Studio Ghibli is one of the biggest brands in anime, and director Hayao Miyazaki has always put nature in the forefront of his films. The filmmaker has time and again stressed the natural world’s influence on his work, and it comes across clearly in everything he does. His inspiration dates back to My Neighbor Totoro if not earlier. And now, the Studio Ghibli icon needs our help in turning the film’s real-life forest into a preserve.
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For those who don’t know, Miyazaki has said before the town of Tokorozawa inspired him at the time he was developing My Neighbor Totoro. The city, which is just north of Tokyo, is home to the Kaminoyama area and its rural forests. Miyazaki studied these areas when planning My Neighbor Totoro, and the director even moved to the area in the 1970s after falling in love with its charms. So now, the city is looking to turn part of the Kaminoyama forest into a nature preserve.
According to government officials, the city plans to convert 8.6 acres of forest into a protected preserve. The property’s current owners agreed to sell the land to the city for $20 million USD. Now, the city is crowdfunding resources to establish the preserve alongside dedicated government funds, and Studio Ghibli is helping in the effort.
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As fans donate to the project, Studio Ghibli is printing reproduction paintings to gift donors who make generous contributions. A total of five scenes from My Neighbor Totoro will be printed by the studio, but a limited number will be made. Currently, Studio Ghibli plans to support the crowdfund by offering 1,000 of these reproductions as a reward to donors. And if more are needed later on, additional runs and paintings are on the table for release.
What do you think of this latest Studio Ghibli project? Would you care to visit this nature preserve one day? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
