The Calm Worlds Of Studio Ghibli

Tonight, we wander softly into the enchanting worlds of Studio Ghibli, exploring its timeless films, gentle storytelling, and artistic charm. Host Benjamin Boster guides you through the history, style, and serene beauty that make these animations so beloved.

Happy sleeping!

Transcript

Welcome to the I Can't Sleep Podcast,

Where I help you drift off one fact at a time.

I'm your host Benjamin Boster,

And if you enjoy the show,

Please follow so you don't miss an episode in the future.

Today's episode is about Studio Ghibli.

Now I'm going to get this out of the way right up front because this seems to be a very contested item about how to pronounce the name of this studio,

And you can go and find different ways in how to spell it or where the origin of the word comes from,

But for the sake of this episode,

I'm going to pronounce it as Ghibli,

Even though I've always thought it was Ghibli.

Studio Ghibli Inc.

Is a Japanese animation studio based in Kogane,

Tokyo.

It was founded on June 15,

1985,

By directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata,

And producer Toshio Suzuki,

After acquiring Top Craft's assets.

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.

The studio's work is often highly acclaimed by both critics and audiences,

And recognized with numerous awards.

Their mascot and most recognizable character is Totoro,

From the 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro,

A giant spirit inspired by raccoon dogs,

Tanuki,

And cats,

Neko.

Among the studio's highest grossing films are Princess Mononoke,

1997,

Spirited Away,

2001,

Howl's Moving Castle,

2004,

Ponyo,

2008,

And The Boy and the Heron,

2023.

Studio Ghibli's major awards across organizations include two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature,

One Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film,

One BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film,

One Golden Bear,

Three Onimaga Grand Prix Awards,

And six Japan Academy Prizes.

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 380 U.

S.

Million dollars worldwide.

The name Ghibli was chosen by Miyazaki from the Italian noun,

Ghibli,

Also used in English.

The nickname of Italy's Saharan scouting plane,

Caproni,

Circa 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,

And for the idea that the studio would blow a new wind through the anime industry.

Although the Italian word would be more accurately transliterated as Ghiburi,

With a hard G sound,

The studio's name is written in Japanese as Jiburi.

Founded on June 15,

1985 by Hayao Miyazaki,

Isao Takahata,

And Toshio Suzuki,

Studio Ghibli was headed by directors Miyazaki and Takahata,

And producer Suzuki.

The three 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 GoPanda films in 1972 and 1973.

Suzuki had been an editor at Tokuma Shoten's Animaga Manga magazine.

The studio was founded after the success of the 1984 film,

Nasikawa 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 Kondo,

Hiroyuki Morita,

Goro Miyazaki,

And Hiromosa Yonabayashi.

Composer Joe Hisagishi 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 Michio Yasuda as a mainstay of Studio Ghibli's extraordinary design and production team.

At one time,

The studio was based in Kichijoji,

Musashino,

Tokyo.

In August 1996,

The Walt Disney Company 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 redubbed by Disney.

On June 1,

1987,

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 Animaga,

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.

Seiko Himuro's novel,

Umi ga Kikueru,

Was serialized in the magazine and subsequently adapted into Ocean Waves,

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 Nasaika of The Valley of the Wind being heavily edited for the films released in the United States as Warriors of the Wind.

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 Goro Miyazaki's director of tales from Earthsea and Hayao-san.

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 and its creator,

But returned with The Boy and the Heron in 2023,

Earning the director his second Academy Award.

On Sunday,

September 1,

2013,

Hayao Miyazaki held a press conference in Venice to confirm his retirement,

Saying,

In 2013,

A documentary directed by Mami Tsunada called The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness 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 from the films.

On January 31,

2014,

It was announced that Goro Miyazaki will direct his first anime television series,

Sanzoku no Musume Ronya,

An adaptation of Astrid Lindgren's Ronya the Robber's Daughter for NHK.

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 would 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 Yonabayashi,

Left to found Studio Ponok in April 2015,

Working on the film Mary and the Witch's Flower.

The 2016 animated fantasy film The Red Turtle,

Directed and co-written by Dutch-British animator Michael Dudoch-David in his feature film debut,

Was a co-production between Studio Ghibli and Wild Bunch.

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 Nagajima,

Former Ghibli museum director.

Hoshino was then appointed as chairman of Studio Ghibli.

In May 2020,

Toshio Suzuki confirmed that a new film from Goro 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 in late 2020.

The company had a net income of 1.

253 billion yen and a total asset worth 24.

521 billion yen 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 shareholders 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 a 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 Shukan Jose and was not corroborated by the mainstream media in Japan.

In October 2023,

The studio became a subsidiary of Nippon Television Holdings Inc.

