Tales from Earthsea

Synopsis

In the magical realm of Earthsea, calamities multiply while dragons clash above the clouds. The formidable Archmage Sparrowhawk embarks on a journey to find the cause of these troubling events and meets Prince Arren, the exiled heir of Enlad’s throne. Arren, a troubled and restless young man pursued by a sinister shadow, decides to accompany Sparrowhawk. When they arrive at the coastal village of Hort, unexpected dangers arise as Lord Cob, a merciless sorcerer obsessed with immortality, blocks their path. Sparrowhawk and Arren must ally with Tenar, a former comrade of the Archmage, and her adopted orphan Therru to defeat Cob. Their foe’s cunning manipulation of emotions poses a grave peril to the young prince. Tales from Earthsea delves beyond the struggle between light and darkness, focusing on the inner turmoil of its characters within a world of sorcery.

Background

Ged Senki is an adaptation of part of Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea series; it also marks the debut of Hayao Miyazaki's son, Gorou, as director. The film reached number one at the Japanese Box Office on its opening week with a gross of 7.7 million dollars. In 2007, it was nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year and for best composer, Tamiya Terashima, at the Asian Film Awards. It also won the Raspberry Award (Bunshun Kiichigo Awards) in 2007. In 2008, it was nominated for Best Original Score for an Animated Film at the International Film Music Critics Award. It was also selected in the Out of competition section at the 63rd Venice Film Festival.