Le Guin, who had become a devoted fan of Hayao Miyazaki's work following their first encounter and had wished for him to direct the film, was also disappointed by the selection of Goro as director, but was told by Studio Ghibli that Hayao would oversee the film's production.
Le Guin, que se convertera nunha adepta do traballo de Hayao Miyazaki logo do seu primeiro encontro e desexaba que fose el quen dirixise o filme, tamén quedou decepcionada pola escolla de Gorō como director, mais Studio Ghibli díxolle que Hayao supervisaría a produción.