is a Japanese
animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animation, animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales ...
based in
Koganei, Tokyo.
["Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14.] It has a strong presence in the animation industry and has expanded its portfolio to include various media such as short subjects, television commercials and two television films. Their work has been well received by both critics and audiences and recognized with numerous awards. Their mascot and most recognizable symbol, the character Totoro from the 1988 film ''
My Neighbor Totoro'', is a giant
spirit inspired by
raccoon dogs (''tanuki'') and cats (''neko''). Among the studio's highest-grossing films are ''
Princess Mononoke
is a 1997 Japanese animated historical drama, historical fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Set in the Muromachi period of Japanese history, the film follows Ashitaka, a young Emishi prince who journeys west to cure his curs ...
'' (1997), ''
Spirited Away'' (2001), ''
Howl's Moving Castle'' (2004), ''
Ponyo'' (2008), and ''
The Boy and the Heron'' (2023). Studio Ghibli was founded on June 15, 1985, by the directors
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Anime, Japanese ani ...
and
Isao Takahata and producer
Toshio Suzuki, after acquiring
Topcraft's assets.
Four of the studio's films are among the
ten highest-grossing Japanese feature films; ''Spirited Away'' is third, grossing 31.68 billion yen in Japan and over US$380 million worldwide. Three of their films have won the
Animage Grand Prix award, four have won the
Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and seven have received
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nominations. ''Spirited Away'' won the 2002
Golden Bear
The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...
and the 2003
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. ''The Boy and the Heron'' won the 2024
Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film
The Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film is a Golden Globe Award category that was awarded for the first time at the 64th Golden Globe Awards in 2007. It was the first time that the Golden Globe Awards had created a separate categor ...
,
BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, and the 2024 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Name
The name "Ghibli" was chosen by Miyazaki from the
Italian noun (also used in English), the nickname of Italy's Saharan scouting plane
Caproni Ca.309, in turn derived from the
Italianization of the
Libyan Arabic name for a
hot desert wind ( ). The name was chosen by Miyazaki due to his passion for
aircraft
An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...
and for the idea that the studio would "blow a new wind through the anime industry".
[''The Birth of Studio Ghibli'', ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' DVD, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2005.] Although the Italian word would be more accurately
transliterated
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
as , with a
hard g sound, the studio's name is written in Japanese as .
History
Tokuma Shoten era
Founded on June 15, 1985, Studio Ghibli was headed by directors
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Anime, Japanese ani ...
and
Isao Takahata and producer
Toshio Suzuki. Miyazaki and Takahata had already had long careers in Japanese film and television animation and had worked together on ''
The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun'' in 1968 and the ''
Panda! Go, Panda!'' films in 1972 and 1973. Suzuki had been an editor at
Tokuma Shoten's ''
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine published by Tokuma Shoten since July 1978. Notable works serialized in the magazine include Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli a ...
''
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
magazine.
The studio was founded after the success of the 1984 film ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind''. Suzuki was part of the film's production team, and founded Studio Ghibli with Miyazaki, who also invited Takahata to join them.
The studio has mainly produced films by Miyazaki, with the second most prolific director being Takahata (most notably with ''
Grave of the Fireflies''). Other directors who have worked with Studio Ghibli include
Yoshifumi Kondō,
Hiroyuki Morita,
Gorō Miyazaki, and
Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Composer
Joe Hisaishi has provided the soundtracks for most of Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films. In their book ''Anime Classics Zettai!'', Brian Camp and Julie Davis made note of
Michiyo Yasuda as "a mainstay of Studio Ghibli's extraordinary design and production team". At one time the studio was based in
Kichijōji,
Musashino, Tokyo.
["The Animerica Interview: Takahata and Nosaka: Two Grave Voices in Animation." '' Animerica''. Volume 2, No. 11. Page 11. Translated by ''Animerica'' from: Takahata, Isao. ''Eiga o Tsukurinagara, Kangaeta Koto'' ("Things I Thought While Making Movies") '' Tokuma Shoten'', 1991. Originally published in '']Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine published by Tokuma Shoten since July 1978. Notable works serialized in the magazine include Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli a ...
'', June 1987. This is a translation of a 1987 conversation between Takahata and Akiyuki Nosaka. "Kichijoji is the Tokyo area where "Studio Ghibli," frequent Takahata collaborator Hayao Miyazaki's studio, is located.
