Gkids, a film distributor known for partnering with Studio Ghibli and releasing excitinganimefeature films in the United States, made headlines last week when they purchased the rights toBelle,Mamoru Hosoda’s next feature film. Now, after its world premiere at the Annecy Film Festival, the distributor has picked up the North American rights toThe Deer King, veteran Japanese animator Masashi Ando’s directorial debut.
The Deer Kingtells an epic fantasy story about a former soldier and a little girl who are caught in the middle of a conflict between the two rival empires, Zol and Aquafa, after surviving an attack by wild dogs that carried a deadly disease known as Black Wolf Fever. The teaser released by Gkids promises many action scenes as well as sequences expressing a heartfelt connection between the soldier and the girl.
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Ando’s impressive animation resume includes work on highly-acclaimedfilms such asPrincess Mononoke,Spirited Away,Your Name, and Satoshi Kon’sPaprika. Furthermore, Ando wrote the screenplay forWhen Marnie Was There. The filmmaker is joined onThe Deer Kingby co-director Masayuki Miyaji, a veteran storyboard artist for a myriad of anime series includingAttack on Titan. Taku Kishimoto, a series writer forHaikyuu!!,Erased, and the modern remake ofFruits Basket(among others), wrote the film’s script.
The Annecy Film Festival in Annecy, France is one of the biggest film festivals in the world and the most prominent in terms of those focused primarily on the medium of animation. Many anime films such asAkira,Summer Wars, andA Silent Voicehave screened in the festival’s feature competition in past years. This year,The Deer Kingwas selected for the feature competition alongside two other anime titles—Poupelle of Chimney TownandJosee, the Tiger and the Fish, the latter of which will screen in theaters starting July 12th courtesy of Funimation.
The Deer Kingis one of the most exciting anime films in recent memory; at a time when many recent anime films (likeMiraiandWeathering with You) have told contemporary stories, it is refreshing to seeThe Deer Kingtell an epic story that may not be easily compared to the films surrounding it.
If it’s feeling like there’s a wave of anime titles or news related to medium as of late, that may be a good thing for fans. After all, several anime titles, includingSailor Moon Eternal, saw their theatrical release dates postponed over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Deer Kingwill be released in North America later in 2021.
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