Lincoln Square Cinema in Bellevue is the place to catch this year’s Studio Ghibli Fest, which features nine movies from the famed animation studio throughout the year. Coming next are Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (May 20-21) and Whisper of the Heart (July 1-2). These movies are beautiful to watch on the big screen, but they are also the sort of films that get better after multiple viewings. To add to your collection, head to any Kinokuniya bookstore, which has a close relationship with the studio and sells all the classics on DVD. Here are some recommendations for the uninitiated.
My Neighbor Totoro
A university professor and two daughters move into an old house close to the hospital where the daughters’ mother is. Their plan is to welcome her back to a clean house. However, it turns out that their house is also home to all sorts of tiny monsters. The daughters are mocked at school for living in a ghost house. One day, younger sister Mai finds a strange creature that she chases into the woods. There, she finds a giant version of the little creature napping on the forest floor. This is the beginning of the two sisters’ wonderful adventure with Totoro. (By the way, Totoro is not a giant rabbit, as some people think, but a yokai.)
Princess Mononoke
This movie presents the Japanese countryside in a beautiful light. It will also give you an introduction into how the Japanese see the gods. The main stories are about battles between humans and gods, and the difficult coexistence of nature and humanity. The main character, Ashitaka, struggles to find balance. This is a great film for those who like thoughtful messages about what it means to be human.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
This movie will make you want to keep trying. Kiki is a new witch who needs to be trained in a town where there is no witch to train her. She flies with a broom to a city called Koriko that is surrounded by the ocean. She is excited to live in a new place by herself, but people in the town don’t seem very welcoming. During her wanderings, Kiki comes across a bakery. She helps the owner return a forgotten item to a customer by flying on her broom. This is the beginning of her delivery service. Watch this film, and we bet you’ll get inspired!
Ryosuke Komori was born and raised in Kyoto. The city's deep cultural heritage and centuries-old traditions helped shape him as a young man and still influence him today. As a college student, he and friends started an email magazine business called MaguMagu! The success of that business made Ryosuke realize he needed to tell more stories about Japan in new ways. That's how QAZJapan and Origami magazine were born. With QAZJapan, Ryosuke is taking his media skills to a whole new level! He hopes you dive into the site and enjoy.
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