having read a little more of your work, if you'd be interested in a little tangent... there is a korean animated film, released in 2007-ish, called "yobi the five-tailed fox" that i haven't seen you mention (which is not to say you have not seen it). if you haven't, perhaps you'd give it a whirl... i'm an avid fan of both totoro and howl and this little gem of a film raised similar delight in me.
i wonder,
x dee