Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Earwig and the Witch Blu-ray Movie Review

Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Ponyo) delivers a wonderful animated fantasy.

Earwig and the Witch is an CG fantasy film produced as a made-for-television special by Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle). Produced by Toshio Suzuki (The Wind Rises, Spirited Away), Earwig and the Witch featured planning and development from the great Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro). Based on the classic novel by Diana Wynne Jones (Howl's Moving Castle), Ghibli fans will want to check out the fantasy-adventure and share it with family.

Earwig (Kokoro Hirasawa) is a young orphan girl dreaming of a better future. Before long, Earwig becomes adopted by a mean witch and enters a mysterious family full of magic and surprises. Learning everything she can about magic and potions, Earwig sets out on a journey of self discovery: she becomes friends with a kind black-cat and learns how to take care of herself. And a passion for exploring song becomes a key to her future. Can Earwig take control of her destiny?

The production is the first CG animated feature-length effort by Studio Ghibli. Under the animation direction of Seri Tan, fans of the animation studio will surely be conflicted about the animation in Earwig and the Witch. Straying from the traditional hand-drawn animation of the studio, the computer generated animation is a far cry from the masterpieces that Studio Ghibli is renowned for producing. The art looks lazy by comparison – lacking in depth and detail. The facial expressions, hand gestures, and movements of the characters are rigid and lacking realism. The CG supervision by Yukinori Nakamura (Boro the Caterpillar) could have been far better and more detailed.

A premium DigiPack release of the film.

Despite plenty of flaws in the animation department, Earwig and the Witch has some beautiful and colorful scenes, which were more creative than expected for a CG made-for-television film. The character designs by Katsuya Kondo (The Wind Rises) were well implemented and make a solid impression. The animation will never hold a candle to Studio Ghibli masterpieces but if viewers manage to keep expectations in check, it's above-average for television (and the film clearly had a lower budget).

The music score composed by Satoshi Takebe (From Up on Poppy Hill, After the Flowers) is one of the highlights of Earwig and the Witch. The score and original songs manage to imbue the filmmaking with a whimsy that helps carry the filmmaking. Takebe is a skilled composer and the music never falters. A solid effort.

The screenplay by Keiko Niwa (When Marnie Was There) and Emi Gunji (Ronja, the Robber's Daughter) is creative and engaging. The story is simple but the execution is quite entertaining. The script is better than the animation and one can't help but wish the film had a somewhat bigger budget to work with. Nonetheless, a charming effort.

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki (Tales from Earthsea, From Up on Poppy Hill), Earwig and the Witch is entertaining. The film is never a bore. The fantasy elements certainly entertain and engage. The filmmaking is solid – it's just unfortunate that the average CG animation and lower budget managed to hold it back from its full potential. Earwig and the Witch certainly could have been far better. Nonetheless, Ghibli fans will want to check it out. A decent (if occasionally underwhelming) effort.

Earwig and the Witch Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Elysian Film Group, Earwig and the Witch is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The release has a generally strong presentation of the film with good color reproduction. The CG imagery is well reproduced. The transfer is a bit less polished compared to the Gkids edition and has some video noise that is a minor distraction in a few scenes. Otherwise, it is a similar presentation.

Earwig and the Witch Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound (with English subtitles). The release has a superb audio presentation. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The dynamics are superb. The surround are actively engaged during the entire presentation. The music sounds remarkably clear and adds a sense of immersion to the presentation. The release sounds remarkably similar to the Gkids presentation in North America.

Earwig and the Witch Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Earwig and the Witch Limited Edition DigiPack release includes collectors packaging. The release is a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The release comes with a fold-out case with additional art. The interior animation looks beautiful. The release also comes with a selection of nice art cards with animation stills.

The release includes the following on-disc supplemental features:

Feature-Length Storyboards (HD, 1:22:47)

Creating Earwig and the Witch (HD, 29:46)

Interviews with Japanese Voice Cast (HD, 15:30)

UK Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:53)

Japanese Trailer & TV Spot (HD, 2:16)

Earwig and the Witch Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Earwig and the Witch is a charming Studio Ghibli feature-film. The storytelling was even more enchanting the second go-around. The animation isn't as good as top-tier Ghibli productions but nonetheless the filmmaking excels. The United Kingdom release has a strong video-audio presentation. The release includes a nice selection of extras. The DigiPack limited edition comes with collectible packaging and a beautiful set of art- cards highlighting the animation. Highly recommended.