Studio Ghibli: Hayao Miyazaki Explains Who His Movies Really Belong To

Studio Ghibli stands as one of Japan’s most beloved studios and for good reason. From My Neighbor Totoro to Grave of the Fireflies, the company has helped bring some of anime’s best films to life. Of course, few can compare in popularity to Spirited Away, but director Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t want anyone acting territorial over the movie.

In fact, Miyazaki isn’t sold on him owning all of Spirited Away. The director told longtime collaborator Toshio Suzuki the film belongs to everyone, and fans are feeling all mushy about the wise saying.

The revelation came secondhand from Suzuki as Miyazaki is famously uninterested in media events. The Studio Ghibli producer and co-founder spoke at a press conference for Spirited Away‘s first stage play. It was there Suzuki shared Miyazaki’s opinion on the project, and the director had no qualms handing over control.

“I’ve already let go of [Spirited Away]. It was created with the support of so many people, so it doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to everyone,” Miyazaki shared with Suzuki when the live-action play was first pitched. Now some several months later, Spirited Away is getting its debut on the stage, and fans are curious to see how the adaptation will go.

Of course, this is not the first Studio Ghibli title to get such a makeover. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind underwent such a take a while back. The kabuki production earned rave reviews from fans, so you can see why the bar for Spirited Away is so high. And thankfully for the crew, Miyazaki has given the fans his blessing to tackle Chihiro’s story.

If you happen to be in Japan, you will not want to miss Spirited Away’s stage debut when it hits Tokyo. Studio Ghibli has tackled plenty of beloved stories since its creation, but few live up to the tale found in Spirited Away. Instead of borrowing stories from children’s novels or folklore, Miyazaki penned Spirited Away as a completely original script. From start to finish, the director has his fingerprints all over the movie. But after all of these years, Miyazaki understands that Spirited Away belongs to fans as much as it does him. 

What do you make of Miyazaki’s take on Spirited Away here? Do you feel any ownership of Studio Ghibli’s movies? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

HT – SoraNews24