Studio Ghibli - Magic in the Media

An Opinion by Banana

You’ve probably heard of some of the most iconic characters in animated media. Totoro, the classic children’s character in Japanese anime. Or perhaps Kiki, the budding witch with legendary powers, and her sidekick black cat Jiji. 

But for the many people that don’t know what Studio Ghibli is: Western media has definitely masked the magical masterpieces of Studio Ghibli. Their films almost always promote themes of peace and harmony, and they are very popular among their Japanese audience. 

Each Ghibli film is renowned for the detail that goes into its hand drawn animations. Ghibli’s Oscar winning film and arguably most well-known one, Spirited Away, had 24 HAND DRAWN frames per second. Note the detail in the background of the scene from Kiki’s Delivery Service. Every little building has outstanding detail, and it was specifically designed to model an American-European hybrid city. The research and design elements put into each Studio Ghibli movie are outstanding. Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli and director of most productions, has an amazing vision for each movie.

Alongside beautiful messages that focus on preserving the natural world is an outstanding musical score. Some of the soundtracks that accompany each theme have ranked among the best scores in animated film. Joe Hisaishi, the composer of most Ghibli soundtracks, tunes each piece directly to the anime it themes. 

And finally, what’s a good animation without a good plot?  Complexity never fails to deliver in each film. What is so magical is that there is no good or bad in most Ghibli films; each perspective is wonderfully illustrated and showcases that our society isn’t as black and white as many would assign it. 

If you haven’t watched a movie of Studio Ghibli’s creation, I strongly urge you to do so, because it might transform your viewpoint on international film. Take the opportunity to explore a world outside of your own with a beautiful aesthetic, choice of music, and storyline. The beauty of each film is what makes Ghibli’s work a collection of masterpieces.