A brand new international trailer for the upcoming Mamoru Hosoda film Belle has been released, giving fans a taste of what’s to come in the film.
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The highly anticipated anime film will be released next month and is the ninth project for Hosoda following his 2018 Oscar-nominated film Mirai. Belle has been described as a touching, coming-of-age story that’s told in a fantasy-filled visual style. The film follows 17-year-old Suzu, a student living in a rural village with her father. After one day entering “U,” a virtual world for 5 billion members on the internet, she meets a world-famous singer and embarks on a journey of adventures.
Belle is already one of the most anticipated anime films of the year, but thanks to its billing it’s being compared to some classics. The film is set to bring together a ton of top talent from Japan, including Jin Kim, a character designer who has worked on classic Disney films like Frozen and Moana, and Eric Wong, a British architect who helped create the world of “U” in the film.
Belle: Ryu to Sobakasu no Hime is written and directed by Hosoda. The film’s crew also includes character designer Jin Kim (Frozen, Moana, Big Hero 6), as well as directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart of Cartoon Saloon (Wolfwalkers). It will be produced by Studio Chizu.
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Similar to some of Hosoda’s previous works, like Summer Wars or Digimon, it will explore humanity’s relationship with a virtual world. Studio Chizu says it is “…a tale of hope and courage that will be an inspiration for everyone around the world.”
Belle is scheduled for a July 16 release in Japan.
