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PALGRAVE ANIMATION Studio Ghibli An Industrial History Rayna Denison Palgrave Animation Series Editors Caroline Ruddell Brunel University London Uxbridge, UK Paul Ward Arts University Bournemouth Swanage, UK This book series explores animation and conceptual/theoretical issues in an approachable way. The focus is twofold: on core concepts, theories and debates in animation that have yet to be dealt with in book-length format; and on new and innovative research and interdisciplinary work relating to animation as a field. The purpose of the series is to consolidate animation research and provide the ‘go to’ monographs and anthologies for current and future scholars. Rayna Denison Studio Ghibli An Industrial History Rayna Denison University of Bristol Bristol, UK ISSN 2523-8086 ISSN 2523-8094 (electronic) Palgrave Animation ISBN 978-3-031-16843-7 ISBN 978-3-031-16844-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16844-4 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: Diana Aceves / Alamy Stock Photo This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG. The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland A cknowledgements There is one person above all others who has made this book possible, my wonderful, brilliant husband, John. You are my hero. This book, though, is for my incredible nieces, Rosa and Kitty, who are now beginning to watch Studio Ghibli’s films—I hope, someday, this book will help you understand them and love them even more than you do right now. My thanks, as ever, go out to the family and friends who have listened to me endlessly discussing Studio Ghibli, which has been with me as a subject of study my entire working life. Especially to my mum and dad, Sheila and Raymond and my sister Ashlie one for their endless enthusiasm and support. And also to Rachel, Adam, Kris, Karen, Kim, Hugh, Lisa and Cameron, and my wonderful colleagues at work. Thanks are also due to my institutions, University of East Anglia and the University of Bristol, for supporting my research. Also, my deep grati- tude to the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Daiwa and the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee for funding and supporting the research trips to Japan that form the basis of this book. My thanks, finally, to the series editors Caroline Ruddell and Paul Ward for their support throughout the completion of this book. v I A nternAl bstrAct Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History examines the growing myths around the Japanese animation studio created by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Using a mixture of historical and industrial methods, this book reveals how those working at Studio Ghibli have presented their labour to the world. This book is focused on the people of the studio and the work they do, rather than on the films they create. It also moves away from a film-centred approach to studying Japanese cinema in order to include some of the more hidden aspects of Studio Ghibli’s history, from its use of computer-generated animation to its production of advertise- ments. In doing so, Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History provides a new approach to the worlds of animated filmmaking in Japan. More information about this series can be found at http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/15948 vii c ontents 1 Introduction: The Industrial World of Studio Ghibli 1 2 The Myth of Ghibli: The Foundation and Early Industrial History of Studio Ghibli 31 3 Studio Ghibli from the Ground Up: Early Working Culture and Practices 53 4 Ghibli’s Worlds of Women: From Women’s Films to the Women Who Shaped the Permanent Studio Ghibli 73 5 Rendered (In)Visible: Studio Ghibli at Anime’s CG Turning Point 97 6 Studio Ghibli at the Art Museum: Exhibiting Animation as Art 123 7 A Hidden History of Studio Ghibli: Short Films, Advertising and the Industrial Reality of Japanese Animation 145 ix x CoNTENTS 8 The Long Shadow of Hayao Miyazaki: Studio Ghibli, Home Video and New Directors 171 9 A Disappearing Kingdom: Studio Ghibli’s Legacy in the Ni no Kuni Franchise 193 Index 213 l I Ist of mAges Image 5.1 Steam rises from a kettle in Kiki’s Delivery Service 102 Image 5.2 Goliath airship in Castle in the Sky 105 Image 5.3 CG-animated bookcases in Pom Poko 110 Image 5.4 CG tentacles writhe on the tatarigami in Princess Mononoke 114 Image 5.5 My Neighbors the Yamadas’ bobsleigh scene 117 Image 7.1 Studio Ghibli’s first advertisement, A Sky-Coloured Seed (Sorairo no tane Hayao Miyazaki, 1992) 157 Image 7.2 Hayao Miyazaki’s nostalgia-filled Showa-era animated advertisement for House Food featuring an image of a vintage advertising truck (2003) 159 Image 7.3 osamu Tanabe’s sumi-e inspired advertisement for Yomiuri Newspaper’s 130th anniversary 162 Image 7.4 Takeshi Inamura’s Resona Bank animated advertisement 163 Image 7.5 Konyara advertisement designed by Toshio Suzuki and directed by Gorō Miyazaki (2010) 164 Image 7.6 Konyara merchandise (personal photograph) 165 Image 8.1 Miyazaki and Yonebayashi—a legitimating handshake at the staff screening of Arrietty (When Marnie Was There, Blu-ray, 2014) 187 xi