Studio Ghibli releases sneak peek of Earwig and the Witch

Studio Ghibli's upcoming film, Earwig and the Witch, has not been without controversy. With fans concerned about the renowned studio's leap from traditional 2D into CGI animation, early stills from the film were met with some critique. Ghibli has now released an opening scene from the film, but has it done enough to settle the nerves of die-hard fans? 

As the studio's first film in over six years, there's a lot riding on the Earwig and the Witch, which is based on the book of the same name and directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazi. See the clip below. Working on your own film? You'll need these top animation tools.

Studio Ghibli shared the clip via its brand-new Twitter account (see the tweet below and its very first tweet right here, containing a brilliant new animation). With an atmospheric opening scene that features a rich audio soundtrack, the animation certainly has some positive elements, but responses have been mixed with some fierce debates already underway.

Up until now, only about 10 per cent of the Studio Ghibli's content has been in CGI, so it's a big move away from what the studio is best known for. And while it's true that some of the transitions and movement feel a little stilted, the angular faces of the characters could be nicely stylised (we would need to see more to really get a feel for the style) and the backgrounds look vibrant. It doesn't have the same sense of realism as, for example, a Pixar film, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing – it may be refreshing to experience a new style of CGI.

With such a fantastical story to put its imprint onto (find out more about the plot here), we're sure Ghibli will bring the magic it's known for – even if it is still finding its optimum 3D style. Want to find out what fans are so worried about? Catch up on the controversy in our previous post.

Earwig and the Witch will be available to stream from 5 February on HBO Max. 

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