As an amateur artist, I have played around with lots of drawing techniques to find my strength. That being said, my love for all things anime has always been the loudest inspiration in my work, particularly Studio Ghibli. Not only for its artistic style but the way the stories are always carried in a way that allows you to feel the nuances in each scene.
Launched in 1985 in Tokyo, Studio Ghibli was founded by animators and directors Miyazaki Hayao, Takahata Isao and producer Suzuki Toshio. The studio made its first release, Castles in the Sky a year later, a story of a young boy and girl, being chased after by sky pirates and government agents, as they journey to find her true identity and the location of a floating castle.
Miyazaki’s love for all things flying is often reflected in his work, particularly the technical design aspect. His father was the director of Miyazaki Airplanes, a manufacturer of parts for Zero fighter planes. This can be seen in greater detail in his famous titles such as Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
In 1985, the studio allowed Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind to be recut and edited for US release by New World Pictures after much pressure for Miyazaki to release his works outside of Japan. The title was changed to Warriors of the Wind with many additional characters added, the title character undergoing a name change, and many other mishaps, making it a much inferior version to the original. This led to Miyazaki waiting almost a decade before deciding to green-light another Western release.
With a vast list of movie titles under its belt, Studio Ghibli surpasses other animation studios in its storytelling approach. Using hand-drawn animation, really allows you to hold onto the magic of animation. Which inspires animators globally, often referencing Studio Ghibli in their works.
Most notably in the current release of Suzume, created by Makoto Shinkai, who pays homage to Studio Ghibli throughout the film in how it captivates the beauty of real-life situations and magic to tell a beautiful story.
In a final curtain call before retiring (again, maybe for real this time) we wait with bated breath for the release of How do you Live? Miyazaki’s last film was based on a book of the same title. It is due for release on Japan’s shores on July 14, 2023 (On my birthday!)
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