Hayao Miyazaki Short Films: Mei and the Kittenbus (2003)

Here are some photos from the 2003 Ghibli Museum short film Mei and the Kittenbus. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this is a sequel of sorts to the beloved children's classic My Neighbor Totoro.

Mei and the Kittenbus is fairly short, roughly ten minutes. In the first sequence, young Mei playing around her family house until she discovers a new friend, the "kittenbus," who is a pint-sized version of Catbus. The two play and frolic around and have a good time.

In the second sequence, Mei is awakened at night by Kittenbus, who takes her on a journey, where they discover dozens of "cat buses" of all shapes and sizes, and populated by hundreds of large Totoros. Everyone is joining together to meet the elder Catbus, the oldest and largest of them all (and voiced by Miyazaki himself). Here, Mei is reunited with Totoro, who is still carrying his umbrella.

Everyone is happy and cheerful. Mei is returned to her home, and the story ends.

While this film, like all the Ghibli Museum short films, remain exclusively in Japan, Westerners can purchase the official art books, which include large screenshots detailing the stories. These are nice collectibles and very valuable for scholars who wish to discover this little-known aspect of Studio Ghibli.

Will Mei and the Kittenbus ever be shown outside of Japan? Not likely, at least not while Miyazaki is still alive. The museum was created with a decidedly non-commercial approach, deliberately avoiding the mass consumerism of a Disneyland. Because of this, the museum's short films are intended to be seen only there, with no possibility of a home video release.

Even after Miyazaki passes (hopefully not for many more years), Toshio Suzuki will likely still honor his friend's wishes. Whoever ends up controlling Studio Ghibli after the original founders are gone will likely decide the fate of these movies. But that's not a conversation we're ready to have, for obvious reasons. I'll gladly prefer to keep these movies in the vault in exchange for keeping Miyazaki around a little longer.

Hayao Miyazaki Short Films: Imaginary Flying Machines (2002)

Imaginary Flying Machines (Kuusou no Sora Tobu Kikaitachi) is a 2002 short film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and created exclusively for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan. It is devoted to Miyazaki's favorite subject, aircraft. The visual imagery evokes Jules Verne, Fritz Lang, Albert Robida, and what is known as "steampunk." The many flying machines, real and very imagined, are some of the most dazzling of the director's career.

This film was a companion piece to a Ghibli Museum exhibit titled, "Castle in the Sky and Imaginary Science Fiction Machines." This exhibit used Studio Ghibli's inaugural film as starting point for examining, and romanticizing, the early years of flight.  One animated sequence actually shows Pazu putting the finishing touches to his aircraft that we saw in the 1986 movie. And to a great extent, Imaginary Flying Machines plays out like an extension of Laputa's title sequence (the theme song plays in my head when I look at these images).

The extravagent painterly style, the use of pig characters, including Miyazaki's voice-over narration, all evoke the feel of Miyazaki's manga comics. There is usually a dividing line between his comics and his animated movies; in terms of complex compositions, framing and layouts, detailed cross-sections of machines, more evident use of pencil and brushstrokes. One can easily see the comics form as Miyazaki's true vision, the goal his animations aspire to reach. And here is a rare opportunity where the two forms meet; perhaps this is only attainable in short-form animation? Time and budgetary pressures for feature-length animation would probably make this visual style impossible.

It's important to remember just how recent an invention aircraft are, and how old the dream of flight lived in the human imagination. Miyazaki's visions aim back to those older romanticisms, those lofty dreams of what it must be like to fly like birds, and dance among the clouds. The reality of commercial flight, by contrast, feels mundane, almost ordinary. A flight from Minneapolis to New York is no different than a ride on the light rail train to the Mall of America, or a bus trip to Dinkytown. It's all so damned boring and soulless, the product of a boring and soulless civilization. I would much rather take a ride on Miyazaki's imaginary flying machines, thank you very much.

I have no doubt that, one day, we will have a home video collection of all the Ghibli Museum short films. On that day, Imaginary Flying Machines will achive its much-deserved fame. This movie deserves to be seen.

