In 1983, legendary animator and storyteller Hayao Miyazaki published his graphic novel entitled Shuna no Tabi or Shuna’s Journey. Almost 40 years after its initial release, Shuna’s Journey will be published once again—this time, in English.
Designated translator Alex Dudok de Wit could not contain his excitement as he announced his role of translating Miyazaki’s novel, on Twitter.
🥁Some personal news🥁 I'm translating SHUNA'S JOURNEY, a 1983 graphic novel by Hayao Miyazaki, into English. The good folks at @01FirstSecond will publish it on November 1. (1/4) https://t.co/Wqyzbf7rgC pic.twitter.com/LWTtes4CYQ
— Alex Dudok de Wit (@dudeydok) February 22, 2022
He continues his thread by including some information about the story and its background. Dudok de Wit will be writing his own introduction to the story while still keeping Miyazaki’s original afterword.
Alex Dudok de Wit describes the graphic novel as an “emonogatari,” translating this into an “illustrated story.”
The book isn't so much a manga as an emonogatari (illustrated story), with all-watercolour images and text mostly presented as captions. It is based on a Tibetan folk tale, and the fantastical pseudo-Central Asian setting has a lot in common with the world of NAUSICAÄ. (2/4) pic.twitter.com/GswSObbDhe
— Alex Dudok de Wit (@dudeydok) February 22, 2022
He also hints at similarities of this story to that of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Though the similarities don’t end there as some characteristics of Shuna’s Journey prove similar to the worlds of Princess Mononoke and Tales from Earthsea as well.
SHUNA also prefigures other Studio Ghibli films, including PRINCESS MONONOKE (which borrows visual and narrative ideas from it) and Goro Miyazaki's TALES FROM EARTHSEA (which is explicitly based in part on the book). (3/4) pic.twitter.com/vRheMuBbLf
— Alex Dudok de Wit (@dudeydok) February 22, 2022
Hayao Miyazaki has introduced us to fantastical worlds filled with loveable characters and life lessons that hit close to home, and it seems like we can expect more of the same with Shuna’s Journey.
Inspired by a Tibetan folktale, Shuna’s Journey revolves around a prince named – you guessed it – Shuna, and his journey of freeing his citizens from famine. In search of magic grain, Shuna meets a headstrong girl named Thea. Together they escape Thea’s enemies and eventually separate to embark on their own journeys. Filled with magic, while still keeping things down to earth, Shuna’s Journey may have all the hallmarks of a classic Miyazaki story.
Set to come out on November 1, 2022, Shuna’s Journey is already available for pre-order. It’s still a bit of a wait, but when it does come out, you can read and sit tight while we all await Miyazaki’s next (and last?) Ghibli film that he came out of retirement to work on. How Do You Live? has been rumored to be released around 2023-2024.
Other POP! stories you might like:
Highly-anticipated Studio Ghibli theme park to open in Japan in November
Good news, Ghibli fans! There’s a Hayao Miyazaki docuseries that you can watch for free
After ‘Sailor Moon’, Twitterverse artists reimagine Ghibli scenes in their own style
