Nepenthe

by Mizuki Uchiyama for BBC Travel . As Studio Ghibli turns 40, we visit the forests, springs and villages that inspired its most beloved films, and meet those preserving their magic. From moss-draped cedar forests to steamy bathhouses and suburban woodlands, the animated worlds of Studio Ghibli often feel fantastical yet familiar. Across 23 feature films, the Japanese studio's vividly drawn landscapes – where kurosuke  ( soot sprites ) scuttle and giant cat-buses roam – have transported generations of viewers into realms where nature and fantasy blur. But many of these beloved settings weren't born from pure imagination. They were inspired by real places across Japan – some sacred, others endangered but all profoundly cherished. As Studio Ghibli celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, we're exploring the real-world places behind some of its most iconic films. Yakushima is a rare and enchanting landscape that inspired Princess Mononoke (Credit: Alamy) Yakushima: T...

At the Journal for Geek Studies , Karla J. Humara-Gil tell us all .  What's more, they are so generous as to have the article downloadable in PDF. Characterized by its complex stories, stunning visual art, and strong female protagonists, Studio Ghibli is one of the most renowned studios in the animation industry. The Tokyo-based Japanese studio was founded by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki in 1985. Since then, it has been involved in different projects: short films, commercials, video games, and most notably, more than 20 feature films such as the classic Grave of the Fireflies (1988) or the Academy Award winner Spirited Away (2001) (Studio Ghibli, 2023). It is undeniable that over the years, Ghibli has become a worldwide phenomenon. But its influence has not been limited to entertainment. We can also find traces of it in science, particularly in the one in charge of identifying, classifying, and naming species: taxonomy. In this co...

Lesson by Iseult Gillespie for TED-Ed

Obituary from The Guardian For more than 50 years,  Isao Takahata , who has died aged 82, played an instrumental role in forging the international reputation of Japanese animation. He was one of the two key figures behind Japan’s leading animation house, Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded in 1985 alongside  Hayao Miyazaki , and the director of such poignant works as the antiwar film  Grave of the Fireflies  (1988) and the Academy award-nominated  The Tale of the Princess Kaguya  (2013), based on a 10th-century folktale and realised in a style influenced by traditional Japanese ink-wash painting. Yet in contrast to the freewheeling and design-based approach of his more prolific colleague, Takahata never put so much as a pen to paper during the animation process. Nonetheless his sophisticated, character-driven animations explored a diverse range of themes and aesthetic styles, often confounding expectations as to what was possible within the medium. ...

Blank on Blank : Famous Names, Lost Interviews, Animated Shorts Jane Goodall on Instinct | The Experimenters | Blank on Blank from Quoted Studios on Vimeo .

Adaptado da obra de Jean Teulé, traduzida por mim para a Guerra & Paz !

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore 

From Cinematical Johnny Depp supposedly based the character he created for 'Rango' on his Hunter S. Thompson impersonation from 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.' To us, at least, this sounds like an awesome idea, especially considering that Depp already adapted one impersonation of a world-famous charismatic druggie, Keith Richards, into the massively successful 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. This got us thinking: Hunter S. Thompson ran for sheriff of Aspen, Colo.; Rango becomes the sheriff of Dirt. What if 'Rango' director Gore Verbinski took this idea a little bit further? Artist Edward Rueda gave us his best Ralph Steadman impersonation of what Rango would look like if the story of 'Rango' were inspired by Hunter S. Thompson as well.

Check it on BoingBoing :) And yes, the Ghibli zoetrope, in dire need of a decent video on YouTube, Vimeo, anywhere...

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Thanx to Roger Ebert , the movie critic gift that keeps on giving ;)