In a telephone interview from her home in Portland, Ore., Ms. Le Guin said: “Mr. Miyazaki’s movie won’t be shown as long as the Sci-Fi Channel people sit on their rights, which they have until ’09, unless they decide to stop being a dog in the manger.” Representatives from the Sci-Fi Channel did not respond to calls seeking a comment.

Quoted: Goro Miyazaki's first movie, the animated feature “Tales From Earthsea,” is the hit of the summer in Japan.