The Immersive Realism of Studio Ghibli

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.

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.



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.

[deptonebunthole]

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

[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.

[RamiFiveFive]

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.

[layschmaster]

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


I agree

[jmfjmf]

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.

[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..."

[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.

[k.o.]

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

[cometconfetti]

I was mesmerized by your words from start to finish.

[hisosonly]

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

[GeoffreyHammy]

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

[archenforever]

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.

[Danjovisagat]

Well recommended youtube. you got it right for once.

[stopandlisten]

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.

[ramblingrob]

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

[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.

[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?

[adenuristiqomah]

That's why Ghibli's films are so magical