
The Tale of Studio Ghibli - aaronbrethorst
http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2014/12/japanese-animation?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/thetaleofstudioghibli
======
ggreer
If you haven't seen any Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki films, I highly recommend them.
The animation is unique and gorgeous. The stories involve conflict with nature
or mistaken antagonists, not evil caricatures. While many of the films contain
violence, it rarely resolves things. Also, most Studio Ghibli films have
strong female leads. I think _Grave of the Fireflies_ and _The Wind Rises_ are
the only ones with male protagonists.

In all, Studio Ghibli's works are a refreshing contrast to the romance-
obsessed princesses and 3D talking animals so often put-out by Disney and
Dreamworks. Even if you're an adult, they're enjoyable to watch.

~~~
ogig
I enjoy Miyazaki films, a lot. My favourite is Nausicaä of the Valley of the
Wind[1] but all of them are beatiful pieces of art. I also encourage people
who do not know Miyazaki to see some of his works. Princess Mononoke is a good
one to start with.

[1]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nausica%C3%A4_of_the_Valley_of_...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nausica%C3%A4_of_the_Valley_of_the_Wind_%28film%29)

~~~
huxley
Definitely agreed, if you've got kids Totoro and Spirited Away are good
excuses to become introduced to Miyazaki's work.

If you like the anime film of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, it's worth
checking out the manga drawn by Miyazaki between 1981 to 1994, over a thousand
beautiful B&W pages [1]

It is a very sophisticated work that stands on its own and really deserves
more attention. He is a very talented illustrator and painter.

[1] [http://www.amazon.com/Nausicaä-Valley-Wind-Box-
Set/dp/142155...](http://www.amazon.com/Nausicaä-Valley-Wind-Box-
Set/dp/1421550644/)

~~~
aaronbrethorst
Totoro is the only movie I can just as easily watch with my five year old
niece as my 71 year old mother. Wonderful film.

~~~
Springtime
The scene in Totoro of the children growing seeds into trees during the night
is one of my favorite moments of that film. Really captures a kind of
childhood wonder.

The comment about how accessible the film is reminds me of watching Ponyo
together with my grandmother a few weeks before her passing. It was something
she really appreciated, and one of the few positive things she talked about in
the following days.

Although not my favorite Ghibli film, and not such a fan of that particular
dub there is something delightful and honest about all the studio's films that
I find special.

------
Isamu
This article also mentions somebody's reaction to Princess Kaguya as looking
"unfinished" \- I saw the the same comment elsewhere (on HN maybe?)

I am really taken aback by this - the watercolor/ink style may be a little bit
unusual these days, but it's not as though animation has never been done in
this style before, nor that artwork of this style is completely alien. There
is a ton of this stuff.

Nor is this film extremely minimalist, and minimalism been done before too.

I'm starting to feel that the overly-detailed, extremely complicated CG
animation and action scenes in most movies are having an adverse affect on our
expectations, so we are becoming less able to appreciate something simple.

I could tie this back to software - so much of what we deal with evolves over
time to be rather complicated, with a million features, and we beg for more.

Geez, things can be simple. It's not "unfinished" to be simple.

~~~
doktrin
Couldn't agree more. I recently saw Princess Kaguya after being essentially
dragged to the movie theatre by a friend. I've never really developed a taste
for Japanese animation, and went in with no expectations.

Frankly, it's the most emotionally engaging movie I've seen in half a decade.
It blew me away. At no point either did the animation ever look unfinished.
That's just a weird characterization, and I'm kind of annoyed at the
implication that the audience expects a certain baseline of eye candy on the
screen at a given time.

Anyhow, the movie's the bomb. Sad to hear that this studio is going on an
extended hiatus. I hope someone else fills the void, because I would
definitely be in the market to throw money at my screen for _anything_ of this
caliber.

~~~
cthalupa
> I've never really developed a taste for Japanese animation, and went in with
> no expectations.

To be fair, the vast majority of it is crap. (In much the same way the
majority of American entertainment content is also crap)

But there's also fantastic stuff out there, like Miyazaki films.

Makoto Shinkai has some excellent films.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makoto_Shinkai](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makoto_Shinkai)

Garden of Words, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, The
Place Promised in our Early Days, and Voices of a Distant Star are all
excellent.

Mamoru Hosoda's recent works have all been quite good as well.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamoru_Hosoda](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamoru_Hosoda)

I'm not really a fan of his earlier works, but everything he's done since The
Girl Who Leapt Through Time has been very high caliber.

