Production I.G Confirms Miss Hokusai Anime Film is Licensed in N. America

Production I.G revealed during its panel at Anime Expo on Sunday that the Miss Hokusai film has been licensed in North America. The company did not confirm who has the rights to the film.

The film recently screened at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) on Sunday.

Annecy-winning director Keiichi Hara (Summer Days with Coo, Colorful) directed the film based on Hinako Sugiura's acclaimed historical manga Sarusuberi. The film originally premiered in Japan in May 2015.

Production I.G describes the story of Miss Hokusai:
Set in Edo in the year 1814 now known as Tokyo. One of the highest populated cities in the world, teeming with peasants, samurai, townsmen, merchants, nobles, artists, courtesans, and perhaps even supernatural things.

A much accomplished artist of his time and now in his mid-fifties, Tetsuzo can boast clients from all over Japan, and tirelessly works in the garbage-loaded chaos of his house-atelier. He spends his days creating astounding pieces of art, from a giant-size Bodhidharma portrayed on a 180 square meter-wide sheet of paper, to a pair of sparrows painted on a tiny rice grain. Short-tempered, utterly sarcastic, with no passion for sake or money, he would charge a fortune for any job he is not really interested in.

Third of Tetsuzo's four daughters and born out of his second marriage, outspoken 23-year-old O-Ei has inherited her father's talent and stubbornness, and very often she would paint instead of him, though uncredited. Her art is so powerful that sometimes leads to trouble. "We're father and daughter; with two brushes and four chopsticks, I guess we can always manage, in a way or another."

Decades later, Europe was going to discover the immense talent of Tetsuzo. He was to become best known by one of his many names: Katsushika Hokusai. He would mesmerize Renoir and van Gogh, Monet and Klimt.

However, very few today are even aware of the woman who assisted him all his life, and greatly contributed to his art while remaining uncredited. This is the untold story of O-Ei, Master Hokusai's daughter: a lively portrayal of a free-spirited woman overshadowed by her larger-than-life father, unfolding through the changing seasons.

Miss Hokusai previously won: the Jury Award in the Official Feature Film Competition at the 39th Annecy International Film Festival in June 2015; the Sequences Award for best Asian feature film, the Satoshi KonAward for best animated feature film, and the Gold Audience Award for best animated feature film at the 19th annual Fantasia International Film Festival last August; the Best Animated Feature Film award at the 48th annual Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival last October; Best Animated Feature Award at the Asian Pacific Screen Awards last November; and Best Animation Film Award at the Mainichi Film Awards in February.

Additionally, Keiichi Hara won Digital Content Expo's Asiagraph 2015 Tsumugi Prize for the film last September. The film was also nominated for Animation of the Year by the Japan Academy Prize Association.​