Studio Ghibli

By.  Lil Leia

   Hi guys! It's all about Studio Ghibli this time! Studio Ghibli is a film studio based in Tokyo that’s recognized for its amazing animated films. After the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma founded the studio in 1985. Studio Ghibli has since made 19 movies, the most successful of them being Spirited Away, which grossed more than $274 million worldwide and won Studio Ghibli's first and only Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Here are five facts you didn't know about Studio Ghibli:

1. Studio Ghibli enacted a no-cuts/editing policy when distributing their films internationally, introduced after producers heavily edited Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind for its U.S. release. When U.S. producers were considering editing Princess Mononoke, a Studio Ghibli producer sent them an authentic katana with a note that said, “No cuts".

2. In 2001, the studio opened the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, dedicated to exhibits based on their films, as well as a theater within the museum that showcases short films made by Studio Ghibli exclusively for the museum..

3. At his retirement press conference, Miyazaki announced that his son, Gorō, would take his place and continue his works.

4. One of its most recent movies, and Miyazaki's last film, The Wind Rises, was based on the true story of Jiro Horikoshi, a plane designer who designed two of Japan's most successful planes during World War 2.

5. In My Neighbor Totoro, one of its most famous films and one of my favorites, (spoiler ahead!) Satsuki and Mei's mother suffered from tuberculosis, but managed to recover in the end. The story is loosely based on Miyazaki's life, who once said that had the movie starred two boys instead of two girls, it would've been too painful to make.

So, what do you think? Surprised? Here's a list of all the movies Studio Ghibli has made and their year of release in Japan. Either Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata has directed most of these films:

1. Castle in the Sky - 1986

2. Grave of the Fireflies - 1988

3. My Neighbor Totoro - 1988

4. Kiki's Delivery Service - 1989

5. Only Yesterday - 1991

6. Porco Rosso - 1992

7. Pom Poko - 1994

8. Whisper of the Heart - 1995

9. Princess Mononoke - 1997

10. My Neighbors the Yamadas - 1999

11. Spirited Away - 2001

12. The Cat Returns - 2002

13. Howl's Moving Castle - 2004

14. Tales from Earthsea - 2006

15. Ponyo - 2008

16. The Secret World of Arietty - 2010

17. From Up on Poppy Hill - 2011

18. The Wind Rises - 2013

19. The Tale of Princess Kaguya - 2013

   In my opinion, Studio Ghibli will forever rule anime movies. Some of their films speak to me a little, making me feel happy, or sad, or maybe both at the same time. Ghibli is awesome!

Web Comic Recomendation: Fisheye Placebo by Yuumei

By. Dalai Dama

I always love reading original web comics, and today I present to you Fisheye Placebo by Yuumei. I found this amazing artist in deviantART and immediately fell in love with her  digital artwork, the colors, themes of each art it's so unique it's just exquisite. 

After some time I noticed she started writing some stories like: Rumination this was an experimental work for her class, The story plays out like a choose your own adventure book, but no matter what you choose, it all leads to the same ending.

In spring 2009, she made her first major project, 1000 WORDS, a one-shot web Flash comic inspired by her parents' divorce and how her life was afterwards. It was originally a painting, called "Tape it Back Together", but after one of her followers commented on the similarity of the situations, she decided to make it into a story of its own. This work is available online at her deviantART and in print. 

Then came Knite, a story of how a group, also called Knite, wants to bring stars back into the sky because of the horrible pollution of China. This title is available online in her deviantART, or you can get it in print!

  

And now for my favorite work so far Fisheye Placebo. The comic is a work of fiction that mixes a few genres, like cyberpunk, science fiction, and psychological themes as well. The story is great, with stunning artwork to match it.  Fisheye Placebo is about Vance, who just wanted to make the most out of his college experience under a totalitarian regime. The last thing he expected was to be dragged into a crazy conspiracy to overthrow the government by his most-definitely-not-female roommate. College was meant to be exciting, but not this dramatic. Between dates that end in flops, failed grades, and successful hacks, Vance will slowly begin to question the morality of his actions and the true price of freedom. 

The comic is a slow work-in-progress since she draws each scene herself, but it's worth the wait! If you are interested in this great artist, you can find her at deviantART, as well as read her work at her Tapastic.