QuoteIn what is being recieved as heartbreaking news for fans of anime, animation and film history in general, Studio Ghibli - the legendary Japanese animation studio most famous for bringing the works of Hayao Miyazaki to the world - will shut down its animation studio this year.General Manager Toshio Suzuki is reported to have confirmed the news earlier today on a Japanese news-talk show, sending shockwaves through the anime community despite the move having been heavily rumored since last year's high-profile retirement of Hayao Miyazaki and the box-office underperformance of The Tale of Princess Kaguya. The studios now-final production, When Marnie Was There, opened a month ago in Japan. According to Suzuki, the company will transition to focus on licensing and merchandising characters and trademarks from its various classic films, while maintaining a small staff for "Miyazaki projects," though without an animation studio it is unclear what such projects would entail.Founded in 1985 by Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Suzuki after the success of Naussica: Valley of The Wind, Ghibli is widely considered to be the Anime world's equivalent to Walt Disney. It produced world-recognized classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Laputa: Castle in The Sky and the Academy Award winning Spirited Away. The studio also co-produced the video game Ni no Kuni between 2010 and 2013 across various platforms.At this time, no information has been made available as to the plans of the studios other now-departing animators or of any previously in-production projects.
But yeah, with the retirement of Hayao Miyazaki, I don't really see what Ghibli could have lived from.Goro wasn't up to the task.Still, this is sad news.
damn this sucks. Spirited Away was possibly one of best and deepest animated films i've seen, period. Shame to hear the company is calling it quits but I guess that's life.
Sad to hear this, but all great things must come to an end.But I want to see the end later than sooner.
地獄の花 said, August 04, 2014, 01:18:04 ambetter to go down this way.Indeed, what with Hayao's retirement -- the man made something so resonating as Spirited Away. Might as well end it high.
damn what bad new to start the day well even if they close people wont forget there greatest workgoing to watch all there movie again
with hayao gone it's not really studio ghibli anymore anyway :/. As far as I am concerned he WAS the studio practically.
