Madhouse's Mai Mai Miracle is a gorgeous trip into fantasy

6:00 PM on 10.26.2009   |   Colette Bennett

If you're even remotely familiar with the works of Studio Ghibli, you're already looking at these photos and thinking "Looks like Ghibli". There may be a reason for that: the film, called Mai Mai Miracle, was made by Katabuchi Sunao, who worked alongside Miyazaki on Sherlock Hound and Kiki's Delivery Service. He will be acting as Director on this Madhouse film, and it sounds enchanting. Here's a brief description:

Shinko, a third grade elementary school student loves to imagine and daydream about the world of one thousand years ago. Her fantasies travel far into the days of the Heian Period (year 794-1185)... One day a girl called Kiiko transfers from Tokyo and joins Shinko's class where they become good friends. Before long, the two of them become engulfed in a strange incident of one thousand years ago...

Uh ... that description gave me chills. That is SO up my alley it's not even funny. Adapted from a Takagi Nobuko novel, the film debuts in Japan on November 21st. If you'd like to watch the trailer, hit the jump to check it out (and be prepared to be completely enchanted if this is your kind of thing). I cannot wait to see it. Here's to hoping for some fansubs! 

[Via Twitch Film]