Comic book artist, animator and film director Dash Shaw joins Michael to speak about his new graphic novel, Blurry, and his two animated features, My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea (2016) and Cryptozoo (2021), as well as his salad days as a young anime fan, his love of independent and European animation, and looking to Miyazaki as an 'old man' mentor.

Blurry is available now from the very best book and comics shops as is Cosplayers; Cryptozoo is streaming on Mubi and My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Subscribe to our Patreon for ad-free episodes and bonus conversations in our Library Cafe series.

Follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or drop us an email at ghibliotheque@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screenwriter, author and Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce joins Michael to speak about adapting Michael Morpurgo's novel Kensuke's Kingdom, as well as the art of adaptation, when adaptations go wrong, and his career as a writer of books for children.

Kensuke's Kingdom is in UK cinemas now. Find a screening near you: https://www.kensukeskingdom.com/.

Subscribe to our Patreon for ad-free episodes and bonus conversations in our Library Cafe series.

Follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or drop us an email at ghibliotheque@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael speaks with Spanish director Pablo Berger about his critically-acclaimed and award-winning feature animation Robot Dreams, which is in UK cinemas from 22nd March.

Read Michael's review of the film here, and his feature on the animation process behind the film here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this final episode, the team talk with British-born animator Paul Williams about working on Ghibli co-production The Red Turtle, the Japanese animation industry, and an animator's perspective on both Studio Ghibli and, specifically, the work of Isao Takahata.

Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this episode, the team visit Studio Ponoc, the animation studio founded by Ghibli veteran Yoshiaki Nishimura (producer of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There). There, Michael and Jake talk with Ponoc's Chief of International, Geoffrey Wexler, about his work at both Ponoc and Ghibli presenting films such as Mary and the Witch's Flower, Modest Heroes, The Wind Rises and From Up on Poppy Hill to the world - as well as answering the eternal question: subs or dubs?

Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this second episode, the team visit the Ghibli Museum, the Studio's shrine to the art of animation, and also share their spoils in a segment dedicated to their favourite merchandise finds from the trip.

Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this first episode, the team visit three key locations that should be at the top of any Ghibli fanatic's must-see list: an intricate public clock designed by Hayao Miyazaki, the Tama suburbs that provided the location for Ghibli gem Whisper of the Heart, and Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory, home of the official, Miyazaki-approved Totoro cream puff.

Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner. Edited by Jack Claramunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merry Christmas from the Ghibliotheque! Producer Steph joins Michael and Jake once more for an episode filled with festive shenanigans, including Ghibli-themed Christmas carols sung by Producer Harold, a Ghibli quiz, and a mailbag of listeners' picks for the ideal Ghibli dinner guests. There is also chat about the past, present and future of all things Ghibliotheque. See you in 2020!

Follow Michael, Jake and Steph on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@_stephwatts - Steph

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael and Jake bring this season of Ghibliotheque to a close with the feature debut of Mr Hayao Miyazaki. A very promising director of anime series, Miyazaki made the leap to feature animation in 1979 with this spin-off from the long-running Lupin III series. But is there much Miyazaki magic to be found in this franchise entry?

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After trekking through the entirety of the Studio Ghibli library, Michael and Jake go back to the beginning... to Isao Takahata's ground-breaking 1960s animated feature Little Norse Prince. A hugely influential film that was something of a box office disaster on initial release, Little Norse Prince set in motion many of the themes, collaborations and techniques that would come to define Ghibli two decades later. But how does it play to a modern-day viewer?

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 episodes later... Michael and Jake reach the final feature in the Studio Ghibli library. This curio - a teen romance in the vein of Only Yesterday, Whisper of the Heart and From Up On Poppy Hill - is not only unique because it is Ghibli's only made-for-TV movie, it's also the first feature from the Studio to be directed by someone other than co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. No pressure, Tomomi Mochizuki... How did the newbie fare?

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isao Takahata returns! This week, Michael & Jake fill in the final gap in the old master's work at Studio Ghibli. 5 years after Pom Poko and 14 years before The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, Isao Takahata experimented with Ghibli's first all-digital animation, the slice-of-life domestic comedy My Neighbours The Yamadas. Full of worldly wisdom and gentle, observational humour, and rendered in an astounding art style that looks like a watercolour sketch come alive, Yamadas is unlike any other entry in the Ghibli canon.

