News

Genzaburo Yoshino's How Do You Live? Novel Inspiring Ghibli Film Gets English Release in October

Algonquin Young Readers announced on Monday that it will release the first-ever English translation of Genzaburō Yoshino's How Do You Live? novel. Bruno Navasky translated the novel and Neil Gaiman wrote a foreword for the edition. The children's book will release on October 26.

Algonquin Young Readers describes the novel:

HOW DO YOU LIVE? begins with fifteen-year-old Copper, who has recently suffered the loss of his father, gazing out over his hometown of Tokyo, watching the thousands of people below, and beginning to ponder life's big questions. How many people are in the world? What do their lives look like? Are humans really made of molecules? The book moves between Copper's story and his uncle's journal entries, in which he gives advice and helps Copper learn pivotal truths about the way the world works. Over the course of a year in his life, Copper, like his namesake Copernicus, embarks on a journey of philosophical enlightenment, and uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth and human nature to determine the best way to live. Yoshino perfectly captures the beauty and strangeness of pre-war Japan – the changing of the seasons, the fried tofu and taiyaki stands, and the lush landscapes, as Copper explores the city on his bike and learns from friends and family what really matters most in life.

Hayao Miyazaki derived his next feature film, Kimi-tachi wa Dō Ikiru ka (How Do You Live?), from the 1937 book. He added that this book is a story that has great meaning to the protagonist of his film.

Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki confirmed in an interview in March that the animation for the film is half-finished. Suzuki had stated in an interview last December that the film will be 125 minutes long.

Suzuki also stated in March that he does not expect the film to release for another three years.

Source: Press release