Quirks And All
For all the magic Studio Ghibli puts on screen, there's another world just below the surface that no AI would be able to capture. Even die-hard fans might not know about some real-life inspirations and production quirks.
Spirited Away Was Created Without A Finished Script
Hayao Miyazaki didn't bother with a complete script before animating Spirited Away. Instead, he let the story unfold naturally as he storyboarded by relying on intuition and instinct. This free-form approach gave the film its dreamlike tone: fluid and emotionally charged.
SPIRITED AWAY | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Totoro's Dust Sprites Came From Haunted-Looking Homes
Before My Neighbor Totoro enchanted audiences, Miyazaki was inspired by his own environment. He drew inspiration from the atmosphere of old Japanese homes and folklore for the soot sprites (susuwatari). The spooky, lively feel of these tiny dust creatures was inspired by Japanese culture.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988) Revisited: Animation Movie Review by JoBlo Originals
Phil Hartman's Final Lines As Jiji Were Pure Improvisation
In the US version of Kiki's Delivery Service, Jiji, the cat, got a whole lot sassier thanks to the late Phil Hartman. His last few lines in the film were quirky but were improvised in the recording booth. Hartman's humor made the character iconic in the English-speaking world.
Kiki's Delivery Service - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Totoro's Official Logo Didn't Exist Until After The Film's Release
Odd as it sounds, My Neighbor Totoro didn't have its now-iconic logo until after the movie hit theaters. The lovable forest creature wasn't an instant brand. Only after fans embraced him did Studio Ghibli design the logo you now see at the start of every film.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988) Revisited: Animation Movie Review by JoBlo Originals
Princess Mononoke Was Japan's First Animated Best Picture Winner
When Princess Mononoke swept into theaters in 1997, it made history. It became the first animated film to win the Japanese Academy Prize for Best Picture. Ghibli was redefining what serious cinema could look like with wolves and forest gods in tow.
PRINCESS MONONOKE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Porco Rosso's Design Required Pig Anatomy References
Animating a pig that flies planes and drinks wine isn't as easy as it sounds. For Porco Rosso, Ghibli animators cracked open veterinary texts to study pig bone structures and facial expressions. That extra layer of anatomical accuracy helped ground the character.
PORCO ROSSO | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Princess Mononoke Used About 144,000 Animation Cells
Forget shortcuts. Princess Mononoke was an animation marathon that demanded around 144,000 hand-drawn celluloids. Each one was crafted to capture the swirling chaos of conflict and nature. Ghibli poured in the effort to make sure every branch and spirit looked exactly right.
Princess Mononoke | Multi-Audio Clip: You're Beautiful. | Netflix by Netflix Anime
Laputa's Flying Scenes Borrowed From Real Aviation Blueprints
Miyazaki didn't just invent Laputa's floating cityships from thin air. He studied old glider and airship designs to make those airborne moments in Castle in the Sky feel believable. Real-world engineering was incorporated into the fantasy for a world that looks impossible but flies with surprising authenticity.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
The Wind Rises Quotes Real Love Letters From Jiro Horikoshi
In The Wind Rises, lines from Jiro's tender letters to his wife were woven straight into the screenplay. These were real expressions from the man who inspired the film. That emotional honesty makes every quiet exchange ring true, anchoring the soaring biopic in genuine, heartfelt intimacy.
The Wind Rises - Official Trailer by Madman Films
Howl's Dreamy Aesthetic Drew From Silent-Era Films
The surreal transitions and ethereal movements in Howl's Moving Castle weren't just artistic flair. They were influenced by silent cinema. Ghibli animators studied old films from the 1920s to nail that floaty, otherworldly feel. There's a touch of Chaplin and Melies hiding behind the magic.
Howl's Moving Castle - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Totoro's Opening Scene Was Finished Before The Rest Of The Film
In a twist on typical animation order, the charming opening of My Neighbor Totoro, complete with its bouncing theme, was done before most of the story was even finalized. It happened because Ghibli wanted something visually joyful to use in promotions and previews.
