Discover the history of Studio Ghibli!
AKIBA returns with a second special edition, this time zooming in on the works of the legendary Studio Ghibli!
Having just been awarded the Palme d'Or for the studio, its museum and its park, Studio Ghibli is an entire section of Japanese pop culture in its own right. Thanks to their unique and enchanting approach to animation, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata have, since 1984 and Nausicaä, written some of the finest pages in the history of animation. A story that has arrived in no particular order, but which would quickly establish itself as a benchmark, proving time and again that animation can be much more than entertainment; it can be a window into the depths of the human soul, a poetic exploration of our dreams, our fears and our hopes. In a sea of standardized productions, this beacon of creativity and emotion deserved a special issue!
For most of us, our encounter with the magic of Ghibli dates back to a time when we were still discovering japanime in drips and drabs, but when Miyazaki's Conan and Sherlock Holmes were already giving us a glimpse of worlds far removed from French and American productions.
Unfortunately, we'll have to be very patient to discover the first Ghibli film: Porco Rosso in 1995, followed by Tomb of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke, before Spirited Away in 2002 finally put everyone on the same wavelength. Ghibli is the exceptional studio that will elevate japanime beyond the public's misunderstanding and give Japan a worldwide reputation, becoming through its films a veritable window on places, traditions and even gastronomy that will intrigue us before captivating us.
But the story of Ghibli and its creators is far from a smooth one. It's an ongoing struggle by artists to retain control of their work and their know-how, a beautiful story of traditions as Japan loves to celebrate them, but also of hard work that will break more than one will and one destiny. An adventure that has now lasted 39 years, and for which, as with any excellent series, we pray with each new episode that it won't be the last. An epic that deserved to be told in the chronology we've been deprived of, presenting all its facets, including those that never reached us.
Discover Studio Ghibli as never before in the 162 pages of this second special edition of AKIBA! Find it at newsagents or here :