I wouldn't say either is quite at the level of Miyazaki and Ghibli, but
they're both quite good, and some of the better examples of the medium at it's
best.

~~~
pja
Wolf Children is another great non-Miyazaki film done in a similar style:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Children](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Children)

~~~
cthalupa
Yep! That's one of Hosada's works

------
saucymew
As an 80's anime kid, I remember when I first saw Castles in the Sky and My
Neighbor Toro Toro. It left lasting impressions on my world views of flying
robots and bus-shaped giant cats.

But Princess Mononoke straight out floored me. The surprising heaviness and
violence felt like they backdoored a complex film for adults. In Japan it was
the highest grossing film of ALL TIME until Titanic came along.

My growing years have been enriched beyond measure by the Ghibli/Miyazaki
films. May my curiosity and joy of trekking hidden paths be the legacy of
Studio Ghibli.

~~~
jdnier
The Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away (2001) overtook Titanic and is still the
highest grossing film in Japan.[1] Another Ghibli film, Howl's Moving Castle,
also passed Mononoke on that list.

[1] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-
grossing_films_...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-
grossing_films_in_Japan)

------
tankerdude
I still remember my first watching of Grave of the Fireflies. It was gut
wrenching, brutal, and to be honest, depressing and demoralizing to the point
of wanting to slash your own wrists at the pain and suffering that people went
through after the war (especially the orphans).

It's a great film, but getting myself to watch it is seriously tough each
time.

I wish there was another animator out there who would/could do something
remotely close to what he did for his studio.

~~~
bostik
A friend once described Grave of the Fireflies very aptly: _" It's like
watching Schindler's List while chewing broken glass, but without the
refreshing salty taste."_

And it is truly a great film.

------
aidenn0
They complain near the end that Disney dubs all the Ghibli films. This is an
odd complaint since all the DVDs have the choice of sub/dub, and Disney does a
good job with the dubs. Kiki's Delivery Service, for example, is one of the
best dubs I've ever seen.

~~~
sirmarksalot
I have to take issue with this particular choice. The quality of the acting
may have been good, but the editorial changes Disney made to the movie are
downright offensive.

Adding music to quiet scenes was annoying, but changing the ending was
unforgivable.

