Why Ghibli Succeeds Where Disney Fails

Disney films offer great morals and lessons for kids. But there's one place they fall short: showing what a kind world would look like. That's where Studio Ghibli & the Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece 'Kiki's Delivery Service' can show us how it's done.

#studioghibli #disney #hayaomiyazaki
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:55 - Part One: A Loving Supportive Community
18:05 - Part Three: The Lack of Good & Evil
27:58 - Part Four: Inside & Out

[TheSoak]

Yes, this is a reupload! Apologies for those who saw it the first time, but to explain the context: The original video was performing REALLY well on Youtube but then got hit with a takedown notice by Studio Ghibli, meaning it was no longer public. I had to fight a long legal battle to have it reinstated on the grounds of fair use (something Ghibli rejected initially), but it took 15 days for that to happen. In the meantime, YouTube treated the video as if it was public and getting 0 views, meaning it completely died in the algorithm. So, in the desperate hopes of kicking a video I really believe in back to life, this is now a re-upload with the hopes that it doesn't get flagged again! Appreciate your support and if you guys just wanna watch or leave it running again!

[chaossin]

I always thought Kiki's power loss was like creative burnout, hence the artist lady walking her through it. Like, monetize your passions and it'll often bog you down, right?

[Corga]

Tragedy, horror and despair don’t make me cry. I’m used to all that by now. What really makes me cry is hope. Seeing people be good to others because it’s the right thing to do is what makes me emotional in a cold, uncaring world.

[sunnysidesouffle]

I think another interesting thing is the movie represents womenhood in different stages
Kiki who is just coming into womanhood
The painter who is a young woman still figuring things out
The baker who is older and just beginning the next stage of her life as a soon to be mother and newly wed
Kikis mother who is older and more experienced in the role as well as being a witch
The grandmother who's children have grown but she still cares for her family
It reminds me of an animatic i once saw of a woman walking through the stages of life and walking alongside her own granddaughter guiding her into the future
Each woman brings an interesting perspective to kiki with their time and wisdom and all are able to relate to her strife and guide her through these rough beginning years giving her the tools to grow into her best self

[npu]

One Disney movie that positively surprised me and grew to become one of my favorites was Lilo & Stitch. It doesn't have that good vs evil story archetype either. The hardship the two sisters encounter are due to circumstances, not to fundamentally bad people. I loved it. No big adventures, no epic tale, no frightful beast to defeat to save the world, and still it was fun and heartwarming.

[froggybogs]

KiKi's delivery service isn't my favorite film, but this analysis and break down has given me a much greater appreciation of it as a whole. Ghibli films have always had a special place in my heart, particularly in the way that they help us love the mundane parts of life. Daily chores, cooking, and care for one's self and others are built up as things to enjoy and be celebrated, whereas in a lot of western entertainment these things "tie you down" and act as a barrier preventing the main character from achieving their dreams.

[SarcasticPossum]

Ghibli's works feels like stories that are being told to you by a loving relative you've known for a long time & genuinely love hearing them.

[elizabethmartin]

It’s kind of interesting that Kiki gets a female role model for each stage of adulthood. Ursula is a young adult working with her passion in life but not yet a full member of society (she lives alone in the woods). Osono has a steady job and is married with her first baby on the way, so she’s pretty settled in her life. Finally the Madam is an elderly woman who’s lived out most of her life, she may no longer be surrounded by her family but she isn’t alone, she has her maid and makes friends easily with Kiki. I love that the movie is about Kiki becoming an adult and she’s shown what that might entail one day, and that it will be alright.

[lou]

I showed this movie to my younger cousins under ten because it is my favourite for a lot of reasons (the message about art, passions, and works; the reflexions about self-confidence; the good vibe...) Around the moment when Kiki helps Osono, my cousins asked me when the villain will appear. At the moment, it made me chuckled and I asked them why the story needs a villain when Kiki is already struggling to find somewhere to live. Of course, they didn't have an answer and we continued to watch the movie because Kiki had just jumped off the cliff to fly. At the end, I was worried my cousins were too young for this movie and they got bored, but they had assured me they liked the movie and was up for another Ghibli. This shows exactly what you are talking about: a story doesn't need to be about good and evil fighting with the protagonist struggling in an unkind world, kids can enjoy slower movie with no one to fully put the blame on.

