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Love, According To Studio Ghibli
On What Love Means According To Our Favorite Ghibli Characters
Today, February 14 is Valentine’s Day and some people will go the extra mile to display warm gestures towards their loved ones.
Modern depictions usually present love as romantic and a relationship is considered a failure when a couple does not end up together.
However, Studio Ghibli presents love differently. It focuses on the connection and highlights the importance of a deep friendship between people.
In his book Starting Point 1979–1996, Hayao Miyazaki wrote:
“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live — if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”
In theory, these qualities should be present in any relationship, but not only are they difficult to find, they’re also generally absent in popular culture’s representations of love.
