The Immersive Realism of Studio Ghibli

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Studio Ghibli has consistently created the most compelling animated films I have ever seen, in part due to their immersive realism. Despite the fantasy and magic, Ghibli's films consistently feel tactile and realistic. In this video essay, we explore how Studio Ghibli consistently achieves immersive realism in their films.
Music by Mary Lattimore - freemusicarchive.org/music/Mar...
Chinese subtitles by Jim Huang
Footage from the following Studio Ghibli films:
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1984)
My Neighbor Totoro (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1988)
Kiki's Delivery Service (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1989)
Only Yesterday (dir. Isao Takahata, 1991)
Ocean Waves (dir. Tomomi Mochizuki, 1993)
Whisper of the Heart (dir. Yoshifumi Kondō, 1995)
Princess Mononoke (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 1997)
Spirited Away (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
Howl's Moving Castle (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2004)
From Up on Poppy Hill (dir. Gorō Miyazaki, 2011)
The Wind Rises (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2013)
Additional footage:
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (dir. Mami Sunada, 2013)
"The Making of Spirited Away" & "Spirited Away: Behind the Microphone", Spirited Away DVD special features
The Lord of the Rings (dir. Ralph Bakshi, 1978)
Fire and Ice (dir. Ralph Bakshi, 1983)
American Pop (dir. Ralph Bakshi, 1981)

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Hey everyone, thank you all so much for watching. Some of you have been asking if or when I'll be making more videos-the answer is yes, as time allows. My latest video about nostalgia culture is up on my channel, and I'll keep making more about various points of interest in the future, including but not limited to film analysis. Your support on Patreon would be greatly appreciated and allows me to make more videos, more often: www.patreon.com/asherisbrucker If you also like podcasts, I've created a couple of podcast episodes you might find interesting. They're available on Soundcloud and iTunes: soundcloud.com/listentothispodcast I appreciate all the thoughtful feedback, both positive and critical, this video has generated, and I hope it's at least enriched somebody's appreciation of Ghibli's films. Now, on to the next one.

[@talentedfeeds]

Asher Isbrucker hey man, just wondering if we can expect the nostalgia culture video sometime soon?

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Thanks for asking-working on the final draft of the script right now. It's been a tough one, I've been rewriting ad nauseum, but I'm nearly there!

[@Chempisvideos]

Hey man! I wanted to ask a question--I'm making a video about Studio Ghibli too. Did you run into any copyright problems or Content ID issues with this video? I'm just worried I'm gonna upload it and get it taken down immediately or something.

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Hey Chempis-I haven't had any copyright claims or issues thus far. You should be fine, as long as you're not just uploading whole sections of the films. Only use as much copyright material as you need to illustrate your point, and make sure you cite your sources. Also, I used Creative Commons music so I didn't run into any audio copyright claims, which I'd recommend (check out freemusicarchive.org). If you are flagged, you can always dispute it as long as you're covered under Fair Use. Have fun and good luck, I'd love to see your video when it's done.

[@Chempisvideos]

Asher Isbrucker Thank you for the reply! I am doing a video on what makes Ghibli different--it'll be analysis and review and it won't be monetized, but I want to try using the music under my voice-over to illustrate points I have about the film scores. It's something I'm passionate about so hopefully I can present it in a way that does not get it flagged or pulled. I can share it with you if everything goes well!

[@deftonesbutthole]

i love the ghibli water physics. it doesn't look like how water looks, it looks like how water feels.

[@SaveeraVividTiarani]

Hansa ❤

[@day1nigga41]

Nah really

[@1987vosje]

[@sugar-rice]

Why does that make sense

[@d4s0n282]

@@sugar-rice ik right!

[@RamiFive4Five]

Ghibli worlds looks like dreams, how many times we dream something awesome and beautiful and when we wake up we leave that dream whitout any axplanation or meaning? The reason we want to go back to that dream is not to get answers, is to live that world again. That's what Ghibli movies do, doesn't always makes us want to be the characters, it make us want to be part of that magical world but being ourselves, like in our dreams.

[@creamyhorror]

Underrated comment. You're right, watching some of Miyazaki's films is like entering a dream that you don't wake to wake up from.

[@maureenguarnieri4926]

Sooo Tru gotta watch more GhiBLi

[@wasabiANDkimchi]

Yousay exactly WHAT Gibli is!! An fantastic unexplain dream 💖 that it becomes mysterious and metaphysical

[@missnekodes]

Yasssss 👏👏👏

[@thanhvinhnguyento7069]

Yah

[@layschmaster9831]

I once read on tumblr: Disney movies touch the heart, but Studio Ghibli films touch the soul I agree

[@janewwu1063]

Both studio's have had a great impact on many people's childhood.

[@seanmichael9482]

In my world, there are Disney clouds, bad, and Ghibli clouds lovely 😊

[@23288442]

I remember most of the great Disney animations I watched once when I was a kid, but only the animations from Ghibli I will watch again and again throughout every stage of my life. Every single time watching a studio Ghibli film can bring out different emotions and realizations

[@lalboimanlun1230]

-Disney- *Pixar*

[@Shadow-ashlad]

Disney movies don't even touch you tho

[@micahmatichuk]

_"Every single one was a conscious choice."_ This, is why high-grade animation can compete against the best of modern live-action. Every pixel contains the signature of a master.