In August 1996,
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
and Tokuma Shoten formed a partnership wherein
Walt Disney Studios would be the sole international distributor for Tokuma Shoten's Studio Ghibli animated films.
Under this agreement, Disney also agreed to finance 10% of the studio's production costs.
Since then, all three of the aforementioned films by Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli that were previously dubbed by Streamline Pictures have been re-dubbed by Disney. On June 1, 1997, Tokuma Shoten Publishing consolidated its media operations by merging Studio Ghibli, Tokuma Shoten Intermedia software and Tokuma International under one location.
Over the years, there has been a close relationship between Studio Ghibli and the magazine ''Animage'', which regularly runs exclusive articles on the studio and its members in a section titled "Ghibli Notes". Artwork from Ghibli's films and other works are frequently featured on the cover of the magazine.
Saeko Himuro's novel ''Umi ga Kikoeru'' was serialised in the magazine and subsequently adapted into ''
Ocean Waves
In fluid dynamics, a wind wave, or wind-generated water wave, is a surface wave that occurs on the free surface of Body of water, bodies of water as a result of the wind blowing over the water's surface. The contact distance in the wind directi ...
'', Studio Ghibli's first animated feature-length film created for television. It was directed by
Tomomi Mochizuki.
In October 2001, the
Ghibli Museum opened in
Mitaka, Tokyo. It contains exhibits based on Studio Ghibli films and shows animations, including a number of short Studio Ghibli films not available elsewhere.
The studio is also known for its strict "no-edits" policy in licensing their films abroad due to ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' being
heavily edited for the film's release in the United States as ''Warriors of the Wind''.
Independent era
Between 1999 and 2005, Studio Ghibli was a subsidiary brand of
Tokuma Shoten; however, that partnership ended in April 2005, when Studio Ghibli was spun off from Tokuma Shoten and was re-established as an
independent company with relocated headquarters.
On February 1, 2008, Toshio Suzuki stepped down from the position of Studio Ghibli president, which he had held since 2005, and
Koji Hoshino (former president of Walt Disney Japan) took over. Suzuki said he wanted to improve films with his own hands as a producer, rather than demanding this from his employees. Suzuki decided to hand over the presidency to Hoshino because Hoshino has helped Studio Ghibli to sell its videos since 1996 and has also aided the release of the ''Princess Mononoke'' film in the United States. Suzuki still serves on the company's board of directors.
Takahata developed a project for release after Gorō Miyazaki's (director of ''
Tales from Earthsea'' and Hayao's son) ''
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'' – an adaptation of ''
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter''. Miyazaki announced his retirement with ''
The Wind Rises'' which is about the
Mitsubishi A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The ...
and its creator, but returned with ''
The Boy and the Heron'' in 2023, earning the director his second
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
.
On Sunday, September 1, 2013, Hayao Miyazaki held a press conference in Venice to confirm his retirement, saying: "I know I've said I would retire many times in the past. Many of you must think, 'Once again.' But this time I am quite serious."
In 2013, a documentary directed by Mami Sunada called was created delving into the lives of those working at Studio Ghibli and the productions of the animated films ''The Wind Rises'' and ''The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'', including storyboard sketching, inking, painting, and voice actor selection for the films.
On January 31, 2014, it was announced that Gorō Miyazaki will direct his first anime television series, ''
Sanzoku no Musume Rōnya'', an adaptation of
Astrid Lindgren's ''
Ronia the Robber's Daughter'' for
NHK
, also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee.
NHK ope ...
. The series is
computer-animated, produced by
Polygon Pictures, and co-produced by Studio Ghibli.
In March 2014,
Toshio Suzuki retired as producer and assumed the new position of general manager. Yoshiaki Nishimura replaced Suzuki in the producer role.
On August 3, 2014, Toshio Suzuki announced that Studio Ghibli would take a "brief pause" to re-evaluate and restructure in the wake of Miyazaki's retirement. He stated some concerns about where the company would go in the future.
This led to speculation that Studio Ghibli will never produce another feature film again. On November 7, 2014, Miyazaki stated, "That was not my intention, though. All I did was announce that I would be retiring and not making any more features." Lead producer
Yoshiaki Nishimura among several other staffers from Ghibli, such as director
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, left to found
Studio Ponoc in April 2015, working on the film ''
Mary and the Witch's Flower''.