~~~
olavk
How did they change the ending in the dub? I have only seen the subtitled
version.

~~~
leejo
Phil Hartman, who voiced Jiji (the cat), ad libbed a line at the end. This
might not seem like much but in the Japanese version Jiji, having stopped
talking about half way through the film, doesn't talk again; possibly this
represents another way in which Kiki matures. It's a small point but seemed to
go over the head(s) of the director(s) of the English dub. Either that or they
didn't think it mattered.

Anyway, there is much in Miyazaki's and Takahata's films that is
misinterpreted or misunderstood by audiences and critics outside Japan. For a
long interpretation of some of the themes in Spirited Away, by a friend of
mine, see this post i made to the Miyazaki Mailing List over a decade ago:
[http://www.imasy.or.jp/~fukumoto/n/nshow.cgi?50927](http://www.imasy.or.jp/~fukumoto/n/nshow.cgi?50927)

------
creamyhorror
Miyazaki/Ghibli stand apart from the rest of the anime industry. Their
sensibilities are both out of sync with the film and TV output of other
companies[1], different from mainstream manga; yet when they put something
out, the world watches. I think it stems from Miyazaki's unique outlook, which
seems far less influenced by pop culture but instead hews to the dreams,
whimsy, and imagination of children. It's less "modern", more "storybook", and
that makes his films unique and widely appealing.

That's not to say there aren't other anime film directors who have put out
impressive work:

\- Satoshi Kon (a visionary sadly deceased, a true loss to the world)

\- Makoto Shinkai (purveyor of the most beautiful animated scenes to exist[2])

\- Mamoru Hosoda (works naturalistic yet fantastical, grounded in family and
the real world)

All three have been labelled "the new Miyazaki" or compared to him.

Finally, since people are posting recommendations of Miyazaki's work:

 _On Your Mark_ , a 6-minute animated music video, is the sort of thing that
you watch once and remember years down the road as a strange memory, a sci-fi
short story from your teenage years.
[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yx4sf_hayao-miyazaki-s-
on...](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yx4sf_hayao-miyazaki-s-on-your-
mark_music)

=========

[1] In fact, Miyazaki has criticized the anime industry for being too full of
people who don't observe other people, resulting in works that don't resonate
with a wider audience; it's anime by anime geeks for anime geeks, full of
stereotypes and a culture unto itself. That's why directors like Satoshi Kon
and Shinichiro Watanabe are so needed, who paint rounded, real characters
who're accessible to a wider audience. Discussion:
[http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1wltx5/miyazaki_the_p...](http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1wltx5/miyazaki_the_problem_with_the_anime_industry_is/cf36y3m)

[2] Shinkai's most recent work is _The Garden of Words_ , a lush feast for the
eyes which might as well have been titled _The Garden of Wallpapers_ :
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTTRweJ7jVs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTTRweJ7jVs)

------
kiliancs
The article mentions the treatment these films receive in the West, but I
would like to add that there is also a general aversion to anime. In
Catalonia, where I live, only the young generations are (more than) open to
anime, while the rest will miss beautiful artistic experiences like the Sutdio
Ghibli films because of their prejudices against anime. In the US I've seen
similar reactions but mostly I have found people who will classify all anime
(including films such as these) as "cartoons" for children.

------
kposehn
I've been a Miyazaki/Ghibli fan for a long time. At this point I have so many
Ghibli-themed shirts my wife jokes that I am nearing the Miyazaki-event-
horizon and will collapse into the form of Totoro.

If you have not watched any of their films, I highly recommend you do so.
Sheer joy of life is what they impart and it will stay with you for years.

------
DrPhish
Possibly of interest to fans of Miyazaki Hayao's work is the series he did for
Nippon Animation in '78: Future boy Conan[1]. Despite the cheesy name, in my
opinion it is his greatest work. I have watched the complete 26 episodes of
this series multiple times with my kids, and they've watched it on their own
many times. Anyone I turn onto this series is absolutely slackjawed with how
good it is. Most of the character archetypes, themes and famous sequences from
his subsequent movies are to be found in this series.

[1][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Boy_Conan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Boy_Conan)

------
hw
Whether you like watching animation or not, Studio Ghibli ones will open your
eyes. From the iconic Totoro, to the classic Spirited Away, each one with
different themes, told via simple, animated scenes that aren't as fancy or
pretty as the Pixar or Disney ones, but are works of art. They also provide
good insight into Japanese culture.

~~~
spystath
I disagree that Ghibli films are not as pretty as Pixar or Disney. In my
(arguably subjective) eyes Ghibli animation seems much more aesthetically
pleasing and "warmer-feeling" than CGI. And on a second notice, although I
have huge respect for the artists that are involved in the production of Pixar
films, it deeply saddens me to see that traditional animation seems like a
second-class citizen in modern-day Hollywood. It's been years since I've last
watched a high-profile traditionally animated film from western studios. And
it's not just the style, I think that thematically and character-wise Pixar et
al. films feel so generic when compared to eg. Nausicaa or Spirited Away or
even Whisper of the Heart. And it's not only studio Ghibli, it always seemed
to me that Japanese animators try to innovate a bit more thematically than
their western counterparts. See for example the movies of Sathoshi Kon (like
Paprika, or Millenium Actress). They have such a unique adult-oriented
perspective on animated storytelling that is unlike anything Pixar has put
out.

~~~
chii
> a high-profile traditionally animated film from western studios

traditionally animated (read: hand drawn) movies costs way more to produce,
requires skill sets that are difficult to get now-a-days, and also some
(undeserved) social stigma regarding "cartoon" movies, all of which contribute
to the decision that it's not a wise investment.

------
sekasi
The first Miyazaki film I watched was Spirited away. The moment I saw it I
became a life long fan of his work.

I've been to the museum in Mitaka twice, seen all his movies and despite
pushing 35, I'm just as amazed and gleeful watching his work today with my
three year old.

I can't think of any artist that had a greater influence on me. Much love.

------
toyg
This is just a review, and as such it glosses over what has been reported
elsewhere as the real reason Ghibli might not survive Miyazaki: the big man
himself hoped to hand the reins to his own son, but the "young scion" failed
short. Rather than look for alternatives, Miyazaki just gave up; which was a
very Japanese thing to do.

