Mamoru Hosoda
Mamoru Hosoda, one of the greatest contemporary directors, credit for Mirai masterpieces, winner of the Annie Awards for Best Independent Animated Film and an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Film, The Boy and the Beast , Wolf Children, Summer War (read our review of the novel), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and the most recent BELLE (Ryu to Sobakasu no Hime, literally: The Freckled Princess and the Dragon) released on July 15 in Japan, while in Italy it will arrive at a date yet to be defined thanks to Anime Factory, he recently participated in the television program “The Most Useful School in the World”. During the show he listed the five must-see souls that inspired his career.The five must-see souls according to Mamoru Hosoda
First on the list is red-haired Anna , also known as Anne of Green Gables, broadcast for the first time in Italy from 20 October 1980 to 1 January 1981 on the Rai 1 network. Mamoru Hosoda appreciates the way in which the anime manages to portray Anne's personality as well as the objective shots which also influenced his masterpiece Wolf Children.In second place is the film Aim for the Ace the Movie! , a 90-minute compilation of the anime version of Jenny the tennis player, released in Japanese cinemas in 1979, and in Italy first on VHS by Yamato Video, and later on DVD by Mondo TV. According to Mamoru Hosoda it is one of the masterpieces of director Osamu Dezaki, which perfectly encapsulates his unique approach to visual storytelling and his ability to condense a story to the essential.
In third place we have Mobile Suit Gundam, the 1979 television series, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and the creative staff of Sunrise under the collective pseudonym of Hajime Yatate, of which the director praised the emotional aspect and the realism that influenced the style of the movements in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
The fourth anime chosen by Mamoru Hosoda is Galaxy Express 999, the film version, in which the director praises the beautifully animated battle scenes. In particular, focusing on the scene of the battle of Arcadia, Hosoda declared:
"I have never seen a battle scene other than this."
Finally Mamoru Hosoda appreciated Lupine III - The castle of Cagliostro, broadcast for the first time on television on Italia 1 on 1 January 1984 and in cinemas in 2007 where, for the first time, it was voiced with the official voices of the series. The director was especially fascinated by the car chase and the fluid techniques of the animator Atsuko Tanaka.
What binds all these titles together? The fact that they first came out in Japan in 1979, when Mamoru Hosoda was in sixth grade. In other words, they were all profoundly formative films for him.
If you are a fan of Mamoru Hosoda we suggest you buy this Mirai collector's box, available on Amazon!
5 Essential Anime Director Mamoru Hosoda Says You Should Watch
5 Essential Anime Director Mamoru Hosoda Says You Should Watch
Director Mamoru Hosoda is riding high off the success of his latest film, BELLE, but that didn’t stop him from recommending some other essential anime you absolutely have to see. During Saturday’s “The Most Useful School in the World” program, Hosoda ran through a list of five ‘must-see’ anime you should add to your own to-watch list.
For the way it portrays its lead’s personality and the objective camera shots that would eventually inspire Hosoda’s Wolf Children, the director recommended Anne of Green Gables.
For what Hosoda deems to be the quintessential anime from director Osamu Dezaki, the Aim for the Ace! anime film made the cut.
For those who want robot anime that doesn’t feel like robot anime, Hosoda was deeply affected by Yoshiyuki Tomino’s original Mobile Suit Gundam. The series even influenced the style of movement in Hosoda’s The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
For the beautiful animated battle scenes and Rintaro’s direction, the Galaxy Express 999 anime film is a must-see.
Finally, Hosoda recommends Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, especially for both the fluid techniques of animator Atsuko Tanaka and the iconic car chase sequence.
As the Anime News Network post points out, it’s worth noting that Mamoru Hosoda would have been in sixth grade when these were released in 1979. Odds are good that you’ve also been deeply influenced by media you watched around that age, and Hosoda is no different. They’re all fantastic picks either way, and you can see how these essential anime worked their way into the director’s own projects over the years.
Next up for BELLE is a North American release from GKIDS this winter.
If you had to name five essential anime you would recommend to anyone and everyone, which would top your list? Let us know about your favorites in the comments!