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A follow-up to one of Ghibli's most controversial releases, From Up On Poppy Hill was director Goro Miyazaki's second crack at the whip after his debut, Tales From Earthsea. But Poppy Hill is a very different proposition: a nostalgic, wholesome, period-set romance that harks back to Ghibli gems Only Yesterday and Whisper Of The Heart. Does he find firmer footing as a filmmaker this time around?

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Directors Chiara Malta and Sebastien Laudenbach speak with Michael about their astounding new film, Chicken for Linda, which was a hit on the festival and awards circuit in 2023, and is screening around the UK in March, April and May.

Watch a trailer for Chicken for Linda here.

Chicken for Linda screens as part of the Made in Italy Festival at the Ciné Lumière on 23rd March. Tickets are available here.

You can also catch the film at the Cardiff Animation Festival, the Barbican Centre Family Film Club and Flatpack Film Festival.

Thanks to Matt Dinsdale for coordinating this interview, and to Stefania Bochicchio for translating the conversation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael and Jake return to the Ghibliotheque to tackle Hayao Miyazaki's first anime epic, the sprawling fantasy adventure Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. While the film actually predates the founding of Studio Ghibli, many of the key personnel, themes and qualities that would define the Studio's work are here in spades, and the success of Nausicaä put Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki on the path to Ghibli greatness. But what do the boys make of it?

Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:

@ghibliotheque

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the British Museum in support of their Manga Exhibition, this episode features Michael & Jake's on-stage conversation with exhibition curator Nicole Rousmaniere and animation critic Alex Dudok de Wit, following a screening of Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Editing and sound wizardry by Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the British Museum in support of their Manga Exhibition, this episode features Michael & Jake's on-stage conversation with academic and Ghibli expert Rayna Denison, Manga Exhibition curator Uchida Hiromi and ceramic artist Hosono Hitomi, following a screening of Isao Takahata's The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Editing and sound wizardry by Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the British Museum, this episode features Michael & Jake's on-stage conversation with Manga exhibition curator Matsuba Ryoko and Simon Wright, director of programming at Japan House London, following a screening of Isao Takahata's Pom Poko.

The British Museum's Manga exhibition runs until 26th August. For more information, visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/manga.aspx.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Editing and sound wizardry by Jamie Maisner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the British Museum, this episode features Michael & Jake's on-stage conversation with Manga exhibition curator Nicole Rousmaniere and renowned Studio Ghibli expert Helen McCarthy, following a screening of Hayao Miyazaki's animated classic, My Neighbour Totoro.

The British Museum's Manga exhibition runs until 26th August. For more information, visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/manga.aspx.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode recorded live at Latitude Festival, Michael & Jake venture out of the podcast recording booth and out of the Studio Ghibli canon altogether to discuss Mary & The Witch's Flower, the first film from Ghibli alumni Studio Ponoc. Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi and producer Yoshiaki Nishimura previously worked together at Ghibli on the radical When Marnie Was There, but Ponoc's debut feature is a tribute to the magical, fantastical animation perfected by their mentors, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Does it reach the Studio's standard of quality?

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This season of Ghibliotheque comes to a close with the final masterpiece from the legendary filmmaker, and Studio Ghibli co-founder, Isao Takahata. Described by Hayao Miyazaki as 'descended from a giant sloth', Takahata took his sweet time with his quietly experimental take on the 10th century folk tale, working at his own glacial pace and missing many production deadlines before the film's eventual release in November 2013. Takahata's previous films, Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday and Pom Poko were all hits with Jake in previous seasons - will the streak continue?