The 2016
animated fantasy film
Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually Magic (paranormal), magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The Film genre, genre is considered a form of speculative fic ...
''
The Red Turtle'', directed and co-written by Dutch-British animator
Michaël Dudok de Wit in his feature film debut, was a
co-production between Studio Ghibli and
Wild Bunch.
In February 2017, Toshio Suzuki announced that Hayao Miyazaki had come out of retirement to direct a new feature film with Studio Ghibli.
On November 28, 2017, Koji Hoshino stepped down as president; he was replaced by Kiyofumi Nakajima (former Ghibli Museum director). Hoshino was then appointed as Chairman of Studio Ghibli.
In May 2020, Toshio Suzuki confirmed that a new film from Gorō Miyazaki is in development at Studio Ghibli. On June 3, 2020, Studio Ghibli announced that the film would be an adaptation of the novel ''
Earwig and the Witch'' by
Diana Wynne Jones. The film was announced as the first full
3D CG animated Ghibli film and slated for a television premiere on
NHK
, also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee.
NHK ope ...
in late 2020.
The company had a net income of , and a total asset worth by August 2021.
On November 1, 2022, the Studio Ghibli themed amusement park
Ghibli Park opened.
On April 4, 2023, Koji Hoshino announced that he had stepped down as chairman, and would serve as a representative director before planning to exit Studio Ghibli completely during the company's annual general shareholder's meeting in June, one month prior to the release of director Hayao Miyazaki's final movie ''
The Boy and the Heron'' on July 14.
He also announced that Toshio Suzuki would be replacing Kiyofumi Nakajima as president of Studio Ghibli, assuming the role for the first time since 2008, while Nakajima would continue to serve as a director. This change of management came about amidst reports that Suzuki had allegedly been mismanaging company funds by directing them towards his girlfriend's failed business ventures. This reportedly created tension between Suzuki and Hoshino, with the latter reportedly citing it as a long-term internal problem at the company since the couple met in 2013 and was the reason for his planned departure from the company, although a spokesperson for Studio Ghibli in a statement to ''
Variety'' denied that Hoshino's departure had anything to do with these reports.
The source of the allegations came from the tabloid paper, ''Shūkan Josei'' and was not corroborated by the mainstream media in Japan.
Nippon Television era
In October 2023, the studio became a subsidiary of
Nippon Television Holdings, Inc.. Studio Ghibli's leadership transitioned to
Hiroyuki Fukuda, a senior executive at NTV. Toshio Suzuki became chairman and Hayao Miyazaki became Honorary Chairman. Nippon TV acquired a 42.3% stake in Studio Ghibli. The decision was driven by the advanced ages of Miyazaki and Suzuki, aged 82 and 75, respectively. The studio had considered Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, as a successor but opted for external leadership due to concerns and Goro's reluctance. NTV started to handle management, allowing Studio Ghibli to focus on creative endeavors.
The takeover took effect on October 6.
In 2024, the studio received an honorary
Palme d'Or at the
2024 Cannes Film Festival, the first film production company to receive the award.
Distribution rights
Theatrical and home media rights
Japan
In Japan, most of the company's films are distributed by
Toho
is a Japanese entertainment company that primarily engages in producing and distributing films and exhibiting stage plays. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. ...
theatrically, except for ''
Castle in the Sky'', ''
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese Anime, animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel ''Kiki's Delivery Service (novel), Kiki's Delivery Service''. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film stars Minami ...
'' (which were distributed by
Toei Company
, simply known as Toei Company or Toei, is a Japanese entertainment company. Headquartered in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo, it is involved in film and television production, distribution, video game development, publishing, and ownership of 34 movi ...
along with ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'') and ''
My Neighbors the Yamadas'', which was distributed by
Shochiku
is a Japanese entertainment company. Founded in 1895, it initially managed '' kabuki'' theaters in Kyoto; in 1914, it also acquired ownership of the Kabuki-za theater in Tokyo. In 1920, Shochiku entered the film production industry and establis ...
.
For home media, a majority of Studio Ghibli releases are distributed by
Walt Disney Studios Japan.
Pony Canyon
, also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966, which distributes music, films, home video, and video games. It is affiliated with the Japanese media group Fujisankei Communications Group. Pony Canyo ...
occasionally releases Ghibli documentaries on home media, and distributes rental versions of Ghibli's movies under a deal with Disney. Pony Canyon also fully distributed the standalone version of ''
Earwig and the Witch'' on home media.