[@user-YuHaoHuang]

your quote here is exactly what i think about anime, alot are mediocre, but the true great ones are beyond the level of live action movies

[@annaluciaschmitz]

True facts

[@abrahamsg8318]

Every Moves are Acting As it Was Intended, Even The Water, Wind, Were Moving Just As Intended.

[@LuckyHamburger]

I don't care what anyone thinks of anime, or if they call Ghibli films "kiddish" because they are animated. Those people have never actually watched 30 mins of a Studio Ghibli movie.

[@nephyxutune]

Just tell them to go watch "Grave Of The Fireflies" lmao.

[@fruitypeebils]

@@nephyxutune why would i watch that when i could just watch delgo?

[@shivakumargujjari]

@@fruitypeebils because it is better than whatever movie you are talking about

[@TidusleFlemard]

@@fruitypeebils Because, while Delgo has received very bad ratting and is a hodgepodge of previous movies plots, Ghibli movies are acclaimed movies with simple but yet interesting plots.

[@kefsound]

...or they watch without thinking.

[@bandiceet]

It is only recently, after watching Howls Moving Castle several times, that Howls first line to Sophie "Ah, there you are, sweetheart, I've been looking all over for you..." is in reply to Sophie's line later in the film of "look for me in the future..."

[@yeid674]

YES!!!! ^^^^ I got that the second time I watched it 😭😭

[@muhamadzamfahmi19]

I knew that after I saw ur comment even though I watched it since middle school 🤣 aargh so embarrassing

[@trankien7477]

And was at that moment his ring glowed a little

[@storycox2412]

Woah. That's so cool

[@Haysti2000]

​@Dokyeom brushed his teeth its based on a book but they changed the story a bit. Basically howl is a wizard that lives in a time of war. The kingdoms at war expect the wizards of the lands to help them win the war. Howl (if i remember right) fights ln both sides because he doesnt want to belong to any kingdom. But you see, he is sort of a coward. He is too vain and scared to actually get the job done. It doesnt help that he is beautiful and everyone wants him, so he can distract himself. Sophie is alomst the opposite, she is very resilient (instantly after being turned into an old woman she accepts her fate and moves on), brave and forgiving. But she is also insecure, she thinks she is ugly (she is described as plain looking, like she never stands out). The curse was a way for her to accept herself and the closer she got to it the younger she became again. Howl taught sophie that she is beautiful and needs to be secure in herself or things fall apart. Sophie taught howl that one has to be brave and face their fears but also that good looks are just superficial. They kind of complete each other. There is actually much more to the story this is more like a short personal interpretation. Hope it helps!

[@k.o.7818]

I really hope hand drawn animation stays in the future for anime 😭 Ik it’s a hard thing to do and time consuming but it just looks beautiful

[@k.o.7818]

Luffaman tru I don’t really hate the CGI tho like demon slayer really did a great job at it and it was amazing🔥

[@Goddot]

Last year's Klaus was a visually stunning and narratively pleasing story that proves 2D animation can pull shots in the western world as well. They implemented CG atop hand-drawn animation for superb colouring works, and I hope we'll get to see more of that. Interestingly, their budget was really medium, at 40 million quids at a time where Hollywood can't make anything under five times that: this further gives hope the medium will live on!

[@antislutful]

The thing he said about background characters. This is why I screenshot scenes that display the public places of Ghibli films. My cousin even makes Gifs out of those scenes. It's just mesmerizing. It's like real life but it simplifies what the random person is thinking. In real life whenever I get the chance to travel to new places, I hangout in cafes or diners that has a good view of public spaces like Parks, walkways, train stations, sidewalks and observe people. In Ghibli films although it's just animation, I feel the same feeling I get when I see the scenes that show the films' background. It's fascinating.

[@jmfjmf41]

When I was in middle school, Cartoon Network did a "Month of Miyazaki". Each weekend in the month they played a Hayao Miyazaki film from Studio Ghibli. The first one was "Spirited Away". I was so captivated by it, it's all I could think about all week. I had to watch the next one to see if it was even comparable. The next three that played were "Princess Mononoke", "Castle in the Sky", and "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind". Each one left me in a similar trance, and I have been an avid fan of the director and studio ever since. I wish every child in the world could be lucky enough to have this kind of imagination fuel growing up.

[@Suga-sm2fq]

yup, studio ghibli soundtrack is trully bootiful

[@mollof7893]

Woah, that’s epic. Wish I got that

[@winterkai12]

We have the same first Studio Ghibli movie watched. It became my ultimate beloved movie and was hooked up with all the others as well. I love Hayao Miyazaki for his brilliant and out of the box ideas.

[@soupafleye]

Urek Mazino when i first watched spirited away as a child i was blown away. i can’t even describe how i felt because i think i couldn’t mentally process the fact that something like that existed in the world and i had just discovered it. i rewatched it idk how many times and it’s soo nostalgic.