More screenshots (taken from the Ghibli Museum book) appear after the jump break:

Ghibli Museum Sketching Set - Miyazaki Teaches You How To Paint

The Ghibli Museum Sketching Set is a ready-made watercolor painting kit available at the museum's "Mama Aiuto" shop. Available since 2003, this kits includes a pencil, pencil sharpener, paintbrush, palette, sketchbook, and a full-color booklet drawn by Hayao Miyazaki, detailing instructions and advice for all beginning artists.

The 24 paints included in this set were personally chosen by Miyazaki, and reflect the choice of colors used in his work. These differ slightly from the standard 24-paint set supplied by Holbein, who worked with Studio Ghibli for this package (along with Mitsubishi Uni, Staedler, Tokyo Namura, Sakura and Fo-Homo).

What a brilliant idea to introduce children to the world of drawing and painting. It's also a very smart move for the long term; many children who pick up and play with the Sketching Set will one day become professional animators and artists. I wish something like this were available here in the US. I would buy kits for everyone in my family, and also one for myself.

For those who want to recreate this watercolor kit on their own, here are the 24 colors selected by Miyazaki:

1. Crimson Lake
2. Opera
3. Vermilion
4. Yellow Ocher
5. Permanent Yellow Lemon
6. Permanent Yellow Deep
7. Permanent Yellow Orange
8. Permanent Green No.1
9. Permanent Green No.3
10. Cadmium Green Deep
11. Cobalt Green Yellow Shade
12. Cobalt Blue Hue
13. Cerulean Blue
14. Ultramarine Deep
15. Compose Blue
16. Prussian Blue
17. Bright Violet
18. Light Red
19. Burnt Umber
20. Burnt Sienna
21. Ivory Black
22. Yellow Gray
23. Violet Gray
24. Davis Gray

We snuck a peek at one of the pages from Miyazaki's comic instruction manual in a recent post. Now let's take a look at some more pages, including the cover. Dedicated fans will recognize the house on the cover: it's the Grandfather's house from Heidi, Girl of the Alps (that house was based on a real-life house discovered during location scouting in 1973). Miyazaki himself appears, as he always does in his manga comics, as the pig character (now with a beard).

The first section of this booklet details instructions in the use of watercolor paints, some helpful advice, and an introduction to basic color theory (mixing is an essential skill). I especially enjoy this part, which feels like an art lesson by Miyazaki himself. Who wouldn't want that?

The second section is devoted to Image Boards, which are early versions of storyboards used in animation productions. This is how Hayao Miyazaki creates and refines his movies, through hundreds or thousands of highly detailed image boards. His work in scene design and layout in the 1960s and 1970s (Horus and Heidi, most famously) proved essential to his career as writer-director. And manga comics have always been his first love.

The two examples of image boards shown here were drawn by Miyazaki for a series of House Foods commercials that aired in Japan. These short commercials were included in the (now OOP) Ghibli ga Ippai Special: Short Short DVD. There's also a long story behind the man who sings the song in that ad, another project that Miyazaki was deeply involved in, that was released as a documentary feature DVD, again in Japan. We'll try to remember to detail that in a future Ghibli Blog post.

One final note: There's a dog character in the booklet who stands next to Miyazaki (the pig). I've seen him in a couple other Miyazaki comics, but I'm not sure who he's supposed to be. Does he represent an actual person? Is he a throwback to Watson from Sherlock Hound? Or is he just a recurring character? Any working theories would be welcome.

Ghibli Reveals Plans for Tokyo Anime Fair 2012

Studio Ghibli has revealed their plans for the 2012 Tokyo Anime Fair.  The fair runs March 22-25, and is a popular venue for announcing new movie projects and exhibitions.  This year is no exception.

The biggest announcement will be From Up on Poppy Hill on Blu-Ray and DVD.  Goro Miyazaki's film was Japan's highest-grossing domestic film of 2011, and is currently playing in theaters in France.  This newest addition to Ghibli's prestigious Blu-Ray library.  Cover design and packaging will also be unveiled at the Tokyo show in March.

