Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki of the 'Spirited Away' fame to release his graphic novel 'Shuna's Journey' for the 1st time in the US

A graphic novel by Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is being released for the first time in the United States, nearly 40 years after it was published in Japan.

Miyazaki's 'Shuna's Journey,' a 1983 release which contains elements later built upon in his films 'Princess Mononoke' and 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,' will be published Nov. 1 by the Macmillan imprint First Second. Alex Dudok de Wit is translating the book into English.

"Fans of 'Princess Mononoke' and 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' _ there are millions of us _ will delight in finding early hints of these masterworks in gorgeous watercolor pages by Miyazaki's own hand," Mark Siegel, editorial and creative director of First Second, said in a statement Tuesday.


Miyazaki, 81, is regarded as one of the world's greatest animators. His other films include "My Neighbor Totoro," "Kiki's Delivery Service" and the 2001 release "Spirited Away," which won the Academy Award for best animated feature. He was nominated for a best animated feature Oscar for his 2013 film ``The Wind Rises."