Before the Disney deal, Tokuma Shoten released Ghibli movies themselves through their "Animage Video" imprint, as well as all
LaserDisc
LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It was developed by Philips, Pioneer Corporation, Pioneer, and the movie studio MCA Inc., MCA. The format was initially marketed in the United State ...
releases of the movies, as the Disney deal did not include that format.
International
After purchasing the global distribution rights from World Film Corporation,
Manson International and Showmen, Inc. produced a 95-minute English dub of ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'', titled ''Warriors of the Wind'',
which was released theatrically in the United States by
New World Pictures on June 14, 1985, followed by a VHS release in December 1985.
The voice actors and actresses were not credited, and the film was
heavily edited to give it a faster pace.
The film received a PG rating just like Disney's later English dub.
By removing several of the longer dialogue scenes, some of the environmentalist themes were simplified as was the main subplot of the Ohmu, altered to remove Nausicaä's childhood connection to them.
Most of the characters' names were changed, including the titular character who became Princess Zandra. The North American poster and VHS cover featured a cadre of male characters who are not in the film, riding the resurrected Giant Warrior—including a still-living Warrior shown briefly in a flashback. Overall, approximately 22 minutes was cut for North American release.
''Warriors of the Wind'' also prompted Miyazaki to allow translator
Toren Smith of
Studio Proteus to create an official, faithful translation of the ''Nausicaä'' manga for
Viz Media
Viz Media, LLC is an American entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California, focused on publishing manga, and distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series.
The company was founded in 1986 as Viz, ...
.
In the late 1980s, an English dub of ''
Castle in the Sky'' was produced for international
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines (JAL) is the flag carrier airline of Japan. JAL is headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport, Narita and Haneda Airport, Haneda airports, as well as secondary hubs in Osaka's Kansai ...
flights at the request of Tokuma Shoten. The ''Castle'' dub was briefly screened in the United States by
Streamline Pictures.
Carl Macek, the head of Streamline, was disappointed with this dub, deeming it "adequate, but clumsy". Following this, Tokuma allowed Streamline to dub their future acquisitions ''
My Neighbor Totoro'' and ''
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese Anime, animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel ''Kiki's Delivery Service (novel), Kiki's Delivery Service''. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film stars Minami ...
''. In April 1993,
Troma Films, under their 50th St. Films banner, distributed the ''Totoro'' dub as a theatrical release, and the dub was later released on both VHS and DVD by
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
20th Century Home Entertainment (previously known as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC. and also known as 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment) was a home video distribution arm that distributes films produced by 20th Century Stud ...
. In the early 1990s, an English dub of ''
Porco Rosso
is a 1992 Japanese Anime, animated Adventure film, adventure fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on his 1989 manga ''Hikōtei Jidai''. The film stars the voices of Shūichirō Moriyama, Tokiko Kato, Akemi Okamura and Akio ...
'' was produced by Ward Sexton in Japan, again for international Japan Airlines flights.
The original dubs can be seen on the 1996 Ghibli ga Ippai Laserdisc set, the initial copies for the Japanese DVD releases of ''Totoro'', ''Laputa'' and ''Porco'', and Fox's VHS and DVD releases of ''Totoro''.
In 1996,
Walt Disney Studios acquired worldwide distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli library, with Disney redubbing all previously dubbed films.
In addition, Walt Disney Studios Japan agreed to contribute 10% of the funding for all future releases, starting with ''
My Neighbors the Yamadas'', in exchange for
right of first refusal
Right of first refusal (ROFR or RFR) is a contractual right that gives its holder the option to enter a business transaction with the owner of something, according to specified terms, before the owner is entitled to enter into that transactio ...
regarding international distribution.
Disney continues with this practice to this day, even extending it to the works of
Studio Ponoc and to co-productions like ''
The Red Turtle'' in Japan. It reportedly took four years for Disney and Studio Ghibli to reach a distribution deal. Originally, the Ghibli films were meant to headline a line of videos called ''Animation Celebration'', highlighting critically acclaimed animated films from around the world. These plans never materialized in full, but the ''Animation Celebration'' logo can be seen on Disney's original VHS release of ''
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese Anime, animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel ''Kiki's Delivery Service (novel), Kiki's Delivery Service''. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film stars Minami ...
