Enis, Eli (June 9, 2020). "Studio Ghibli announces new film Aya and the Witch". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020 . Retrieved June 17, 2020. Author Greg Ruth (2014) shares about the benefits of the horror genre for kids, explaining: “Plainly put, horror provides a playground in which kids can dance with their fears in a safe way that can teach them how to survive monsters and be powerful, too. Horror for kids lets them not only read or see these terrible beasts, but also see themselves in the stories’ protagonists. The hero’s victory is their victory. The beast is whomever they find beastly in their own lives. A kid finishing a scary book, or movie can walk away having met the monster and survived, ready and better armed against the next villain that will be coming.”

Ruth also emphasizes the reality that “fear is not the best thing in the world, of course, but it’s not going anywhere and we are likely forced to meet it in some capacity, great or small, each and every day. There’s no way around it. Denying this fact only provides more fertile ground for fear to take root. Worse yet, denying it robs us of our agency to meet and overcome it.” This statement really resonates with me. When we deny that scary things exist, we risk becoming even more afraid of the unknown. We also lose the opportunity to think about how we’d overcome obstacles such as these. a b "GKIDS' Earwig and the Witch Release is Same as Version in Japanese Theaters". Archived from the original on April 23, 2021 . Retrieved April 23, 2021. During the Ghibli Not Big exhibition held at the Aichi Arts Center in Nagoya, Gorô Miyazaki gave a press conference on July 27, 2020, announcing his new film and why it was going to be in 3DCG, “I was the only one among the people of Ghibli who knew this method of creation, so I was able to move the project forward without consulting anyone. Hayao Miyazaki told me to go ahead, and producer Toshio Suzuki encouraged me by telling me that it seemed like a good idea. But after that, I was on my own. I was basically the only master on board. So I created the film with a young team and I didn't consult the old guard at all. It's a job that I want everyone to see now." The film was scheduled to premiere at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival before the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [19] It instead premiered at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon Metropolis, on October 18, 2020. [2] Japan [ edit ]Then one day, much to her disappointment, Earwig gets chosen by a strange pair of foster parents. Upon arrival at her new home, Earwig discovers Bella Yaga is a witch in need of assistance, and the Mandrake is a powerful demon. Despite those two, Earwig finds herself an ally in the charming talking cat Thomas. (I am always here for talking cat characters.) Earwig then sets herself on a journey to either learn magic or escape the house at whatever the cost. How Earwig and the Witch Helped Me Understand the Horror Genre’s Benefits for Kids Studio Ghibli's first CG movie, 'Earwig and the Witch,' is an insult". Engadget . Retrieved October 12, 2023. Auch ist die Geschichte recht kindlich und somit eher etwas für jüngere Leser, aber natürlich auch für Junggebliebene Erwachsene ;-) Let's pause and bow our heads for a moment. A few years ago, we lost one of the greatest fantasy authors, Diana Wynne-Jones. In the second place, this could have been an excellent full-length novel if only Jones had taken the trouble to flesh it out and develop it. Instead, we have a detailed buildup and then she does something I hate: leaps forward to "one year later" when everything is fine-fine and Earwig already has what she wants. Nothing about how she learned the trade or anything interesting like that. No reunion scene with Custard, no matter how "desperate" she was to see him. Nothing.

a b " Earwig and the Witch Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021 . Retrieved June 8, 2023. Hayao Miyazaki first discovered Diana Wynne Jones' novel and fell under the spell of the titular Āya who manipulates adults to do her bidding and approached Producer Toshio Suzuki with the idea of ​​adapting it into film. The cast includes many prominent morning drama actors such as Kokoro Hirasawa, Shinobu Terajima, Etsushi Toyokawa amd Gaku Hamada.For Aya and the Witch, a band has been specially formed around her, consisting of guitarist Hiroki Kamemoto (GLIM SPANKY), bassist Kiyomune Takano (Mrs. GREEN APPLE), drummer Kavka Shishido (宍戸佑名 , Shishido Yūna). Satoshi Takebe composed and provided piano accompaniment. On December 3, 2020, it was announced that Elysian Film Group had acquired the British and Irish distribution rights to the film, becoming the company's very first film acquisition after it was founded in February that year. This will make it the first theatrical release of a Ghibli film since Princess Mononoke not to be distributed by StudioCanal UK in the region. [36] Elysian released the film in cinemas on May 28, 2021, on over 100 screens and only dubbed into English, [37] and later released it on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (including the Japanese audio and English subtitles as well as the English dub) on September 27, 2021. In 1990s England, a witch leaves her child, Earwig, at St. Morwald's Home for Children. The matron head of the home thinks that the name is unfit for a child and changes it to Erica Wigg. Years later, Earwig is a rambunctious 10-year-old who is very comfortable in an orphanage where everyone does what she wants. She likes living there with her friend Custard and does not want to get adopted. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 17, 2021). "Earwig and the Witch Film Rescheduled for August 27 in Japanese Theaters After COVID-19 Delay". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021 . Retrieved June 17, 2021.

Goro professed his admiration for the titular character Aya/Earwig, “What’s wonderful about her is that she’s a child but she’s able to make grownups do as she likes them to do,” he said. “Normally, when you’re an orphan and you’re taken in by a very selfish witch, you’re treated badly, you cry, and try to run away, but in her case, she tries to take advantage of [Bella’s] suspicion and control the witch. I thought this would be an inspiration for kids in real life to stand up for themselves.” [8] GKIDS Releases Ghibli's 1st CG Feature Earwig and the Witch on BD on April 6, Digitally on March 23". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021 . Retrieved January 25, 2021. Six months pass and Erica now has control over Bella and Mandrake. Her room has drastically changed to be filled with extravagant furniture. Her hair ties are now even bows. She is able to freely request food from Mandrake and helps him with his manuscripts. Even the demons obey her now. Only thing she can't seem to get her way with is getting Custard to visit her, as he is too scared of the Mandrake. When Custard does finally visit, the woman with red hair, Erica's mother arrives and greets Erica by her original name, Earwig.As I watched this film, I noticed that some of the scenes felt scarier than I’d expected. Between Bella Yaga’s ghastly threats, mild body horror, and the blistering temper and all-seeing eyes of the Mandrake, Earwig finds herself in a pretty terrifying living situation. In some ways, it felt reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. And yet, I found Earwig’s character truly unique. It is based on the 2011 book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, which was translated by Kaoruko Tanaka and published in Japan by Tokuma Shoten in 2012. This is Gorô's third film, after Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. The story revolves around Erica, a bright, young orphan who pits her wits against her magic-wielding foster parents in a mysterious new home. One day, a strange couple, Bella Yaga and Mandrake, adopt Earwig against her wishes. When they get home, Bella Yaga tells Earwig that she is a witch, and that she only adopted Earwig for "an extra pair of hands" to help around the house. Earwig agrees to help, only if Bella Yaga teaches her magic in return. Earwig prepares ingredients for spells and cleans the workroom. Tired of working, she attempts to leave of the house, only to find that all the exits have been magically sealed by Mandrake. She becomes further frustrated because Bella Yaga never teaches her any magic. Goro Miyazaki on Studio Ghibli's first CGI film and animation's future". Dazed. May 27, 2021 . Retrieved October 12, 2023. Blu-ray・DVD | ポニーキャニオン"["Earwig and the Witch the Movie" Blu-ray・DVD - Pony Canyon] (in Japanese). Pony Canyon. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021 . Retrieved October 25, 2021.