Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Ghibli's timeless animated magic turns 40
Content provided by British Council
[1] Studio Ghibli, Japan's Oscar-winning anime studio, celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this month. Here are the top five films from the studio that have delighted fans over the decades.
[2] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985, but this post-apocalyptic story, released in 1984, is considered its first film. It was based on a comic strip series that Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki wrote for a magazine for anime fans.
[3] The movie is set 1,000 years after a war that destroyed human civilisation. The story takes place in a valley protected from toxic air coming from poisonous forests. The story centres on Nausicaä, who discovers the secrets of the forests. Nausicaä gets involved in wars between countries trying to bring back a dangerous 'giant warrior'.
[4] My Neighbour Totoro: This beloved Ghibli classic is set in the 1950s Japanese countryside where two young sisters with a sick mother move from the city. They meet the cuddly yet mysterious forest spirit Totoro and Catbus. Catbus is a 12-legged smiling cat with a hollow body in the form of a bus. Both these characters have become Studio Ghibli mascots. The film was turned into a play for the first time by Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company in 2022.
[5] Princess Mononoke: The tale of a girl raised by a wolf goddess in a forest threatened by humans was a smash hit in Japan. The film also made Miyazaki popular internationally. It tells the story of a young prince on a journey to find a cure for his curse. He meets San, also known as Princess Mononoke – meaning spirit or monster in Japanese. The prince seeks ways to prevent wars between harmful humans and animal gods, focusing on nature as the ultimate god.
[6] Spirited Away: This is the film that won Miyazaki his first Oscar. It is about a girl who gets lost in a mystical world of gods and spirits. She tries to save her parents, who have been turned into pigs. To survive, 10-year-old Chihiro is told by a mysterious boy to get a job at a Japanese bathhouse run by a witch. In a story full of Japanese beliefs and traditions, Chihiro gains confidence through her work.
[7] The Boy and the Heron: This is Miyazaki's second film to win an Oscar and is likely to be the 84-year-old's last. The story follows a boy struggling to accept his new life after his mother dies in the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II. Everything changes when he meets a talking heron. He then goes on a journey to an alternate universe, shared by the living and the dead, in search of his stepmother.
Source: Agence-France Presse, June 6
Questions
1. According to paragraph 2, what was the movie Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind based on?
2. How many legs does Catbus have, according to paragraph 4?
A. four
B. eight
C. 12
D. 20
3. What does the phrase 'smash hit' in paragraph 5 tell us about Princess Mononoke?
4. According to paragraph 6, a ... caused Chihiro's parents to turn into animals.
A. Japanese witch
B. mysterious boy
C. Japanese bathhouse
D. information not given
5. Which two films mentioned in the article won an Oscar? (2 marks)
6. Decide whether the following statements are written in the active or passive voice. (3 marks)
(i) Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985.
(ii) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is considered the animation company's first film.
(iii) In one of its recent films, a talking heron guides the protagonist on a journey to an alternate universe.
Explore Studio Ghibli's top films, including 'My Neighbour Totoro', 'Spirited Away' and a boy's mystical journey in 'The Boy and the Heron'. Photo: Studio Ghibli
Answers
1. It was based on a comic-strip series that Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki wrote for a magazine targeted at anime fans.
2. C
3. that the film was extremely successful and popular in Japan
4. D
5. Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron
6. (i) active; (ii) passive; (iii) active
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Content provided by British Council Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below [1] Japan's Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month, with two Oscars and legions of fans, young and old, won over by its films' complex plots and hand-drawn animation. But the future of the studio is uncertain. Its latest hit, The Boy and the Heron, is likely the final feature from its celebrated co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, now 84. [2] The studio behind the Oscar-winning Spirited Away has become a cultural phenomenon since Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata established it in 1985. Its popularity has been fuelled recently by a second Academy Award in 2024 for The Boy and the Heron, featuring a voice cast that includes Robert Pattinson, and by Netflix streaming Ghibli films worldwide. [3] Before Ghibli, most anime was made for children. But Miyazaki and Takahata, both from 'the generation that knew war', included darker elements that appeal to adults, Miyazaki's son Goro said. 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What impact did Spirited Away have on the animation studio's reputation, according to paragraph 2? 4. Based on paragraph 3, Miyazaki and Takahata's experiences likely ... A. contributed to a deeper, more nuanced portrayal of life in their films. B. limited their creative scope to only war-related stories. C. influenced them to create anime with an educational element. D. led them to avoid any sad or difficult topics in their work. 5. What emotion does Goro say is explored in My Neighbor Totoro in paragraph 4? 6. In paragraph 5, what contrast does Napier draw between Studio Ghibli films and US cartoons? 7. Based on your understanding of paragraph 6, what was the typical portrayal of women in anime prior to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind? 8. Which of the following best describes the conflict presented in Princess Mononoke in paragraph 7? A. a dispute between two human kingdoms B. the struggle between humans and nature C. a personal journey of self-discovery D. none of the above 9. Based on your understanding of paragraph 8, what aspect of Ghibli films is particularly relevant to the current global situation, and why? (2 marks) 'The Boy and the Heron' won an Academy Award in 2024. Photo: Studio Ghibli/TNS Answers 1. C 2. It suggests that Studio Ghibli's appeal is widespread and intergenerational and that its films resonate with a diverse audience, attracting both children and adults (accept all similar answers). 3. The film played a significant role in establishing Studio Ghibli's reputation and contributing to its eventual cultural phenomenon status (accept all similar answers) 4. A 5. the fear of losing a sick mother 6. Ghibli's approach of ambiguity, complexity, darkness and light together is starkly different to that of US cartoons, which are typically 'good-versus-evil. 7. Women in anime were often portrayed as passive characters who needed to be rescued. 8. B 9. The environmentalist and animistic aspect of Ghibli films is particularly relevant to the current global situation because they reflect the need for a more harmonious and sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world, which is desperately needed in the face of climate change (accept all reasonable answers).