Find out more about the Studio Ghibli screenings at the British Museum, with Q&As hosted by the Ghibliotheque gang, here: https://checkout.timeout.com/london/StudioGhibliscreenings/

Read Michael's interview with Isao Takahata - https://medium.com/@Film4/isao-takahata-on-the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya-4221f5df60a9

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael & Jake zero in on Hayao Miyazaki's most recent release, the wildly ambitious biographical, historical, and very technical aviation drama The Wind Rises. Once thought to be Miyazaki's final film, this magnificent mic-drop masterpiece showed the old master still innovating even as he contemplated retirement - blending the magical animation of his beloved classics with deeper themes relating to inspiration, the purity of craft, and the inescapable blight of the Second World War. And planes, so many planes.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael & Jake go all the way back to the beginning for the very first Studio Ghibli production: the fantasy-adventure epic Laputa, also known as Castle In The Sky. By 1986, Hayao Miyazaki was already a seasoned animator, but the pressure was on. Could this new, independent studio revolutionise Japanese animation?

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael & Jake tackle the controversial Ursula K. Le Guin adaptation Tales From Earthsea, the directorial debut from Goro Miyazaki, son of Studio Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki. Le Guin once said that only Miyazaki could do her epic fantasy series justice on the big screen - but little did she know that the task would fall to Goro, who had no prior animation, filmmaking or directing experience. He also had no support from his ever-aloof dad, and, on release, received little encouragement from critics and fans alike. How does this inauspicious debut play today?

Show notes:

Read Goro Miyazaki’s blog, ‘Zero Marks as a Father, Full Marks as a Director’ -http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/earthsea/blog/blog39.html

Read Ursula K Le Guin’s blog, ‘Gedo Senki, a first response’ -http://www.ursulakleguin.com/GedoSenkiResponse.html

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael speaks with director Jim Capobianco about his new film, The Inventor, and working in stop-motion for the first time after years working in hand-drawn and CG animation. They also speak about the film's themes of patronage, inspiration and creativity, as well as Jim's amazing work at Disney and Pixar (including his Oscar-nominated work on Ratatouille), and his longstanding relationship with Cartoon Saloon.

The Inventor is in UK cinemas now, screening exclusively at Vue Cinemas: https://www.theinventorfilm.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

This week, Michael & Jake tackle Hiromasa Yonebayashi's second film as director, the fantasy-tinged drama When Marnie Was There. Still, for now, the final Studio Ghibli feature film to be released in cinemas, this adaptation of Joan G. Robinson's British novel transposes the action to the wetlands of Hokkaido - and introduces emotional textures, themes and tones that have never been seen before in a Ghibli film. Where does it sit in the annals of the Ghibliotheque?

Show notes:

-- Read Michael's interview with Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham return to the Ghibliotheque to discuss one of Studio Ghibli's most beloved adventures. Hayao Miyazaki's animated tale of a witch coming of age and leaving home came at a time when the Studio's fortunes were flagging, but the film's box office success secured Ghibli's future for years to come, and would set the tone for many more magical Miyazaki gems, from Spirited Away to Ponyo.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel & Steph Watts. Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Leader & Jake Cunningham invite Honey Ross and her father, broadcaster Jonathan Ross into the Ghibliotheque to discuss their relationship with the films of Studio Ghibli, from Jonathan's career as a TV host, film critic and avowed Asian cinema fanatic, to the Ross family's visit to Studio Ghibli's headquarters to interview Hayao Miyazaki himself.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel & Steph Watts. Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merry Christmas from the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli!

To round off 2018, producer Steph Watts joins Michael & Jake for a special episode packed with festive treats, ranging from Ghibli Christmas cracker jokes and a Ghibli dad-themed quiz, to Jake's own Leaderboard ranking of all the films covered on the podcast so far. The Ghibliothechnicians also dig deep into the Ghibli memory mailbag, sharing some of the listeners' fondest reminiscences of the Studio and their magical movies.

Follow Michael, Jake and Steph on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@_stephwatts - Steph

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

To finish this second season of Ghibliotheque, Michael & Jake return to the mighty Hayao Miyazaki for his family-friendly follow-up to Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle: the fish-out-of-water fantasy Ponyo. After the increasing influence of CGI on Ghibli animation, Miyazaki envisioned this project as an ambitious return to the Studio's hand-drawn roots. But does the legendary director succeed ... or flounder?

