Poupelle of Chimney Town Sets Its Sights on The Sky and Beyond
Jan 05,2022
Akihiro Nishino's best-selling book turned movie, Poupelle of Chimney Town, follows a starry-eyed young boy, Lubicchi, who spends his days cleaning chimneys hoping to one day see “stars” through the smoke. This interest was instilled in him by his father, who spent much of his time talking to the townspeople of the stars through kamishibai, or paper play. However, no one believed him as the town and the sky are always gray from the smoke. Although his father mysteriously disappeared one day, Lubicchi never gave up on the hope to see those mysterious lights in the sky.
On Halloween, he meets a garbage person named Poupelle, who is a literal sentient anthropomorphic pile of rubbish given life. Together, they slowly inch towards the answer of whether there are stars or not. Yet, general disbelief from the townspeople and hostile Inquisitors, the town's police force, leave Poupelle and Lubicchi isolated in their search. In a surprising turn of events, the duo begins making progress when they receive help from an underground resident.
The movie opened in theaters on December 30 in New York and Los Angeles, and will premiere nationwide on January 7. Originally, the movie's English dub premiered at the Animation is Film Festival in late October last year, where creator Akihiro Nishino surprised the crowd by announcing a sequel for the movie at a virtual Q&A.
Even though the movie is based on a picture book, Mr. Nishino had already written the script since he wanted to make a film in the first place. The picture book was coming from episodes and shots from the script. When they decided to move forward with producing the film, they developed from there. But the visual references are from the book.
The picture book was a great reference. However, the visuals for the film were made from scratch. It's difficult delivering 250 years of history for this town into a movie. I discussed with the production designer, Mr. Sato, for this film. For instance, where Lubicchi lives, and the design for the town.
Let's start with the character of Poupelle. He's not perfect; he can be pretty weak at times, but at the same time, somehow being together with Lubicchi gives him courage. I thought, who can pull off all that feeling well? I watched a lot of TV variety shows and came across Masataka Kubota. As for Lubicchi, he believes in the stars behind the clouds. But he needed to have a specific tone for his dialogue and his character. Now, who can pull off the dialogue and words organically? Who would be perfect for this character in Japan? Eventually I concluded that it would have to be Mana Ashida.
Those two are great actors. Without me having to give them a lot of direction, they already understood who the characters are and were so deeply invested in them. Poupelle is a fictional garbage man, right? You wouldn't know how he would speak from just that image. But Mr. Kubota did a great job building that character from scratch, and he perfectly understood the character.
Top Stories
Anupam Kher Scolds David Dhawan Over Retirement Rumors: "Who Are You to Decide..."
Jun 04,2026
Veteran Bollywood filmmaker David Dhawan has returned to the director’s chair after a gap of six years. However, what has surprised fans even more is his announcement that his upcoming film Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani will reportedly be his final directorial venture before retirement.But
'Bad breath from her mouth...' When Bobby Deol refused to film an intimate scene with Manisha Koirala, the reason will leave you stunned.
Jun 03,2026
Bollywood actor Bobby Deol recently opened up about several funny behind-the-scenes moments from the early phase of his film career, including playful pranks on co-stars Twinkle Khanna, Rani Mukerji, and Manisha Koirala.The actor made these revelations during his appearance on the popular
Kangana Ranaut Recalls 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack Night: ‘We Were Dancing and Suddenly…’
Jun 03,2026
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut recently opened up about her personal memories from the night of the devastating 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks while promoting her upcoming film Bharat Bhagya Vidhata.During the trailer launch event of the film, Kangana revealed that she was attending a party
‘She Was Faking It’: Madhuri Dixit Makes Shocking Revelation About Karisma Kapoor’s Dance Performance
Jun 02,2026
Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor remain one of Bollywood’s most iconic on-screen duos, especially for their unforgettable performances in the cult classic Dil To Pagal Hai.The film, which also starred Shah Rukh Khan, is still celebrated for its music, romance, and legendary d
Bobby Deol Reveals Who Can Play Dharmendra in His Biopic, Says ‘No One Can Replace Him’
Jun 02,2026
Bobby Deol is currently in the spotlight for his upcoming film Bandar, but the actor recently grabbed headlines for his emotional remarks about his late father and Bollywood legend Dharmendra. During his appearance on Aap Ki Adalat on India TV, Bobby Deol spoke candidly about Dhar
Cocktail 2 Trailer Out: Shahid Kapoor Gets Trapped Between Friendship, Love and Marriage Chaos
Jun 02,2026
After months of anticipation, the makers of Cocktail 2 have finally released the official trailer of the much-awaited romantic drama, and it is already generating massive buzz on social media.Featuring Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles, the sequel appears to c
Taapsee Pannu Reveals Extreme Workout Struggles for Perfect Figure, Urges Young Women Not to Follow Unhealthy Fitness Trends
Jun 01,2026
Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu is once again making headlines—this time for her honest and heartfelt comments about body image struggles and unrealistic beauty standards. Known for speaking candidly on social issues, the actress recently revealed how she pushed herself to physical e
Trophy in Hand, Love in the Air! Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma Share Emotional Moment After RCB Win
Jun 01,2026
The final of the Indian Premier League 2026 turned into a historic night for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the franchise clinched its second consecutive IPL title with a dominant victory over the Gujarat Titans. Led by a sensational innings from Virat Kohli, RCB once again lifted the cove
Entertainment News
Taapsee Pannu Reveals Extreme
Jun 01,2026
Trophy in Hand, Love in the Ai
Jun 01,2026
Ajith Kumar’s Mother Funeral
May 30,2026
Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt’
May 30,2026
“What If He Gets Angry?”:
May 30,2026