AnimationWorld Magazine — December 6, 2017
Interview: Director Sunao Katabuchi Recreates 20th Century Hiroshima for ‘In This Corner of the World’

n empowering coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of World War II, In This Corner of the World is a captivating story about the resilience and triumph of the human spirit. Adapted from the award-winning Japanese manga by Fumiyo Kouno, In This Corner of the World is written and directed by Sunao Katabuchi and produced by GENCO and Japanese animation studio MAPPA.

Bolstered by emotionally resonant storytelling and exquisite hand-drawn animation, In This Corner of the World won the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Film, the 90th Kinema Junpo Best 10 Award for Best Japanese Film as the second-ever animated film, and the Jury Award at the 41st Annecy International Animated Film Festival. The Academy Award-qualified anime feature is also one of 26 films submitted for Best Animated Feature in this year’s Oscar race.

The story follows Suzu Urano, a young woman who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives.

Katabuchi began his career working closely with Hayao Miyazaki before directing his own animated films, including acclaimed animated features Princess Arete (2001) and Mai Mai Miracle (2009). AWN had a chance to ask the director about the making of In This Corner of the World, as well as his time spent working under some of Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” and how animation is perceived by audiences in both Japan and the U.S.

(Read more at AnimationWorld Magazine…)