Studio Ghibli Inspires Gorgeous Teaser for Short Film, Nora from Above

Studio Ghibli is one of the most iconic companies making movies nowadays, and its legacy is hard to deny. Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata created a number of masterpieces during their tenure, and the former is back in the director's chair with a new flick. It is no shock to learn how influential Studio Ghibli has been on animators working today, and one of them is honoring the brand by giving their own take on the Studio Ghibli style.

Over on Reddit, the artist akaiwa got the fandom buzzing when they shared a teaser trailer promoting Nora from Above. The film idea was crafted by akaiwa after they pulled together all the inspiration they sourced from Studio Ghibli. The artist made the 2D animated trailer as a way to bring Miyazaki's iconic stories to life with American animation.

And if you look below, you will see how stunning this trailer is. Nora from Above is a movie so many would love to see, and that includes me. Its colorful palate and otherworldly landscape would make Miyazaki proud, so you'd know a full film of this artwork would be something else to see.

I used to be obsessed with making Ghibli-style American animated films but was told there’s no market for 2D features. I made a teaser where you can really see the influences from r/ghibli

The teaser starts with a voiceover of an older woman telling a younger character to enjoy their youth. That fleeting time of life is filled with an adventure that is rarely appreciated at the time, and the trailer proves that much is true. As the dialogue carries on, fans are shown the titular heroine Nora exploring some sewers with a boy, but the pair are separated when a flood of water pulls them apart.

The magical teaser then follows Nora as she stumbles upon a fantastical world within the sewers. She ends up exploring the area and meeting its residents which include mice, frogs, and more. Little of the plot is giving away in this clip, but Nora is seen sailing around the land in several dramatic scenes. There is no doubt this kind of story would suit Studio Ghibli, so we can only hope this pitch becomes a full-blown movie someday. After seeing this trailer, it is hard to deny akaiwa's talent and the awesome work Picture Fish Studios could do with this story!

Do you think this art style suits Studio Ghibli? Should there be more projects like this? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!