When Studio Ghibli is called “The Japanese Disney,” the comparison is probably apt.
The Japanese animation giant and creative home of Academy Award-winning animation legend Hayao Miyazaki has done much to earn this name, bringing to Japanese audiences what Walt Disney Studios brought to American ones: unforgettable stories that seize the imagination, told with gorgeous visuals.
Of course, there are box office figures to further buttress the Totoro-like enormity of Ghibli (if the Totoro reference is initially lost, a quick Google search may yield an “aha” of recognition), but thoughts of box office sovereignty may be tossed aside for at least the next couple weeks as American Cinematheque hosts a 14-film retrospective of Studio Ghibli films from the last 20 years. It will run through Feb. 12.
Fresh from a brief run in New York, “Castles in the Sky: Miyazaki, Takahata and The Masters of Studio Ghibli” presents many of Ghibli’s well-known and most-loved films in 35 mm format, including “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Princess Mononoke” and “Spirited Away,” in addition to some little-seen and little-screened treats such as “My Neighbors The Yamadas,” “Pom Poko” and “Porco Rosso.” Some of these films are not available in any North American viewing format.
“(Studio Ghibli is) not just the most important animation studio in the history of Japanese cinema, but in Japanese cinema today,” said David Desser, a UCLA film professor who specializes in Asian cinema.
“A number of their films rank in the top 10 of all time at the box office in Japan. … Until very recently they relied (little) on computer-generated imagery … they began as a hand-drawn animation studio and they’ve maintained that to a large extent.”
Desser said that, while these films are grounded in Japanese culture, mythology and the family, the stories also offer a global perspective that can speak to viewers of any background. Plus, he said, they have a wonderful sense of humor.
“Ultimately, the films are rooted in the family, but they are also very grounded in the experiences of younger girls and women,” Desser said. “But they’re very different in their characterizations than … classic Disney princesses. All the way back to “˜My Neighbor Totoro,’ they’ve offered girls and families something they hadn’t been getting from Disney.”
Essentially, that “something” is young female characters who were well-rounded and more complex than the standard Snow White or Cinderella.
And there are still those who think animation belongs firmly in the realm of children, as if animating a story takes it a step away from reality and one closer to naive fantasy. As if ultra-grainy or 3-D live action films were any more “real” or “for grown-ups.” But these films can appeal to children and adults alike, relying simply on the hallmarks of great movie-making.
“(What makes these films so acclaimed is) a combination of technical skill, storytelling, strong characters and the universality of those characters,” Desser said.
Scheduled for next month is Ghibli’s North American release of “The Secret World of Arrietty,” based on a 1952 juvenile fantasy novel called “The Borrowers.” In anticipation of the hype, “Castles in the Sky” just might be the perfect Ghibli primer and, probably, the last one for a long time to grace American screens on this scale.
Upcoming films with show times and venues:
“Ocean Waves (Umi Ga Kikoeru)”
Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-Hime)”
Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Egyptian Theatre
“The Cat Returns (Neko No Ongaeshi)”
Saturday, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Castle in the Sky (Tenku No Shiro Rapyuta)”
Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Spirited Away (Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi)”
Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Egyptian Theatre
“My Neighbors The Yamadas (Hohokekyo Tonari No Yamada-Kun)”
Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Only Yesterday (Omohide Poro Poro)”
Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Pom Poko”
Friday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Kiki’s Delivery Service (Majo No Takkybin)”
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. at Aero Theatre
“Howl’s Moving Castle (Hauru No Ugoku Shiro)”
Sunday, Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. at Egyptian Theatre
“My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari No Totoro)”
Sunday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Egyptian Theatre