Ghibli denies breakup rumors, says, "We're changing our methods!" Hayao Miyazaki also wants to focus on short films!

Studio Ghibli Producer and Representative Director Toshio Suzuki appeared on NHK’s news program “ASAICHI” on August 7th, and denied recent reports of Ghibli’s breakup. He said, “I really want to retire, but I definitely can’t do that. In short, it’s because we’re talking about changing the way we make films.” Also, he revealed that though Miyazaki announced his retirement, he intends to continue working with films. He said, “It seems like Hayao Miyazaki wants to make more, too.”

Producer Suzuki said, “We wanted Ghibli to be the company of our dreams. When we feel like it, make films, and we don’t feel like it, don’t. We feel like we achieved that to an extent,” explaining the nature of the studio’s stance. About Miyazaki’s retirement, he said, “It’s retiring from long films.” Afterwards, he said, “Now we want to make short films. I’ve been talking to him (Miyazaki). Since we’ve been making short films at Ghibli Museum, we want to make more things like that. But now, it’s hard to say exactly what we’ll do,” he said frankly.

Suzuki spoke about the future of Japanese animation. “It’s changing. It’s been changing. From here, it’s all of east Asia,” he said, hinting at overseas positions. “It’s already beginning. In Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and in parts of Vietnam, it’s already starting. One could say that in all of Asia, for example if a Japanese person came up with an idea, the person who actually creates it is Thai or something. That’s how it’s changing. If someone wants to draw, they can go to Thailand. It’s not about production cost, it’s a problem of ambition. Even in Japan there is ambition, but we can pause a bit. It’s not about whether it’s Japan-made or Thai-made, but making a single work in all of Asia, doesn’t it seem like that kind of era has come?” he continued.

In relation to Ghibli, Producer Suzuki revealed on July 27th at a general stockholder meeting that Studio Ghibli Production Department would be taking a temporary break. In part, when “Ghibli is withdrawing from anime production,” was reported, a ripple was heard.

source (in Japanese)

Full translation of the article from last night. Thank you, mrheffareff!

Regarding the post about the closure of Studio Ghibli: 1. I wasn’t the source of the article, it was reblogged from elsewhere. It does clearly say it was reblogged from another Tumblr blog. I have been cited as the source on just about every website running this news. 2. Calm down. Here’s some further information regarding the Toshio Suzuki television interview. Even though the future of Studio Ghibli still seems pretty bleak, he wasn’t as explicit about their closing down as the original post made out. http://kotaku.com/preview/studio-ghibli-is-not-dead-yet http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/ghibli-co-founder-suzuki-studio-considers-dismantling-production-department

After recent rumors of Studio Ghibli closing their animation department and the low box office numbers for When Marnie Was There, it was time to make an appreciation post for a company that has created true movie magic again and again. So, thank you, Studio Ghibli. Hopefully it isn’t good-bye just yet. Studio Ghibli is no longer producing animated films. So here’s to you, Ghibli, and everything you’ve given us.

So it’s now official : According to Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli is stopping production of animated feature films. But it’s not the end of Studio Ghibli. They will keep a small staff for Hayao Miyazaki projects. And also the “Momonoma” department, which is Yoshiyuki Momose staff for production of commercials, music videos … Momonoma artists are already freelance, and this is the reality : most of Studio Ghibli staff today are employees, with long term contracts. Studio Ghibli can’t pay this staff if there’s no more Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata (expensive but profitable) movies on the way. Ghibli cost too much today, so they’re just stopping the current system. Before Porco Rosso, Studio Ghibli staff was freelance. They’re coming back to this previous system. It’s a restart, like Hoshino and Suzuki said. Now they will focus on licensing, and Ghibli Museum. And wait for new viable projects. So let’s wait & see. Note : french magazines Le Monde and Liberation already talked about this information many months ago.