Only Yesterday shelved by Disney

[rocklobster]

Saw this on ANN's Hey Answerman Column's Rant of the week:

Recently, I watched a mini documentary on the birth of Studio Ghibli on the Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind DVD. There was one film that stood out to me, and I immediately went to find out more. The film was Only Yesterday, and after consulting Internet Movie Database and its Wikipedia entry, I found out that plans to release it were shelved indefinitely. The reason? Apparently, Disney felt uncomfortable with two scenes, one where a family bathes together and another where schoolchildren discuss menstruation. Now why does this bother me? Because people seem to think that those two scenes will cause Disney to be seen in a negative light, and they can't cut them out because of a deal made with Ghibli. It basically comes down to censorship.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Family bathing together? Oh no! Better go shelf Totoro while they're at it! Are these not PG movies? Did the Tanuki not have "pouches"? Sheesh, if that's true then they should bag a few more movies while they're at it :/ I don't even think Only Yesterday is directed at children anyways.

[MasterDias]

Yeah, Totoro has a bath scene so that first reason at least doesn't hold water to me. I believe that movie is geared more towards adults than Ghibli's other stuff, as TnA said, so that's probably more of a reason.

[dyzzispell]

Yeah Totoro was the first thing I thought of too. Those are some strange reasons. Can't someone else buy the rights from Disney and release it then or something?

[Roy Mustang]

Man, ANN must be having a slow news week to even bring that up. I thought this was address a long time ago.

This why people flock to see Only Yesterday on TCM last Jan and why the movie was showed in sub only format.


Col. Roy Mustang

[Mr. SmartyPants]

You do know you can legally acquire a copy of the movie by other means? You don't have to buy it from Disney.

Infact you can buy it from amazon.co.uk (Though it will be an R2 release, so you'll have to play it on your computer or on a region-free DVD player).

[Alexander]

Actually this is very old news too. I've known this for almost a year.

As for the demographic it was aimed at, nonsense. Well, somewhat. Having seen the film 20 times with 12 year olds who enjoyed it, I think it can be accepted for a wide audience.

And yes, the reasons for Disney not publishing it are funny. If they published Mononoke through Miramax, why not this?

Although I will say the scene with the discussion of periods did, at first, shock me out of my skin completely for the next 30 minutes. XD

(And yes, I already imported the Japanese edition. Must buy for Ghibli fans)

[Tenshi no Ai]

If they published Mononoke through Miramax, why not this?

It's a bit different. Although companies like Miramax and Buena Vista (is Touchstone a sect too?) can publish stuff like the wonderfully made, but EXTREMELY brutal/bloody/gory Apocalypto (that was Buena), it doesn't exactly bear the "Disney" logo on it. People see that logo and immediately expect it to be child-friendly, which is why they probably bought and made those other sects. Or, so I think^^

[rocklobster]

Touchstone is part of Disney. Hard to believe, since they did Pretty Woman. I think Miramax would be a good idea. I think this is just wrong for Disney. They should just relaease it and voluntarily rate it PG-13. (Which is the rating I would give it)

[Alexander]

Touchstone is part of Disney. Hard to believe, since they did Pretty Woman. I think Miramax would be a good idea. I think this is just wrong for Disney. They should just relaease it and voluntarily rate it PG-13. (Which is the rating I would give it)

Really? Why that rating?

There wasn't any language or blood scenes. I can't imagine why. And the public bath scene was done without showing any of the characters private areas, so I don't see the problem.

[ashfire]

Touchstone is part of Disney. Hard to believe, since they did Pretty Woman. I think Miramax would be a good idea. I think this is just wrong for Disney. They should just relaease it and voluntarily rate it PG-13. (Which is the rating I would give it)

There have been some Touchstone movies I have seen which had questionable scenes in them.
One was Outrageous Fortune it had a simulated sex scene between a man and two woman at different times plus langage. It was rated R
It had Shelley Long, Bette Midler and George Carlin were the stars.

[Mangafanatic]

I gotta say, that doesn't surprise me at all. Only Yesterday, to me, is really one of those films that only has a lot of value to hard core fans of Japanese culture or people who really like Ghibli films. To your standard American audience, the aforementioned scenes really would be pretty odd, particularly the part where the little school kids talk about periods. Yeah, anyways, I'd imagine just from a business standpoint that it would be a good move not to release the movie.

(If they were to release it, however, there's no way it can really get a PG-13 rating. It just doesn't justify it.)