~~~
fidotron
Prior to that a previous protege also died young [1]. Miyazaki himself also
carried the productions he worked on to a frightening degree. The man was/is a
complete workaholic and expecting anyone to fill that role is essentially
unreasonable.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshifumi_Kond%C5%8D](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshifumi_Kond%C5%8D)

~~~
Springtime
For anyone curious about the behind the scenes of the studio during
production, especially surrounding the tireless work of Miyazaki, the Making
of Princess Mononoke documentary [1] is a superb watch. The film was
translated by a Youtuber, and missing a few parts but very much gave me a
great appreciation for what goes into creating one of their films.

[1] [http://ghiblicon.blogspot.com/2008/11/making-of-princess-
mon...](http://ghiblicon.blogspot.com/2008/11/making-of-princess-mononoke-
series-1.html)

------
cyanbane
I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli's work. I read a really great book on
Miyazaki and Takahata this year that discusses their early competition and the
birth of Studio Ghibli. It also does a pretty in depth analysis of most of the
Studio's films that came out before The Wind Also Rises.

[1]
[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005E7AN1A/ref=oh_aui_searc...](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005E7AN1A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

------
sirmarksalot
I hope the article is wrong about "When Marnie was There." I saw it in Japan
just as it was about to leave the theaters, and it was amazing. The releases
do tend to lag about a year behind, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it
just hasn't been announced yet.

------
monkmartinez
Myself and my children aged 4 and 6 have seen most of the Ghibli movies...
they are amazing. Obviously, Totoro is well liked... but Ponyo and Kiki are
the favorites here (we have re-watched them many, many times) and that was a
surprise for me.

------
new299
For an Economist article I was expecting more covering the Studios economic
troubles, periodic retirement of Miyazaki, and more contentious films [1].

[1]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Rises#Controversy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Rises#Controversy)

~~~
new299
To elaborate on the economic troubles I think part of the problem is possibly
the lack of a successor to Miyazaki. His son's work is often considered quite
poor [2] and there's no clear successor to Miyazaki who often announces his
retirement, then comes back for one last film.

In addition to this, they've have a series of big budget flops. While The Tale
of the Princess Kaguya has received critical acclaim for it's artistic
quality, it cost 50MUSD to make (compared to 6MUSD for Kiki's delivery
service), while bring in 25MUSD at the box office. And while it's received
critical acclaim, informally I've been told it's not well liked in Japan
(looks good, but content is poor).

So, I was curious to hear more about their financial troubles, and how much
they have been effected by these large budget flops and what the future might
be (there's a rumor that Nico Nico Douga might buy them, or that they might
shut down completely). It's unfortunate that this wasn't covered in the
article.

[1]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Rises#Controversy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Rises#Controversy)

[2]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gor%C5%8D_Miyazaki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gor%C5%8D_Miyazaki)

------
Decade
The studio just can't survive after Hayao's retirement.

I was especially disappointed when Ursula Le Guin trusted her Earthsea series
to him, and he gave it to his idiot son.

[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0495596/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0495596/)

~~~
cthalupa
>Ursula Le Guin trusted her Earthsea series to him, and he gave it to his
idiot son.

That's not really fair.

For one, Gorō was basically forced into the industry. He didn't want it, and
was pressured into it.

Second, it was not Hayao's choice for his son to direct Earthsea. Suzuki
Toshi, president of the studio, was the producer, and Gorō was originally
attached just as a consultant. He drew the storyboards, and Suzuki decided
upon seeing them to entrust Gorō with the role of director.

Hayao actually was very against it, and outright said his son did not have
enough experience yet to be a director, and then refused to speak to him until
after the movie had aired.

From Up on Poppy Hill was significantly better than Earthsea, and I think
there is still a chance yet of Gorō becoming a worthy successor to his father.

------
normand1
This films looks to be the death knell of Studio Ghibli. Not a single ounce of
the originality, character or detail that makes Studio Ghibli films unique.

~~~
fmoralesc
I imagine you haven't seen the film? It is a wonderful movie (just watched it
yesterday), with terrific characterization and attention to detail (grounded,
even more so than Miyazaki's own movies, if I would dare say so). I wouldn't
have expected any less from the director of _My Neighbors the Yamada_ , which
is, _in my opinion_ , Ghibli's best film.

------
tl
[http://www.canistream.it/search/movie/grave%20of%20the%20fir...](http://www.canistream.it/search/movie/grave%20of%20the%20fireflies)

I realize that copyright is eternal and the producers have the right to set
any terms they want, but it is the best set of options (for producers or
comsumers) really pay $19 for a 26 year old movie or torrent it for $0 with no
options for rentals, streaming, etc...?