My Neighbor Totoro | Multi-Audio Clip: Totoro and the Catbus | Netflix by Netflix Anime
Miyazaki Personally Redrew Frames In Nausicaa
Hayao Miyazaki was obsessed with Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Dissatisfied with some of the animations, he painstakingly redrew thousands of frames himself. Each insect wing or eye movement had to match his exact vision. Some call this perfectionism, yet it's probably why Nausicaa still mesmerizes decades later.
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Marnie's Marsh House Was Actually Rendered In 3D First
Although When Marnie Was There looks traditionally hand-drawn, the marsh house was secretly built in 3D first. Ghibli's artists used the digital model for consistent angles and lighting, then painted over it by hand to retain the studio's signature warmth. The result is seamless: digital bones beneath a watercolor soul.
When Marnie Was There - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Kiki's Delivery Service Came From A Book The Author Didn't Love Onscreen
The original Kiki's Delivery Service novel was a hit in Japan, but author Eiko Kadono wasn't thrilled when she saw Miyazaki's early vision. She felt it strayed too far from her lighthearted tone. After tense negotiations and rewrites, the film got her reluctant blessing.
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Totoro's Forest Was Modeled After The Sayama Hills
Totoro didn't just come from the imagination. He actually came from a forest near Miyazaki's home. The Sayama Hills in Saitama Prefecture inspired the lush, leafy wonderland that Mei and Satsuki explore. It's a real place with ancient trees and wildlife galore.
Christian Bale Voiced Howl Because He Loved Spirited Away
Before he ever turned into Batman, Christian Bale was enchanted by Spirited Away. When offered the chance to voice Howl in the English dub of Howl's Moving Castle, he immediately said yes—no script needed. For Bale, joining the Ghibli universe was a fanboy dream come true.
Lin Guides Chihiro Through The Bathhouse | Spirited Away | Max Family by Max Family
Spirited Away's Bathhouse Is Based On A Real Japanese Onsen
That iconic bathhouse in Spirited Away was closely modeled after the Dogo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama. This is a legendary hot spring known for wooden balconies and tiled roofs. Many believe the resemblance is striking, and fans still flock there, hoping to feel the magic.
Lin Guides Chihiro Through The Bathhouse | Spirited Away | Max Family by Max Family
Howl's Moving Castle Was Originally A British Fantasy Novel
Before it became an anime classic, Howl's Moving Castle lived on the pages of a 1986 novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. While Miyazaki made massive changes, Jones loved the result. She liked seeing Howl change from a narcissist to a heartthrob wizard.
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Whisper Of The Heart's Antique Shop Was Inspired By A Real Store
A real store in Tokyo's Seiseki-Sakuragaoka district was the real inspiration behind the cozy, cluttered antique shop from Whisper of the Heart. Miyazaki wandered through its narrow aisles and took notes on every trinket. Then, he created a cinematic treasure trove that feels intimate and eerily familiar.
Ghibli Fest 2024 | WHISPER OF THE HEART by GKIDS Films
Nausicaa's Giant Insects Were Based On Ancient Beetles
Those massive, multi-eyed Ohmu from Nausicaa were rooted in prehistoric science. Miyazaki based them on real trilobites and ancient beetles he studied as a boy. Their armored designs and lumbering grace all stem from Earth's forgotten creatures. Ghibli didn't invent monsters, but he reawakened them.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Ponyo's Ocean World Was Inspired By The Seto Inland Sea
Miyazaki spent his childhood summers at Japan's Seto Inland Sea. His memories helped him create the dazzling underwater scenes in Ponyo. As a child, he watched jellyfish drift and fishing boats bob, and then built a dreamy coastline in his animated world.