[Rev. Doc]

If I'm not mistaken, there is one scene in the movie where that father slaps his young daughter across the face during an argument over handbags and she walks out of the house in her socks. To me the overall scene was somewhat disturbing that a father would treat his child in such a way for such a minor offense.

I've a feeling that a number of these things keeps this title off the shelves.

[Alexander]

If I'm not mistaken, there is one scene in the movie where that father slaps his young daughter across the face during an argument over handbags and she walks out of the house in her socks. To me the overall scene was somewhat disturbing that a father would treat his child in such a way for such a minor offense.

I've a feeling that a number of these things keeps this title off the shelves.

Actually, that scene had quite a bit to do with Japanese culture. So I can understand if it seemed like a major offense to someone who didn't know.

(An explanation)

In Japanese culture, the act of going inside someone's house with shoes on or outside without any is considered very, VERY indecent. The best way to compare it would be to go outside naked. And yes, I will agree that her father did act a little too harsh on her, which is actually a part of the story to begin with.

And when I think of it, I have to agree with Mangafanatic. This film really is for the most dedicated of Anime fans simply because the amount of culture in it takes a lot of pre-knowledge that couldn't be explained even with an edited dub.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Actually, that scene had quite a bit to do with Japanese culture. So I can understand if it seemed like a major offense to someone who didn't know.

(An explanation)

In Japanese culture, the act of going inside someone's house with shoes on or outside without any is considered very, VERY indecent. The best way to compare it would be to go outside naked. And yes, I will agree that her father did act a little too harsh on her, which is actually a part of the story to begin with.

And when I think of it, I have to agree with Mangafanatic. This film really is for the most dedicated of Anime fans simply because the amount of culture in it takes a lot of pre-knowledge that couldn't be explained even with an edited dub.

You have somewhat of a point. I think that scene simply illustrated that the father was strict. Perhaps too strict.

[AsianBlossom]

I just wish I could see this. I mean, think about it: Disney has their name on the Pirates movies, and those are all rated PG-13. Definitely not "kid-friendly" stuff, but then again, our culture is changing rapidly.

On a jokey side, if a certain candidate wins the election (and I'm SERIOUSLY hoping he doesn't or else this country is in trouble), then Disney HAS to release this movie, because little kids in our own country will be getting the "birds and the bees" talk in school. But no movie is worth the destruction of children's innocence.

[Alexander]

I just wish I could see this. I mean, think about it: Disney has their name on the Pirates movies, and those are all rated PG-13. Definitely not "kid-friendly" stuff, but then again, our culture is changing rapidly.

On a jokey side, if a certain candidate wins the election (and I'm SERIOUSLY hoping he doesn't or else this country is in trouble), then Disney HAS to release this movie, because little kids in our own country will be getting the "birds and the bees" talk in school. But no movie is worth the destruction of children's innocence.

Who said our culture is changing rapidly? It's already changed as far as I'm concerned. I'll miss many parts of my old culture.

And while I'm very lost with politics, I have to guess with Hilary Clinton? Although you said it was a man it seems. So I have no idea. XD

And actually, Disney has made films in 1980's that had language in it. I don't look at them as being a perfect company then any other.

I suppose what really shocked me most of all when I first saw the film was just the idea that 10 year olds would have been taught about "the birds and bees" (I never understood this analogy) in the 1960's. I had heard stories from someone when I was 13 that students in Japan are taught all this at a much faster pace then us, but I didn't believe him. So it was a bit of a culture shock for me. Let alone that it was an ANIMATION!

P.S. AsianBlossem, I can link you to a few importing sites where you could buy it if you're interested.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I haven't seen Only Yesterday but the dvd is available in Australia and is rated PG for mild themes.

[mitsuki lover]

I saw it during the month of Miyazaki on TCM.It is pretty good.The scenes about
menstruation weren't anything indecent.One scene was simply the main character and her best friend in a flash back going over what they learned in a sex ed lecture.
With her friend explaining that that was why she's been let go from P.E.once a month.It was a very quiet and dignified scene.The only really distrubing part was when a couple of the guys went around lifting girls' skirts to see if they were having their periods.Now that scene I could understand being censored or cut out because of the way the boys were acting.

[AsianBlossom]

Yeah, I could understand that, but still...

Actually, Alec, it was Obama. He's not getting MY vote.

And sure, if you could send me those site links, that'd be great, so long as you know they're trustworthy and have ordered from them before without any problems.

[ilikegir33]

Really? Why that rating?

There wasn't any language or blood scenes. I can't imagine why. And the public bath scene was done without showing any of the characters private areas, so I don't see the problem.

The way I see it I think it would be PG-13 "For some mature themes".