{"id":171449,"date":"2024-05-07T18:34:24","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T18:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=171449"},"modified":"2024-05-09T03:42:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T03:42:12","slug":"studio-ghibli-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/film-and-tv\/studio-ghibli-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Studio Ghibli\u2019s Rich History Through a Queer Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Studio Ghibli’s <a href=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/film-and-tv\/top-movies-of-2024-exciting-releases-and-big-stars\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">movies<\/a> frequently feature strong female characters that resonate deeply with queer audiences, despite a lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a brief history detailing why the studio\u2019s films strongly appeal to the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n <!-- <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n jQuery(document).ready(function() {\r\n jQuery(\".key-accordion-item .key-menu\").on(\"click\", function() {\r\n if (jQuery(this).parent().hasClass(\"active\")) {\r\n jQuery(this).next().slideUp();\r\n jQuery(this).parent().removeClass(\"active\");\r\n } else {\r\n jQuery(\".key-content\").slideUp();\r\n jQuery(\".key-accordion-item\").removeClass(\"active\");\r\n jQuery(this).parent().addClass(\"active\");\r\n jQuery(this).next().slideDown();\r\n }\r\n });\r\n })\r\n <\/script> -->\r\n\r\n\r\n <!-- start html -->\r\n\r\n <div class=\"news-key-takeaway-wapper\">\r\n <span style=\"background-color:#4db2ee;\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\r\n <ul class=\"news-key-nbox\" style=\"border-color:#4db2ee;background-color:rgba(77, 178, 238, 0.1);\">\r\n <li>Despite minimal explicit representation, Studio Ghibli films have a huge queer fanbase, resonating deeply with LGBTQ+ themes of identity, belonging, and transformation.<\/li>\r\n <li>Ghibli\u2019s strong, non-conformist characters like Ursula, Moro, and Howl have become queer icons, celebrated for their individuality and outsider status.<\/li>\r\n <li>While past films have nuanced queer subtexts, the future holds potential for more explicit LGBTQ+ representation in Studio Ghibli's works.<\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \n<h2>The Enigmatic Appeal of Studio Ghibli to the Queer Community<\/h2>\n<p>Studio Ghibli\u2019s films, <b>known for their rich storytelling and beautiful animation<\/b>, have captivated audiences globally for over four decades.<\/p>\n<p>These films often feature a blend of child-like wonder and mature themes, including <b>environmentalism, religion, and Japanese history.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Intriguingly, Studio Ghibli has also garnered a considerable queer following, despite a general <b>lack of overt LGBTQ+ representation<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>The appeal to queer audiences can be partially attributed to Ghibli’s portrayal of <b>strong, independent female protagonists<\/b> who \u2014 while not explicitly queer \u2014 embody qualities that resonate with gay audiences.<\/p>\n<p>Characters like Kaguya from <i>The Tale of the Princess Kaguya<\/i> and Nausica\u00e4 from <i>Nausica\u00e4 of the Valley of the Wind<\/i> are revered for their courage and resilience, <b>qualities many in the LGBTQ+ community find inspiring.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>Queer Icons and Hidden Narratives in Ghibli Films<\/h2>\n<p>Studio Ghibli subtly includes characters that have become queer icons, often highlighted by the queer community’s adeptness at identifying with or rooting for “secret” queer characters.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Ursula in <i>Kiki\u2019s Delivery Service<\/i> represents a free-spirited artist who helps Kiki realize her potential, symbolizing a queer mentorship.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, the <b>portrayal of Moro, the Wolf Goddess in <\/b><b><i>Princess Mononoke<\/i><\/b>, voiced by Akihiro Miwa \u2014a renowned drag queen and LGBTQ+ pioneer in Japan \u2014 adds a layer of queer significance to her character, emphasizing themes of chosen family and outsider identity.<\/p>\n<h2>Challenging Gender Norms and Embracing Queer Identities<\/h2>\n<p>Ghibli films often explore themes that resonate with the queer experience, such as <b>transformation, identity, and the rejection of societal norms.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Characters like Nausica\u00e4 and the shape-shifting raccoons of <i>Pom Poko<\/i> challenge traditional gender roles and identities.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, Ponyo, inspired by <i>The Little Mermaid<\/i>, portrays a <b>transformation that aligns body and soul in a narrative that echoes transgender experiences<\/b>. This highlights the journey towards self-acceptance and the importance of a chosen family.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these profound connections, Studio Ghibli has faced criticism for lacking explicit LGBTQ+ representation.<\/p>\n<p>Films like <i>Tales from Earthsea<\/i> and <i>When Marnie Was There<\/i> present opportunities for queer storytelling, <b>yet they fall short of providing clear queer representation<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, <i>Ocean Waves<\/i> subtly depicts a potential romantic relationship between two male characters. However, it concludes with a traditional heterosexual resolution.<\/p>\n<h2>The Future of Queer Representation in Studio Ghibli Films<\/h2>\n<p>Studio Ghibli is approaching a new era. Even with Hayao Miyazaki’s repeated retirements and comebacks, there is growing hope and discussion about the <b>potential for more explicit LGBTQ+ representation in future films.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This anticipation builds on a legacy of films that, while often coded, have provided a framework within which queer themes can flourish.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, the LGBTQ+ community finds deep significance and comfort in Studio Ghibli’s films, drawing on their themes of belonging, identity, and resilience.<\/p>\n<p>Through these narratives, Studio Ghibli not only crafts a sanctuary for misfits but also champions the essence of living authentically as oneself. After all, this is what helps queer viewers around the world resonate with such films.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":10026,"featured_media":171528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3384],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-171449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-and-tv"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171449"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10026"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}