 Leading the lineup of museum exhibitons will be a new show featuring Ghibli friend (and Evangelion director), Hideaki Anno.  "Director Hideaki Anno's Japanese Special Effects Museum: craftsmanship of Showa & Heisei Eras Looked Thru Miniatures" will arrive at the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art, Summer 2012.

The Ghibli Museum will have exhibits honoring American artist and Disney designer Mary Blair, and Canadian animation legend Frederic Back.  The Ghibli Museum's latest release, "Tales of the Night," will also be shown at the Tokyo Anime Fair.  All in all, this promises to be an exciting event.

Ghibli Short Films at Carnegie Hall - A Report

Reader and Ghibli Freak Otto chimes attended the screenings of two Ghibli Museum short films at Carnegie Hall on March 26.  Many thanks to him for writing a detailed report on the experience.  His report from New York continues after the jump:

Ghibli Blog News Roundup

* The Tokyo International Anime Fair is March 24-27. Studio Ghibli will have a booth, where they will feature Kokuriko-Zaka Kara, the Arrietty the Borrower DVD, and the Frederick Beck exhibition at Tokyo's Museum of Contemporary Art. No word as of yet whether the Arrietty Blu-Ray will also be shown.

Update 9:30am: The Tokyo International Anime Fair has been canceled, due to the earthquake. This news comes from the official website, and was reported this morning on Anime News Network.

* Japanese network NTV will air a special documentary on March 21, "Studio Ghibli Story." According to NTV, a never-before-seen alternate ending to Princess Mononoke will be shown, although it is uncertain whether this will be in the form of a script, an image board or storyboard. We will try to have some footage when it airs.

* The Ghibli Museum will extend its current screening of Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess, until May 22, due to popular demand.

* The Ghibli Museum's newest exhibit, dedicated to Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist, is now open. The film will play in Japanese theatres as part of the Ghibli Museum label. You can view the official webpage here.

* Fine Molds will be releasing a scale model kit of the giant robot from Castle in the Sky in Japan this April. This looks very nice! They also have a figurine of Pazu. Now I want to watch the Blu-Ray again (which looks spectacular, btw).

* Hayao Miyazaki's book, "Houses Where Totoro Lives," received a new revised edition, featuring a new interview and image boards of "A-san's Garden." The garden is a park located at the site of the "Totoro House," a replication of the home in My Neighbor Totoro, which was destroyed by fire. This segment from a Japanese documentary includes footage fro the Totoro House.

* Miyazaki's favorite book, Tsuneichi Miyamoto's "The Forgotten Japanese," was recently translated into English and is now available at Amazon. The translator and folklorist, Jeffrey Irish, wrote an essay in the March issue of Ghibli's Neppu Magazine, March issue.

* T. Ishikawa, our Tokyo correspondent, writes to say that he and his family are alive and well in Saitama, which is nearby Tokyo. It also happens to be where the Miyazaki family lives. And, yes, I have been tempted to send him there with a rescue package from Hickory Farms, or that Wisconsin cheese shop at the Mall of America.

We're glad that Ishikawa-san is safe. Not many Ghibli fans in the West realize it, but this guy is probably responsible for more news from Japan than any single individual. He's our "Man on the Inside." Maybe I should probably get him a Ghibli Blog press pass and send him to free screenings?

Ghibli Museum Short Films at Carnegie Hall March 26

On March 26, Carnegie Hall will be screening two of Hayao Miyazaki's short films from the Ghibli Museum.  Yadosagashi (House Hunting) and Mizugumo Mon Mon (Mon Mon the Water Spider), both from 2006, will be shown outside Japan for the first time.  This is an extremely rare chance for Americans to see these magnificent films without traveling to the Ghibli Museum.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend, so if anyone is planning to go and wants to file a news report, please contact me.  If only there were any professional animators living in New York...

Tickets are still available for $15, and the films will be shown at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.  You can order tickets online here.