[lostsketchbook]

"Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living." I think this quote from Mononoke Hime sums up what all the Ghibli movies are all about. The reasons that keep us going.

[Psychize]

JiJi becoming a normal cat as Kiki matured always struck me as so sad. Yes she has this new life, but there is no going back 😢

[lethaison]

26:10 The granddaughter even recognizes Kiki and it is revealed that she talked about her at the party amongst her friends, who compliment and admire her for her independence from afar, which means she had no ill words or thoughts towards Kiki. So Kiki was the only one judging her negatively based on the small interaction that they had.

[DadCanJapan]

Living in Japan, I see this kindness every day. If I stop to take a picture, someone will come up and talk to me about it. If I accidentally drop a coin, another person will pick it up and give it back to me (and vice versa). I live in a city and yet numerous people will say "Ohayo gozaimasu (good morning)" as I walk through the park. To me, this is how life is in Japan.

[Snoozelightable]

I think teaching kids a sense of morals while also teaching children that the world is both beautiful and full of good people as well as having hostilities, that there are good people to protect from harm.

[Psysium]

Kindness without expectation of anything in return makes me cry. It's almost instant tears, both in media and real life. I'm not sure why that is, but it makes me yearn for a more compassionate world. Lovely video ❤

[evanrhildreth]

I remember the HATRED this film got in the 1990s. It came out the same year as Akira, and was always contrasted with Akira. The two anime clubs I belonged to in the 1990s were extremely sensitive about "We don't watch cartoons, we watch mature animation made for adults like Akira and Sailor Moon". I literally made one of the club presidents foam at the mouth by mentioning Miyazaki - "Miyazaki is a sell out" he ranted, "his movies aren't anime because they are kids movies".

At one year's "Anime Hell" event, where they show "bad" anime and club members jeer at the screen, they showed "My Neighbor Totoro" and at least half the clubs members showed up and absolutely hated on that film too!

Keep in mind, these clubs also shamed any members who used non-Japanese brand VHS tapes like Basf or Memorex. "Japanese tapes are formulated for anime" they claimed.

Fortunately the anime fandom today is nothing like it was in the 1990s, and Miyazaki is now revered as the master he is.

[AnimatorJuusoz]

16:42 To further nail the Disney vs Ghibli point home, the english translation for this film is actually done by Disney.

In the Disney version, when Kiki greets with "Hello, it's a nice evening, isn't it?", the witch responds with "It was", with clearly an annoyed tone, and has a higher than thou - attitude for the entire conversation. Kiki's cat (Gigi) comments on how much of a stuck up she was.

In the original japanese version, when Kiki greets the witch with the "Hello, it's a nice evening", the witch responds with just "Oh?", surprised to see another witch, after which they have a pretty friendly conversation and she wishes Kiki good luck on her journey. Gigi comments on how much of a stuck up her cat was.

[bakurascoffeeshop]

Its kinda like Kiki shows, what Tolkien wrote in LOTR. Normal People with small lives, small acts of kindness, no "big powers" involved:

“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? I don't know. Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.”
― Gandalf

[Oceanwaves-dl]

Tbh, I think the message is really "Not everything will go your way, there are negatives you will experience, but a positive attitude and the kindness of humanity ultimately gets us all far."
Not every single thing that happens in the movie is nice. Not everything goes in Kiki's favour. But this just makes the kindness of others even more significant and important. There's also having mistakes happen but instead of just crying and acting hopeless she comes up with a plan to make things work and has the help of others available. It's not a movie where the world or anyone (including the protagonist) is perfect. Honestly, a movie like that wouldn't get its message across as well. The fact Kiki experienced hardships through the movie meant that the kindness of others actually meant something _and_ that she could grow as a character.

[Seatorain]

The video brought tears to my eyes, to have someone recognize a movie that portrays kindness as something good and not something that could be taken for granted.