Aesthetic Exploration- Studio Ghibli

Growing up, my favorite childhood movies were Studio Ghibli movies. The director, Hayao Miyazaki is an amazing animator who creates imaginative visuals and compelling storytelling. I was always drawn to the art style and whimsical nature of the films. Miyazaki created beautiful scenes using vibrant colors, nature, and greenery to create a cozy and playful atmosphere of the films.

Figure 1: The Secret World of Arrietty

Studio Ghibli was founded 1985 in Tokyo, Japan. Studio Ghibli films often draw inspiration from traditional Japanese folklore, mythology, and art. Japan holds a plethora of culture and history, Miyazaki brings them to life through his literature and creativity. My favorite film “Spirited away” (Figure 2), presented a very captivating story about a girl who stumbles into a magical world of spirits and demons. She faces many obstacles in order to be freed from that world. She meets many characters and learns many lessons from her adventure. This is my favorite film because of the captivating art and animations. The radiant colors and distinctive art is something that feels cozy and homey to me.

Another one of my favorite films is “The Secret World of Arrietty” (Figure 1). I am drawn to the scenes captured in this film. The way he captures such a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere is unmatched.

Figure 2: Spirited Away

Miyazaki’s style is unique. Even though he draws “normal” things like food, beds, houses, he is able to present “magic realism” in his work. One of the biggest most notable factors of Studio Ghibli art is the food. Figure 3 shows a compilation of the art presented with food. Many people enjoy watching these videos and even recreate the recipes because they enjoy the animations and how intricate the details are, providing a feeling of comfort.

Figure 3: Ghibli Food Compilation

Figure 4: My Neighbor Totoro

Figure 5: Howl’s Moving Castle

Figure 6: Ponyo

The images from Figure 4-6 capture how complex the storytelling of the films are. I really enjoy how the characters have so much livelihood and are fully immersed within their surroundings. The movie “Howl’s Moving Castle” in Figure 5 is actually inspired by “Beauty and the Beast”. Miyazaki implemented the theme of curses, “beasts”, and unconditional love, similar to the theme of the tale. In the film, the character Howl is similar to the beast where he has a cursed beastly form and eventually meets Sophie who transforms and accepts him for who he is. Ponyo (Figure 6) is also film based on the tale of “The Little Mermaid”. The main character Ponyo is curious like Ariel, she learns about new experiences, the setting of Ponyo is under water and the characters are similar to the tale, where she urges to be in on shore and become human with her friend Sosuke.

Sources

Figure 1: Kiyo, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/9148005520486129/, via Pinterest

Figure 2: https://www.3dart.it/studio-ghibli-works-in-sequence/, via Studio Ghibli

Figure 3: Station 09, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRO1XV1D1Os, via Youtube

Figure 4: https://ghiblicollection.com/, via Studio Ghibli

Figure 5: https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/every_studio_ghibli_movie_ranked/s1__37565631#slide_16, via YardBarker

Figure 6: https://agencia32.jornalfloripa.com.br/agencia32/79254, via Agência 32 – Jornal Floripa