Read Michael's interview with Kathleen Kennedy: https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/18590/kathleen-kennedy-interview-war-horse-lincoln-studio-ghibli-jurassic-park-4-more

Read Roger Ebert's review of Ponyo: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ponyo-2009

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

This week, Michael & Jake are joined by Iana Murray to paw over the only feature-length sequel in the Ghibli canon, and Hiroyuki Morita's sole directorial credit for the Studio: the feline fantasy adventure The Cat Returns.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

This week, Michael & Jake discuss Hiromasa Yonebayashi's Ghibli debut, Arrietty. Based on the Mary Norton children's classic, this fantasy following the adventures of a tiny girl and her miniature family was by no means small-scale - eventually becoming the Studio's highest grossing film in the United States. But is it a mini-masterpiece or small fry?

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this episode, Michael and Jake leave the cosy confines of the Ghibliotheque for an in-depth conversation with The Red Turtle director Michaël Dudok de Wit, recorded live at the British Film Institute as part of their Podstock programme. Dialogue-free, French-animated and developed over a number of years in collaboration with 'artistic producer' Isao Takahata, The Red Turtle is a unique entry in the Studio Ghibli canon, and Michaël shares with the Ghibliotechnicians his memories of creating what is, to date, the only non-Japanese Ghibli production.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this episode, pigs fly (or one does, anyway) as Michael & Jake take off with Hayao Miyazaki's 1992 porcine aviator adventure, Porco Rosso. Initially planned as short in-flight movie for Japan Airlines, the film ballooned as Miyazaki went the whole hog, packing the film with period detail, memorable characters and thrilling airborne action sequences - resulting in a 90-minute piggy bank stuffed to the brim with magical Ghibli moments. Will our hosts roast the hog, or will they deem it a full-boar Miyazaki masterpiece?

Show notes: 

News report referring to the planned Porco Rosso sequel: https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/16222/hayao-miyazaki-on-a-porco-rosso-sequel-and-studio-ghibli-s-closure

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this episode, Michael & Jake get to grips with one of the oddest films in the Studio Ghibli canon: Isao Takahata's 1994 urbanisation polemic Pom Poko. Focusing on a community of magical tanuki raccoon-dogs who use their powers of transformation - and their large, mythical testicles - to hold back the development of their forest habitat, Pom Poko has earned a unique reputation among fans of the studio. But is it one of the (family) jewels in the Ghibli crown?

Show notes: 

Mixing Work With Pleasure by Toshio Suzuki: http://www.jpic.or.jp/japanlibrary/en/books/001886.html

Junji Ito: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junji_Ito

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael speaks with director Yuzuru Tachikawa about his new film, the coming-of-age jazz anime Blue Giant, which has just been released in the UK.

To hear the full interview with all the Japanese exchanges intact, fast forward to around the 30min mark,

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

Michael & Jake return to the Ghibliotheque for a new mini-series, and kick things off with one of Studio Ghibli's biggest hits: 2004's magical adventure Howl's Moving Castle. Howl’s was initially slated as the first Ghibli movie to be directed by an outsider, but Hayao Miyazaki came out of his post-Spirited Away retirement to create what would become one of the veteran director's defining latter-day works. But is its reputation well-deserved?

Show notes:

Mamoru Hosoda on getting fired from Howl's Moving Castle: https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/20/18001588/mamoru-hosoda-fired-howls-moving-castle-interview

Xan Brooks interviews Hayao Miyazaki:https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/sep/14/japan.awardsandprizes

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Produced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts

Editing by Lister Rossell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this special end-of-season episode, Michael & Jake are joined by Telegraph critic, Wittertainment guest-host and all-round Studio Ghibli expert Robbie Collin, given the choice to bring with him any Ghibli film to discuss, Robbie selected Isao Takahata’s Only Yesterday, an animated drama aimed squarely at an adult audience. One of the Studio’s deepest cuts, Only Yesterday was a box office hit on its initial release in Japan, but it wasn’t released in the USA for 25 years. The film is as experimental, poignant and pointed in its message as you’d expect from Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya) - and has over the years become a firm fan favourite.

