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South China Morning Post

Study Buddy (Challenger): Studio Ghibli turns 40, but fans worry about the future of the animation studio

Content provided by British Council Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below [1] Japan's Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month, with two Oscars and legions of fans, young and old, won over by its films' complex plots and hand-drawn animation. But the future of the studio is uncertain. Its latest hit, The Boy and the Heron, is likely the final feature from its celebrated co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, now 84. [2] The studio behind the Oscar-winning Spirited Away has become a cultural phenomenon since Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata established it in 1985. Its popularity has been fuelled recently by a second Academy Award in 2024 for The Boy and the Heron, featuring a voice cast that includes Robert Pattinson, and by Netflix streaming Ghibli films worldwide. [3] Before Ghibli, most anime was made for children. But Miyazaki and Takahata, both from 'the generation that knew war', included darker elements that appeal to adults, Miyazaki's son Goro said. 'It's not all sweet – there's also a bitterness and things like that which are beautifully intertwined in the work,' he said, describing a 'whiff of death' in the films. [4] For younger people who grew up in peacetime, 'it is impossible to create something with the same sense, approach and attitude', Goro said. Even My Neighbor Totoro, with its cuddly forest creatures, is in some ways a 'scary' film that explores the fear of losing a sick mother, he explained. [5] Susan Napier, a professor at Tufts University in the United States and author of Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art, agreed. 'In Ghibli, you have ambiguity, complexity and also a willingness to see that the darkness and light often go together,' unlike good-versus-evil US cartoons, she said. [6] For example, the post-apocalyptic Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind has no obvious villain. The anime, featuring an independent princess curious about giant insects and a poisonous forest, felt 'so fresh' and a change from 'a passive woman ... having to be rescued', Napier said. [7] Studio Ghibli films also depict a universe where humans connect deeply with nature and the spirit world. A case in point is 1997's Princess Mononoke. The tale of a girl raised by a wolf goddess in a forest threatened by humans is 'a masterpiece – but a hard movie', Napier said. It's a 'serious, dark and violent' film appreciated more by adults, which 'was not what US audiences had anticipated with a movie about a princess'. [8] Ghibli films 'have an environmentalist and animistic side, which I think is very appropriate for the contemporary world with climate change', she added. Animism is the belief that natural objects and the universe itself have souls. Miyuki Yonemura, a professor at Japan's Senshu University who studies cultural theories on animation, said watching Ghibli films is like reading literature. 'That's why some children watch Totoro 40 times,' she said. [9] Miyazaki and Takahata – who died in 2018 – could create imaginative worlds because of their openness towards other cultures, Yonemura said. Foreign influences included Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer of The Little Prince, and Canadian artist Frédéric Back, who won an Oscar for his animation The Man Who Planted Trees. Source: Agence France-Presse, June 9 Questions 1. Based on paragraph 1, a likely reason for Studio Ghibli's success could be its ... A. use of advanced computer animation techniques B. focus on simple, straightforward narratives C. unique blend of intricate storyline and traditional animation D. frequent release of new feature films. 2. What does the phrase 'legions of fans young and old' in paragraph 2 suggest about Studio Ghibli's appeal? 3. What impact did Spirited Away have on the animation studio's reputation, according to paragraph 2? 4. Based on paragraph 3, Miyazaki and Takahata's experiences likely ... A. contributed to a deeper, more nuanced portrayal of life in their films. B. limited their creative scope to only war-related stories. C. influenced them to create anime with an educational element. D. led them to avoid any sad or difficult topics in their work. 5. What emotion does Goro say is explored in My Neighbor Totoro in paragraph 4? 6. In paragraph 5, what contrast does Napier draw between Studio Ghibli films and US cartoons? 7. Based on your understanding of paragraph 6, what was the typical portrayal of women in anime prior to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind? 8. Which of the following best describes the conflict presented in Princess Mononoke in paragraph 7? A. a dispute between two human kingdoms B. the struggle between humans and nature C. a personal journey of self-discovery D. none of the above 9. Based on your understanding of paragraph 8, what aspect of Ghibli films is particularly relevant to the current global situation, and why? (2 marks) 'The Boy and the Heron' won an Academy Award in 2024. Photo: Studio Ghibli/TNS Answers 1. C 2. It suggests that Studio Ghibli's appeal is widespread and intergenerational and that its films resonate with a diverse audience, attracting both children and adults (accept all similar answers). 3. The film played a significant role in establishing Studio Ghibli's reputation and contributing to its eventual cultural phenomenon status (accept all similar answers) 4. A 5. the fear of losing a sick mother 6. Ghibli's approach of ambiguity, complexity, darkness and light together is starkly different to that of US cartoons, which are typically 'good-versus-evil. 7. Women in anime were often portrayed as passive characters who needed to be rescued. 8. B 9. The environmentalist and animistic aspect of Ghibli films is particularly relevant to the current global situation because they reflect the need for a more harmonious and sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world, which is desperately needed in the face of climate change (accept all reasonable answers).