Studio Ghibli closing feature film production

[DragonmasterDan]

I saw this news and was deeply saddened.

I'm a big fan of their work and I see this as a big loss for 2D animation.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=121379
http://www.hypable.com/2014/08/03/studio-ghibli-announces-closure/

[TheClash603]

Sad news, but with Miyazaki retiring, I am not shocked to see this.  Hopefully they come out with a Blu-ray box set of the feature films, I would love to pick something like that up.

[TR0N]

That's a shame to one of the few left that did hand drawn animation.Still as clash mention,Mizayazki did retire recently with his last film (the wind rises) and i'm not surprised either.

[Tatsujin]

that's sad, but it's all decided by the folks. if nobody wanz them awesome handdrawn art anymore, it dies. plain and simple.

same happened to the 2D games years ago as well.

[Opethian]

wonder if there will be a Disney buyout? Lego Ghibli!!!! lol

[spenoza]

That's a shame to one of the few left that did hand drawn animation.Still as clash mention,Mizayazki did retire recently with his last film (the wind rises) and i'm not surprised either.

Miyazaki keeps retiring and un-retiring, but Ghibli hasn't been able to groom any reliable replacements. Miyazaki's son and the few other creatives they let direct just can't seem to carry the studio like Miyazaki could. The closure is temporary, but I don't see it being a short temporary. The only way they can come back is if they manage to find some new talent who can revitalize the studio.

[Arkhan Asylum]

It's not entirely accurate.

I'd google post all the follow ups about it, but I am lazy

[InfraMan]

Really saddened to hear this... it's too bad Goro doesn't have his father's natural talent. Guess this is the end of an era.

[spenoza]

It's not entirely accurate.

You're right. They aren't closing. They are saying several different things which are hard to match up. There were rumors they were closing, and then it was stated they are suspending animation projects for a while and just focusing on licensing, with later information stating they are considering a restructuring.

This doesn't change that their last couple films simply haven't been as successful as they would like, and given their labor-heavy, traditional approach to animation, not to mention their focus on quality production and music as well, they don't make cheap movies.

The impression I've gotten from all this is that they are not where they want to be, and they are certain if they keep doing what they've been doing, they are going to start losing money and getting even further off-target. But there's another impression I get, and that is that they don't know what on-target is. They know they want to be creative and successful, but Hayao Miyazaki has been single-handedly carrying the studio for easily over a decade.

So now they need to go into very-low-expenditure mode while they figure out 1. what kind of company they want to be and 2. what it will take to make themselves into that company.

[TR0N]

That's a shame to one of the few left that did hand drawn animation.Still as clash mention,Mizayazki did retire recently with his last film (the wind rises) and i'm not surprised either.

Miyazaki keeps retiring and un-retiring, but Ghibli hasn't been able to groom any reliable replacements. Miyazaki's son and the few other creatives they let direct just can't seem to carry the studio like Miyazaki could. The closure is temporary, but I don't see it being a short temporary. The only way they can come back is if they manage to find some new talent who can revitalize the studio.

I guess,miyazaki needs to make him his mind up i know he's pull the stunt before.I just hope Ghibli closer is just a temporary thing.

[wildfruit]

トトロ

[Medic_wheat]

That's a shame to one of the few left that did hand drawn animation.Still as clash mention,Mizayazki did retire recently with his last film (the wind rises) and i'm not surprised either.

Miyazaki keeps retiring and un-retiring, but Ghibli hasn't been able to groom any reliable replacements. Miyazaki's son and the few other creatives they let direct just can't seem to carry the studio like Miyazaki could. The closure is temporary, but I don't see it being a short temporary. The only way they can come back is if they manage to find some new talent who can revitalize the studio.

I guess,miyazaki needs to make him his mind up i know he's pull the stunt before.I just hope Ghibli closer is just a temporary thing.

Me to. GHIBLI has talent and a skill set that simply does not exist anymore. No one does cel shaded animation.

It is similar to my love of comixs. People are no longer doing art on paper as much. Take Saga a great comic and whimsical art my Fiona Staples. She does it all digital from the cocer to the panels. That means apart from a jpeg the art can disappear.

[pulstar]

It would be a loss if they shut down completely. I know Miyazaki's son get's a lot of flak but I actually enjoyed Tales of Earthsea that he took the lead on. I think he just needs a little more experience and he'll be able to take over quite competently.

[DragonmasterDan]

It would be a loss if they shut down completely. I know Miyazaki's son get's a lot of flak but I actually enjoyed Tales of Earthsea that he took the lead on. I think he just needs a little more experience and he'll be able to take over quite competently.

He also directed "From up on poppy hill".

