Earwig and the Witch

Devoid of all the simple aesthetics, elegant touch & magical qualities that fans have come to expect from a Studio Ghibli presentation, Earwig and the Witch marks their first foray into 3D computer-generated feature filmmaking but the story in itself is so dull, bland & uninspiring that the film as a whole turns out to be the studio's first real misfire and is a disappointment on all fronts.

Directed by Goro Miyazaki (Tales from Earthsea & From Up on Poppy Hill), the film simply fails to create any sort of intrigue or excitement from start to finish, and is so uneventful & unimaginative that despite it being about magic & witches, it never for once feels magical. The narrative has no sense of direction or purpose and there is barely any effort to make the characters compelling enough to garner our interest.

In addition to that, the studio's patented animation which over the years had played an essential role in infusing depth, richness & resonance to its hand-drawn imagery is unceremoniously replaced by computer-generated animation that not only seems rather ordinary & outdated but is also hollow, lifeless & soulless from within. There's a glossy, synthetic vibe to its images that just doesn't feel right plus the rendering is also lacking an organic flair.

Overall, Earwig and the Witch is absolutely unworthy of Studio Ghibli banner and is hands down the famed animation studio's worst entry to date. It is a departure from everything its production house stands for, and it doesn't even have the storytelling basics covered. One can't even argue that it aims for something ambitious but fails, for there is hardly any story at all. Putting a blemish on Studio Ghibli's unblemished legacy, Goro Miyazaki's latest is nothing less than an embarrassment.