When you reflect back on the stories of your childhood that left deep impressions on you, what were those stories like? Tales of adventure or romance? Tales of magic? Like many others of a certain Millennial age, my formative early years in the ’90s and early aughts were often flavored by the emerging popularity in the West of anime, a genre of animation and storytelling created and honed to perfection by the Japanese. Though one of the defining factors of the genre is that such works are animated and not live-action, this media form is quite different from western animation created for young viewers. Japanese anime is as diverse and wide-ranging in style, tone, and intended audiences as normal films and shows are; thus, adult viewers in the U.S. who wouldn’t normally sit down to enjoy an animated Disney feature should not approach this genre with the same expectations or biases.
No matter your level of familiarity with anime in general, certain series and production studios have become so popular that they’ve become ubiquitous in global pop culture and, likely, have wormed their way into your subconscious without your consent! Many reading this column might at least recognize the basics of the ‘magical girl’ genre made popular through series like Sailor Moon. You might also have encountered movies coming out of the super famous Studio Ghibli, often created alongside director Hayao Miyazaki. We’ve been highlighting works inspired by and created by Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki for the past few weeks at CDPL and have been blown away by the popularity of this topic, and wanted to share some of our suggestions with our newspaper readers today.
Ghibli films are both critically acclaimed darlings and audience favorites, so it may be surprising to find out that they’re never afraid to lean into painful reflection on issues like war and violence, the struggle between humanity and nature, the process of growing up and coming into one’s own, or the management of grief and acceptance of change. If this appeals to you, I recommend that you choose one of two actual Studio Ghibli films to view: either Princess Mononoke or Grave of the Fireflies. Princess Mononoke (DVD FIC Pri) is a fantasy-infused tale about the clash and destruction that occurs when humans dominate and exploit nature in our desire to grow (it’s also about a cursed prince’s journey, animal deities, and a feral wolf-girl). Grave of the Fireflies (coming soon to CDPL) tells the story of two young siblings who struggle to survive the final months of World War II while living in a deeply impoverished and damaged Japan. This film is not a happy one and holds nothing back when it comes to the horrors of war and the suffering of innocent people in the face of violence, so please be aware of that if you choose to view it (and please do consider viewing it). While most of the items on our Ghibli display tend toward the lighter end of the spectrum, we do suggest that you pick up R.F. Kuang’s “The Poppy War” (FIC Kua) if you’re looking for a book trilogy that explores war and violence in a similar way.
For tales that land almost on the polar-opposite end of the spectrum, aka bittersweet slice-of-life stories, there are even more choices to enjoy. Ghibli films representing the lighter side of life include the stories “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (DVD FIC Kik) and “My Neighbor Totoro” (DVD FIC My). If you’re a die-hard fan of Miyazaki and Ghibli and have been nodding along this entire time, I HIGHLY suggest you look into checking out “How Do You Live?” by Genzaburo Yoshino (New FIC Yos). Miyazaki himself has admitted that this book was a childhood favorite of his and that he plans to adapt it into a feature film before he has fully retired from directing! This ‘light novel’ has just been translated into English for the first time ever and features a foreword from Neil Gaiman, which hopefully tells you everything you need to know in order to add this to your TBR. If you’re looking for other similar stories with a distinctly Japanese twist (shoutout to my fellow weebs), try “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (FIC Kaw), “Convenience Store Woman” by Sayaka Murata (FIC Mur), or “The Cat Who Saved Books” by Sosuke Natsukawa (FIC Nat). There are plenty of western options that capture this vibe as well; try “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune (FIC Klu) for a heart-achingly sweet found-family tale, or “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman (FIC Gai) for a dreamlike coming-of-age story.
Even if Studio Ghibli films don’t cast the same filter of warm nostalgia over your mood, I sincerely hope you’ll stop by the browse this collection before it ends on April 15!
Curious about what else is available at CDPL? Stop by the Reference Desk on the second floor or contact us by email at ref@cdpl.lib.in.us or by phone at (765)362-2242, ext. 117. We’d be happy to help you find something from our collection for you to enjoy.
Shelbi Hoover is a library/digital communications assistant at the Crawfordsville District Public Library.
