Studio Ghibli Films

[FireArrow]

I just watched it a second time, and now I think howl's moving castle is a bit better, but they're pretty darn close. Can't wait to watch the rest!

[Pit0010]

ok...sorry for bumping...
but read this. I was so mind-blown
http://hayao-miyazaki.tumblr.com/post/560134537/spirited-away

[SuperFireKirby]

Holy bahjezus

[Pit0010]

IKR!!!!

I didn't see any of that coming....plus I really love Spirited away!!
It's pretty cool how there is a deeper meaning behind it :O

[FireArrow]

So - I watched Pom Poko, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbors the Yamadas and Kiki's delivery service. They were all fantastic (and Dola is awesome!)

[SlowPokemon]

I'll have to rewatch Pom Poko soon. I haven't seen it in years.

I tried rewatching it not too long ago but I couldn't get past the multitudes of raccoon testicles. Oh well. I'll try again soon.

[Bubbles]

I KNOW. I watched it a couple months ago but I think I stopped after they were using them as blankets and sheets >.> Ill pick it up again eventually

[SlowPokemon]

Fun fact: Tom Nook is a tanuki, just like them. So most likely he has gigantic testicles.

[FireArrow]

I didn't even notice them until half way through. 

And bubbles, later in the movie, they do MUCH more with them.

[Bubbles]

I kinda expected it

[SlowPokemon]

Bump.

Hey guys, this week, Studio Ghibli's 2012 film From Up On Poppy Hill comes out on DVD in North America. If any of you want it, you can order it from Amazon here. I haven't seen it since it never came to theaters anywhere but New York, but I'm sure it'll be a good movie as Ghibli has yet to disappoint. I'll be ordering it myself soon enough.

[Pit0010]

oh! I saw dat movie poster on a little flyer I got when I went to an anime festival a few weeks ago xD

[FireArrow]

Must. See.

[SlowPokemon]

I posted something on Facebook, but if you aren't friends with me on there:

As I'm sure many of you have heard (and likely just as many have not), Mr. Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement this week, making the July release The Wind Rises his last film. As a man who has influenced my life so much, I'm compelled to write something about him.

Any number of questions might be running through your mind after reading that. I'm sure a question far too many of you have is "Who is Hayao Miyazaki?" And there's no easy answer to that. I can't say that Hayao Miyazaki is a filmmaker, because that makes it sound like he just makes movies. I can't say that Hayao Miyazaki is an artist, because that makes it sound like he is only interested in superficial beauty. And I can't say Hayao Miyazaki is a storyteller, because much more than story goes into his works. His films are animated, but they are by no means just for children.

I think the best way to answer that question is to say that Hayao Miyazaki is a man who understands humans. He understands the issues that come with age, and at the same time he understands the innermost feelings of a child. He recognizes what resonates with us. Kiki's Delivery Service finds the titular character questioning whether she's talented enough to make it in the world, an internal battle that young adults everywhere find themselves fighting. The magic Satsuki and Mei find in My Neighbor Totoro is real, at least to them, and invokes nostalgic memories of summertime as a kid. In Howl's Moving Castle, young Sophie becomes an old woman whenever she can't speak her heart, and who among us hasn't felt like a boring old introvert when we're too afraid to voice our true feelings? All of his movies have personal touches that speak to us more deeply than a good plot or nice visuals would on their own.

Take a look at Miyazaki's 2001 release, Spirited Away, which I consider to be his best work. This film focuses on a young girl who must work at a spirits' bathhouse in order to rescue her parents. On paper, it sounds too strange and too steeped in Japanese culture to be accessible to Americans. So why is it so popular here in the states? The answer is simple: despite the cultural barrier, we can connect with Chihiro. We all know that selfish, lazy ten-year-old, and most of us were just like her at some point. And though we might not understand what makes a river god important or why Chihiro's name changes to Sen or even what a bathhouse is, it's impossible for us to be held back by such things when Miyazaki's vision is so resonant with our souls.

That's who Miyazaki is: a master of film, art, and storytelling. He taught me that movies shouldn't be distractions from life; they should increase your appreciation of the world around you. He will be greatly missed.

[Waddle Bro]

*clicks thumbs up*