,

Studio Ghibli's leadership transition 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.

In Japan,

Most of the company's films are distributed by Toho theatrically,

Except for Castle in the Sky,

Kiki's Delivery Service,

Which were distributed by Toei Company,

Along with Nasi Ka'a of The Valley of the Wind,

And My Neighbor is a Yamada's,

Which was distributed by Shochiku.

For home media,

A majority of Studio Ghibli releases are distributed by Walt Disney Studios Japan.

Pony Canyon 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 Animaga video imprint,

As well as all Laserdisc releases of the movies,

As the Disney deal did not include that format.

After purchasing the global distribution rights from the World Film Corporation,

Manson International and Showman Inc.

Produced a 95-minute English dub of Nasi Ka'a 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 Oumu,

Altered to remove Nasi Ka'a'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 Torrence Smith of Studio Proteus to create an official faithful translation of the Nasi Ka'a manga for Viz Media.

In the late 1980s,

An English dub of Castle in the Sky was produced for International Japan Airlines flights,

At the request of Tokuma Shoten.

The Castle dub was briefly screened in the United States by Streamline Pictures.

Carl Matrick,

The head of Streamline,

Was disappointed with the dub,

Deeming it adequate but clumsy.

Following this,

Tokuma allowed Streamline to dub their future acquisitions,

My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service.

In April 1993,

Troma Films,

Under their 50th St.

Films banner,

Distributed the Totoro dub as the theatrical release,

And the dub was later released on both VHS and DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

In the early 1990s,

An English dub of Porco Rosso 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 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.

During Disney's tenure,

The studio produced the English dubs and released 15 of Ghibli's films,

Plus Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,

Through the Walt Disney Pictures,

Buena Vista Home Video,

Miramax,

Now owned by Paramount,

And Touchstone Pictures 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,

G-Kids 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,

G-Kids acquired the U.

S.

And Canadian distribution rights to From Up on Poppy Hill.

The film which Disney passed on to G-Kids due to dealing with potential incest marked the first time since 1996 that Disney handed a Studio Ghibli film off to another distributor.

Afterwards,

G-Kids would go on to distribute the films Disney found to be too mature or unmarketable for American audiences.

Only Yesterday,

Ocean Waves,

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 G-Kids,

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.

G-Kids home media releases have been handled by multiple distributors.

Cinedigm distributed the home media release of Poppy Hill,

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 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 G-Kids 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 salesholder.

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,

Leonin,

Germany,

Gutek Film,

Poland,

Lucky Red,

Italy,

Vertigo Films,

Spain,

Crunchyroll Store Australia and New Zealand,

And Encore Films MM2 Entertainment,

Southeast Asia.

Notably,

The Secret World of Arrietty received a second dub exclusive to the United Kingdom,

Produced by Studio Canal UK,

Likely due to the film's origins being from Mary Norton's British novel,

The Borrowers.

Disney formally 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 catalogue via its distribution deal with Wild Bunch through the Wildside Video label.

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 about how there should be multiple outlets for feature films.

On October 17,

2019,

Warner Bros.

Discovery's HBO Max announced that it 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 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 21 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.

Most of the above deals exclude Grave of the Fireflies,

Unlike most of the other films which were published by Takuma Shoten.

Grave of the Fireflies was produced and is owned by Shinchosha,

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 Ghibliga Ippai Collection on August 7,

1998.

On July 29,

2005,

A DVD release was distributed through Warner Home Video,

While Disney Studios Japan released the Complete Collector's Edition DVD on August 6,

2008,

While Disney Studios Japan released the film on Blu-ray twice on July 18,

2012,

One as a single release and one in a two-film set with My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio Canal released a Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on July 1,

2013.

Mad Men 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 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 reacquired the rights to the film from Central Park Media and re-released on DVD on July 7,

2009.

Following the September 1,

2009 shutdown and rebranding of ADV,

Their successor,

Sentai Filmworks,

Rescued the film and released a remastered DVD on March 6,

2012.

A Blu-ray 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 acquired the distribution rights to the film in 2024,

And began featuring it for digital streaming outside of Japan on September 16,

2024.

GKids reacquired the rights to the film from Sentai Filmworks and re-released on Blu-ray and DVD on July 8,

2025,

Under a new deal with Studio Ghibli,

Which has the original Japanese version and the 1998 and 2012 English dubs.

Reviews

Your pronunciation of Japanese names is impressive Benjamin. I only lasted about 5 minutes into this though. 😂

Been meaning to say, I’m very empressed by your ability to pronounce all those foreign words and names so well. In so many of your readings there are tricky words and names and you slide right through them!! That’s a great skill you have!! Thanks Benjamin for your channel! 🙏🏻😊❤️