''. During Disney's tenure, the studio produced the English dubs and released 15 of Ghibli's films, plus ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'', through the
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
,
Buena Vista Home Video,
Miramax
Miramax, LLC, formerly known as Miramax Films, is an American independent film and television production and distribution company owned by beIN Media Group and Paramount Global. Based in Los Angeles, California, it was founded on December 19, ...
(now-owned by
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS.
**Paramount Picture ...
) and
Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures was an American film distribution label of Walt Disney Studios, founded and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Feature films released under the Touchstone label were produced and financed by Walt Disney Studios, and featured ...
banners.
Disney and Ghibli have also selectively chosen not to promote and record an English-dubbed version for films and works deemed less internationally marketable, including some of Takahata's more developmental and obscure pieces.
Although the Studio has a "No cuts" policy in terms of international versions and dubs, this does not apply to promotional materials, such as posters, for which the filmmakers collaborate with Disney to produce cultural appropriate international versions. The Studio has not shied away from rebranding on the international stage in order to convey tweaked promotional imagery for different cultural norms. One example of these tweaks to international promotional materials can be seen between the Japanese and English versions of the movie poster for ''Spirited Away'' (2001). For American and other English-speaking audiences, the name of the film was changed from the Japanese version, which directly translates roughly to, "The Disappearance of Chihiro and Sen", to ''Spirited Away'' to suggest more mystical, otherworldly themes, since the direct Japanese translation could be taken to mean that Chihiro/Sen disappeared due to some more dangerous reason. On the American movie poster, more pictures of spirits from the film were added to the background to further pique the viewer's interest with more supernatural themes, creating an association between the film's spirits and what most American people would think of as "ghosts". For the Japanese poster, there are fewer spirits as the Japanese Shinto religion normalizes the existence of spirits, so less emphasis is needed to convey the importance of non-human spirits. Also, Disney enlarged the "Studio Ghibli" and "Hayao Miyazaki" labels on the poster, helping to bring greater awareness to the studio through the success of ''Spirited Away''.
In 2011,
GKIDS acquired the North American theatrical distribution rights of the aforementioned Ghibli films, with
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment retaining the home video rights. Afterwards, in 2013, GKIDS acquired the US and Canadian distribution rights to ''
From Up on Poppy Hill''. The film, which Disney passed on to GKIDS due to dealing with potential incest, marked the first time since 1996 that Disney handed a Studio Ghibli film off to another distributor. Afterwards, GKIDS would go on to distribute the films Disney found to be too mature or unmarketable for American audiences: ''
Only Yesterday'', ''
Ocean Waves
In fluid dynamics, a wind wave, or wind-generated water wave, is a surface wave that occurs on the free surface of Body of water, bodies of water as a result of the wind blowing over the water's surface. The contact distance in the wind directi ...
'', ''
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'' and ''
When Marnie Was There''. In July 2017, Disney relinquished its home video rights (with the exception of ''
The Wind Rises'', which remained with Disney until 2020 due to a distribution clause) to GKIDS, which handles all theatrical and home media distribution of Ghibli films in North America along with ''
Mary and the Witch's Flower''.
Nevertheless, Disney still continues to handle select distribution in Japan (home media), Taiwan and China (Both under
Buena Vista International brand).
GKIDS' home media releases have been handled by multiple distributors.
Cinedigm distributed the home media release of ''Poppy Hill'',
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment LLC (UPHE) is the home video distribution division of Universal Pictures, an American film studio owned by NBCUniversal, the entertainment unit of Comcast.
UPHE is the home video distributor for all of the ...
distributed the home media releases of ''Kaguya'', ''Marnie'', ''Mary'', ''Yesterday'' and ''Waves'', and
Shout! Factory all subsequent releases thus far. The Ghibli films owned by GKIDS were made available for digital purchases on most major services in the United States and Canada on December 17, 2019, through Shout! Factory.
Outside Asia (including Japan) and North America since 2003, Goodfellas (a former subsidiary of
Wild Bunch, formerly known as Wild Bunch International) has been Studio Ghibli's international sales holder.
Individual rights to Ghibli's films are held by various third parties, including Elysian Film Group and
Anonymous Content (United Kingdom and Ireland), Wild Bunch (France and Belgium),
Leonine (Germany),
Gutek Film (Poland),
Lucky Red (Italy),
Vértigo Films (Spain),
Crunchyroll Store Australia (Australia and New Zealand) and
Encore Films/
mm2 Entertainment in Southeast Asia.
