By Jonathan Shih
They are Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, the founders of Studio Ghibli.
Studio Ghibli is one of the world's most influential and beloved animation studios, but its origins were as risky as it was magical.
Born in 1985 from the hands of three geniuses: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, with the goal of creating films that break molds and take Japanese animation to new heights. Rather than narrating with images, they wanted to make poetry with their animations.
It all started with "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," a film based on the Miyazaki manga of the same name. Although it wasn't produced under the Ghibli name, its financial and artistic success convinced the team that they could start their own studio.
The name "Ghibli" is said to come from an Italian aircraft the Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli, chosen by Miyazaki as a metaphor for a "new wind" in animation.
His first official project was "The Castle in the Sky" in 1986, an epic adventure that wasn't an immediate box-office hit, but laid the foundations of the Ghibli-style: detailed animation, complex characters, deep messages, animated plastic, fantasy worlds, metaphors, and a narrative that splashes into the poetry.
In 1988, two masterpieces were released:
- "My Neighbor Totoro" directed by Miyazaki, a tale about childhood and the supernatural, which became the icon of the studio, so much that it is even part of its logo.
- "The Grave of the Fireflies" directed by Takahata, a rather sad drama about the havoc the gv3*rr4 leaves. With this film it was demonstrated that animation could handle adult topics with sensitivity.
In the 90s, Ghibli solidified its reputation with jewels such as "Red Pig" (1992), "Pompoko" (1994) and "Princess Mononoke" (1997), the latter being the first to have a massive Western premiere thanks to a deal with Disney.
The Journey of Chihiro" (2001) catapulted them to the Olympus of cinema: it won the Oscar for Best Animated Film and the Golden Bear in Berlin, becoming Japan's highest-grossing film for years.
The boy and the heron were awarded their second Oscar and increased the prestige of the already consolidated studio.
Ghibli stands out for its traditional craftsmanship: hand-drawn, avoiding CGI, and its soulful stories, where the everyday and the fantastic intertwine.
Although Miyazaki announced his retirement several times, he always came back! , the studio is still active, with new generations taking the baton.
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