STUDIO PONOC
Mary to Majo no Hana
Mary Smith is a clumsy girl with wild red hair who can't seem to do anything right. After moving in with her Great Aunt Charlotte, Mary finds herself lonely and bored, until one day she spies a cat which seems to keep changing color every time she sees it. Curiosity gets the better of her and she follows it into nearby woods. Deep in the forest, the cat takes her to a clearing with dead trees and brown grass, where the only sign of life is a cluster of mysterious blue flowers that Mary has never seen before. The gardener of the estate later tells her that the rare species is called "Fly-by-Night," and is said to be sought by witches for its incredible magical power.
When the strange cat returns to her one night, Mary is led once again into the woods, but this time to an old broomstick hidden by a gnarled tree. After she clumsily squashes some Fly-by-Night against the broomstick, it begins to glow, whisking her off into the sky. Her wayward journey ends at the Endor College for Witches, where she is mistaken for a new student. And so, Mary must learn to look after herself in this marvelous new world of magic, where things are not always as they seem.
Movie
Winter 2017
7.26
Chiisana Eiyuu: Kani to Tamago to Toumei Ningen
Kaniini to Kaniino (Kanini & Kanino)
Under the faint sound of fluttering fairy wings, a forest stream is the home to tiny anthropomorphized freshwater crabs. Siblings Kanini and Kanino live peacefully with their father while their mother is above the surface to give birth. However, during a fierce storm, their father is lost downstream, so the siblings set out to find him on their own. But the waters are not free of danger, and a flesh-hungry piranha could be hiding behind any stone.
Samurai Egg (Life Ain't Gonna Lose)
In a carefully monitored hospital room, one boy writhes in pain at the mere taste of eggs. His name is Shun, and he has had a severe egg allergy his whole life. As a child, Shun is careless and his condition is frustrating—as it is to his mother, who is constantly battling his egg intolerance and near death experiences. But, through perseverance, Shun learns to live despite the amount of eggs in the world around him.
Toumei Ningen (Invisible)
An invisible man starts his monotonous day as usual—by putting on clothes and the weight of a fire extinguisher on his shoulders to keep his airy body grounded. Although he interacts with the tangible world, no one actually seems to acknowledge his presence. That is, until he meets a kind-hearted blind individual in a heavy storm, one that may show him the purpose of his isolated life.
Movie
Winter 2018
6.84
Yaneura no Rudger
Rudger is Amanda Shuffleup's imaginary friend. Nobody else can see Rudger—until the evil Mr. Bunting arrives at Amanda's door. Mr. Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumor has it that he even eats them. And now he's found Rudger.
Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. He needs to find Amanda before Mr. Bunting catches him—and before Amanda forgets him and he fades away to nothing. But how can an unreal boy stand alone in the real world?
(Source: Bloomsbury Publishing, edited)
Movie
Winter 2023
7.16