Nezu, a little fox-like being (named Kogara) who tells her that all the people have fled. He becomes Yukumo’s guide for the journey ahead, giving the exposition she needs to find her next challenge.
Yukumo’s tasks are to find enough ‘Sources of Earth’ to repair her airship, and to restore the sacred trees that protect the local towns. It also keeps the fog at bay.
There are three types of gameplay: Exploring, airship flight, and restoring the Tree Sanctuaries.
By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
GKIDS & Shout! Factory
Now Available on Streaming (HBOMax)
DVD/Blu-Ray Release Date:
April 6, 2021
Spoiler Alert
Long time fans of Studio Ghibli’s works will find their decision to transition to CGI jarring. The production quality and advanced character design–the motion of the figures–is just not there. They don’t have the decades of experience other teams (like DreamWorks or PIXAR) have. It’s all new to them. Despite this setback, debuting Earwig and the Witch (アーヤと魔女) on television and the CGI quality doesn’t overshadow the tale by much.
Goro Miyazaki explains his reasoning behind the production design in one featurette offered in this home video release (it comes with a handy checklist of other Ghibli films for completionists to explore). Viewers can decide if his choice is for the better or worse. By mid-act I got accustomed to it and became more invested in the hilarious antics Erica Wigg (Kokoro Hirasawa) goes through with the help of her new pet to become a woman of the house.