Studio Ghibli has created some of the most striking environments and characters that have ever appeared in the world of anime. From Spirited Away to My Neighbor Totoro to Howl’s Moving Castle, the legendary animation house has been able to create classic movies that have resonated around the world with audiences young and old. However, a controversy arose thanks to a Japanese Youtuber, Yuki, who attempted to get to the bottom of the situation. When Yuki gave her thoughts on why Studio Ghibli female protagonists may not be as widely accepted as other anime heroines, a bevy of other Twitter users responded.
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Online Anime News Source, Sora News 24, shared the original tweet, and some of its responses, attempting to dig into why the female protagonists of the Studio Ghibli films may not, if at all, be as well received as some of the other heroines that are introduced throughout the tv series and movies of anime:
ジブリアニメの女性がいまひとつオタク受け悪いのって
— ゆき（memes） (@yukiIris2D) October 25, 2019
自立していて強いってのも大きな要因かもしんない
The above tweet translates as such: “I reckon the main reason why Ghibli anime heroines aren’t very popular with otaku is because they’re strong and independent.”
A number of responses ranged from people thinking that Studio Ghibli protagonists “simply weren’t cute enough” to others stating that they didn’t have a problem with the heroines appearing in such titles as Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Ponyo.
Hayao Miyazaki had a very specific reason as to why he designed his female protagonists the way that he did, giving a quote regarding how he felt toward female anime protagonists in general:
“Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It’s produced by humans who can’t stand looking at other humans. And that’s why the industry is full of otaku!”
Studio Ghibli was created in the 1980s with its first feature, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and has continued to be an ever expanding animation house since. Creating some of the most legendary anime movies of all time, the studio was even recognized by the Academy Awards with an Oscar for its work on Spirited Away.
What do you think of Studio Ghibli protagonists? Do you agree with Miyazaki’s quote? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and Studio Ghibli!