Hayao Miyazaki Short Films: Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess (2010)

Ladies and gentlemen, the newest animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess (Pan-Dane to Tamago-Hime).  This short film was released to the Ghibli Museum on November 20, 2010, and is also paired with an accompanying exhibit.

What we are looking at is the official art book that serves as a companion piece to the film. It all looks so spectacular; of course, we already expect this. It's Miyazaki. I'm thrilled to see him continue his surrealist streak; you can see how happily he has settled into his grandfather role.

At its core, Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess asks the question, "How is bread made?" The idea is examined through the wild, imaginitive eyes of a small child. Cooking becomes magic. Ingredients become alchemy. Leavened bread becomes alive. The miracle of creation is on display, weaving through waking eyes and the imagination. Miyazaki has a way of making the natural world seem magical that is wholly unique. Perhaps it's because I hail from Minnesota that I can identify with this quality so much. American animators should aspire to this.

Little details are to be found everywhere in these photographs. I'm sure the animation is a joy to watch. The shot of the breadman crawling out of the oven is a riff from the giant robot in Castle in the Sky. The animal farmers remind me a lot of Richard Scarry's animals, which I loved as a small child. On the final photo, you can spot Miyazaki-the-Pig, and is that Heidi seated at a table with some bread? Yes, it is! And I marvel at the brilliant contrast between the large witch - a surreal, messy cousin to the witchy women in Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle - and the Egg Princess, who is a textbook example of simplicity in action. This 10-minute cartoon is amazing in its diversity. Am I right to suspect that some of Miyazaki's greatest anime resides in these Ghibli Museum short films?

You'll have to click on the photos to seem them in the proper size. The color and detail is exquisite; our thanks go out to the forums at Buta Connection in France. No doubt copies of the art book will be sold on Ebay; like every dedicated Miyazaki fan, I am determined to collect all of them. What an amazing movie.

Anne of Green Gables Trailer

Here is the trailer for Ghibli Museum Library's presentation of Anne of Green Gables.  It is scheduled for release on the same day as Arrietty, July 17.  The first six episodes of the series were edited into a feature-length format by Isao Takahata himself, marking his first official involvement in a Ghibli film project since Winter Days in 2003.

If I didn't know better, I'd say Ghibli was prepping the public for Takahata's long-awaited return to the cinema.  It has been over a decade since My Neighbors the Yamadas, after all.  At least, I hope this is what it means.

Poster - Lupin III Series One (Ghibli Museum Library)

This is the official poster for the movie release of Lupin III Series One in 2009 for the Ghibli Museum Library.  This isn't a full-length movie, but three episodes of the original 1971-72 television series.

The three episodes shown are from the later Takahata-Miyazaki episodes, when they were brought in by A Productions after its earlier, grittier episodes directed by Osumi Masaki, which were met with low ratings.  Ordered to change the tone of the show, and compelled to bring their own stamp on the series, Takahata and Miyazaki introduced tighter scripts, more integrated characters, and more overt slapstick comedy and less (read: no) sex.

After two seasons and 23 episodes, Lupin III was cancelled for lack of ratings, a situation every Star Trek fan can relate to.  But don't worry, say the Trekkies.  The fans will pass along the tapes and the popularity will grow and grow.  And it did.  Lupin III is now one of the most popular and iconic characters in anime.

(Oh, btw, Lupin III Series One is now available on Blu-Ray in Japan.  Can we bring in the fansub community on this one?  We already have subtitles for the DVD version, so it shouldn't be too difficult.  Of course, it would be even better if I could just buy this in a store...hint, hint!  Fat chance on that happening.)

Poster - Panda Kopanda (Ghibli Museum Library)

This is the 2008 movie poster for Panda Kopanda, as part of the Ghibli Museum Library series. This is Ghibli's showcase for international animation that is beloved by the studio, especially the founding directors. In addition to other's works, Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki's earlier films are included. Panda Kopanda was the first, followed by Lupin III: Series One in 2009. Anne of Green Gables is the newest inclusion, and will be released on July 17, 2010.

