It’s been a while since we’ve done a list, but something about our love of Studio Ghibli has us thinking about their films as we usher in the New Year. Maybe it’s our positive feelings about 2022, maybe it’s the unfailing hope in each of these films or just nostalgia for the heartwarming and fanciful tales. Coincidentally, there are a total of 22 in the studio’s catalog. Perhaps the stars are aligning for this list. Regardless, Ghibli’s works showcase wondrous landscapes and are propelled by unassuming heroes, inspiring themes and quirky humor. Whatever is loved about these is really seemingly loved by the whole planet. So as we take another…
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Off the Shelf…’Pom Poko’
Without fail, and regardless of the plot, there are a number of similar and familiar themes running through every Studio Ghibli feature. Yet among the most prominent – feminism, and characters far removed from their element or comfort zones – environmentalism is a common through line. Co-founder Isao Takahata isn’t normally known for a lot of levity or fluff in his films. Think about Grave of the Fireflies and The Tale of Princess Kaguya and it’s easy to imagine Takahata as the Felix Unger to his partner, and fellow Studio Ghibli co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki. Pom Poko is rife with weighty and mature themes. At the heart of the film is the message…
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Ohhh, Look…New Images From Studio Ghibli's 'The Tale of Princess Kaguya'
Last time we looked in on the legendary Studio Ghibli we were thrilled to hear of not one but two films on the horizon. The first was the Miyazaki directed WWII themed film The Wind Rises which was released in July in Japan. Next up is the Isao Takahata directed feature The Tale of Princess Kaguya which will recount the 10th century Japanese folktale Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter). Kaguya has an unannounced Japanese release date for later this Fall. Here’s the synopsis: An old man makes a living by selling bamboo. One day, he finds a princess in a bamboo. The princess is only the size of a finger. Her name is Kaguya.…
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Ohhh, Look…Teaser Posters For Studio Ghibli's Upcoming Features
It’s no secret that we at G-S-T adore the famous animation powerhouse that Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki built. In fact, I should say ジブリさん愛. Anyway if you, like us, can’t get enough from those animation Gods, then we have FANTASTIC news for you. Both Miyazaki-san and Takahata-san are at the helm for the two upcoming features from Studio Ghibli. I thought 2013 was going to be awesome enough and now we get a pair of Ghibli features too?? The only thing that could make this better is if Joe Hisaishi will again be scoring…*gets handed a small post-it note from the producer*…what’s this? *reads with wide eyes* Good news everyone! Hisaishi will be…
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Isao Takahata's 'Grave of the Fireflies' Getting Live-Action Treatment
If you’re an anime fan, and further familiar with the films of Studio Ghibli, you’ll know Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best (but also the most depressing) animated films of all time. The story follows two siblings, 14 year old Seita and his 4 year old sister Setsuko, struggling to survive in the aftermath of the 1945 bombing of Kobe. It’s an affecting film to say the least and even for a so-called cartoon, it really gets the waterworks going as it shows the real cost of war. Well news has surfaced about live-action remake of the film only this new film, like the Japanese reinterpretation of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, will…
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At Least Three New Studio Ghibli Projects Supposedly In Development
Studio Ghibli is never content to rest on their laurels or let the ink dry. Their charming and wonderful film from 2010 The Secret World of Arrietty will finally hit U.S. theaters this Friday (look for a G-S-T review then as well). Also, From Up On Poppy Hill (the second effort from Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro Miyazaki) was released last July in Japan. It has been making its way around the world, stopping at a Film Festival or two and has been very well received. But word from the other side of the world is that the studio, as suspected, is hard at work developing some new projects. For those of you ever hungry for the latest work from little animation…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Is Over!!
Well friends, “Miyazaki Madness” is officially over. We’ve had 4 weeks of match ups, voting, comments and best of all, appreciation for the films of Studio Ghibli! In total, the tournament brought in nearly 10,000 visitors, racked up nearly 300 votes and I have to say it was a tremendous turnout! Thank you all for stopping by to participate in this event (I bet you’ll be glad to see an end to my Twitter and Facebook updates, huh?). So who gets to wear the winner’s crown and strut their stuff all around the animation world?? Well click the image below (for a hi-rez version) and find out for yourself…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Championship Round [POLLS CLOSED]
Well Ghibli fans, it all comes down to this!! The last three weeks have seen some heartbreaking losses as the polls have yielded some surprising upsets. But more importantly we have a finals round that really gives a great cross section of diversity of the films from Studio Ghibli. I asked for a tournament to give us “The Greatest Miyazaki/Takahata/Ghibli Film” and I think we’re gonna get it. So funny that the two films vying for the title are one of Ghibli’s most fantastic and fun films pitted against one of their most realistic and emotional films. There’s really not a true loser in the entire tournament. Further, this was all done to celebtrate…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Third Round – The Final Four! [POLLS CLOSED]
Well friends, the second round of “Miyazaki Madness” has closed and we now have only 4 challengers left. In the Elite 8 round we had to say goodbye to fan favorite Princess Mononoke, the short but sweet The Cat Returns, the criminally overlooked Whisper of the Heart and one of my newfound favorites Castle in the Sky. Tis a sad day but you can’t have a tournament without breaking some eggs, err hearts, right? So with that we enter the semi-final round of the the tournament. That leaves us with the Final Four slugging it out in search of the title of Greatest Miyazaki/Takahata/Studio Ghibli film. Can’t say as I could have forseen this…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Second Round – The Elite 8 [POLLS CLOSED]
Wow, what a bunch of heart breaks and blow outs this first round, huh? Hayao’s Spirited Away steamrolls over his son Goro’s first feature Tales From Eathsea. Princess Mononoke beat out the equally matched and favored Nausicaa. Pom Poko was no match for Ghibli poster boy Totoro and my dear lord did Porco Rosso get smoked like a pound of bacon by Castle in the Sky. Even my favorite Howl’s Moving Castle was knocked out by Grave of the Fireflies (you can see the rest of the results in the image below). But that’s how it goes…two men enter, one man leave right? So here I present the updated official “Miyazaki…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Starts TODAY!! First Round – The Sweet 16 [POLLS CLOSED]
These are the match-ups for the first round Sweet 16 Bracket in the “Miyazaki Madness“. Voting will stay open for 1 week. Cast your votes and don’t forget to comment at the bottom… Click the image above for a hi-rez version of the bracket and start voting after the jump…
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"Miyazaki Madness" Selection/Ranking Sunday
OK friends, we are just one day away from the big show. I’ve evaluated all the films, taken reader emails into consideration and now have the rankings for “Miyazaki Madness“. Below is the bracket for the start of the tournament. Tomorrow we start voting and I can’t wait to see the results! Have a look at the match-ups and click the image below for a hi-rez version of the brackets. For those of you who are already on board with this, I have one word that might get you to up your participation a notch: Prizes! That’s right, I’m offering a little something for those willing to follow this through…
