When it comes to Japanese anime, beloved around the world, Studio Ghibli is the first name that comes to mind. This animation company has produced many masterpieces that even the Japanese people can be proud of. Wouldn't you like to take a peek behind the scenes at Ghibli? We'll tell you about the secrets behind the scenes and the things they wanted to do. Knowing these secrets will change the way you view the film. Be sure to read this article before watching the film.
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ①: Nausicaä Requiem
"Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," released in 1984, was the film that inspired the founding of Studio Ghibli, even before it was established. Without this film, there may never have been a Studio Ghibli. That's how explosive its sales were! Nausicaä Requiem is famous for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. It's a song that anyone can sing - run run la la run run run. This song was sung by Mai Hisaishi, who was 4 years old at the time. She is still active as a singer today, but she is actually the daughter of Joe Hisaishi, who wrote Nausicaä Requiem! Apparently, when director Hayao Miyazaki happened to hear her sing it, he took a liking to her and hired her. Like frogs say, kids get kids too.
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ②: Balusu with Balusu
This is also from the wildly popular "Castle in the Sky." Speaking of famous lines, the word "Balusu" (the word of destruction) is undoubtedly "Balusu." When Twitter first became popular in 2011, Pazu and Sheeta chanted "Balusu" on Twitter, and at the same time, Twitter users all chanted "Balusu" in unison. The TPS (tweets per second) was 25,088 tweets, far exceeding the world record. This caused Twitter's servers in Japan to crash. I'm screaming too much! (lol) Apparently, they've been updating the site every time a new episode airs, and thanks to improvements, there haven't been any server downtimes. Apparently, a warning was issued a week before the episode to "refrain from posting Bals," but it's hard not to scream! (lol)
Behind the Scenes of Studio Ghibli ③: What Happened After My Neighbor Totoro?
It's well-known that the main character of "My Neighbor Totoro," released in 1988, was actually a girl who was a cross between Satsuki and Mei. The reason they became sisters was because "Grave of the Fireflies," which was shown at the same time, was expanded from a 60-minute feature-length anime to a 90-minute feature-length anime. So when it was decided that My Neighbor Totoro would be a feature-length animated film of over 80 minutes, I consulted with director Hayao Miyazaki about how to extend it by 20 minutes. He said, "If we make the main characters sisters, we can extend it by about 20 minutes," and so Satsuki and Mei were born! It was a very simple story, wasn't it (laughs). Director Hayao Miyazaki has said that in the future, Satsuki and the other girls will grow up to be fine married young ladies. Apparently, in Miyazaki's mind, both of them are still growing up!
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ④: Continuing to Lost
"Grave of the Fireflies" was released in 1988, the same year as "My Neighbor Totoro." At the end, Seita, the older brother, is orphaned by the earthquake and dies of malnutrition at Sannomiya Station in Hyogo Prefecture. But there's actually a sequel! Seita, now a ghost, encounters Setsuko again, now a ghost, and the story goes that even in the present day, he continues to wander, unable to find peace. It's a tragic story. And there's even an urban legend about Setsuko appearing in "Spirited Away." In the scene where Chihiro is riding the train, a girl waiting at the station is said to resemble Setsuko. It's said that she may still be waiting for her brother or father at the station. There's nothing to be gained from war. It was a heartbreaking story.
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ⑤: What Happened to the Two of Them?
The biggest question everyone is asking about "Kiki's Delivery Service," released in 1989, is whether Tombo and Kiki will get married. Kiki's Delivery Service is a novel, and it actually has a sequel! Tombo finished his research on flight in the summer of his 15th year and switched to biology. He attended school, majoring in biology, until he was 21, then returned to Koriko and became a junior high school biology teacher. Surprisingly, he's a teacher. He later married Kiki and has twin daughters, Nini and Toto. It's a relief to see them happy. Incidentally, Osono also gave birth to a daughter, named Nono!
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ⑥: Is there a sequel yet?
The 1992 film "Porco Rosso" overturned my own notion that animation was for children. The film was made for people of the same generation as director Miyazaki Hayao, and after the film was released he apparently said he wanted to make a sequel. That was 27 years ago, so perhaps that's no longer possible. In fact, the final scene was changed in order to make a sequel. That's how much of a sentimental film it is to Miyazaki Hayao, and it may be the film that is most characteristic of him. He even seems to have decided on the title for the sequel, which is "Porco Rosso: The Final Battle." Just hearing the title makes you want to see it as soon as possible! I really hope they release it, even if it's just a short film.
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli ⑦: San and Ashitaka
"Princess Mononoke," depicting the conflict between humans and animals, remains incredibly popular. Don't you think San and Ashitaka became close friends without even realizing it? Their behavior changed after Ashitaka returned to life and began nursing him. Producer Toshio Suzuki also noticed something strange about the pair, and apparently repeatedly asked director Hayao Miyazaki, "Did you two do it?" (laughs) He apparently didn't tell him, perhaps because he was embarrassed, but he kept asking so many times that he finally told him, "Just think about it, you can figure it out!" That's a typical response from Hayao Miyazaki, who doesn't want to write about those kinds of things (lol).
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli 8: Kamehameha
"Spirited Away," released in 2002, remains the most popular film at the box office and the highest grossing film of all time. Even in its ninth broadcast, it averaged a 17.9% audience rating, showing no signs of waning in popularity. In Spirited Away, Yubaba attacks the out-of-control No-Face, saying, "Even the audience won't forgive you!" Have you seen that attack somewhere before? Director Hayao Miyazaki's instructions are clearly visible in the storyboards, and they include, "Make it like the Kamehameha from Dragon Ball!" It's surprising that Miyazaki even watched Dragon Ball, but the way he gives instructions is fascinating.
Behind the Scenes of Ghibli 9: He Was Actually Good
Next, I'd like to share a story about "Tales from Earthsea," the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki. Director Miyazaki Goro initially worked as a construction consultant, but after being persuaded by producer Suzuki Toshio, he became the owner of the Ghibli Museum. He was then persuaded again to become a director, and in fact, Earthsea is a work that director Miyazaki Hayao had long wanted to turn into a film. Producer Suzuki Toshio would probably be furious if his son Goro had said that (laughs). He even went so far as to say, "Suzuki is crazy; he can barely draw." However, the moment he saw Goro's drawing of Earthsea, he said he would be happy to direct. That drawing is the one that was used as the poster. It's nothing short of genius. Incredible!
Behind the Scenes at Ghibli 10: Miyazaki Hayao wasn't the original director
Finally, we have "Howl's Moving Castle," released in 2004. The film was originally intended to be directed by Mamoru Hosoda, one of the most popular directors of the moment. Hosoda is known for "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," "Wolf Children," and more recently, "Mirai." It's surprising that such a hugely popular director was even considered for the role. Apparently, he was already working on the project, but reportedly withdrew due to a family tragedy. When I asked Director Mamoru Hosoda for more details, he smiled and said, "Well, well. I was young then." It's also sometimes called Ghibli and Momata, which is more intense. There's a lot going on (lol).
Knowing the behind-the-scenes story will change your perspective!
What did you think? [Ghibli] A Ghibli fan shared the behind-the-scenes story of Ghibli. Isn't it completely different watching it knowing nothing versus watching it knowing more? When I learned more, I felt so happy, and it made me want to watch the movie again. And it made me want to learn more about Ghibli. I hope they continue to entertain us!