PONYO | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
The Name Laputa Comes Straight From Gulliver's Travels
Castle in the Sky might feel like pure anime fantasy, but the name "Laputa" is lifted directly from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. In Swift's satire, Laputa was a flying island full of absurd intellectuals. Miyazaki reimagined it as a lost civilization suspended in the sky.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Totoro's Catbus Might Be A Shapeshifting Demon
In Totoro, the smiling, twelve-legged Catbus was probably rooted in Japanese folklore. The "bakeneko" is a supernatural cat spirit known for growing large and shapeshifting. Catbus fits the myth perfectly: he appears mysteriously and travels through trees.
The Cat Bus has balls. (My Neighbor Totoro) by Studio Feureau
Arrietty's Story Was Lifted From A Classic British Novel
Though it feels deeply Japanese in style, The Secret World of Arrietty is based on The Borrowers, a 1952 novel by Mary Norton. Miyazaki reworked the story by moving the setting to suburban Tokyo and giving it that soft-spoken, nature-soaked charm.
Arrietty - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Hideaki Anno Was Cast As The Lead In The Wind Rises
The main character of The Wind Rises—Jiro Horikoshi—was voiced in Japanese by Hideaki Anno, best known as the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion. His voice acting was unpolished, almost flat by design. Miyazaki wanted realism, and Anno's dry, thoughtful delivery gave Jiro a quiet gravity no professional actor could replicate.
THE WIND RISES | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Howl's Japanese Voice Was Provided By A Famous Boy Band Star
In Japan, the smooth-talking wizard Howl was voiced by Takuya Kimura—best known as a heartthrob member of the mega-popular boy band SMAP. His casting added buzz for younger audiences, and his calm, alluring delivery gave Howl unexpected layers.
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Ghibli Draws Clouds One Puff At A Time
While other studios might use quick digital tools to render skies, Ghibli artists still paint their clouds manually. They study weather patterns and light angles to capture the perfect puff. This is why the Ghibli sky feels alive. It was layered and born from someone's brush.
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Billy Crystal Improvised Many Of Calcifer's Best Lines
Calcifer's snarky charm in the English dub of Howl's Moving Castle owes a lot to Billy Crystal's off-the-cuff wit. The actor famously ad-libbed much of his dialogue to give the fire demon a sharp tongue and crackling personality. His performance added a distinctly American flavor.
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Totoro Played In Theaters Alongside Grave Of The Fireflies
When My Neighbor Totoro debuted in Japan, it wasn't alone. It was released as a double feature with the gut-wrenching Grave of the Fireflies. Audiences were emotionally whiplashed by going from wartime tragedy to forest spirits in one sitting. It's one of the strangest, boldest release pairings in animation history.
Grave of the Fireflies | Official Trailer | Netflix by Netflix Anime
Miyazaki Skipped The Oscars To Protest The Iraq War
When Spirited Away got the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003, Hayao Miyazaki was nowhere to be found. He quietly refused to attend as a protest against the Iraq War, only revealing his reasons years later. For Miyazaki, principles came first.
Spirited Away Wins Best Animated Feature | 75th Oscars (2003) by Oscars
Ghibli Rarely Streams Its Films In Japan
While Studio Ghibli films are now widely available to stream overseas, Japan plays by a different rulebook. Most Ghibli titles aren't on domestic streaming platforms. The studio prefers preserving the experience of physical media and theatrical viewings. To Ghibli, convenience shouldn't replace watching a film with full attention.
Studio Ghibli Launch Trailer - Now Streaming on HBO Max! by GKIDS Films
Miramax Was Sent A Katana With A Note That Said "No Cuts"
When Miramax tried to edit down Princess Mononoke for American audiences, producer Toshio Suzuki mailed Harvey Weinstein a katana with a note attached: "No cuts". The message was blunt and brutal, exactly what it needed to be as Ghibli didn't compromise.
PRINCESS MONONOKE | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Miyazaki's Father Built Parts For WW2 Fighter Planes
Hayao Miyazaki's fascination with aviation is personal. His father managed a factory that built rudders for Japanese warplanes during WW2. That experience shaped The Wind Rises, where engineering brilliance and wartime regret collide. Miyazaki never glorifies war, but he's always drawn to the complicated beauty of flight.