[@EC-rd9ys]

I think I was watching that Month of Miyazaki too. I'd had Kiki's delivery service on VHS but never made the connection between that and Spirited Away/howls moving castle until way later.

[@cometconfetti]

I was mesmerized by your words from start to finish.

[@Anime101HxH]

Comet Confetti h

[@agustinponce3773]

same here

[@angelmakima]

Comet Confetti same

[@cikupang18]

Comet Confetti sameee

[@michaelw8296]

same

[@hisosonly1]

im glad someone finally said something about how beautiful whisper of the heart was. it has such a cute story line of just a simple girl trying to figure out her life but its so beautifully written that you dont get bored whatsoever no matter how basic it might be. im glad its not a live movie because the animation creates things in the story you dont normally notice irl other then in a animation, you are right about everything! its the little things that really put together the story

[@nazmayaakub3253]

Rose whisper of the heart is my second favourite after howl's moving castle, it has such a simple and subtle story but somehow the story and animation attracted me so much

[@sheaseufert2946]

Tbh whisper of the heart is my favorite piece of art ever. The way it tells such a subdued story but absolutely drips with beauty is amazing. Every frame could be a work of art. Makes me look for beauty like that in real life

[@Peakyy1]

I like whisper of the heart, only thing i dislike is the main character, she was pretty lame

[@luqmankhanofficial1564]

Hello rose love you

[@luqmankhanofficial1564]

I want to merried with you

[@ramblingrob4693]

They might look old an old school to today's Young people but there is something special in Studio Ghibli that no one can beat in animation film

[@Danjovisagat]

Well recommended youtube. you got it right for once.

[@BossSmiles3]

Haha true

[@thytga3795]

Well looks like they did it again

[@Arkay777]

And again

[@GeoffreyHammy16]

I cried at this. Studio Ghibli films are film mastery on a level unparalleled by anything else and you understand them so well. I learnt a lot from this

[@bomapdich]

My favorite movie of ghibli is The Tale of Princess Kaguya. It's not made by Miazaki but damn, that movie is a master piece. Also Wolf Children. I love anime that give me a good crying.

[@GlitzPixie]

Beth Anthony sam

[@GlitzPixie]

Beth Anthony same**

[@angelmakima]

Beth Anthony same I was holding back my tears from how beautiful their films are 😭😭😭

[@BossSmiles3]

I really wanted to cry but I'm at the office watching this

[@archenforever7264]

Studio Ghibli never fails to make me feel something. After watching every movie I'm always left with emotions that I can't quite describe.

[@joeyxl3456]

Absolutely

[@stopandlisten6070]

I always thought Ghibli's biggest strengths were realistic movement, acting and attention to detail, like you said. However a major part is also lighting and shadow. Shadows move realistically in relation to the light source and they even depict realistically when a person or object moves in or out of shade. Or the window of a car reflecting light like a mirror that moves anf changes as it turns.

[@_Maya_Andrea]

I love how his films don't feel like a lie. I'm just discovering a world that isn't my own.

[@sara_daria2]

Couldn't have said it better, honestly.

[@adenuristiqomah984]

That's why Ghibli's films are so magical

[@st.carnard]

I always cry at ghibli movies when a beautiful area is shown. I don't know what it is about it, but they're so realistic and beautiful that I get extremely immersed and picture myself in there. I guess I'm overwhelmed by the beauty?

[@yudi-weiss3827]

I regret to say that only at 18 when I have had more time in this pandemic that I have gotten into Studio Ghibli films. They are such wonderful animated works to me a, and I hate hat I did not watch these films when I was younger. Even though I had shows like Avatar the Last Airbender, and the huge world of Lord of the Rings, the fact I never watched these masterpieces of imagination made me feel like I found a missing part of me when I finally did.

[@cindypaulino8475]

Indeed, I watched them at 30 🥶

[@chanellover4491]

It's never too late to appreciate great art. I started watching ghibli films at 13/14..

[@hyperbee2276]

For some reason this video was very relaxing, I enjoyed it a lot.

[@angelmakima]

Graceapplefruit same

[@grandbakunin7046]

Graceapplefruit the music and the narrator voice are asmr :)

[@KehnoK]

I am deeply sad that this magic of animation is going to die thanks to CGI generated movies. For now Studio Ghibli is going to carry on the light of handmade animated movies but who knows for how long. Disney already fired all his great animators. many other companies only use CGI nowadays.. thank you studio ghibli for showing how wonderful animation can be.

[@covenawhite4855]

I think ad long as story lines is good it's OK

[@munzzzzz555]

Ghibli also used cgi sometimes, the mark of good cgi is that it is not noticable

[@nassipnapso420]

Well at least anime still thrives

[@nassipnapso420]

@Jasmine Groves i think it also has to do with directing what details are important and on what aspects to focus

[@AndieStardustDraws]

funny seeing this comment 2 years later, with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse having been named best animated movie. Don't be so closed minded to 3d guys, there's room for every style of animation. As lyka studios is bringing back stop motion, 3d animation is taking notes from 2d and 2d is supplementing itself with 3d. it all had portentous to be good and bad. I'm rooting for it to collaborate more.