These films are given a very limited release - a single theatre screen, in fact. DVD and Blu-Ray releases soon follow, except for Lupin III, which is available in Japan on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Panda Kopanda was once available in the US by Pioneer under the title, "Panda Go Panda." The DVD has been out of print for a number of years, and there doesn't seem to be much interest in bringing it back. Not sexy or violent or modern enough for today's anime crowd, I suppose. Sigh. Here is another no-brainer for Disney and Pixar.

I really dig this poster. It's taken from Miyazaki's original layout drawings for the movie, which were, in turn, based heavily on the doomed Pipi Longstockings project.

Ghibli Museum Short Films - Mei and the Kittenbus (2003)

Behold, the most beloved Miyazaki anime that you will never see. This is Mei and the Kittenbus, created in 2003 exclusively for the Ghibli Museum. I think it's safe to say this is by far the most popular and beloved of all the Museum's short films.

Mei and the Kittenbus runs 15 minutes, and pairs younger sister Mei (voiced by the original actress, Sakamoto Chinatsu) with a pint-sized Kitten Bus, as they run and fly around the house and surrounding woods. Totoro, naturally, appears once again, but this time he is joined by massive crowds of fellow Totoros, and Cat Buses of all sizes and stripes. The biggest surprise is the arrival of a giant, old Catbus, carrying dozens of Totoros. Hayao Miyazaki himself provides the voice.

This film, like all of the other Ghibli Museum short films, is not available outside of Japan. Miyazaki intends these movies solely for the children of the Museum, free from consumer capitalism and commercialism. Fortunately, it is screened regularly, including this summer, so if you are planning a trip to Japan to see Arrietty, be sure to make your pilgrimmage. Fortunately, for the rest of us, Ghibli does sell art books of all their shorts, which means we can enjoy Mei and the Kittenbus from a distance.

Heidi Exhibit at the Ghibli Museum

Here is another terrific glimpse inside the Ghibli Museum. This video segment is from a Japanese tv show, where the young hostess gives us a peek inside (no cameras are allowed inside the museum). This episode was broadcast while the museum's exhibit was dedicated to Heidi, Girl of the Alps, one of the seminal masterpieces of anime.

Funny enough, this clip is dubbed and subtitled into Spanish, presumably for broadcast in a Spanish-speaking region. The Heidi exhibit would be instantly recognized just about anywhere, as it was exported throughout the globe in the 1970s. Everywhere, of course, except the United States.

There's one very interesting shot of an old photograph from that period. The camera gives a closeup of Heidi's three main creators: layout artist Hayao Miyazaki, character designer Yoichi Kotabe, and director Isao Takahata. They were each in their 30's when the series was created. They look so very young; at least Miyazaki and Kotabe do. Takahata, it seems, has always looked old. Must be the genius; he radiates a wisdom far, far beyond his years.

Someone should take a screenshot of that closeup and pass it around. We have so few photographs of when they were young.

The Ghibli Museum (Video w/Subs)

For all dedicated Ghibli Freaks, the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan is the Mecca. You must make your pilgrimmage at least once in your lives.

I think I read one US film critic refer to this museum as Hayao Miyazaki's answer to Disneyland, which is one of those ridiculous throwaway sentiments born from pure ignorance. It says more about the American need to identify all animators as The Next Walt Disney. Miyazaki, of course, is not Disney, nor does he aspire to be. They share a profession and an artform, which is like saying The Wizard of Oz and The Third Man are the same thing because they're both live-action movies. This has always been a pet peeve of mine, and it speaks volumes about the poverty of language in America when it comes to animation.

If you want an idea of what the Ghibli Museum is like, take a look at this segment from the Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum DVD. This is a documentary about the museum, its construction and inspiration, hosted by Isao Takahata with Goro Miyazaki, then the museum's director. There are also cameo appearances by John Lasseter and Yuri Norstein (he even appears on the cover, a nice honor).

