Studio Ponoc’s ‘The Imaginary’ Gets July 5 Launch Date On Netflix

Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary will debut on Netflix worldwide, bar Japan, on July 5. The streamer is also planning an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run for the film.

The Imaginary is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, a Studio Ghibli veteran who storyboarded, animated, and served other roles on films such as Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Momose also directed the “Life Ain’t Gonna Lose” segment in Ponoc’s anthology film Modest Heroes, as well as the studio’s official Olympics short Tomorrow’s Leaves. He directed the feature NiNoKuni released in 2019.

The Imaginary is the first new feature to be distributed by Netflix, which signed a deal to become the exclusive streaming home for Studio Ponoc’s animated feature slate. Studio Ponoc was established in 2015 by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, a two-time Oscar-nominated producer for The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There.

Per the official synopsis, Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary, adapted from the novel of the same name by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Emily Gravett, portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger. Their fantastical adventures launched from her attic, lead them to discover a magical world of creatures and places never before seen until a sinister force threatens to destroy their imaginary world and the friendship within it. It is described as an “unforgettable adventure of love, loss, and the healing power of imagination.”

The producers have said that the hand-drawn animation is enhanced by “first-of-their-kind techniques of light and shadow.”