[@teabread8460]

Studio Ghibili movies are like a vague memory of an adventure you have lived or place that you have visited in your dreams

[@kamehamehuyle9108]

i still think that this is one of the best ghibli video essay ive seen even after all those years!

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Thank you, I really appreciate that!

[@maggyfrog]

spirited away is, and will always be, one of the best movies ever made.

[@condorX2]

Looks interesting back in the day, but feel weird now after seeing a blob of poop enter a inn.

[@MartijnMcFly]

Yeah... we need more of this, pal. You can't leave us hanging with just a single awesome video!

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Thank you-currently working on the next one! Script & research is taking longer than I thought. Stay tuned.

[@Coastal0]

Asher Isbrucker doesn't it just anyways? I'm amazed at these video essay style channels that manage weekly content!

[@AsherIsbrucker]

I know! It's crazy. I'd be happy to even make one per month.

[@MelloCello7]

Asher Isbrucker so would we. Forget our insatiable demands, take your time. We'll be greatful in the end either way! :)

[@saint_yves]

When Miyazaki Hayao makes a film, he interestingly aims at immersing the viewer inside the movie's beautiful world. Takahata Isao once said; "By keeping everything flat, animation allows viewers to imagine what is behind the images." Though this comment was made 30 years after Studio Ghibli's founding, it was exactly what Hayao had already been doing. Take for example Howl's Moving Castle (Hauru no Ugoku Shiro) which was made 15 years ago in 2004. Throughout the film, there is a recurring theme where a mysterious door transforms the majestic castle into a regular European cottage and then back into the castle. What's interesting about this is that everytime the door opened, the fantastical lands which it transported the main characters to always changed its appearance. This allows the viewer to acknowledge the ever changing world's appearance before it disappears. Almost all of Miyazaki's films are like this, encouraging the viewer to immerse themselves inside the fantastical universe the movie presents towards them and forces them to become attached, but not too attached to everything the beautiful world has to offer. When people watch Studio Ghibli films, they are constantly prepared for the absolute worst, but not exactly prepared for the best, which is fantastically ingenious.

[@kristenchou]

I remember as a kid I would spend hours after school in the comic section of a small book store outside of school. And the first time I came across Sprites Away I decided to spend my entire weekly allowance to buy the book, knowing I would go home and get yelled at. Now I’ve seen the film dubbed in Japanese, Cantonese, English multiple times and still get teary 😂 (and also when I listen to the soundtrack) I dreamed of living in these world with monsters and magic.

[@bryan8259]

This video essay so perfectly explains what makes me love Ghibli Films in a way I've never had the words to. I've seen them all, many of them multiple times, and they never stop feeling enchanting and taken away by the wonder from the stories they tell and the worlds they give me a window into. I try to share them with anyone who will listen and look forward to raising my children with them in years to come. This video deserves all the likes and views and shares and whatever else a meager viewer can give you. Great job, Asher

[@flicksideofficial]

They seamlessly and astoundingly weave the mundane and the magical. You can't not fall in love with Ghibli/Miyazaki films ♥ Here's what "Miyazaki's most passionate fan" Guillermo del Toro said of him at the Toronto Film Festival yesterday: "Animation is hard. We are privileged enough to be living in a time where Mozart is composing symphonies. Miyazaki san is a master of that stature, and we are so lucky to be here. He has changed the medium that he started in, revolutionized it, proved over and over again that is a tremendous work of art. Miyazaki, in my estimation, is the greatest director of animation ever, and he has made his films as full as dialogues and questions as he is. These are not easy films, but these are films that portray him so intimately, that you feel you’re having a conversation with him."

[@pattigee1]

Although considered a children's movie, Ponyo is extremely heart-warming and beautiful. And it is my is my favourite Ghibli film if not for Spirited Away. Thank you for this video.

[@Odibio.Skins.]

Great choice the beautiful purity and kindness in Ponyo is so nice.

[@elsamadaris7372]

I love Ponyo too!

[@lovelylily6052]

This made me extremely emotional and also made me realize how much I love Studio Ghibli, and how deeply they touched me. Great job.

[@akihaamber728]

goddamnit, how the fuck did I cry. x'D

[@partykrew666]

same. im such a fucking softy, its ridiculous sometimes.

[@angelmakima]

Akiha Amber same 😭😭😭😭thought I was the only one

[@gis3281]

lol same

[@keylupveintisiete7552]

Im glad im not the only one

[@ViperAlphaViggoAoki]

I believe it was around 6 years ago, 6 years ago when the dreams started to occur. I was 11 years old and I had a dream about a magical land in which I can only describe as being awfully familiar. It was a land of wonder and beauty. Over the years I had reoccurring dreams of this land, this country. Then it happened. I saw it. I was surfing the internet when I suddenly recognised an image from some website, with a title hovering over the image saying "Spirited Away". I immediately researched this film, and discovered that when I was a child, around 5 or 6 years old, my Japanese grandfather would show me these Studio Ghibli films, they stayed with me and shaped the person that I am today. Today is the one year anniversary of his death, and all I have to say is that I loved him so much. I find it incredibly difficult to describe the feeling Studio Ghibli movies impart on me, but from now on they will always remind me of a distant relationship with my grandfather.