This museum always reminds me more of a grand treehouse, or maybe a University art department. It's a place that feels liveable, as though you could sign the lease and move in for the next semester. This is not a temple to commercialism, but a shrine to animation as art.

As you can see, this DVD does include English subtitles, which is immensely helpful as always. If I had the chance to meet Miyazaki during his recent California visits, I would most definitely thank him for the Ghibli DVD subtitles.

Hayao Miyazaki Short Films: Koro's Big Day Out (2003)

Let's take a look at one of Hayao Miyazaki's most interesting phases of his long career: the six short films created exclusively for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan.

When the Ghibli Museum was created, a small movie theater was designed where children could watch animated short films created by the studio, usually around 15-20 minutes in length. These films would be exclusive to the museum, never to be seen anywhere else, and never to released commercially. These treasures would stay underground, in the charming Saturn Theater, free from the grip of materialism and commercialism.

To date, six short films have been produced by Studio Ghibli; all of them directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The first three were created in 2003: Koro's Big Day Out, The Whale Hunt, and Mei and the Kittenbus. The second three were created in 2006: The Day I Harvested a Star, House Hunting, and Monmon the Water Spider. Let's take a look at the first movie, Koro's Big Day Out.

These photos come from the official movie book, which is on sale in Japan, and can be found on Ebay for about $25 USD. For most of us, this is the closest we will come to seeing these great movies. These are just like the official art books that are released for Ghibli's feature films, with spectacular artwork and illustrations, as well as commentary on the production.

Koro's Big Day Out is a story of a small puppy who runs loose from his owner, a young girl in a Tokyo suburb. Koro explores the city, meets various people who kindly take him in, including a young woman on a bicycle, a neighboring family and their old dog, and delivery driver in his moving van. At the end of the day, Koro reaches his home, and runs into the arms of the little girl who was been searching for him.

This is a marvelous little story, perfect for its format, perfect for its audience. There's a simplicity that Miyazaki is comfortable with. Compare this to his lavish, epic movie spectaculars, and you see a careful restraint. Here is a skilled storyteller who doesn't feel the need to prove anything to himself or to others. He already has his outlet in features like Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle.

In a sense, I think Koro's Big Day Out evokes the smaller canvases of Ghibli's earlier films. It's a small story, based on a simple idea from everyday life. It's about experience and discovery and not about plot or exposition. These qualities connect much more with children, I believe. They can relate to the perky puppy in the big city. Compare this to Disney's 2009 feature, Bolt, and you'll spark some insightful discussions.

Judging from the artbook, the look of this movie is spectacular. It fits in perfectly with Ghibli's animated shorts of this decade, which moved further away from the classical style of the earlier features, more towards the style of children's storybook illustrations. Isao Takahata's My Neighbors the Yamadas was the breatkthrough for this movement, and this direction towards a new art style grew and developed among the Ghibli shorts for many years. Today, we finally see this unique, colorful hand-drawn style in Miyazaki's Ponyo.

I don't think many Westerners are aware just how firmly grounded in real life Ghibli's films are. We tend to look upon Miyazaki's films as Disney-esque fantasy, interpreting through the old American paradigms. But Ghibli is all about finding "magic" and mystery in our modern, everyday world. These are works that inspire the imagination; you want to run outside in the sunshine and wander around the city, explore the countryside, and embrace the mystery of the world.

Ghibli Museum Art Book

This little gem is the official art book that commemorated the opening of the Ghibli Museum in Japan. I found this item on Ebay, and if you're so willing, you might want to buy it before I do.

These illustrations all seem to come from Miyazaki's hand, depicted in that loose-yet-skillful drawing style of his. Having them in watercolor is an extra bonus, because we never get enough of his comics art in watercolor. For the Ghibli fan, this is a rare item, indeed. Consider yourself very lucky and fortunate if you manage to collect a copy.

You can click on the photos for a larger view. These are some wonderful illustrations, full of detail and life and color. Miyazaki's mastery of layout and composition shines through here; this, really, was his first love. He originally aspired to be a manga author. But he answered that newspaper ad for the Toei Toga studio instead, way back in 1963. And, as the old cliche goes, the rest is history.