Notably, ''
The Secret World of Arrietty'' received a second dub exclusive to the United Kingdom, produced by StudioCanal UK, likely due to the film's origins being from
Mary Norton's British novel ''
The Borrowers''.
Disney formerly held international sales rights until they were sold off to Goodfellas (then Wild Bunch) in 2003. Disney kept the French distribution rights to Ghibli's library until September 2020, when it had expired and transitioned off to Wild Bunch. Since 2021,
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment serves as the home media distributor of Studio Ghibli's catalog via its distribution deal with Wild Bunch through the Wild Side Vidéo label.
Streaming rights
Prior to 2019, Studio Ghibli opted not to make its films available digitally, feeling that physical media and theatrical events like
GKIDS'
Studio Ghibli Fest would work more towards their goal of mindful care and curation for their films. Disney had previously lobbied for a streaming deal with Ghibli during their distribution tenure, but such attempts were never materialized.
The studio heads changed their minds after hearing a quote from American actor and director
Woody Allen
Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
about how there should be multiple outlets for feature films.
On October 17, 2019,
Warner Bros. Discovery's
HBO Max (now Max) announced it had acquired exclusive streaming rights to Studio Ghibli's catalogue in the United States as part of a deal with
GKIDS; these films were available when the service launched in May 2020. On January 20, 2020, it was announced that
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
acquired the exclusive streaming rights to this catalogue in all regions where it operates except for the United States (in which Netflix does have streaming rights to ''
The Castle of Cagliostro'' and ''
Mary and the Witch's Flower''), as part of a deal with Ghibli's international sales rights partner
Wild Bunch. Seven of twenty-one films in the studio's catalogue were released on February 1, 2020, with the others following on March 1 and April 1. Netflix then struck a separate deal with GKIDS for streaming rights in Canada which was announced on June 22, and came into effect on June 25 for most films. As of 2024, no streaming rights deals have yet been announced for Studio Ghibli's home country of Japan, nor for markets such as China where neither Netflix nor HBO Max is available.
''Grave of the Fireflies''
Most of the above deals exclude ''
Grave of the Fireflies''; unlike most of the other films, which were published by
Tokuma Shoten, ''Grave of the Fireflies'' was produced and is owned by
Shinchosha
is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in , Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award.
Books
* Haruki Murakami: '' Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World'' (1985), '' Ute ...
, which also had published the short story it was based on, and as such, fell into different rights holdings.
It was released in Japan on
VHS by Buena Vista Home Entertainment under the ''Ghibli ga Ippai'' Collection on August 7, 1998. On July 29, 2005, a
DVD release was distributed through
Warner Home Video. Walt Disney Studios Japan released the complete collector's edition DVD on August 6, 2008. Walt Disney Studios Japan released the film on
Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
twice on July 18, 2012: one as a single release, and one in a two-film set with ''
My Neighbor Totoro''.
StudioCanal
StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., and Canal+ Production and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film & television production and distribution company which is a ...
released a Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2013.
Madman Entertainment released the film in Australia and New Zealand.
It was released on VHS in North America by
Central Park Media in a subtitled form on June 2, 1993. They later released the film with an English dub on VHS on September 1, 1998 (the same day Disney released ''
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese Anime, animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel ''Kiki's Delivery Service (novel), Kiki's Delivery Service''. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film stars Minami ...
'' in North America) and an all-Regions DVD (which also included the original Japanese with English subtitles) on October 7 the same year. It was later released on a two-disc DVD set (which once again included both the English dub and the original Japanese with English subtitles as well as the film's storyboards with the second disc containing more extensive Bonus Features) on October 8, 2002. It was released by Central Park Media one last time on December 7, 2004. Following the May 2009 bankruptcy and liquidation of Central Park Media,
ADV Films acquired the rights and re-released it on DVD on July 7, 2009. Following the September 1, 2009 shutdown and re-branding of ADV, their successor,
Sentai Filmworks, rescued the film and released a remastered DVD on March 6, 2012.
A
Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
edition was released on November 20, 2012, featuring an all-new English dub produced by
Seraphim Digital, along with a digital release that same year.
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
acquired the distribution rights to the film in 2024 and began featuring it for digital streaming outside of Japan on September 16, 2024.
