A Japanese animated film directed by Miyazaki Hayao, and animated by Studio Ghibli. The film is named after the 1937 book of the same name, written by Yoshino Genzaburo, but not based on it. Beginning production in July 2016, the film was originally anticipated for release before the original dates of the 2020 Summer Olympics, but even by August 2018, Studio Ghibli had already shifted their expectations ahead to 2021 or 2022. In December 2022, Studio Ghibli announced a release date of July 14, 2023, with the theatrical poster being the only piece of promotion, leading to artists making parodying fanarts of the Heron.