[@TiodaniPKM]

6:20 - 6:40 YES, wonderful point! A particular scene where this concept shines is when Chiriro is in the train with No Face, and you get this prolonged contemplative sequence where you get a glimpse of a more mundane aspect of this world. And, like a person waiting for their train to reach their destination, you can't help but absorb the scenery and let your mind drift away, imagining how the daily lives of all those strange creatures are. Where are they going to? Are they commuting? Is any of them also going on an important quest, that we will never know? This, combining with the feeling of being a vulnerable child lost in a place where they shouldn't be, makes this an incredily immersive and evocative scene when you're first watching the movie as a child.

[@adiywn]

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to watch Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away for the first time at twenty-two years of age. I'm quite late, but I'm instantly captivated. The animation, characters, sound, storyline - everything. From Spirited Away, I can tell that Studio Ghibli's works are timeless and unique on their very own. As of today, I watched Howl's Moving Castle and will most definitely explore other Studio Ghibli movies.

[@catherinebracy4332]

Same. I'm 24 and I've recently binged some Ghibli films I haven't seen during the past few months when I was out of work for sickness. I laughed, I sometimes cried, but most of all I was in awe of the stories, the imaginations behind the stories, the attention to detail, the acting, the animation -- like you said, everything. Now it seems my mother and a few of my sisters are watching a few and dipping into the magic.

[@joeyxl3456]

Don't forget to kick back and take in the mastery that is Princess Mononoke.

[@charlie-obrien]

Adi, Spirited Away was released in 2001, twenty years before your comment which was two years ago from today. Part of the magic of Ghibli films is that they are permanent and yet when we watch them they are fresh and new. 100 years from now people will be watching these films and they will also be feeling fresh and new for them, just as The Wizard of Oz is for children and readers today. When we watch these films we are connecting with the characters, the story, the creator and with each other. This is what makes artistic creation so compelling. I urge you and anyone reading this to try for yourself. You will be surprised with the results.

[@Lundy.Fastnet.Irish_Sea]

Nice vid. I was just a disappointed that you didn't even mention The Tale of Princess Kaguya. The art style isn't that realistic, but IMO, it is the most realistically animated Ghibli movie to date.

[@AsherIsbrucker]

I'm glad you mentioned Princess Kaguya, because that's actually where the idea for this essay originated, even though it wasn't included. I first saw Kaguya in a small theatre during a Ghibli festival. There's one scene in particular that stood out to me pertaining to worldbuilding, one in which Kaguya is being taken through a village square on a wagon. During one of the establishing shots, there's a villager carrying a bale of hay. He stumbles and nearly drops it, when a friend comes to his aid-then the shot cuts. It's one of those seemingly inconsequential actions of the background that create a living, breathing world. When writing this essay I ended up focusing instead on films I was more familiar with that made the same point, but Kaguya is an excellent film, and where this idea first struck me.

[@Lundy.Fastnet.Irish_Sea]

The way the characters do things is also very natural. The dad to me is the most realistic. The part when he called kaguya to come to him after the villager kids called kaguya, then he ran to her and carried her. It's so natural.

[@AltPeachStudy]

I'm crying and I can't understand or explain why.

[@AltPeachStudy]

I swear I've never heard or seen a Studio Ghibli Film but for some reason I get a weird feeling from looking at the animations, it's fimiliar and yet at the same time so new it's like feeling warm while walking in the cold with a friend towards a big scene of lights and colours it's honestly kind of unexplainable in a way. I really wanna see more of this

[@luizpaulo6535]

Taco Loco you're gay but seriously, watch hotaro no haka (tomb of fireflies) and sen to chihiro no kamikakushi (spirited away). gems of animation

[@BlondeCurlsBlueEyes]

I love that metaphor :) I hope you do watch more, they're such spectacular pieces of art, you're in for a treat. I recommend Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Only Yesterday, just to start with!

[@soupafleye]

beauty is enough to cry over

[@janewwu1063]

@@BlondeCurlsBlueEyes I still want to see Howl's Moving Castle.

[@alienLifeForMe]

I love watching studioGhibli's movie because I find them soothing, the characters, the background, the scenes everything seems so soothing and peaceful

[@diesel_dawg]

As for many people, one of my favourite aspects of Ghibli movies is how food is presented. It usually looks better than real life food. The eggs, bacon and bread in 'Howl's', for example. Or the ramen with toppings in 'Ponyo'. It's so easy to imagine yourself living in those worlds, though I can never decide which I'd want to most. Probably the house in 'Totoro', and the surrounding farmland and nearby village. Or the world of 'Howl's'. I imagine that every time I watch Ghibli movies, but rarely when watching Disney ones. Another aspect I love about Ghibli is that they still do "proper" animation like Disney used to do, rather than rely on computers and CGI. For example Disney's 'Cinderella' compared to 'Coco'. I love all their feature films, but prefer those that started with the opening of a book, and the story emerging from that.

[@MinaF99]

Genuinely started crying by the end of this. Watching spirited away soon after it came out in 2001 and now being an adult, I hadn't realised how much studio ghibli had effected my childhood until right now.

