Hayao Miyazaki’s new animated film, The Boy and the Heron, premiered in Japan over the weekend (July 14), making an unusual debut without any sort of promotional campaign from Studio Ghibli. The film’s theme song, Kenshi Yonezu’s “Spinning Globe,” has now been released. Check it out below.
The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki’s first film since 2013’s The Wind Rises. It’s reportedly the final feature from the influential, 82-year-old animator, who also directed the movie and wrote its script. Studio Ghibli did not release any stills from the production, a trailer, or cast details before the film arrived in theaters. The Boy and the Heron is set for North American distribution later this year, but a specific release date has not yet been announced. Joe Hisaishi, a longtime associate of Studio Ghibli, scored the film.
In a statement about “Spinning Globe,” Yonezu said that he had grown up as a fan of Miyazaki’s work, and consulted with him at Studio Ghibli’s headquarters while working on the composition. “I remember walking under the pitch-dark shades of the trees while overhearing the cheers of nursery school children nearby,” Yonezu said. “As a person who usually writes music drawing from recollections of the past alone in a small room, it was an experience nothing short of enriching.”
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