Hayao Miyazaki’s next animated film is officially titled “How Do You Live?” It was originally supposed to be ready by 2020 in unison with the Tokyo Olympics, but delays have resorted the filmmaker to continue working on his new film, with still no release date in tow.

According to Studio Ghibli’s president, Kôji Hoshino, production of Hayao Miyazaki's new feature film, "How Do You Live?” has progressed sooner than expected and appears to be nearing its completion.

Although the article doesn’t specify when it’ll be released, it hints at a possible 2023 launch. We’ll have to add this one high atop our must-see list for next year. Maybe a Cannes launch?

Last November, New York Times piece on Miyazaki reads like the launch of a campaign for the film. The article offered us a glimpse at what to expect.

Though the 1937 novel goes unnamed in the article, it appears Miyazaki will adapt the novel “How Do You Live?” The book has long influenced Miyazaki, who cites it as his favorite childhood read.

In 2013 Miyazaki said he was retiring and that his last film would be the bittersweet WWII drama “The Wind Rises.” That retirement was short-lived though as he is clearly set to release another film.

Where many animators might overtly simplify the visual elements of their animated movies, Miyazaki has always adhered to a painstakingly difficult process. Miyazaki had previously stated that they were working at a pace of animating about one minute of “How Do You Live?” per month. But last year his producer said in an interview that COVID has actually caused them to work faster with the animators working from home and the film was half finished.

The legendary Japanese director of such classics as “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke,”and “My Neighbor Totoro” has always been suspicious of computers and personally draws his own frames by hand, which number in the thousands per film. As a result, Miyazaki’s films have always been richly conceived, with beautiful lavish colors and a masterful sense of detail rarely seen in western animation.