[@luqmankhanofficial1564]

Hello mina love you

[@Hritikmaster]

This video was sooo much relaxing and immersive , that it convinced my friend to watch Ghibli movies , who actually never watches anime. This video is so beautifully crafted , with such a relaxing music in the background

[@regandehaven4705]

I'm trying to find the background music but can't seem to find it! :(

[@marcgiroag]

@@regandehaven4705 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZipZKlqeNqchdE but it's not the exat same version I think

[@afrinchowdhury204]

this handdrawn animation is gonna be the best animation style till the future,i hope it stays later too

[@whyar3y0uga34]

Ghibli movies and worlds feel like my imagination as a child, how bright, sunny and just plain beautiful worlds I created in my head when I was 6, 7 years old are the type of worlds that I commonly see depicted in ghibli films. Sadly, I can't imagine worlds like these as vividly as I used to back then, but I always had ghibli to fall back to in order to capture that same feeling of wonder, awe, and imagination I once had as a child

[@itzdeco3213]

I think that Pom Poko is criminally underrated, its soo good!

[@garykuovideos]

As a violinist and composer, I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to the artists for their accurate depiction of proper playing technique. Watching their work is an antidote to some of the ghastly things I’ve seen in commercial stock photos.

[@justiniani3585]

For me a lot of the immersive realism of ghibli films stems from the fact that you see the characters do mundane things like eat, go shopping and do house chores. Things that we in our boring worlds do as well. Compare that to a franchise like star wars where all the characters do is travel through space and fight exotic aliens (except for maybe a quick dingy bar scene) which makes the gap between the viewer and the characters seemingly insurmountable. Ghibli studio animators take their time to make detailed, realistic scenes of cooking and chores which are treated with as much attention to detail as the fight scenes. When these still life scenes are mixed with the wild fantasy scenes it creates a strong atmosphere of plausibility.

[@tabithakathlene4438]

I don't think I've ever seen an animation studio so wholeheartedly embrace crowd scenes

[@joachimsand1815]

Looks like we've got a new Nerdwriter3 on our hands! Great video. Liked and subscribed.

[@partwalk]

Yeah. This showed up in my recommendations presumably because I'm subscribed to TheNerdwriter. But if this guy is Nerdwriter3, who is Nerdwriter2?

[@JanneLepist0]

+Parth Athley channel chriswell?

[@gusramos7928]

Parth Athley Every Frame a Painting?

[@joachimsand1815]

JanneLepist0 Now you see it?

[@richardsantanna5398]

+Joachim Sand No. anyone but him.

[@restoria7144]

"beauty in the eyes of the beholder" in which the beholder is animators and they show that beauty and present it into a way everyone could see it even if there are different perspectives. And giving importance to the smallest details, which makes the animated movies so lively. Just. Wow!

[@shawtystrange7531]

Whenever I watch a ghibli movie i know I’m going to cry.. I feel these films and the story’s they tell in another way I do normally. I’m overwhelmed by the beauty and the meaning behind every movie.

[@Suga-sm2fq]

just wanted everyone to remember the absolutely beautiful scene after the tsunami when the neighbourhood flooded in ponyo :))

[@utkandora]

Th's tells why I love Studio Ghibli films so much

[@user-wi1lj8qr9s]

Of all the Hayao Miyazaki documentary features, yours is my most favorite

[@biologist12389]

studio ghibli films are the only films that leave me imaging more about each world long after they're ended. I wish there were sequels to most of the films just so I can be part of each main characters life more.

[@kaysha]

The mastery of creating a universe for each movie. Like Star Wars universe support the storyline. Amazing essay

[@asherfitzgerald6036]

3 of my favourite things: video essays, Ghibli films and discovering an excellent youtuber. Thanks so much for this video! Can't wait to see where your channel goes.

[@user-rm6ut8td9y]

When I was a child, I remember peering into the nearby river to see if there were any fish, or watching grasshoppers with my older brother in the fields until the smell of dinner wafted in from nearby houses. When I was a child, the presence of the sky, the trees, and the wind on my face felt bigger than they do now. When I watch Ghibli's works, I regain those forgotten feelings and feel nostalgic. It reminds us of the joy of feeling with all five senses the mass and smell of natural products, rather than industrial products made of plastic or existing on a screen.

[@jellyace7072]

Ghibli movies will always have a special place in my heart. Whenever I feel like loosing myself I step back and binge watch ghibli movies after that I feel refreshed and inspired.

[@AnyoneCanSee]

Wow, I haven't watched one of these films in ten years and I actually had a tear in my eye. They bring up a deep feeling of melancholia and feel like memories, not movies because they were so impactful. In my heart and mind, I visited these places and lived there with them.

[@QuietDuplicity]

I find it interesting how all the points you make in this video also apply to creating immersive video games. Graphics, physics, large open environments and complicated or complex systems don't make a game immersive, it's the little things, the attention to detail and consideration for the _background or invisible stories_ of the world.

[@KimFuller-fh5bw]

The immersive realism is exactly why I love watching Studio Ghibli but I couldn’t find the words to describe it. it’s so satisfying to watch and makes you feel like you’re there!

