Ghibli Great Exhibition: from Nausicaä to The Red Turtle

A reconstruction of the battleship from Castle in the Sky

For Studio Ghibli's 30th anniversary, an exhibition of rare Ghibli-related items, from its 1984 hit Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind to its most recent release The Red Turtle, is being held at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi until September 11.

The seemingly haphazard way the exhibition is non-chronologically arranged is consciously intended, Ghibli producer Suzuki Toshio explained in an interview with nippon.com. The exhibition tries to recreate the experience of extracting memories arranged in a filmgoer's mind. The exhibition was based from the exhibitions held in Aichi and Niigata Prefectures in 2015 but a section on The Red Turtle, which is scheduled for release on September 17, is added to the present exhibition.

The displays showcase around 2,500 items related to the films released in the past 30 years, with a large volume composed of promotional items like flyers and posters. The invitation sent by the Academy Awards to Studio Ghibli for its Awarding Ceremony in 2001 is exhibited for all visitors to see. Of course, displayed beside it is the signature golden trophy of the Academy Awards won by Spirited Away for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, making it the only hand-drawn Japanese film to win a Best Animated Film award.

Other highlights of the exhibition include a life-sized Totoro behind a counter greeting the visitors upon entry, a Cat Bus where visitors can have their pictures taken (but there is always a long line in this section so you would only be allowed to pose for a few seconds, so make sure you give it your best shot!) and a reconstruction of the battleship from Castle in the Sky before you exit. 

This is indeed a must-see for Ghibli fans who would like to trace the 30-year history of the studio and marvel at the authentic old posters and previously unseen and unreleased sketches of Ghibli characters and scenes. The lack of English translation of the description of the items can be a turn off at some points (knowing that Mori Art Museum usually puts them but why not in this exhibit). The exhibition would have been more fun if visitors could actually understand the historical significance of the specific objects in Ghibli's long history but this is not a distraction that should put off a real Ghibli fan from seeing what other things the exhibition has to offer.