Fresh from the success of their last manga to animated film adaptation Children Of The Sea (2019) , renowned Japanese animation Studio 4°C is back with yet another anime adaptation; Nikuko of the Fishing Harbor ( 漁港の肉子ちゃん Gyoko No Nikuko-chan ), based on the original novel of the same name by Kanako Nishi. Check out the teaser below –

Published by Gentosha in April 2014, the original novel centers on the lives of a mother named Nikuko and her daughter, Kikuko, who resides on a boat by the fishing port. The animated film will once again be helmed by Children Of The Sea director Watanabe Ayumu, with Kenichi Konishi serving as the character designer/animation director. Also, while his name has not being mentioned with the project, the style of the background art seems to be the work of the legendary Kimura Shinji; definitely check out his stunning background art book for Children Of The Sea.

(image below) This scene featured in the teaser is a very obvious nod to My Neighbor Totoro.

Incidentally, Kimura Shinji also worked on Totoro; I once remarked that I saw his credit listed for the film and he actually replied to my tweet, noting that yet another legendary background artist Kazuo Oga was his mentor on the film –

????????????????????????????????????????AKIRA???????????????????????????????????? https://t.co/OMhjfVqbPW

— ????? (@hipirasoul) April 29, 2020

Nikuko of the Fishing Harbor will be released in Japan on the 11th of June 2021; I look forward to seeing as it becomes available internationally, and also the art book/s that will be published for it as well.


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