Renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami expresses joy over animated adaptation of his short stories
- Renowned author Haruki Murakami is delighted with the first animated adaptation of his short stories.
- The adaptation is titled 'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman' and directed by Pierre Földes.
- Murakami looks forward to seeing more interpretations of his work on screen.
Renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami expressed joy with the adaptation of his short stories in the animated film “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” by American director Pierre Földes. The Japanese language version of the film will be released in Japan on July 26, marking the first animated adaptation of Murakami's work. Murakami, despite not being a fan of animated films, watched the film twice and praised the portrayal of the characters, particularly the intelligent green Frog. Földes was inspired by six of Murakami's short stories, weaving them together to create a new narrative. Murakami emphasized the importance of adding new elements to his work in adaptations, rather than simply replicating what he had written. The film received a nomination for best-animated film at the 2024 Lumieres Awards.