This episode brings this initial volume of Ghibliotheque to a close. Thank you for listening, it’s been a real adventure, hasn’t it? If you’ve enjoyed the show and would like to hear more episodes of Michael and Jake diving deep in to Studio Ghibli then make sure you tweet: 

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@robbiereviews - Robbie

Show notes:

Read Robbie’s tribute to Isao Takahata here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/04/06/studio-ghibli-isao-takahata-brought-indescribable-beauty-everyday/ (behind a paywall though)

For more details about Film4's Studio Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Additional production on this episode from Steph Watts - @_stephwatts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this episode, Michael & Jake travel back to 1997 for Hayao Miyazaki's fantasy epic, Princess Mononoke. A huge box office hit in Japan, Mononoke was originally set to be Studio Ghibli's entrance onto the international stage, but this long, complex and violent adventure baffled Disney executives. Ghibli stood firm, refusing cuts or edits, resulting in a smaller, limited American release - but the ensuing film still stands as a testament to Miyazaki's unparalleled craft and unique vision.

Show notes:

- Read more about Stephen Alpert's memoir, I am a Gaijin: The Man Who Sold Ghibli to the World: http://blog.alltheanime.com/books-gaijin-at-ghibli/

- Read more about the use of CG in Princess Mononoke: http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/mh/cg.html

- Princess Mononoke: The First Story: https://www.viz.com/read/art-book/princess-mononoke/product/3625

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

For more details about Film4's Studio Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Additional production on this episode from Steph Watts - @_stephwatts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this special, host's-choice episode, Michael picks one of his personal favourite Ghibli films for Jake to watch: the whimsical teenage romance, Whisper Of The Heart. Adapted by Hayao Miyazaki from a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, the film was the first, and, sadly, only directorial credit for veteran Ghibli animator Yoshifumi Kondo before his untimely death in 1998 at age 47. It remains one of the Ghibli library's deep cuts, one considered by many fans to be one of the Studio's best. But what will Jake make of it?

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

For more details about Film4's Studio Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

In this episode, Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham are joined by film programmer and journalist Beth Webb (Empire Magazine, Little White Lies, Bechdel Test Fest) to talk about everyone's favourite forest spirit, My Neighbour Totoro. First released in a double bill with Grave Of The Fireflies in 1988, Totoro was, at first, only a modest success, but thanks to merchandising and some timeless Miyazaki magic, the film has become one of the Studio's most iconic releases, and the character himself serves as Ghibli's company mascot to this day.

Read Beth's 30th anniversary article on My Neighbour Totoro here: http://lwlies.com/articles/my-neighbour-totoro-hayao-miyazaki/

Read Hayao Miyazaki and Akira Kurosawa's 'fireside chat' here: http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/miyazaki_kurosawa_p1.html.

Follow Michael, Jake and Beth on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@BethKWebb - Beth

For more details about Film4's Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Additional production on this episode from Steph Watts - @_stephwatts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

Tissues are recommended for this episode, as Michael and Jake discuss Isao Takahata’s devastating Second World War tragedy, Grave Of The Fireflies. A modest success on its first release in 1988 (when it was presented as an odd double bill with the chipper adventure, My Neighbour Totoro), Grave Of The Fireflies is now recognised as the crowning achievement of Takahata’s long and influential career in animation - and one of the most powerful films ever made, animated or otherwise.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

For more details about Film4's Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

To coincide with UK broadcaster Film4's complete Studio Ghibli retrospective this summer, Michael Leader (Little White Lies, Sight & Sound), an avowed Ghibli fanatic, is sitting down with Jake Cunningham (The Independent, BFI), who has never seen any of the Studio’s work before. Together they'll be looking at the history behind Ghibli's films (including Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke), getting a critical perspective from Jake as a first-time viewer and forcing Michael to rank some of his favourite ever films.

In this episode, Michael and Jake tackle Studio Ghibli's biggest hit, Spirited Away. First released in 2002, Hayao Miyazaki's fantasy adventure broke box office records in Japan, went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. In the years since, it has become the defining work for both Ghibli and Miyazaki - and there's no better place to start our adventure through the Studio's library of films.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

For more details about Film4's Ghibli Season, click here: https://bit.ly/2JYqrBj

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through the library of films from the world’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

To coincide with UK broadcaster Film4's complete Studio Ghibli retrospective this summer, Michael Leader (Little White Lies, Sight & Sound), an avowed Ghibli fanatic, is sitting down with Jake Cunningham (The Independent, BFI), who has never seen any of the Studio’s work before. Together they'll be looking at the history behind Ghibli's films (including Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke), getting a critical perspective from Jake as a first-time viewer and forcing Michael to rank some of his favourite ever films.

