(Image by Craig Duffy on Flickr)
“Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living.” That was a quote from Hayao Miyazaki, an animator, filmmaker, and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. His and Studio Ghibli’s works are widely revered for their masterful storytelling, animation, and ability to connect filmgoers. Studio Ghibli’s movies such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Grave of The Fireflies, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, have all gained recent attention due to Studio Ghibli Fest, a movie festival rereleasing the films to theaters including in Rocklin. Studio Ghibli’s films have garnered widespread appeal by tackling heavy topics such as war, loss, love, and compassion. This helps make Studio Ghibli one of the most celebrated animation studios in history.
Studio Ghibli is an animation studio located in Japan. Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s purpose is to make high-quality animated movies in Japan. Over the 30 years following its founding, the studio has created many films, some of which are credited as masterpieces and have even won awards. These films have been highly praised for their directing, art style, storytelling, and ability to connect people through different topics. Frederick Bardwell, a former student of Rocklin High School (RHS), said that “it’s a breath of fresh air.” The way the films are presented has significantly contributed to what makes them so famous.
“It feels like a real, living place even when you’re not there.”
One reason these movies are widely revered is the variety of concepts explored in them. The films created by Studio Ghibli cover a broad range of ideas, from nature to war. In Princess Mononoke, for example, one of the main themes is the inevitable conflict between nature and human expansion. Abby Zeibert, a senior at RHS, said ”They have consistent logic… and there all of these inner workings with the nature spirits…that they feel like their own community… it feels like a real living place even when you’re not there.” The films’ power to identify major issues, pose hard moral questions, and gain emotional reactions from filmgoers is a major contributor to why Studio Ghibli is so well known and loved. There are other examples as well, with Porco Rosso exploring the aftermath of war, Howl’s Moving Castle about not running from your problems, and many more. Because there is such a wide range of themes explored in these films, Studio Ghibli’s works can resonate with everyone on some level.
(Image by theNerdPatrol on Flickr)
Even as the movies explore different themes, one big concept — change — is prevalent within many of them. This idea of change is a central concept in many of these films, especially Hayao Miyazaki films. Porco Rosso, for example, deals with the aftermath of WW1 and displays how the war affected people in the aftermath of WW1. In Spirited Away, when a main character is transported to a new world that is foreign and alien, we see that character adapt to change. Through these films, we also see the positive side to change by being a part of that change, like when Zeibert says the movies show us “standing up for what you believe in and trying to make a positive change in the world.” By learning and accepting change is an inevitable part of life, you learn you can work with and help make the change you want to see.
There is one other central theme in Studio Ghibli’s movies that connects people, and that is loss. The exploration of the effect of losing people you care for or your valued possessions is a huge factor into why people adore these films. Spirited Away deals with loss in that it portrays the loss of one’s comfort in the familiar. Grave of The Fireflies shows us how badly people have suffered in the war and lost so much, which pulls on the heartstrings of those who can identify with that kind of loss. But there’s the side of understanding and empathy that comes with loss, with many characters in these films going through development and improvement that is often spurred by loss, like in Proco Rosso, where the main character comes to accept and deal with his trauma of losing his comrades in war. Pawni Tawari, a junior at RHS, feels that loss “… resonates a lot more … to see a movie relatable in terms like loss ….”
“To see a movie relatable in terms like loss…”
But the reason why Studio Ghibli is still relevant in people’s minds is because of Studio Ghibli Fest. Having started back in 2017, many people have been able to see and experience the true wonder of Studio Ghibli in theaters. Zeibert believes that “it’s great that they’re in theaters, it’s a really different experience …. Having the big screen where it takes up your entire vision and the sound takes up your entire body, it’s such a great way to watch the movie.” Many people have also been introduced to the world of Studio Ghibli through these films, with Fredrick saying “Studio Ghibli films being shown in theaters will make it more accessible ….” Through the theatrical release of Studio Ghibli’s movies, many people have been introduced to the mysterious and wondrous world of anime.