[@PieterSirks]

when I’m older I want to make movies just like these, I think I can, because of my creativity and fantasy, I want to make kids (like me) feel this way, and give them a message like ghibli movies do, but I’m only 14 and have been down so many times, I just wish my dream comes true, and that dream is to make other people’s dreams come true:) I hope some people see this, Have a great day and I love you:)

[@moona5336]

If you work hard, everything is possible

[@PieterSirks]

@@moona5336 thanks man!

[@winston2015]

They're all great. A couple have made me cry -Grave of the Fireflies and Tale of Princess Kaguya. Looking forward to The Red Turtle

[@jar4709]

winston smith grave of the fireflies was to sad

[@nolsp7240]

winston smith The film was beautiful and one of most feel-bad movies of all time for me. I doubt that I will ever watch it again.

[@CHEESYHEAD684]

I loved Grave too, left me emotionally zombified for a week. It's technically not a Ghibli film however.

[@winston2015]

David Ee They produced it. Isao Takahata wrote and directed it. What about it is not Ghibli?

[@FooBarBash]

This is a beautiful video, really solidifies how awesome ghibli are.

[@ginscorpio621]

I am an artist and this video really just opened up my eyes. Most artists I've seen don't really bother with the whole immerse realism, but to me, it gives me a strange warm feeling inside to know that such a fictional world could feel so real. I can see how Studio Ghibli films never fail to give me that warm feeling. You explained it very well and in a very soothing voice too. Fantastic job 👍

[@hitachicordoba]

as a cyberpunk otaku, my favorite Ghibli/Miyazaki anime is the On Your Mark J-rock music video they made for Chage and Aska in the 90s. Quite literally Angelic, with visually stunning futuristic cyberpunk backgrounds drawn with the Ghibli aesthetic. Makes me wish they made some scifi anime in addition to their fantasy/historical fiction titles...

[@lilireaps]

Dreaming of living in a world created by ghibli helps eliviate my depression and anxiety because it seems like how the world should be. I'm definitely a new sub ❤️

[@ty2u]

As a painter and video maker, Miyazaki is the man! Awesome storytelling talent. The pig-face aviator is my favorite!

[@sayfestin9585]

I seriously love your essay. I always come back to this video when I want to hear something soothing. Your voice plus the background music plus the essay itself is something so comforting for me

[@0787Joy]

The Ghibli world is definitely the reason why I come back to their movies. The stories might get old as you watch them over and over again, but their world view never gets old.

[@AsherIsbrucker]

Hi all! Thank you all so much for watching. I've enjoyed reading the many fascinating and insightful responses to this video. A couple of things I want to address: 1) On pronunciation: this has been a hot topic! I didn't think about how I pronounce 'Ghibli' until after I made this video. My research has suggested that it's pronounced 'Jibli' in Japan, but the original Italian word is pronounced with a hard 'G', as it often is in the West, so I think both are acceptable. But I promise I don't say "spajetti". 2) On rotoscoping: My view on this has evolved a bit since making this video. I think it was naïve of me to call rotoscoping 'creepy' and to dismiss it so hastily. Rotoscoping can be a rich, evocative, dream-like style of animation. The contrast with traditional animation is still worth considering-I find it's not an effective substitute for traditional animation. Like I said, it's a topic for another video!

[@lilithhedwig5408]

You should check “undone” out, it’s a new Prime series done entirely (and with intention) with rotoscoping. It’s so weird, but it’s really interesting.

[@icantollie]

Clarification: You pronounced it correctly, because that is how “Ghibli” is pronounced in Japan, with a “J” sound. Etymologically, though, the Italian word is ultimately derived from the original Libyan Arabic word “القبلي” for the Sirocco Mediterranean wind that rises out of the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa during the summer (see the Wikipedia article at ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/شهيلي ); this original Libyan Arabic word is pronounced with a “gh” sound similar to the French “r” in words such as “farine” (flour) or like the second “r” in “frère” (brother). However, as Hayao Miyazaki and his partners were the ones who named and founded the company, their pronunciation of the studio’s name should be taken as normative regardless of its etymological provenance

[@krishetteyd926]

How do I put this, I love the feeling I get from studio Ghibli like the vibes, it’s so hard to put in words.

[@kaesfas]

sad to find out that hayao miyazaki is old, hope he makes more films before leaving us all.

[@Jujuoak]

Back in 2007, when I was 4 years old, me, my mom and my dad all went to one of those old movie stores. We looked through a,bunch of cool looking DVD’s for awhile, we didn’t find anything we liked so we were gonna leave. As we were gonna leave though, one of us picked up a movie in a little clear green plastic case. It had a sticker labeled “princess mononoke”. We decided to get it, and although I was a bit afraid of it I was still captivated by it. Here I am, at 17, still obsessed with Ghibli movies.

[@sammesserschmidt9317]

This is really true and I think it's what makes studio Ghibli so great but this is simply what makes any fantasy/sci fi/ adventure etc good. It has to be believable within its own dimensions.

[@barbz001]

This video essay made me tear up a little bit, it's wonderful isn't it? I watched Chihiro for the first time in theathers when it premiered...I was 10 years old, and I was with my dad...you could imagine what I felt as kid watching Spirited Away...it always gets to me, every single time, I get caught up by this wonderful world of color, and music, to realize at the end of the movie, that I'm crying. It was a beautiful essay, thank you.