Released on Fridays over the summer, subscribe now to get Ghibliotheque delivered straight to your feed.

Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded at the British Film Institute, as part of the London Short Film Festival and the BFI's 'Cartoon Saloon at 25' season, studio founders Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore and Paul Young reflect on the history of the studio after watching 20+ years of Cartoon Saloon's short film work.

This event was curated and hosted by our own Michael Leader. Find out more about the London Short Film Festival here and about the BFI's Cartoon Saloon season here.

For their help with this event, thank you to Charlotte Ashcroft at the LSFF, Susan Brophy and the team at Cartoon Saloon, and Justin Johnson, Kimberly Sheehan, Josh Glenn and Richard Pickard at the BFI.

Scroll back through our archive for a whole miniseries on the work of Cartoon Saloon - the Cartoon Salooniverse! As well as extra interviews with Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart, Nora Twomey, Paul Young and Will Collins.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the end of the year and you know what that means: Lists! We're rounding up our favourite things of 2023. In this first part of a two-part Listmas special, it's a countdown of all the things specifically Japan that didn't get covered in the previous Japan episodes - think bars, food, and any other experiences, Ghibli-related or otherwise.

Join us on Patreon for ad-free and bonus episodes, Discord access and show footnotes and more: Patreon.com/ghibliotheque

Email us: ghibliotheque@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ghibliotheque and Instagram @ghibliotheque.pod.

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@_stephwatts - Steph

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spoiler warning!

After our spoiler-light episode on The Boy and the Heron last week, we just had to go deeper. So Michael, Jake and Steph reconvened for more of a play-by-play run-through of Hayao Miyazaki's highly anticipated, dense, complicated, wonderful new film.

We'd love to hear what you make of the Boy and the Heron for an upcoming 'mailbag' special! Send us your thoughts and theories at ghibliotheque@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for ad-free and bonus episodes, Discord access and show footnotes and more: Patreon.com/ghibliotheque

Email us: ghibliotheque@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ghibliotheque and Instagram @ghibliotheque.pod.

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@_stephwatts - Steph

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miyazaki is back! Michael, Jake and Steph return to the Ghibliotheque to discuss Hayao Miyazaki's first film in a decade, The Boy and the Heron - a beguiling and captivating film that has been described as a "semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship".

This is a dense film, so we're doing things a little differently here. This episode is in our standard Ghibliotheque format - context, followed by review. It's also standard length, and offers a 'spoiler light' commentary that doesn't delve too deep into its many surprises and stylistic left-turns. Tune into our next episode for a longer-form deep-dive into the film and its many layers and potential meanings.

Join us on Patreon for ad-free and bonus episodes, Discord access and show footnotes and more: Patreon.com/ghibliotheque

Email us: ghibliotheque@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ghibliotheque and Instagram @ghibliotheque.pod.

@MichaelJLeader – Michael

@jakehcunningham – Jake

@_stephwatts - Steph

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of our Japan 2023 miniseries, Michael, Jake and Steph open their shopping bags and chat all things merch, from the Ghibli Grand Warehouse shop to notebooks, records and Gacha machines.

Thank you to the Japan National Tourism Organization for their support in planning our research trip to Japan: https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of our Japan 2023 miniseries, it's the big one. The reason we travelled close to 6000 miles across the globe, from London to Japan: Ghibli Park. Tune in to hear what Michael, Jake and Steph thought about this shrine to all things Ghibli, situated right in the middle of the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, just outside of Nagoya.

https://ghibli-park.jp/en/

Thanks to the Japan National Tourism Organization for their support in planning our research trip to Japan, and to the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel, where we stayed before visiting the park, and to the Shiba Park Hotel in Tokyo, where this episode was recorded.

https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/

https://www.associa.com/nma/multi-lingual/?wovn=en

https://www.shibaparkhotel.com/en/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.