Summary
- Studio Ghibli’s films blend fantasy and reality, making them suitable for all ages and portraying ordinary tasks uniquely.
- The studio focuses on aesthetic appeal, world-building, and storytelling with strong female leads and important messages at the end.
- Studio Ghibli films portray the beauty of everyday life with whimsical visuals, intricate details, and a blend of fantasy and reality.
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The influence and popularity Studio Ghibli’s films hold over both the East and West are pretty evident. In the anime industry, where trends keep on evolving, there are very few directors whose every single film manages to strike a chord with the audience. Hayao Miyazaki is one such name whose films continue to bring magical experiences to the audience with visuals unlike any other, no matter what age or what generation.
Studio Ghibli films romanticize the little things that you experience in everyday life, which encourages the viewers to look for the beauty in the ordinary. With masterpieces like Princess Mononoke Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Spirited Away, these movies bring a sort of nostalgic experience, and with their refreshing visuals, you will find yourself coming back to them again.
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What Makes The Studio Ghibli Films So Different
A Genre Of Its Own
Studio Ghibli films focus a lot on aesthetic appeal, which is why they put a lot of details in every frame. The whimsical style each of Miyazaki’s movies follows is very distinctive and easily recognizable.
These films do a great job of portraying the perfect blend of fantasy and reality. This fusion gives us a magical world that is not too overwhelming with fantastical elements and feels familiar enough, which makes each of the Studio Ghibli films suitable for every age.
Environment And Setting
Studio Ghibli films, especially the likes of My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and Ponyo, focus a lot on world-building and putting the amount of details in the surrounding. The use of traditional hand-drawn elements in a creative way makes the setting almost like a fairy tale, which is extremely intriguing to watch.
Totoro is a forest spirit, and that’s a secret! He’s the guardian of the trees and the protector of the forest. But he’s not something you just find. You have to believe – Mei
For instance, in Spirited Away, you get to witness a mysterious world full of spirits. However, the way lifestyles are portrayed is no less different than how everyday life is observed in Japan. From maintaining the busy bath houses to traveling around the ethereal world of being spirited away on a magical train, everything seems otherworldly.
Spirits are just like people, they’re not all good, and they’re not all bad – Chihiro (Sen)
Studio Ghibli does a great job of turning mundane and simple tasks into an extraordinary experience. Even if the characters are cooking anything in the movie, it’s animated in such an immersive wave, from the cracking of the eggs to chopping vegetables; each detail feels like a visual feast.
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Storyline And Characters
Studio Ghibli films focus not only on their visuals but also on storytelling. The studio does not shy away from using films to deliver its stance on political situations. The use of sensitive themes like war and violence in some of their works is truly eye-opening.
Especially in Grave Of Fireflies, where the effects of World War 2 are shown in an extremely accurate and heartbreaking way. Another thing Miyazaki is praised for is his use of strong female leads in almost all of his works. Be it Kiki in Kiki’s Delivery Service, Chihiro in Spirited Away, or Arrietty in The Secret World of Arrietty, all are shown to be extremely brave, facing dangers head-on and using whatever means necessary to protect and save their loved ones.
I’m going to become a great witch! I’m going to keep doing my best! – Kiki
Every work by Studio Ghibli always leaves us with an important message at the end. In the anime Kiki’s Delivery Service, we get the message of how the transition to practical life can be pretty hard, but with sheer determination just like Kiki, one can pull through anything. In Princess Mononoke, there is symbolism of how beautiful nature is and how humans with their carelessness can destroy it.
Despite how old these movies are, they remain unbeatable in their genre and are still just as refreshing to watch. It is safe to say that Studio Ghibli movies will always remain timeless and an inspiration for many anime studios.
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