‘The Imaginary’ Filmmaker Yoshiaki Nishimura Talks Studio Ponoc’s Complicated Relationship with Studio Ghibli

The animated feature is on Netflix now

The Imaginary
Studio Ponoc/Netflix

“The Imaginary,” on Netflix now, is a charming hand-drawn fantasy based on a book of the same name by A.F. Harrold. It follows Rudger (voiced in the English language dub by Louie Rudge-Buchanan), the imaginary friend of a young girl named Amanda (Evie Kiszel). Together, they go on a magical odyssey, including to a town of imaginaries, where forgotten imaginary friends live.

It’s full of the kind of lush, accessible animation and fantasy concepts that you’d probably associate with Studio Ghibli. But “The Imaginary” was produced by Studio Ponoc, a relatively young Japanese animation studio that was responsible for “Mary and the Witch’s Flower,” released back in 2017.

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