Studio Ghibli films aren’t famous because of their beautiful backgrounds and innocent characters. They are renowned worldwide because of how they tackle serious issues while simultaneously portraying the beauty of a slow life. No other animation studio has been able to capture the same essence except one Disney movie.
Lilo and Stitch, a 2002 Walt Disney Pictures production, is about a little Hawaiian girl who encounters a tiny blue alien and finds companionship in him. From the surface, it looks like a cartoon that promotes family values, but fans have been able to find its themes, storytelling, and backgrounds very similar to Ghibli films.
Lilo and Stitch Tackles Some Sensitive Topics Just Like Ghibli Movies
In order to find similarities between Lilo and Stitch and Ghibli productions, you first need to understand the core motifs that are portrayed in both. Different Ghibli movies tackle different societal issues that most studios are afraid to touch upon. Princess Mononoke shows a conflict between humans and nature, which is ethically complex. Castle in the Sky talks about the dangers of powerful weapons with atomic capabilities.
Grave of the Fireflies is a simple and straightforward anti-war movie that shows how countless lives perished during the World War bombings. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind shows the consequences of technological advancements in a post-apocalyptic world. Other than these, some recurring themes are women’s empowerment, environmentalism, love for family, and preservation of culture and others.
Now, let’s take a look at Lilo and Stitch’s painful undertones. Lilo and Nani suffered a tragic loss at a very early age, and the movie does an incredible job of portraying their struggles. Nani works hard to get them back on their feet, all the while the siblings deal with their grief.
Lilo’s sister should receive a special mention simply because of her self-sacrifice for her sister. She takes the role of a mother far too early and does everything in her power to support the wild world of imagination that Lilo carries.
The movie has two strong female leads and showcases the lush beauty of the Hawaiian landscape through its backgrounds. The Hawaiian culture is also pronounced throughout the story, while the preservation of family takes center stage.
Visual Similarity Between Lilo and Stitch and Ghibli Movies
Studio Ghibli movies are known for their hand-drawn animation as well as beautiful watercolor backgrounds. Lilo and Stitch also uses watercolor backgrounds to show the lush green beauty of Hawaii. They might also be considered some of the best backgrounds used by Disney. While movies like Lion King and The Jungle Book also use hand-drawn backgrounds, Lilo and Stitch steals the spotlight.
The landscape of Hawaii, along with little details of the forest and the culture, have all been accumulated in the film through the beautiful backgrounds. Studio Ghibli backgrounds are also considered gorgeous, not because they stand out but because they seamlessly blend in with the theme of the movie.
Kazuo Oga has painted many backgrounds for Ghibli and can be called one of the most influential figures in this department. His backgrounds are breathtaking and carry a soft quality that is often missing in digital art. Backgrounds should be subtle but create an atmosphere at the same time and both Lilo and Stitch and Studio Ghibli have excelled at it.
Backgrounds are often overlooked in animation series or movies, but often, it is backgrounds that make them breathtaking. This realization was implemented in Lilo and Stitch in 2002, and it should be no surprise that the movie was a box office success, grossing over $273 million worldwide.
You can watch Lilo and Stitch on Disney+, and most Ghibli movies are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
