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Boston Globe
19-07-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Tear it down, they said. He just kept building.
Advertisement From the ninth floor, he surveyed the sturdy, standardized apartment buildings in the distance where his neighbors live. 'They say the house is shabby, that it could be blown down by wind at any time,' he said — an observation that did not seem altogether far-fetched when I visited him last month. 'But the advantage is that it's conspicuous, a bit eye-catching. People admire it,' he added. 'Other people spend millions, and no one goes to look at their houses.' Chen's house is so unusual that it has lured gawkers and even tourists to his rural corner of Guizhou province, in southwestern China. It evokes a Dr. Seuss drawing, or the Burrow in 'Harry Potter.' Many people on Chinese social media have compared it to 'Howl's Moving Castle.' Advertisement To the casual observer, the house may be a mere spectacle, a Frankensteinian oddity. To Chen, it is a monument to his determination to live where — and how — he wants, in defiance of the local government, gossiping neighbors and seemingly even common sense. He began modifying his family home in 2018, when the authorities in the city of Xingyi ordered his village demolished to make way for a resort they planned to build. Chen's parents, farmers who had built the house in the 1980s, thought that the money that officials were offering as compensation for the move was too low and refused to leave. When bulldozers began razing their pomegranate trees anyway, Chen rushed home from Hangzhou, the eastern city where he had been working as a package courier. Along with his brother, Chen Tianliang, he started adding a third floor. At first, the motivation was in part practical: Compensation payment was determined by square footage, and if the house had more floors, they would be entitled to more money. They visited a secondhand building materials market and bought old utility poles and red composite boards — cheaper than the black ones — and hammered, screwed and notched them together into floorboards, walls and supporting columns. Then, Chen, who had long had an amateur interest in architecture, wondered what it would be like to add a fourth floor. His brother and parents thought there was no need, so Chen did it alone. Then, he wondered about a fifth. And a sixth. 'I just suddenly wanted to challenge myself,' he said. 'And every time I completed my own small task or dream, it felt meaningful.' Advertisement He was also fueled by resentment toward the government, which kept serving him with demolition orders and sending officials to pressure his family. By that point, their house was virtually the only one left in the vicinity; his neighbors had all moved into the new apartment buildings about 3 miles away. (Local officials have maintained to Chinese media that the building is illegal.) Mass expropriations of land, at times by force, have been a widespread phenomenon in China for decades amid the country's modernization push. The homes of those who do manage to hold out are sometimes called 'nail houses,' for how they protrude like nails after the area around them has been cleared. Still, few stick out quite like Chen's. A former mathematics major who dropped out of university because he felt that higher education was pointless, Chen spent years bouncing between cities, working as a calligraphy salesperson, insurance agent and courier. But he yearned for a more pastoral lifestyle, he said. When he returned to the village in 2018 to help his parents fend off the developers, he decided to stay. 'I don't want my home to become a city. I feel like a guardian of the village,' he said, over noodles with homegrown vegetables that his mother had stir-fried on their traditional brick stove. In recent years, the threat of demolition has become less immediate. Chen filed a lawsuit against the local government and the developers, which is still pending. In any case, the proposed resort project stalled after the local government ran out of money. (Guizhou, one of China's poorest and most indebted provinces, is littered with extravagant, unfinished tourism projects.) Advertisement But Chen has continued building. The house is now a constantly evolving display of his interests and hobbies. On the first floor, Chen hung calligraphy from artists he befriended in Hangzhou. On the fifth, he keeps a pile of faded books, mostly about history, philosophy and psychology. The sixth floor has potted plants and a plank of wood suspended from the ceiling with ropes, like a swing, to hold a mortar and pestle and a teakettle. On the eighth, a gift from an art student who once visited him: a lamp, with the shade made of tiny photographs of his house from different angles. With each floor that he added, he moved his bedroom up, too: 'That's what makes it fun.' (His parents and brother sleep on the ground floor and rarely make the vertiginous ascent.) Each morning, he inspects the house from top to bottom. To reinforce the fourth and fifth floors, he hauled wooden columns up through the windows with pulleys. He added the buckets of water throughout the house after a storm blew out a fifth-floor wall. Eventually, he tore down most of the walls on the lower floors, so that wind could pass straight through the structure. 'There's a law of increasing entropy,' Chen said. 