The Wind Rises - Official Trailer by Madman Films
Ghibli Refused Digital Animation Until The Late 1990s
While most studios dove into digital tools in the 1990s, Studio Ghibli stood its ground. It wasn't until My Neighbors the Yamadas in 1999 that Ghibli dipped its toes into full digital production. Even then, Miyazaki insisted that the human touch was too precious to lose to pixels and shortcuts.
My Neighbors the Yamadas - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Princess Kaguya's Watercolor Look Was Created With Digital Smudges
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya looked like a painting and acted like one. To achieve the brushstroke effect, animators used digital techniques that mimicked natural ink flow and color bleeding. Every scene feels like a scroll unrolling in motion to blur the line between ancient art and modern animation.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya [Official US Trailer] by GKIDS Films
Spirited Away's Food Scenes Were Based On Real Chinese Dishes
Those steamy, glossy meals in Spirited Away were carefully studied. Animators watched footage of Chinese dishes being prepared, then hand-drew each bite. That mountain of dumplings and roasted meats looked so vivid because it was based on reality.
Savoring Anime: Spirited Away Food Compilation 👻 by Savoring Anime: A Culinary Compilation
Miyazaki Has Retired Four Times—And Counting
The phrase "Hayao Miyazaki's final film" has become something of a running joke. He's officially retired four times, each followed by a comeback. Whether it's boredom or pure stubbornness, something always pulls him back to his desk. When he says he's done, fans start the countdown to his next masterpiece.
Bun bukagakusho homupeji, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Totoro Was Nearly Canceled Before A Toy Saved It
My Neighbor Totoro came dangerously close to being shelved. Studio executives doubted its commercial potential. But a toy company saw marketing gold in the big furry creature and helped finance the film in exchange for merchandise rights. That plush Totoro on your shelf is probably the reason the movie exists.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO | Official English Trailer by GKIDS Films
Ghibli Abandoned A Pippi Longstocking Film After A Failed Meeting
In the late 1970s, Miyazaki and Takahata dreamed of animating Pippi Longstocking. They even flew to Sweden to meet the author, Astrid Lindgren. But she wasn't impressed and denied them the rights. The project died, but the early character sketches still survive.
Pippi Longstocking - The Full Movie by Treehouse Direct
Nausicaa Came Out Before Studio Ghibli Was Even Founded
Though Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind feels like a core Ghibli work, it technically isn't one, at least not on paper. The film was released in 1984 before the studio officially formed. But its success laid the studio's foundation.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Blinking In Ghibli Films Tells You Who A Character Is
Ever notice how Ghibli characters blink differently? That's no accident. Shy or nervous characters blink rapidly and subtly, while calm, confident types take longer, measured blinks. It's a small detail, but one that adds invisible depth, just another layer in the studio's subtle art of psychological storytelling.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - Official Trailer by Crunchyroll Store Australia
Miyazaki Handwrites Everything
Although most filmmakers type up scripts or use digital tools, Hayao Miyazaki still writes and draws everything by hand. He produces thousands of sketches for storyboards using pencils and paper, refusing modern shortcuts. For him, if his hands aren't touching the work, it isn't real enough to matter.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness Clip - Watch Hayao Miyazaki Animate by Germain Lussier
Ghibli's Office Cat Is Treated Like A Staff Member
Yes, there's a real cat living at Studio Ghibli's offices, and it doesn't just nap in corners. The staff treats the feline like a co-worker, giving it nicknames and featuring it in internal calendars. It's a mascot and part of the studio's quirky charm.
Ghibli Fest 2024 | THE CAT RETURNS by GKIDS Films
Pom Poko's Tanuki Use Magical Scrotums As Weapons
Saving the worst for the last. In Pom Poko, the shapeshifting tanuki use their "pouches"—a euphemism for their scrotums—as weapons and tools, just like in Japanese folklore. While some international versions edited or censored these scenes, the original leaned fully into the myth.