[Medic_wheat]

I saw both of those films and they didn't leave much of an impression...

in fact I honestly can not recall a single story element from either of those movies......


Maybe Ghibli should just go the route of many other Japan Animation Studios.....


Just do the animation ........ (premium cel painted animation) but animation at that......

that way they can then work on passion projects and inhouse films and still take a lose if it doesn't do so well.

[pulstar]

He also directed "From up on poppy hill".

Ah, haven't seen it yet. I've been meaning to watch it but haven't got round to it. It seems to be very similar in style to Graveyard of the Fireflies (which I really enjoyed but its a film that's hard to watch over and over again).

[DragonmasterDan]

He also directed "From up on poppy hill".

Ah, haven't seen it yet. I've been meaning to watch it but haven't got round to it. It seems to be very similar in style to Graveyard of the Fireflies (which I really enjoyed but its a film that's hard to watch over and over again).

Of Ghibli movies I'd say it's more similar to Whisper of the Heart.

I actually liked it a little more.

[xcrement5x]

I enjoyed Poppy Hill more than Ponyo or Arrietty myself.  I think with some more practice we could continue to get amazing products from Ghibli but I'm glad they are stopping to refocus their efforts so that they produce stellar properties. 

I would rather have them make well thought out decisions than just rushing headfirst to get something out the door for the next quarter/year/whatever just to make a buck.  That's what so many game devs in Japan are doing now and we get the crap that Capcom and Konami is putting out which pales compared to older IPs.

[esteban]

I didn't hear about this until now...damn.

[NightWolve]

Oh, this is that studio that Disney has been localizing some anime from... Yeah, I've seen some of their work, I rented 3 Disney DVDs very recently, all this year, "Howl's Moving Castle," "Castle in the Sky," and "The Secret World of Arietty." Pretty interesting stuff, enjoyed all of them, although Arietty for all its charm could've used some more plot work I thought, plus it was a little too short.

[DragonmasterDan]

Oh, this is that studio that Disney has been localizing some anime from... Yeah, I've seen some of their work, I rented 3 Disney DVDs very recently, all this year, "Howl's Moving Castle," "Castle in the Sky," and "The Secret World of Arietty." Pretty interesting stuff, enjoyed all of them, although Arietty for all its charm could've used some more plot work I thought, plus it was a little too short.

Disney has been localizing some, a few for example "From Up On Poppy Hill" and "Princess Kaguya" have been localized by other companies. An older one called "Grave of the Fireflies" was localized by another company as well.

There's a few Ghibli movies that haven't legitimately been released to home video in the US as well.

[DragonmasterDan]

Oh and I found this related video kind of cool.

[Medic_wheat]

Oh, this is that studio that Disney has been localizing some anime from... Yeah, I've seen some of their work, I rented 3 Disney DVDs very recently, all this year, "Howl's Moving Castle," "Castle in the Sky," and "The Secret World of Arietty." Pretty interesting stuff, enjoyed all of them, although Arietty for all its charm could've used some more plot work I thought, plus it was a little too short.

Disney has been localizing some, a few for example "From Up On Poppy Hill" and "Princess Kaguya" have been localized by other companies. An older one called "Grave of the Fireflies" was localized by another company as well.

There's a few Ghibli movies that haven't legitimately been released to home video in the US as well.

I'd love to see a bluray bundel (dubbed stuff) offered some time soon.... a collection would be great....but even IF such a collection were to exist they would mark it up to some silly amount.

oh well...........

[esteban]

Oh, this is that studio that Disney has been localizing some anime from... Yeah, I've seen some of their work, I rented 3 Disney DVDs very recently, all this year, "Howl's Moving Castle," "Castle in the Sky," and "The Secret World of Arietty." Pretty interesting stuff, enjoyed all of them, although Arietty for all its charm could've used some more plot work I thought, plus it was a little too short.

Disney has been localizing some, a few for example "From Up On Poppy Hill" and "Princess Kaguya" have been localized by other companies. An older one called "Grave of the Fireflies" was localized by another company as well.

There's a few Ghibli movies that haven't legitimately been released to home video in the US as well.

Folks who have never seen Grave of the Butterflies should absolutely see it. Excellent.

[InfraMan]

Folks who have never seen Grave of the Butterflies should absolutely see it. Excellent.

It absolutely is! I don't think I've ever been so emotionally devastated by an animated film.

[esteban]

Folks who have never seen Grave of the Butterflies should absolutely see it. Excellent.

It absolutely is! I don't think I've ever been so emotionally devastated by an animated film.

Totally.

[wildfruit]

Grave of the fireflies made me cry I am not ashamed to admit.