'This house, if I didn't care for it, would naturally collapse in two years at most.' He added, 'But as long as I'm still standing, it will be too.' Maintenance costs more time than money, he said. He estimated that he had spent a little more than $20,000 on building materials. He has also spent about $4,000 on lawyers. His family has been, if not enthusiastic about, at least resigned to Chen's whims. His parents are accustomed to curious visitors, at least a few every weekend. His brother came up with the idea of illuminating the house at night with lanterns. They have all united against their fellow villagers, who they say accuse them of being nuisances, or greedy. Advertisement 'Now we just don't go over there,' said Tianliang, Chen's brother. 'There's no need to listen to what they say about us.' In town, some residents said exactly what the Chens predicted they would: that the house would collapse any day; that they were troublemakers. (The local government erected a sign near the house warning of safety hazards.) But others expressed admiration for Chen's creativity. Zhu Zhiyuan, an employee at a local supermarket, said he had been drawn in when passing by on his scooter and had ventured closer for a better look. Still, he had not dared get too close. 'There are people who say it's illegal,' he said. Then he added, 'But if they tore it down, that would be a bit of a shame.' This article originally appeared in
Time Out
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
You can get free tickets to this weekend's Studio Ghibli film fest in L.A.—here's how
If the Venn diagram of your tastes has an overlap between Los Angeles, animation legend Hayao Miyazaki and UNIQLO clothes, it's your lucky week. "My Dear," the third collaboration between UNIQLO and Studio Ghibli, dropped Thursday, July 10 with 14 new designs expressing 'emblematic Ghibli works, along with works by Thai artist Kanyada Phatan and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki,' according to a press release. Hardcore L.A. fans looking to grab an item from "My Dear" and willing to make the trek to the UNIQLO store at Century City or Glendale today, July 10 or tomorrow, July 11 have an additional opportunity to enjoy Studio Ghibli films: Their purchase of two items will include an exclusive free ticket (with a plus one included!) to a Studio Ghibli movie screening at Brain Dead Studios in the Fairfax District. (Note: Customers can get up to two sets of tickets each, equaling four tickets total.) The screenings begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 with Spirited Away, followed by Kiki's Delivery Service at 3:15 p.m., and Howl's Moving Castle at 5:30 p.m. Disappointingly, no word on whether wearing your new swag will score a discount on concessions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNIQLO UT (@ The entire collection is now available online and in stores, featuring adults and kids T-shirts and sweatshirts with art inspired by eight Studio Ghibli films: Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Tortoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The Boy and the Heron, and Pom Poko. The previous collaborations came out in 2022 and 2023, making "My Dear" the first drop since The Boy and the Heron won the Oscar for Best Animated Film at the 2024 Academy Awards. Founded in 1985 by filmmakers Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli has produced 25 animated feature films, including three of Japan's highest-grossing films of all time: Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo. In 2001, the studio opened the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, designed by Hayao Miyazaki himself.
Bangkok Post
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Anime music concert returns with resounding success
The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (RBSO), under the patronage of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, once again proved its versatility with two exuberant sold-out performances celebrating beloved Japanese anime. Under the baton of maestro Naohisa Furusawa, these "Music Of Anime" concerts brought audiences of all ages to their feet in a celebration of iconic soundtracks and cultural phenomenon. Furusawa -- himself a native of Tokyo -- brought not only technical command but an infectious joy to the podium. The first half of the programme was dedicated entirely to Hisaishi's unforgettable music for Studio Ghibli films. Symphonic Variation "Merry-Go-Round" from Howl's Moving Castle was followed by the airy grace of My Neighbor Totoro: The Path Of Wind, where the woodwinds sparkled and the strings danced with childlike charm. Finally, the buoyant theme from Gake No Ue No Ponyo. After the intermission, the programme expanded to showcase a variety of other anime gems. The epic soundscape of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End set an introspective tone, and contrasted sharply with the adrenaline-pumping Fairy Tail Main Theme, which saw the percussion section deliver punchy rhythms with rock-like energy. A particular highlight was the Sword Art Online Suite, its shifting moods deftly handled by the orchestra's brass and strings, eliciting roars of approval from fans familiar with its narrative depth. The haunting Requiem Of Silence from Re:Zero and the aching beauty of A Silent Voice revealed the ensemble's ability to express emotional nuance and restraint, before a dazzling finale of Your Name and Madoka Magica sent the audience into rapturous applause. In particular, Your Name and Sparkle were especially rousing; the nostalgia for anime was brought to life by soloist Songsynth Sirikhunaratsmi. Adding to the endless excitement of the evening were multiple encores, which had the entire hall clapping along in rhythm, shining their phone lights and cheering with excitement. The atmosphere was more than a concert -- the orchestra's rich sound and dedication to the spirit of the anime genre made for an unforgettable experience. Given the overwhelming popularity of these performances, it seems anime will remain a recurring and beloved feature of the RBSO's future programming.
