A few years ago, there was a very niche audience for animated movies and TV shows. However, the popularity of the said genre has increased a lot, and Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli deserves a lot of credit for it.
Hayao Miyazaki has contemplated retirement several times, but he always ends up returning to the studio. A crucial reason behind it is the lack of a successor for his position at the studio as well. But is Studio Ghibli going to shut down soon? Miyazaki seems to believe in that.
Hayao Miyazaki Gives a Sad Update About Studio Ghibli’s Future
In 2014, Studio Ghibli temporarily shut down due to the retirement of director Hayao Miyazaki. Despite his brief retirement, Miyazaki is still the director of the animation studio.
Speaking of Miyazaki, Instagram account @retroscifiart recently posted a clip of the legendary director talking about the future of Studio Ghibli. The clip was originally from the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, where Miyazaki revealed that the future of the studio is bleak.
The future is clear. It’s going to fall apart. I can already see it. What the use worrying? It’s inevitable. ‘Ghibli’ is just a random name I got from an airplane. It’s only a name.
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If Studio Ghibli shuts down, it will essentially create a monopoly in the industry. After all, no small studio would be able to match the standards set by Disney.
Considering Disney’s animation style relies on technological advancements as compared to Ghibli’s traditional approach, it could be the end of the latter’s art.
While Miyazaki cannot see a good future for Ghibli, he’s currently working on multiple films, with the most recent one being The Boy and the Heron. The film was released in Japan in July 2023 and is currently gearing up for a release in the USA on December 08, 2023.
Is Studio Ghibli Sold?
Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli has produced some iconic animated films, such as Spirited Away. The studio saw the most success under the leadership of co-founder and director Miyazaki.
But it goes without saying that the studio needed a worthy successor for continued excellence. Previously, Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Gorô Miyazaki stepped up to fill his father’s gigantic shoes.
Unfortunately, it proved indeed too much for him to fulfill the task. As a result, Studio Ghibli was sold to Nippon TV. The deal took place in September 2023, and now Nippon TV holds the controlling stake in the renowned studio.
While the deal could revamp Studio Ghibli, it could also become the reason why the studio meets its end after being operational since 1985.
