Anime Limited launch Mai Mai Miracle Kickstarter campaign

They've been teasing it for a while, and tonight has seen Anime Limited launch their promised Kickstarter campaign.  What's the focus of this campaign and why?  We'll let their press release handle those questions:

Anime Limited launch Kickstarter campaign for Mai Mai Miracle

Glasgow, UK February 03, 2014 -  Anime Limited are excited to announce the launch of the Mai Mai Miracle Kickstarter campaign - aiming to raise $30,000 for an English language release of this niche film on Blu-Ray and DVD.

What is Mai Mai Miracle?

Mai Mai Miracle is a film that defied the odds on release. Directed by former Miyazaki protégé Sunao Katabuchi, the film is a beautiful look at childhood, friendship, imagination, history and of coming of age.

Set in 1950s postwar rural Japan, the film follows a young girl named Shinko as she explores the rich history of her surroundings, befriends a quiet newcomer, goes adventuring and comes to terms with the adult world, thus falling into the trap of growing up.

Visually stunning and beautifully written, Mai  Mai Miracle practically slipped through the cracks when released in Japan in 2009. It was only through word of mouth and the enthusiasm of the animators and audiences that it became a niche hit in Japan - running for a full 7 months in theatres! Critically acclaimed and a favourite (and award winning) on the festival circuit, Mai Mai Miracle has been widely overlooked in the west - particularly in English speaking regions.

Why Kickstarter?

As beautiful and lovely as this film is, it had a hard time with UK and US distributors as it didn’t quite fit the standard genres - thus been deemed not commercially viable for release. We strongly disagree with this and would love to prove this film’s worth! With Kickstarter, we can take the film directly to audiences that will appreciate it.

Our goal is to give this release the best possible release we can and do Katabuchi-san’s masterpiece justice.  The rights have already been acquired so the Kickstarter campaign will focus mainly on releasing a quality product with English subtitles as well as a host of limited edition Kickstarter-only goodies to say thanks for the support!

For more information on the Kickstarter, please check out our page here.

About Anime Limited

Based out of Glasgow, Scotland Anime Limited brings a fresh approach to distributing the best in anime direct from Japan. As an independent company the emphasis is both breathing new life into much loved classics and introducing the cutting edge of theatrical offerings. With a focus on bringing more anime to the big screen, releasing beautifully packaged collector’s editions and trying new ways to reach fans digitally, Anime Limited is committed to offering a wide range of experiences for UK audiences.

You can find more details on the film at Anime Limited's landing page for the film, or head straight on over to the Kickstarter campaign itself once it goes live to back the project.

For our take on the film itself, check out our review from a screening of the film as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2013.