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Studio Ghibli is known for its comfortable family movies that romanticize slow life. But the studio is also a forerunner in including revolutionary messages in movies. Hayao Miyazaki has often set Ghibli movies in the background of war-torn countries, and even the most tame, family-friendly films have grave messages behind them.
Disney and Pixar might be the leading animated film producers in the West but Hayao Miyazaki has been ruling over the anime movie market for decades. Two of his films have won the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, while others have set records at the Japanese box office.
Studio Ghibli’s movie-making process is devoid of Disney and Pixar’s test screening ritual
Pixar and Disney prefer an integrative approach for their films and use audience test screenings to gauge the reaction of the audience. The studios show a randomly selected audience an early cut of a movie months prior to its release. The feedback generated from the audience is then used to improve the movie. This has become a common practice in the industry.
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However, Ghibli uses no such methods. The movies rely solely on the intuition and views of the creators, which majorly includes Hayao Miyazaki. Pete Docter, the executive producer ofInside Out 2admitted that test screenings are useful since it helps in determining which part is not resonating with the rest of the series, which helps the crew make adjustments to the project. According to Docter, taking viewer feedback into account is the best way for a studio to take responsibility for its message.
Hayao Miyazaki, on the other hand, has an entirely different philosophy. In an interview arranged by Tokyo FM’s radio program,Ghibli Sweaty, the director stated:
No, it is impossible for all viewers to understand a film. We are the ones who take responsibility, so we can’t leave it to someone who happens to be there.
While Miyazaki’s view might be controversial, it makes sense that he might not want the audience to dictate what his films should look like. As the saying goes, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
Hayao Miyazaki’s movies have always been ‘woke’ without relying on their viewers’ opinions
Ghibli movies have always been ahead of their times. Even without input from their typical audience, Hayao Miyazaki has made one breakthrough after another. This is not to say test screenings are bad since Pixar and Disney both hugely benefit from this practice.
However, using audience feedback means having to sort through too many opinions, which might derail the movie at the end of the day. Additionally, Maiyazaki’s harsh inclusion of war and other human brutalities in the sub-context of his movies might not sit well with many. After the production ofThe Wind Rises,Miyazaki was seen in a negative lightas people presumed he was glorifying war, even though the movie never showed a single battle scene.
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Movies likePrincess Mononoke, Porco Rosso, andGrave of the Firefliescontain harsh criticism of human brutalities and war,which might not be liked by many. It is true that not everyone needs to understand the full context of movies and nor does everyone hold the capacity to do so. In the end,some nuances are bound to be lost. So, if Ghibli can work smoothly without test screenings and still win uncountable awards and recognitions, maybe it’s in their best interest to continue their traditional practice.
Aaheli Pradhan
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :1558
Aaheli is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with 1300+ published articles. With five years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. From Shonen and Shojo to the most niche anime, nothing escapes her radar. Her poisons of choice are Assassination Classroom, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club and every Ghibli movie ever. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cats.
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DisneyHayao MiyazakiPixarStudio Ghibli
