Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary to Stream on Netflix
Netflix has announced it will stream Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary.
The Imaginary, the anime adaptation of A.F. Harrold and Emily Gravett’s novel, will stream on Netflix.
Netflix has announced via X, formerly known as Twitter, that it has acquired the global streaming rights for The Imaginary. The streaming platform also revealed it had struck up a multi-film partnership deal with Studio Ponoc where all of Studio Ponoc’s works will stream exclusively on Netflix. The film premiered in Japan on Dec. 15, 2023, under the title Yaneura no Rudger, after it was delayed from the summer 2022 release due to the pandemic.
Studio Ponoc was founded by Studio Ghibli’s former leader film producer Yoshiaki Nishimura in April 2015. The studio released its first feature film called Mary and the Witch’s Flower in July 2017. The second feature film called Modest Heroes premiered in August 2018.
Yoshiyuki Momose will direct the film with Nishimura as the producer. A Great Big World, featuring Rachel Platten will perform the theme song “Nothing’s Impossible.”
Kokoro Terada voices Rudger, Rio Suzuki as Amanda, Sakura Andō as Lizzie, and Riisa Naka as Emily. Takayuki Yamada will voice Jinzan, Atsuko Takahata as Downbeat Grandma, Issey Ogata will voice Mr. Bunting, and Akira Terao will voice Old Dog.
The Imaginary is set in a world where imaginary beings roam the world. An Imaginary boy named Rudger lives happily with his creator Amanda. One day, Rudger gets captured by a man named Mr. Bunting who hunts Imaginaries and is rumored to eat them once he grabs hold of them. Rudger must now find a way to escape from Mr. Bunting and get back to Amanda before she forgets him and he’s gone for good.
A streaming date has not yet been announced yet for The Imaginary.
Source: X, formerly known as Twitter
