First look–Studio Ghibli offers up its next piece of artistry with “Marnie”

We have yet to be disappointed with any anime production from the house of Studio Ghibli. Whether it’s My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Whisper of the Heart (1995), Princess Mononoke (1997), the Oscar award winning Spirited Away (2001), or Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), you know you’re getting sumptuous visuals and a compelling story. It’s been rumored that the production company’s next release may be its last, after years of success from the studio’s now retired director Hayao Miyazaki. That next, and potentially last, film from Studio Ghibli is director Hiromasa Yonebayashi‘s When Marnie Was There, based on a Joan G. Robinson novel from 1971.

The American dubbed version hits theaters in the U.S. this month, featuring the voices of several award winning actors, including Kathy Bates, Ellen Burstyn, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, and John C. Reilly.