Studio Ghibli at 40 Looking Back and Dreaming Forward

by Will DeFour, age 15

With hand-drawn animation, unique characters, and non-traditional villains, Studio Ghibli’s impact on Japanese film is widely considered to be unlike any other. As it celebrates its 40th anniversary in July 2025, the studio has reached a turning point as it contemplates its future.

In the 1960s, Japanese animators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahana met while working for the studio Tôei Dôga. In 1985, they left the studio to start their own company, the now world-renowned Studio Ghibli. Alongside producer Toshio Suzuki, the three created their first movie, “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.” Its success led to the formal creation of Studio Ghibli, and the group's next film, “Castle in the Sky” in 1986.

Some of Ghibli's earliest successes were"My Neighbor Totoro" in 1988, “Kiki's Delivery Service” the following year, and “Princess Mononoke" in 1997, which made $170.3 million at the worldwide box office. Its most successful and arguably most famous movie, “Spirited Away”, was the first non-English film to win an Oscar for best animated film, and in 2024, Ghibli earned its second Oscar with “The Boy and the Heron.”

Miyazaki has directed many of Studio Ghibli's most successful movies, including “Porco Rosso”, which grossed more than “Beauty and the Beast” at the Japanese box office, and the studio’s two Oscar winners. Miyazaki's films often have themes of environmental protection, feminism, and anti-war messages. His movies often lack truly evil villains, and each character has a dynamic personality and a detailed backstory. Miyazaki's history in labor unions has led to animators receiving fair treatment compared to other anime studios and on-site child care at Studio Ghibli.

Miyazaki's film history has been filled with “final films." In 1997, Miyazaki said he would be done making movies after completing “Princess Mononoke” and again in 2001 for "Spirited Away.” He officially retired after completing "The Wind Rises,” then returned for his next “grand finale" with the Academy Award-winning “The Boy and the Heron” in 2024. He announced his reverse retirement before the movie even made it to theaters. While Miyazaki is yet to announce his next film, he has been working at Studio Ghibli each day, leading to speculation that he could be working on a sequel to a past film. However, there is not enough evidence to confidently say what film he may create next, if any. Some say he may never retire, as he has shown time and time again that he can't leave Ghibli. As Miyazaki puts it himself, “I can only return.”

Studio Ghibli has made beautiful films that anyone can enjoy. As it enters its fifth decade, Studio Ghibli will continue to delight its viewers with timeless classics.

[Sources: Screen Rant; The Guardian]