Week Six: Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli as a whole has always been known for their beautiful art style, mixed in with immersive realism in the form of heavy worldbuilding and stunning animation. Ghibli films in particular display a sort of finesse and strict attention to detail that isn't necessarily seen in a lot of other films. As a result, they are very good at bringing stories to life. There is always some sort of established society and infrastructure in any piece they create, and this attention to detail brings the stories to life in a very real and interactive way, regardless of how fantastical. The world extends beyond the frame and feels like it exists, even with elements of fiction scattered about. Even the way that characters interact with the environment feels constantly flowing and consistent, with grounded movement, heavy with gravity and momentum in every action.
A good example of attention to detail would be a scene in Spirited Away, where Chihiro puts on her shoes before running off. Instead of just sticking her feet in the shoes, she bends down and adjusts them to fit properly, before tapping her other foot on the ground. This additional element is only one of many examples for why these films feel so alive.



Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind felt both ahead of its time and very beautiful in both style and storytelling with its depiction of insects in a better light, and an underlying theme of senseless war with polluted environment. The book seemed to cover a lot of indepth themes in regard to people's feelings towards war, as well as overall elements of toxicity and overall had a lot of worldbuilding that captivates the reader as they learn more about what is going on. I really enjoyed reading Nausicaä, and while I didn't have a chance to finish reading it, I definitely will do so in the future.