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Studio Chizu Files The Boy and the Beast, Wolf Children Trademarks in Japan
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
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Studio Chizu, the animation studio founded by producer Yuichiro Saito and director Mamoru Hosoda, filed trademarks for "Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki" (the Japanese title of the Wolf Children film) and "Bakemono no Ko" (the Japanese title of The Boy and the Beast film) in Japan. Studio Chizu animated both films.
The trademark listing includes its use for "business use television games, software, telecommunications devices, mobile phone straps, neck straps, electronic appliances, computer programs, mobile phone programs, smartphones, and smartphone cases."
The Boy and the Beast, Hosoda's latest anime film, debuted at #1 in the Japanese box-office on July 11 and earned 667,035,100 yen (about US$5.4 million) in its first two days. The film eventually surpassed the total box office earnings of Hosoda's previous film, Wolf Children.
Funimation Entertainment licensed the American rights to the film, and plans to release the film nationwide in early 2016. Theatrical screenings have also been set for France, and the major French movie studio Gaumont will handle international sales outside Asia. Funimation is working with Gaumont International to release the film. The Fantastic Fest film festival in Austin hosted the U.S. premiere.
Funimation released Wolf Children on home video in November 2013.
[Via Hachima Kikō]
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