Am I the only one would would give anything to live in a home like this? I think if fortune shined upon me, and I made enough money, I'd build a home in the countryside exactly like this. I might just hand these illustrations as ready-made blueprints.

Video Clip - Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum

Looks like YouTube delivers the goods once again.  I didn't see any other segments from the Ghibli Museum DVD, but this one runs six minutes.  Enjoy, kids.

Movie Review: Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum (2005)

Since my last post mentioned this, I should give this DVD a proper explanation. Released in Japan in 2005, Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibl Museum is a documentary about the studio's famous museum in Mitaka, Japan. It remains something of a Mecca for Ghibli Freaks throughout the world.

The video is narrated by Isao Takahata, who walks us around with Goro Miyazaki, who has run the museum for many years. I know he passed the baton to someone else during the production of Gedo Senki, but I don't know if that move was permanent. His time would be more wisely spent learning from the masters at the studio instead, especially if he hopes for a future as a film director.

This documentary gives us a good opportunity to learn something about Goro, try to gauge what sort of person he is. There was a lot of dirty laundry aired during the production of his picture, and I think he came away damaged by the experienced. The backlash in Japan was very real and it's hard to say whether the public will warm up to him in the future. If Goro thought he was under a lot of pressure before, just wait until he begins his second movie. That will truly be the thing that makes or breaks him, and will sharply determine the future of Studio Ghibli.

I'm probably getting away from the script here. But this is a genuine concern for the fans, and there's still a great deal of mystery around the man. I'm sure if we were able to visit the Ghibl Museum and find Goro Miyazaki standing there, we'd be more interested in learning more about him than anything else in the place.

Anyway, this video goes into detail on the museum, its art motifs, its European style which stretches back to the productions of Heidi and Marco in the 1970's. We see the intimate degree that location scouting played in the design of Takahata's and Miyazaki's productions. The influence of the Neorealists looms large, possibly the single greatest influence on the filmmakers. Even today, the hard work and dedication learned from the days of Heidi, Marco and Anne are present in every Ghibli animation.

As you can see from the cover, that is the great Yuri Norstein at the museum, resting next to the giant robot from "Farewell Beloved Lupin" and Castle in the Sky. Friends and mentors alike arrive to pay their respects, including our own John Lasseter. Hopefully, he's taking notes. I'd really prefer to see a Pixar museum that was designed like this place, a strange brew of playground and university art college, than something purely commercial (sorry, Disneyland). Once again, I find myself presented with something imaginative and brilliant, but completely alien to America.

What does Lasseter think of this place? What elements inspire him? What does he point to when he seeks to discover a new idea? What happens when the Pixar artists congregate here? Will we see influence in their work? Will we one day see this sandbox art museum here in the States? Could they even pull it off if they tried? Or would the corporate suits dig their claws into everything and poison the artists' original vision?

There isn't a whiff of commercialism anywhere near the Ghibli Museum. Miyazaki consciously created something that was pure art, creativity for its own sake. This isn't an elaborate pyramid scheme to program children to obediently shell out endless sums of money. Merchandizing! Merchandizing!

Museum exhibits routinely include works from around the world (yes, including Pixar), going into immense detail. The aim is to inspire children young and old to create. Ghibli also has produced many short films exclusively for this venue. Miyazaki has created several shorts over the years; the Totoro semi-sequel Mei and the Kittenbus would likely be the most famous. But they are not intended for commercial screenings. You won't find them at the multiplex, and there won't be any DVDs. Miyazaki is strictly adamant about that. The only way you'll ever discover these films is to see them at the museum.

Such a unique place. Has there ever been a place or time when the artists held complete control for so long? It's completely unheard of in the movie business. It's almost like a vision from some other world, some long lost land. I wasn't joking when I said the Ghibli Museum is a Mecca for the Ghibli Freaks of the world. Sooner or later, you simply must suck in your gut and make your pilgrimmage. Either that or hand in your membership card. Really is that simple.