Selected works
* ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind''(1984)
* ''
Castle in the Sky''(1986)
* ''
Grave of the Fireflies''(1988)
* ''
My Neighbor Totoro''(1988)
* ''
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese Anime, animated fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel ''Kiki's Delivery Service (novel), Kiki's Delivery Service''. Animated by Studio Ghibli, the film stars Minami ...
''(1989)
* ''
Only Yesterday''(1991)
* ''
Porco Rosso
is a 1992 Japanese Anime, animated Adventure film, adventure fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on his 1989 manga ''Hikōtei Jidai''. The film stars the voices of Shūichirō Moriyama, Tokiko Kato, Akemi Okamura and Akio ...
''(1992)
* ''
Ocean Waves
In fluid dynamics, a wind wave, or wind-generated water wave, is a surface wave that occurs on the free surface of Body of water, bodies of water as a result of the wind blowing over the water's surface. The contact distance in the wind directi ...
''(1993)
* ''
Pom Poko''(1994)
* ''
Whisper of the Heart''(1995)
* ''
Princess Mononoke
is a 1997 Japanese animated historical drama, historical fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Set in the Muromachi period of Japanese history, the film follows Ashitaka, a young Emishi prince who journeys west to cure his curs ...
''(1997)
* ''
My Neighbors the Yamadas''(1999)
* ''
Spirited Away''(2001)
* ''
The Cat Returns''(2002)
* ''
Howl's Moving Castle''(2004)
* ''
Tales from Earthsea''(2006)
* ''
Ponyo''(2008)
* ''
Arrietty''(2010)
* ''
From Up on Poppy Hill''(2011)
* ''
The Wind Rises''(2013)
* ''
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya''(2013)
* ''
When Marnie Was There''(2014)
* ''
The Red Turtle''(2016)
* ''
Earwig and the Witch''(2020)
* ''
The Boy and the Heron''(2023)
Style and themes
Studio Ghibli films are mostly hand-drawn using rich watercolor and acrylic paints. The films use
traditional methods of making animation where every frame is drawn and colored by hand. Computer animation techniques are used sparingly. All the Studio Ghibli films use bright colors,
and have a "whimsical and joyful aesthetic".
Studio Ghibli's art style tends to be more of a cozy European style that put a lot of undertones on the background and nature in the scene. A notable exception is ''The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'', directed by Takahata, which departs from Ghibli's typical style by employing a soft watercolor palette and storybook-like aesthetic reminiscent of Japanese folk art. This approach aimed to reflect the emotions and inner struggles of the characters and highlight the hand-drawn animation.
The films often focus on the lives of youth, especially school children. Common themes include the risks posed by progress to tradition,
environmentalism and the natural world,
independent female protagonists,
the cost of war, and youth.
Music
Much of Studio Ghibli's music is composed by Joe Hisaishi, who has worked with Miyazaki on creating the music for his films for over 30 years. He uses storyboard images, provided by Miyazaki, to create an
image album, which is then used to build out the final soundtrack for the movie. The music has elements from
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
counterpoint,
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
, and
modal music to create the unique sound that many associate with both Hisaishi and Studio Ghibli. Early on, the music in the films was known for its eclectic, synth sound, before later moving to more motivic and melody-driven music.
Especially present in earlier years, the music does not directly relate to the emotions and rhythms happening on screen.
Another defining feature is Hisaishi's unique use of
leitmotif
A leitmotif or () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is a partial angliciz ...
, rather than a singular song being associated with one character, the motif is the theme of the film.
Hisaishi began using leitmotif in Ghibli films first in ''Howl's Moving Castle''.
See also
*
Ghibli Museum in
Mitaka, Tokyo
*
Ghibli Park in
Nagakute,
Aichi
*
Studio Kajino, a subsidiary of Studio Ghibli
*
Yasuo Ōtsuka
*
Studio Ponoc, founded by former members of Studio Ghibli
*
List of Japanese animation studios
Notes
References
Further reading
Book and journal sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Documentaries
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
{{Portal bar, Studio Ghibli, Animation, Anime and manga, Companies, Japan, Tokyo
Animation studios in Tokyo
Film production companies of Japan
Japanese animation studios
Japanese companies established in 1985
Koganei, Tokyo
Mass media companies established in 1985
2023 mergers and acquisitions
Nippon Television
Topcraft
Western Tokyo
Tokuma Shoten