Ghibli is so ubiquitous that I accidentally started typing this in Ghibli font when I was trying to save the document under the same name. Yeah, there’s a font named after the iconic animation Japanese studio. Studio Ghibli is a filmmaker’s animation studio, much like bands that paved the way for other bands, such as The Gits or Pylon. Ghibliverse: Studio Ghibli Beyond the Films, books, music, manga and more-a guide to a magical world is a reference book with an opinion. It’s a research love letter featuring photographs of famous animators, hundreds of stills from movies and television shows, and dozens of images from the Ghibli Museum, showcasing an animation studio that produces work with its own distinctive style.
When you see anime from Studio Ghibli you immediately recognize it as such. You may not know what it is, but you know it’s different, can feel the love and quality in it, and seems like it’s the thing that you’ve heard about. You quickly file it away in its own unique category and make a note to watch some of the shows or read some of the manga that were created from the anime. Cultural inspiration and possible allusions for the day are checked off, what’s next?
Hold on there. Much like the music of opera legend Mario Lanza inspired heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio, you need to take a moment to look at the style of Studio Ghibli. If you’re down with Ghibli already, this is old hat, Ghibliverse: Studio Ghibli Beyond the Films is a book that preaches to the choir. The other day our 15 and 13-year-old were watching Young Frankenstein for the first time. It was about half way through when the eldest realized Marty Feldman’s character, whom himself paid homage to the original laboratory sidekick many generations earlier. It was also referenced in an episode (or two) of Phineas and Ferb.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a documentary from 2013 where filmmaker Mami Sunada was embedded at the Ghibli offices for one year. You do not need to be a Ghibli fan to enjoy that movie. It’s a well-made, behind-the-scenes, documentary about creativity, living life to its fullest, while watching influential people (in a sub-genre) tediously create something using a method that require more work, but whose efforts can be seen when you know what to look for. We’re a casual anime viewer, have seen a couple of Miyazaki films, but really enjoyed that documentary.
Hayao Miyazaki is the name most commonly floated around in Ghibliverse. Mickey has Disney and Ghibli has Miyazaki. There a core group of others too profiled in the book that fans of the studio will recognize and want more of. Ghibliverse is broken up into seven chapters, not including an introduction, glossary, additional reading, and credits. Each chapter is a rabbit hole of varying paths and interests that share the same admiration to the end product that is Ghibli.
Ghibliverse has a cover that’s wrapped in canvas, with its text and a catch-all illustration printed on it. It’s a personal thing, but I love books that have canvas printed covers. They’re tactile, irresistible not to touch and imagine the illustrations and words that lie within. If you’re already on Team Ghibli you know this journey, won’t require directions or cheese at the end of route in order to entice you there. This book does not assume that everyone is already drinking the anime-flavored Kool Aid.
Instead it sets up and establishes why the thing in question is respected, how its impacted pop culture, back stories that even non-fans will enjoy and more. Ghibliverse does not assume that you know much about the studios or anime. It’s not as basic as describing anime, but if you have a vague curiosity about the genre, are seeking an entertainment-based armchair travel book or just want to peek behind the cultural curtain, then this is for you.
Ghibliverse: Studio Ghibli beyond the films,Books, music, manga and more: a guide to a magical world is by Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, hosts of the Ghibliotheque podcast. The book is unofficial and unauthorized, and is available on Welbeck, an imprint of Headline Publishing Group Limited.
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