SoraNews24
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Totoro, Howl, and Spirited Away earrings and brooches ready to add Ghibli touches to your look
Artisan-painted pieces ensure that no two accessories are exactly alike. Totoro himself has a pretty casual sense of fashion, seeing as how the closest thing to an article of clothing we ever see him wearing is the makeshift hat he creates by putting a leaf on top of his head to try to keep the rain off it. That doesn't mean that the Studio Ghibli anime icon isn't ready to help you spruce up your ensemble, though. Donguri Closet is the accessories sub-brand of Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku. Not only do their creations capture the cute and beautiful aspects of Ghibli's artwork, each piece is personally painted by a craftsperson, making its exact unique coloring something just for you. Donguri Kyowakoku has recently restocked a number of designs starting with the napping Totoro earrings seen above. As is sometimes the case with character earrings in Japan, they're available in two types, one for wearers with pierced ears and the other an ear-clip version. Also ready to dangle from your ears are Spirited Away's Boh and Yu-Bird, in their transformed states. Yu-Bird spends a good portion of the movie carrying Boh around, and the design of the earrings lets you recreate those friendship-deepening scenes every time you turn your head. Boh and Yu-Bird are available as a necklace too… …while the napping Totoro also comes as a brooch. However, if the dozing Totoro and his Soot Sprit buddy are a bit too colorful to go with the rest of your outfit, and you'd like a brooch that's more cool than cute… …the marque magician of Howl's Moving Castle can fill that need, in his raven-like winged form. Both Totoro earring types are priced at 6,050 yen (US$42), while Boh and Yu-Bird's pair is 8,030, and their necklace 7,040, and the brooches 7,480 yen each. They're all available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop here, and would pair nicely with Uniqlo's new line of Ghibli tops, if only those were being sold in Japan. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
SoraNews24
06-06-2025
- Climate
- SoraNews24
Studio Ghibli umbrellas bring anime joy to Japan's rainy season
Experience the pitter-patter of raindrops like Totoro in the forest. June and early July are the rainiest times in Japan, when continual days of grey skies tend to dampen the mood as much as they do the streets. There's a way to make the cloudy days a little more bright, though, thanks to a trio of umbrellas from Studio Ghibli, which have been restocked just in time for the rainy season. The first umbrella bringing a smile to our faces is dedicated to Howl's Moving Castle, with a design called 'Hoshi no Ko' ('Star Children'), in reference to the magical beings that appear throughout the film. You can summon the shooting stars like Madame Suliman every time you open the umbrella. The umbrella comes with a matching case so you can easily pop it into your bag while it's not in use. The next design is 'Full of Flowers', featuring Jiji and his lookalike offspring from Kiki's Delivery Service. ▼ The cute cats adorn the matching ivory-coloured case. The final design in the lineup is 'Running Race', featuring characters from My Neighbour Totoro. Totoro is pictured holding an umbrella, like some sort of Ghibli-style inception, with Soot Sprites and the Small and Medium Totoro nearby. The Catbus can be seen racing along the edge of the umbrella, towards its forest friends. ▼ The black-and-white colourway gives this design an elegant look. The umbrellas are a charming way to stay dry during the rainy season while adding some much-needed fun and excitement to dreary days. Available at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online (links below), each umbrella is priced at 5,940 yen (US$41.51). Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
