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Studio Ghibli Movies: Fan Theories Will Change your Mind
Oct
When you’re one of the most popular cartoon companies in the world, people will always try to come up with some genuinely bizarre beliefs.
Studio Ghibli films have long appealed to both the young and the young at heart for its unique storytelling and magical feel-good element, not to mention the fact that some of the characters are simply so damn cute (who doesn’t love Totoro?)
But it is the intricate tales of Studio Ghibli’s works, notably the work of writer and director Hayao Miyazaki, that truly distinguishes them in the world of animation. Whether aimed towards children or adults, the characters, from apprentice witches to woodland spirits, have depth and complexity few can equal. You may see a Ghibli film several times and still not completely get it, and fans, understandably, like making up their own stories to fill in the blanks (sometimes going really, really dark). Occasionally, they are shown to be correct.
Whether you’re a long-time viewer or a new fan, here are some Studio Ghibli fan theories that will change your mind. Let’s check it out!
Totoro Is The God Of Death
Some fans feel the film is a reference to the Sayama tragedy, which occurred in the 1960s and involved the rape and murder of a Japanese schoolgirl, whose distraught elder sister eventually committed herself. The fact that the film is set in Sayama, that the murder occurred in the month of May (Mei/May, get it?) and that one of the CatBus stations translates to “Grave Road” are all alleged connections. To summarize the fan version, Mei was murdered, and Satsuki and Totoro are only able to find her because Satsuki committed suicide after learning of her sister’s fate. Totoro is the Grim Reaper, and the bus is bringing them to the underworld. Because it’s seriously depressing, the studio has debunked it
Leprosy In Princess Mononoke
This notion has been validated by Miyazaki himself, just as the bathhouse notion from Spirited Away. Since the film’s debut in 2001, a popular fan hypothesis has arisen that the Irontown residents’ “gyobyo” (incurable sickness) is actually leprosy (also known as Hansen’s Disease). The Irontown community, founded by Lady Eboshi, is a shelter for individuals suffering from the sickness who have become social outcasts as a result of their affliction. Gyobyo also means “to bear the consequences,” which might be related to the traditional notion that leprosy was the result of poor karma.
Miyazaki stated that Princess Mononoke depicts leprosy when speaking at the Leprosy/Disease Hansen’s History Symposium in Tokyo. Irontown is, in reality, based on the director’s actual visit to a sanatorium in western Tokyo, which he characterized as a place “where great anguish has collected.” “I wanted to show people who were living with what was considered to be an incurable condition caused by bad karma,” he said of his bandaged figures. Japan has a long history of stigmatizing the condition, and victims were remained isolated from society until 1996.
Dola Is An Elderly Pippi Long Stocking
Dola is the pirate queen from Studio Ghibli’s debut film, Castle in the Sky, which was released in 1986. Pippi Longstocking is a well-known fictional heroine from Sweden whose fame has spread throughout Europe and beyond (although she is less well-known in the United States). The figures come from two very different worlds, but the famous, sticky-up red pigtails serve as a visible link between them. The foundation of this notion, however, stems from Miyazaki’s idea for a feature-length animation based on the book, titled Pippi Longstocking: The Strongest Girl in the World, but was denied permission by author Astrid Lindgren. Some stunning concept art from the project, drawn by Miyazaki himself, remains, and it is suggested that Lindgren regretted saying no further down the line (we certainly would have).
Whisper Of The Heart Made People Want To Commit Suicide
Like Bloody Mary or the concept that soaking a tooth in cola overnight can dissolve it, this is more of an urban legend than a fan theory. In the run-up to the debut of The Wind Rises in 2013, Japanese television stations began rebroadcasting Studio Ghibli films, including Whisper of the Heart. The 1995 film is based on the manga of the same name and tells the narrative of Shizuku and Seiji, two enthusiastic, creative-minded teens with bright futures.
According to reports, thirty-somethings who were teenagers at the time of the film’s debut got unhappy after it was re-broadcast, regretting their squandered youth. They vented their sentiments on message forums, with one post dubbed “Whisper of the Heart Suicide Center.” “See you all in the afterlife!” and “Give me back my youth!” were among the messages. Oh, no. Of course, no one has ever proven that anyone committed suicide — the thread was most likely populated with individuals who despise the world, and Whisper of the Heart served as a reminder of that reality.
Ponyo Is An Angel
What is it about Ghibli lovers and death that makes them so sad? Ponyo, a goldfish who dreams of becoming a human, befriends five-year-old Sosuke when he saves her from being trapped in a glass jar in the 2008 Ghibli adaptation of The Little Mermaid. On the surface, this appears harmless enough, yet the film is believed to have piqued the interest of many Japanese spectators. This fan hypothesis, on the other hand, does little to dispel that notion.
According to legend, the flood killed everyone in Sosuke’s seashore town. After the water levels rise, the boats seen transporting citizens all head in the same direction, which some fans feel might be a reference to the Sanzu River, the Buddhist version of the River Styx. So, in a nutshell, they’re all being escorted to the afterlife. Tunnels appear often in Ghibli films, and they frequently transport characters from one realm to another. Fans may have also noted that after the voyage is completed, they return through the same tunnel. Ponyo and Sosuke pass down a tunnel, but they never return, implying that they passed into the afterlife and never returned.