Photo: Aichi Prefecture
entertainment

Hayao Miyazaki designs official logo for Studio Ghibli theme park

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By Big Neko, grape Japan

You'll find fewer fans more ecstatic than when it was announced that an official Studio Ghibli theme park was opening in Japan than those of the celebrated animation studio. Recently, the park's five planned areas that explore the worlds of several Studio Ghibli films were revealed, and as you can see below, the concept artwork is enough to be excited about.

The park's planning and opening is a collaborative effort between the Aichi Prefectural and Studio Ghibli, and on May 31 a joint press conference was held in which further details and concept regarding the park's zones, as well as the official park logo were revealed.

The "Hill of Youth Area" has park guests board an elevator inspired by the steampunk architecture in "Howl's Moving Castle" to enter the park, where they will be greeted by a replica of the antique shop Chikuya (Earth Emporium) from "Whisper of the Heart," selling a variety of Studio Ghibli-related goods.

The "Ghibli Big Warehouse Area" will feature shops and cafes, an exhibition room, video display room, and is rumored to also have a Cat Bus building as well.

The "Dondoko Forest Area" is centered around a pre-existing recreation of Mei and Satsuki's house from "My Neighbor Totoro," with walking trails said to be inspired by the idea of exploring the Japanese countryside during the Showa Era.

A definite crowd-pleaser, the "Mononoke Village Area" is modeled after "Princess Mononoke's" Irontown and Emishi Village, where guests can get hands-on experience of traditional charcoal grilling in a Japanese mountain village.

The "Valley of the Witches Area" will feature shops, restaurants, and rest areas recreated from the wasteland of "Howl's Moving Castle" and Okino house and gardens from "Kiki's Delivery Service."

Last but not least was the unveiling of the park's official logo, designed together by legendary director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki (whose amazing art display in Tokyo featured a giant talking Yubaba head from "Spirited Away"). As the park's name is "Ghibli Park", Miyazaki designed the first word "Ghibli" (ジブリ) and Suzuki handled the "Park" (パーク). As you can see, the logo's design captures the fantastical and living nature elements found in many of Studio Ghibli's films.

Screen Shot 2019-06-04 at 10.47.37.png

The first three areas (Hill of Youth, Big Warehouse, Dondoko Forest) are scheduled to be built starting in 2020 and opened in 2022, with construction of the Mononoke Village and Valley of the Witches starting in 2021 and opening in 2023.

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© grape Japan

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3 Comments
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@hung nguyen

this is not hard to read at all oO

I am not a professional when it comes to Kana but this is easy to read as jiburi paaku (Ghibli Park)

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Perhaps worth mentioning that in Japanese 'Ghibli' does not have a hard 'G', i.e. it sounds close to Jibbly/Jibburi in English.

Spring and autumn visits first, then winter next, and summer last I would think, for anyone up for it in 2022! Unless you identify with the season, for example summer in Tonari no Totoro for example.

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Whatever Hayao Miyazaki touched seemed to be popularised including his recent logo. However, from a point of view of a non–Japanese, I struggle to read it as Studio Ghibli. Even though it is readable, this whimsical look should be refined further by a professional graphic designer. I hope that you still remember how the Apple MacIntosh was first designed in 1976 and how it has been gradually refined and evolved for a global market.

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