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STUDIO GHIBLISTUDIO GHIBLIBy Chris Q

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Have you ever heard of anime movies made by Studio Ghibli? If you are a fan of Japanese animation, then Studio Ghibli movies are a must watch.

Though some of them may be very old, the earliest was Castle in the Sky (1986), Studio Ghibli movies have always delighted viewers no matter which generation they are from.

There are very few people who have not seen or at least heard of classics like Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro. However, like any movie venture, it was a very long and hard road to fame until the studio was recognised for its good movies.

Founded in 1985 in Tokyo, there were three men who were mainly responsible in the forming of Studio Ghibli. They were Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki and the face of Studio Ghibli itself, Hayao Miyazaki. For Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki is what Walt Disney was to Disney Studios.

The studio’s name is based on the Arabic word for "hot sahara wind". This is because the people who founded it wanted a new wind to blow through the anime industry. “Anime” is what the Japanese people call cartoon movies. Ghibli also shares the name with an Italian war aeroplane. The reason for this is Miyazaki’s obsessed with aeroplanes.

Isao TakahaTa

hayao Miyazaki

Toshio suzuki

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Even before working for Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki was already quite experienced in the animated film line. He had previously directed a few movies like Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, and Future Boy Conan. He made these while working under another film company.

Miyazaki finally directed his own independent project in 1984 called Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. It had the art style as well as the story flow of a Studio Ghibli movie. Yet it is argued that it is not a real Studio Ghibli production because the movie was released a year earlier, before the official Studio Ghibli company was opened. Therefore, the next anime movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky is said by many fans to be the first original movie from Studio Ghibli, released in 1986.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky, 1986

Kiki’s Delivery Swervice, 1989

Princess Mononoke, 1997

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The Cat Returns, 2002

During this time, anime was looked down upon in the film industry and Miyazaki was also not highly regarded at this time. Anime wasn't popular like it is in Japan now. Therefore, the number of theatres showing movies as well as viewers were also limited. Movies that are now regarded as classics like Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky and even My Neighbor Totoro were not as well-known back then.

Studio Ghibli’s big break finally came in 1989 with the movie Kiki's Delivery Service, thanks to advertisements on television. After this, Miyazaki and producer Suzuki continued to make many more hits.

It 1997, Studio Ghibli released Princess Mononoke. This movie was a big hit not just in Japan but also overseas. It made Studio Ghibli grow into an international brand for anime

movies. The show also proved to the general audience that anime was not just for children but also a medium to tell more serious and mature stories.

From then on, Studio Ghibli under Miyazaki managed to create 8 of the 15 highest-grossing anime films in Japan. Among these films are Kiki's

Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Howl’s Moving Castle, Tales from Earthsea, Ponyo, The Secret World of Arrietty, and The Wind Rises.

Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004

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Studio Ghibli films are highly praised and admired both in Japan and around the world. One of the many reasons is believed to be their storyline. Miyazaki often refers to certain themes in his work, which is “being human” and our connection to nature and technology. On top of that, his heroes sometimes feature strong female characters which is a change from films dominated by male heroes. The most famous Ghibli film, Spirited Away, used this idea too. A girl named Chihiro gets trapped in the spirit world and finds work at a bathhouse to try to save her parents. The movie won “Best Animated Feature” at the 75th Academy Awards, making it the first non-English animated film to win in that category.

Villains in Miyazaki’s movies also were never just evil. They were often presented in a sympathetic light. Miyazaki’s movies usually made films which presented villains with their own redeeming qualities.

Spirited Away, 2001

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Another reason why the studio rose to fame is thanks to its music composer, Joe Hisaishi, who provided many of the soundtracks for Studio Ghibli’s movies. The music he created produced the mood and moved the feelings of cinema goers. Hisaishi perfectly writes the perfect music for each movie with his talent.

Just like Disney movies, Studio Ghibli's movies have become classics. Not only are the movies of high quality but they have also changed the anime film industry and the way people feel about anime.

If you want to know more about the history of Studio Ghibli, there is a place called Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, west of Tokyo. Make sure to apply for their entrance tickets in advance because it is an extremely popular museum. The museum was designed by Miyazaki himself. This isn’t a typical museum filled with glass display cases. Instead, it was designed to be a kind of portal to a fantasy world where one can lose themselves in the movie scenes that Miyazaki himself created.

LeVeL: venture (n) – a risky or brave journey or work that could fail and lose moneyexperience (n) – the knowledge or skill a person gets through practical workgeneral (adj) – related to all or most people or most things; widespreaddominate (v) – have power and control over someone or somethingpopular (adj) – liked or admired by many people or by a person

Address: 1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan

Operating hours: Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 - 18:00Tuesday closed

Opened on October 1, 2001

Ghibli MuseumMitaka, Japan

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