The Stories of Studio Ghibli

In this episode, we look at the writers behind two of Japan's greatest movie monsters—Godzilla and Mothra.We'll start out by looking at Godzilla—its context, author, and story—before we turn to Mothra. We'll close with a reflection on why the stories behind the movies are importa ...  Show more

In this episode, we take a look at the Japanese cell phone novel and the classic story of Train Man.We’re going to start today by explaining the Japanese cell phone novel, including some relevant background like the history of serialized publishing in Japan and the rise of Japane ...  Show more

The international premiere of Studio Ghibli’s latest film took place last night, after breaking box office records in Japan in July. The Boy and the Heron is the final film from one of cinema’s most influential animators, the reclusive genius Hayao Miyazaki. But does ...

Howl’s Moving Castle is one Hayao Miyazaki’s most magical films and is beloved by many. Listen to hear us break down everything from this film in our latest installment of the Ghibli Rewatch podcast series, going through every Studio Ghibli […] 

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is legendary animator Isao Takahata’s final film and perhaps his magnum opus. Listen to hear us break down everything from this film in our latest installment of the Ghibli Rewatch podcast series, going through […] 

Margaret Talbot, writing in The New Yorker in 2005, recounted that when animators at Pixar got stuck on a project they’d file into a screening room to watch a film by Hayao Miyazak ...