[@farkleberry867]

The attention to detail is really beyond belief. As a biologist in training, every time I go back to a Ghibli movie I'm more and more astounded at the accuracy of the nature depicted. The grass is not just grass, and the flowers aren't just flowers, they are often accurate to the species in every way. Arietty is a great example of this, it's almost unbelievable. I probably don't even recognize a lot of the species that are painstakingly represented, as I'm from the U.S. and some are likely regional to Japan.

[@breathingparadise2178]

Your video participated into motivating me into creating my own stories and my own animation to transmit my own message: paradise on earth exists when we work together to cherish and protect it. I’m grateful 🙏

[@AsherIsbrucker]

I love the idea that this video would encourage and motivate somebody’s creativity. Have fun and enjoy the storytelling and worldbuilding!

[@jamesmillington4711]

Wow, what a great video essay. Keep up the good work, you have one more subscriber.

[@_banja]

Just watched Totoro and Spirited Away recently. They were amazing. Another time the animation was amazing was when Mei runs towards the cat bus but heads toward the wrong side first... There are hundreds more things like that. Honestly never watched anime before but they were the best.

[@princessthyemis]

Speaking of insanely wonderful details, when he shows the clip of Satsuki running at 3:51, her suspender strap slips and she moves it back to her shoulder. I've seen this movie a lot and NOT ONCE have I noticed that!! MIND BLOWN!

[@nomnom1126]

I became teary eyed watching this. I started loving Ghibli 5 years ago but it feels like it's with me ever since I've known existence.

[@waltah3067]

I just remember my first movie, howls moving castle. It was so beautiful and I was so amazed and wondered if there were any other insane studio ghibili. And oh, there were. My personal favorite, princess mononoke, was SUCH a good film and it was so well made and everything. I was so sad there was only 1 movie of that. There was also spirited away, which was amazing as well. Studio ghibili will always hold a place in my heart

[@mothpawbs027]

I absolutely adore the aesthetic and worldbuilding of Studio Ghibli, my two favorites are the bathhouse in Spirited Away and that sacred, mossy, watery place in Princess Mononoke

[@ItWasSaucerShaped]

5:48 there is just so much packed into this little scene. the details about the behavior of the character as she puts on her shoes, yes, but also how the scene conveys all of the little spirit guys/gals as a people, capturing a spectrum of personalities even though they don't have facial expressions or fashion or even vocalizations: the assertive ones are up front, and the more timid ones hide away and peek out to see what's happening and in so many animated films they would be static, but here they flow and move with the character it is just phenomenal work

[@rajatchopra1411]

pixar movies touch your heart, but Ghibli movies touch your soul!

[@abdulmunye4687]

I love video essays on Studio Ghibli

[@curesaul5749]

Studio Ghibli as a whole makes the most beautiful animation I have ever seen. Honestly I got lost just by watching the shots used for this video. Shots from many different types of films with many different stories. From fantasy to slice of life. There are many other Japanese studios that still master the beautiful fluid hand drawn style. It’s better than Hollywood’s REALISTIC CGI. While America may depend on cheep looking animation that is meant to be profitable. I really admire Japanese animation for the creativity and imagination. They still use what animation was always meant to look like, Immersive.

[@magipup7698]

Listening to you talk about studio ghibli's animation was therapeutic in a way, and I appreciate how much you appreciate animation as a medium, especially as someone who wants to study animation, it reminded me of why I had such a fascination with it in the first place.

[@TheJagoan1]

"Immerse realism".. that's the words I am looking for all this time to define the magic in every Ghibli films I watched.. thanks for sharing this one.. many thanks .

[@mariahcarbonell5268]

So...this is the reason for feeling the way I do everytime I watch ghibli films.. immersive realism..

[@Lostpanda123]

You did their work justice. Thank you for sharing your views with us.

[@missnekodes]

Studio ghibli makes me feel at ease. Its like you are in that world where you are enchanted by green and wind that's blowing away your worries. Its like you are in your world that you dreamt of. Its just the feeling of ease.

[@johndillinger5142]

My sister and I got are little cousins into Ghibli when they were little. The morals they teach kids paired with stunning artistry and wonderful philharmonic orchestra is so much better than Disney. The kids used Howl's like a lullaby to fall asleep to for year's. When that concerto starts it's blissful. Lots of great memories.

[@Junnybop]

Great pace of narration, I was engaged from start to end! Bravo!

[@LucasRebelo13]

every now and then I rewatch this video. It's so well written, presented, edited and it's about one of my biggest passions. Watching this brings me some kind of warmth to the heart. Wish you had dozens of videos like this one

[@damascus21]

For some reason i can't articulate, that shot of Ashitaka cutting off his topknot while his elders look visibly distraught in the background is one of my favorites in the whole Ghibli catalogue

[@VulpesVulpes42]

Everyone is talking about how great Studio Ghibli is, no one is talking about how polished this video is. Everything from the script to the editing is simply perfect.

[@Malik-Ibi]

We just thanks for it and suscribe