Yahoo Finance Studio Ghibli fans condemn ‘stiff and off-putting’ 3D animation in trailer for new film Earwig and the Witch
A trailer for the new film from beloved Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli has drawn the ire of fans.
Directed by Tales From Earthsea’s GorÅ Miyazaki, son of the legendary Ghibli filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Earwig and the Witch is the first film to be made by Ghibli using full 3D CGI animation.
After the first trailer for the film was released, Ghibli fans and viewers complained about the departure from the studio’s traditional animation style.
Earwig and the Witch is based on Diana Wynne Jones’ 2011 children’s book of the same name, and follows an orphan girl who is adopted by a witch.
One fan wrote on Twitter that they found the animation style to be “very stiff and off-putting,” while another concurred: “I don’t know what it is, but it looks weird as hell...? Stiff maybe? Is it the shading? Some shots look really nice, but some don't....”
Someone else wrote: “I really wanna love that 3D Ghibli film on an aesthetic level,” wrote someone else. “There are some shots I've seen that really do be _extremely_ charming and well coloured/valued where the animation doesn't feel uncomfortable.
“But the vast majority of that trailer was a bit difficult to watch.”
Others, however, defended the clip, with one person writing: “It looks a bit rough but maybe that's because the resolution of the trailer is 360p? I'm still looking forward to it...
I really hope this is good but boy howdy does it look incredibly rough based on the trailer. The CG looks low-budget and unfinished. Which is a stark contrast from Ghibli's other films which are some of the most gorgeous animated films ever made. https://t.co/Cl14y8fYPT
— Patrick Martin (@pmartin89) December 1, 2020
Just seen the trailer for the new #Ghibli movie. To say it looks awful is an understatement. CGI is not the be all and end all. Hand drawn art (not to mention the stories) are the reason people love Ghibli in the first place! It looks like a cheap kids TV show. #studioghibli
— 💀Peculiar Curio💀 (@PeculiarCurio) December 2, 2020
Im glad someone addressed it cause i was too sad to admit the trailer looks 100% less interesting, less pretty, and 100% "cheaper" than any 2d ghibli movie :'( looks like something that will age horribly
— 👁•〰•👁 (@kiravvus) December 2, 2020
“This is Studio Ghibli's first CGI film, so even if it has issues... I wouldn't doubt they would learn from them and improve things with their next attempt.”
Earwig and the Witch is scheduled to air on Japanese channel NHK on 30 December, with a UK release still to be confirmed.
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