Spirited Away needs no introduction. A hand-drawn animation masterpiece, the film broke so many records, shattered so many glass ceilings for animation as a category, and, to this day, remains a personal favorite and sets the bar for new-age animated films. But 30 years before Studio Ghibli left a permanent…
Tag: Japan
Listicles
Animation films that depict the climate crisis
Animation films are serious works. It takes skilled individuals – a village to create a film, including short films. Over the years, the animation industry has created multiple films that center on the planet and explore themes related to the climate crisis. Only a Child A short film by Simone…
Opinion
The full spectrum of being a dad in animation films
Fathers hold an essential position in the family hierarchy and are seated at the top in a patriarchal setting. Animation movies often reflect this setup, even in anthropomorphized stories, making father figures unquestionable. Animated dads are often depicted as decision-makers not just for their own lives but also for the…
Opinion
Normalizing Periods in Only Yesterday, The Studio Ghibli Way
Periods are a biological function necessary to carry life forward, yet they remain taboo. In many Indian cultures, a woman is “untouchable” if she’s on her period. She’s deemed dirty and banned from the kitchen as long as she bleeds. Male members, who are often clueless about periods till they…
Listicles
The not-so-popular political and historical animation films, Part 3
You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. In this section, I write about a Japanese film that tells the story of a little girl from Amsterdam who changed the world, as well as beloved French comics adapted into films that challenge capitalism, discuss labor rights, and feature…