Following The Boy and the Heron, Studio Ghibli will re-release Princess Mononoke in restored 4K quality, with plans to restore additional titles in the future.
Studio Ghibli's unique storytelling and hand-drawn animation have captivated audiences worldwide and fans celebrated last year when The Boy and the Heron was announced as the studio's first UHD Blu-ray release.
It proved a success so Studio Ghibli will continue its journey into 4K restoration.
Princess Mononoke is next
In an interview with The Verge, the Japanese studio confirmed that Princess Mononoke, originally released in 1997, has been restored in real 4K. It was the first Ghibli film to incorporate CGI alongside traditional hand-drawn animation.
Studio Ghibli’s Vice President Atsushi Okui said that Princess Mononoke was actually scanned in 4K more than 10 years ago. The restoration will stay true to the original vision.
- "Many of the films you've seen before were delivered in 2K DCPs (Digital Cinema Packages), but that doesn't mean they were made in 2K," Okui told The Verge. "Since Mononoke was originally shot on 35mm film, the data scanned was 4K quality. What we’re doing this time is integrating that data into the final print and delivering the completed film in 4K."
Princess Mononoke. Photo: Studio Ghibli
More 4K restorations later
After the 4K-restored Princess Mononoke hits select theaters this week and eventually makes its way to homes worldwide at a later date, Ghibli will explore additional titles for restoration and release, Okui confirmed.
The studio did not comment on specific titles, but let's hope it includes Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies.
The Boy and the Heron was released on UHD Blu-ray with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.
- Source: The Verge
