||  Main  |  Mailing List  |  Films  |  Search  |  Ghiblink  |  Feedback  ||

Official Web Page:

http://www.ntv.co.jp/ghibli/   (in Japanese)
http://www.ntv.co.jp/GHIBLI/home/index_e.html   (in English)

Unofficial Web Page:

http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/ghibli/

Q: What is Studio Ghibli?

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio, led by one of the greatest animation creators, Hayao MIYAZAKI. The studio creates very high quality animated movies (which is rather unique, since most Japanese animation studios depend on TV series or OVAs), and they constantly beat Disney movies in box office revenues in Japan and have received numerous awards. Miyazaki and Ghibli movies are well respected and loved by all Japanese people, children and adults alike. Ghibli was established in 1985, to make the film, "Laputa: The Castle in the Sky". However, the beginning of the studio can be dated back to 1983, when Tokuma Shoten (Tokuma Publishing, Co., Ltd) decided to produce "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind". Tokuma is a Japanese publishing company which publishes an anime magazine, "Animage", in which Miyazaki had been serializing the manga "Nausicaa" since 1982. After the success of "Nausicaa", Tokuma and Miyazaki decided to make their second movie, "Laputa", and they established Studio Ghibli. Tokuma is the parent company of Ghibli, and holds the distribution rights for Ghibli movies (except "Grave of the Fireflies", which was produced by another publishing company, Shinchosha).

Q. What does "Ghibli" mean?

Ghibli means "hot wind blowing through the Sahara Desert". The name was used for Italian scouting airplanes during World War II. Miyazaki, who loves airplanes (and Italy), named his Studio after it.

Q: What has Ghibli made?

Movies

Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind), 1984
Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa (Laputa: The Castle in the Sky), 1986
Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro), 1988
Horaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), 1988
Majo no Takkyubin (Kiki's Delivery Service), 1989
Omohide Poroporo (Only Yesterday), 1991
Kurenai no Buta (Porco Rosso), 1992
Heisei Tanuki Gassen Pom Poko (Pom Poko), 1994
Mimi o Sumaseba (Whisper of the Heart), 1995
Mononoke Hime (The Princess Mononoke), 1997

TV Movie

Umi ga Kikoeru (I Can Hear the Sea, or, Ocean Waves), 1993

Music Promotion Film

On Your Mark, 1995

TV Spots

Sora Iro no Tane (Sky-colored Seed), 1992
Nandaro, 1992

To know more about these movies, visit the Unofficial Ghibli Web Page: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/films/

Q. Did Miyazaki direct all these movies?

No. Miyazaki directed "Nausicaa", "Laputa", "Totoro", "Kiki", "Porco", "On Your Mark", and "Mononoke Hime". "Grave of the Fireflies" , "Only Yesterday", and "Pom Poko" were directed by his long time colleague and another creative head of Ghibli, Isao TAKAHATA. Miyazaki produced "Only Yesterday" and "Pom Poko". Ghibli has been trying to make anime by directors other than Miyazaki and Takahata. "Mimi wo Sumaseba" was directed by Yoshifumi KONDO, who had been the top animator at Ghibli (sadly, he passed away in January, 1998.) Miyazaki wrote the script, drew the storyboards, and produced "Mimi". "Umi ga Kikoeru" was directed by Tomomi MOCHIZUKI (who also directed Kimagure Orange Road movies), who is not a member of Ghibli.

Q: Why doesn't Ghibli make TV series?

Ghibli was established specifically to make films. TV anime in Japan are made under such tight schedules and budgets, that it's almost impossible for Miyazaki to make the high quality anime he wants to make. This is rather risky, since Ghibli can produce only one movie per year or so, and one movie flop will really damage Ghibli financially. However, the strategy has paid off so far. Ghibli has tried TV with a TV movie, "Umi ga Kikoeru", which was made by the younger staff, but it went way over budget and schedule.

Q: What is the latest Ghibli Movie?

Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke) has been released in Japan in July, 1997. The story is set in medieval Japan. It is a story about "a fierce fight between humans and gods over the head of God Animal, Shishi". Mononoke Hime (her name is San) is a princess who was raised by a Mononoke (monster, or ghost). She meets an Emishi boy, Ashitaka, who was under the curse of death and came to the forest. With about a $24 million budget, Mononoke Hime is the most expensive anime ever made in Japan, and it became the highest grossing movie in the history in Japan, breaking the record held by "E.T.". Disney has acquired the global distribution rights for this movie. It has been reported that Disney will release it in the US in 1999.

To know more about Mononoke Hime:

Official Web page: http://www.ntv.co.jp/ghibli/ (in Japanese)
Nausicaa.net: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/mh/
Home pages: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/mh/relinfo.html
Quick Time Movies and pictures: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/mh/relmedia.html

Q: What is this Disney/Tokuma alliance?

Disney has acquired the global distribution rights for "Mononoke Hime", and video rights for 8 Ghibli movies (except "Grave"). Disney will release English dubs (and in other languages), but you can rest assured, since Ghibli officially stated that "none of the sequences or music will be changed". The agreement can be expanded into other fields, such as CDs, merchandises, and games in the future.

To know more about Disney/Tokuma deal:

FAQ: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/disney/dtdeal.html
Compilation of newspaper articles: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/disney/media-coverage.html

Q. Does Ghibli use Computer Graphics?

Miyazaki had been rather skeptical about the use of computers in anime. He once commented "Why do we need computers to do what human hands can do?" The first time Ghibli used CG was in "Pom Poko", in the scene where the camera paned the library shelves. Such a scene is very difficult and time consuming for animators to do, and yet, does not require creativity and therefore is boring for animators to do. "Whisper of the Heart" used digital composition in the fantasy scenes, meaning that elements (animated by traditional means) of a scene were composed using a computer. "On Your Mark" used some computer generated images. And "Mononoke Hime" used computers extensively. Ghibli bought several Silicon Graphics workstations, and set up a CG Division. It has been reported that Ghibli will go full digital, concerning ink & paint, for the next film "Tonari no Yamada-kun". In short, the movie will use no cel.

Q. I heard that Miyazaki is retiring after Mononoke Hime. Is this true?

No. He has announced that he will make another movie. Mr. Tokuma, the president of Tokuma Shoten, told a Japanese newspaper that Miyazaki's next movie will be about the 21st century. According to him, it will deal with such issues as environmental problems and terrorism, and it will have even bigger budget than Mononoke Hime. However, Miyazaki hasn't said anything about exactly what he will make next. He might have a different idea from Mr. Tokuma's.

Miyazaki did say "I think that this (Mononoke Hime) will be my last (feature-length) movie" at the press conference. In an interview, he said that he just can't go on physically, since directing a movie is such exhausting work. He also said that he is leaving Ghibli to make way for young people. However, he also stated that he "may assist in some capacity in the future", such as producing and writing scripts. Sadly, judging from his eulogy for Kondo, it seems that he was planning to write and produce another film for Kondo to direct, as he did in "Whisper of the Heart".

He has formally quit Ghibli on January 14th, 1998 (he still seems to come to Ghibli quite often). He is building a new studio, "Senior Ghibli", near Studio Ghibli as his "retirement place". He said that he has not decided what he would do there yet. He might do some "small" projects, since he said "I have been making movies which had to please 20 people out of 100. It has been very hard. But if I just have to please 2 out of 100, I can do a lot of things."

Q. What is the next Takahata movie?

Takahata is going to direct the next Ghibli movie "Tonari no Yamada-Kun (My Neighbor Yamada)", based on a comic strip by Hisaichi ISHII.

Q: Can I write to them?

Yes. You can write a letter, or you can send them e-mail. However, they will not reply. They are busy making films, and they receive many mails. You can get the address of Ghibli at: http://www.nausicaa.net/~miyazaki/ghibli/

Q: How can I see the Ghibli movies?

Please see the Shopping Guide.