Autumn Sword Fish Issue 31: The World of Ghibli, Ghibli of the World

Autumn Sword Fish Issue 31: The World of Ghibli, Ghibli of the World My first VHS tape as a child was "Porco Rosso." I didn't understand the plot, but I was intrigued by the main character being a "pig." I replayed the tape daily, so captivated that my mother decided to hide it and send me to kindergarten. Once in kindergarten, watching "Grave of the Fireflies" played by my teacher in the small classroom, I cried uncontrollably. Every night, I'd hug my mother and ask, "Where is the nearest air-raid shelter?" In elementary school, I saw "Only Yesterday," where the protagonist Taeko eats pineapple with a pained expression, finding it hard and tasteless. That moment deeply upset me, a pineapple lover. Everyone likely has a "Ghibli moment" in their lives. Sometimes it's poignant, sometimes gentle and moving, but most often it’s a memory from childhood. There are no grand lessons, yet a scene from an animation can remind us of our teenage selves, as if home were still there, parents were still young, and school awaited the next day. Hayao Miyazaki once said, "People long to have their own world, and animation happens to create such worlds." As adults, we begin to understand the messages Ghibli conveys—anti-war, environmentalism, children's rights, women's issues, and more. But I want to return to the beginning, to see how Miyazaki led animators to discuss "whether birds can see the wind," calculate the walking speed of mice and elephants for a script, or use music to let viewers experience the perception of "one second" across different species, ages, and even the universe. This is Miyazaki's constant, subtle observation of life, sensing and perceiving the world more acutely than we do, allowing us to genuinely immerse ourselves in fantasy that is nonetheless real. This journey of creation and viewing might be the true magic in the world. With "My Neighbor Totoro" being shown in Taiwan for the "first time" in 30 years, and "Spirited Away" celebrating its 20th anniversary since winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, we present "The World of Ghibli, Ghibli of the World." Beginning with Koji Hoshino, Chairman of Studio Ghibli, and Atsushi Takeuchi, animation color designer for "Spirited Away," we also invite Japanese art director Hidefumi Hanatani, singer-songwriter of the theme song for "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" Yoshimi Tottori, and architect Yoshitaka Watanabe. Each will explore Ghibli's significance in Japanese hearts from the perspectives of film scenery, music, and animation architecture. Furthermore, actor and writer Yu-han Lien, philosopher Chia-an Chu, manga artist Kuang-min Ruan, and animation producer Wei-hsiu Wang will share the inspiration Ghibli has brought to their creative work. "Those who choose to work in animation are often people who dream more than average; besides dreaming themselves, they wish to convey their dreams to others. Gradually, making others happy becomes an irreplaceable joy." As Miyazaki himself stated in his book "Starting Point," regardless of age, we have the right to dream. And whether we are dreamers or not, we can rediscover ourselves in fantastical worlds.