Gillian Anderson To Narrate Studio Ghibli Kids TV Show

Another whimsical world from Studio Ghibli is coming to small screen this fall. Ronja the Robber’s Daughter is set to air on Amazon Prime’s streaming service and feature the narrative talents of Gillian Anderson herself. The site confirmed the show’s acquisition recently and said they’re honored to be working with its creators.

Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios, said the aims “to bring a new level of storytelling to our customers and their families” through Ronja and other series like Little Big Awesome. Amazon lobbied for rights to the series and secured them to the delight of fans. In the site’s official press release, Ronja is described as an “epic 26-part animated story of a strong, adventurous young girl who grows up exploring a beautiful and dangerous forest filled with mystical creatures.”

If you want to read the site’s full show description, you can check it out below:

“The Emmy Award-winning Ronja The Robber’s Daughter is an adaptation of the wildly popular children’s fantasy book of the same name by noted Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking). The series is directed by Gorō Miyazaki and presented by the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) and Saltkrakan (the Astrid Lindgren Company).”

“Ronja The Robber’s Daughter is narrated by Golden Globe Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files); an epic 26-part animated story of a strong, adventurous young girl who grows up exploring a beautiful and dangerous forest filled with mythical creatures. The daughter of a professional robber, Ronja realizes the complicated nature of her father’s profession when she befriends Birk, the child of a rival tribe. Ronja struggles to balance the relationship with her family and the bond with her self-proclaimed brother Birk as she comes to understand the intricate issues of family and friendship and how differences can be overcome with the help of love and understanding.”

Of course, Anderson is no stranger to Studio Ghibli and its acclaimed works. The actress is a self-professed fan of the animation studio and has even provided vocal talents for the English dub of Princess Mononoke as Moro. Currently, the actress is busy with her upcoming role in STARZ’s television adaptation of American Gods, a series based on an eponymous novel by Neil Gaiman.

Fans are more than excited to welcome Anderson back into the Studio Ghibli family, and they are particularly interested to see how her narrative work will pan out. The actress will likely get cues from director Gorō Miyazaki on Ronja to ease the transition. Miyazaki, who is the son of Studio Ghibli’s founder Hayao Miyazaki, made his directorial debut with the company earlier this year with Tale from Earthsea. Despite his reputation as a well-known critic, Hayao Miyazaki praised his son’s work and said it’s “commendable.”

There’s no official release date for Ronja at the moment. The series will debut simultaneously in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and Japan later this year.

[H/T] Variety