Studio Ghibli, established in 1985 during the production of "Castle in the Sky" by Tokuma Shoten, primarily produces feature-length animated films for theaters, directed by Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao. The name "Ghibli" refers to a hot Sahara Desert wind and was inspired by an Italian reconnaissance plane, reflecting Miyazaki's aim to revolutionize Japanese animation. Ghibli's unique focus on original theatrical films, despite the high risks compared to television animation, has set it apart in the industry. The studio's inception followed the success of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," and its history is marked by the directors' commitment to high-quality, expressive animation, often under challenging conditions.
Inclusion in the Japanese Film Industry
Studio Ghibli produced "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Grave of the Fireflies" simultaneously, releasing them as a double feature in April 1988. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata respectively, this ambitious project placed significant strain on the production team as they aimed to improve the quality of both films. Yasuyoshi Tokuma, the president of Ghibli and Tokuma Shoten, played a crucial role by deciding to adapt "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" into a film and establishing Ghibli. Despite initial distribution challenges and less-than-stellar box office results due to a non-peak release period, both films received critical acclaim. "My Neighbor Totoro" won numerous Japanese film awards, and "Grave of the Fireflies" was praised as a literary film, solidifying Ghibli's reputation. Unexpectedly, Totoro stuffed toys became a huge hit two years later, aiding in recouping production costs and leading to Totoro becoming Ghibli's logo. Ghibli maintains a policy of prioritizing film content over merchandising, ensuring that products are created post-release.
Ghibli Season 2 Begins
In the early 1990s, Studio Ghibli entered its second phase following the commercial success of Miyazaki's 1989 film "Kiki's Delivery Service," which drew 2.64 million viewers and became the top Japanese film of the year. This success led to internal discussions about the studio's future, focusing on improving staff conditions and organizational structure. Ghibli, previously using a "piecework system," decided to convert staff into full-time employees with fixed salaries and to regularly hire and train new talent. This change aimed to address the low wages and harsh conditions experienced by staff.
Producer Suzuki became a full-time Ghibli employee during this period, transitioning from his role as editor-in-chief of "Animage." As Ghibli worked on Takahata's "Only Yesterday," released in 1991 and also a top Japanese film, the studio achieved its goals of increased wages and new hires, but faced soaring production costs, which nearly doubled due to the wage increase.
The rising costs led Ghibli to focus more on advertising and strategic planning to match audience numbers with increased production expenses. Toru Hara's "3H" concept—HIGH COST, HIGH RISK, HIGH RETURN—summed up the new reality: spending heavily to produce high-quality work while managing risks. Despite financial pressures and the need for continuous production, Ghibli started working on "Porco Rosso," leading to Miyazaki taking on the production almost single-handedly, highlighting the studio's intense demands and growing challenges.
