This beautiful video imagines Studio Ghibli characters IRL

See your favourite anime characters as they might appear in real-world settings.

This delightful short film takes some of our favourite characters from the world of Studio Ghibli and superimposes them onto everyday backgrounds in Japan. From narrow backstreets to vast open plains, snapshots from classic films like Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind and Princess Mononoke are brought into real life.

Little Ponyo runs across the water in Hiroshima bay where the iconic Itsukushima Shrine stands. We see Howl’s moving castle flying through the clouds and Totoro with Satsuki and Mei doing yoga next to Turnip-head in the park. The maker of the film, Kojer, has even given the backgrounds an added sheen of pink lighting or windy sound effects to encapsulate the often nostalgic atmosphere these films. And to top it off, the video is set to ‘One Summer’sDay’, the beautiful theme song to Spirited Away.

By taking these anime characters out of their original settings and reimagining them in real-world ones, it’s almost as if they’ve been brought home. We certainly wouldn’t mind running into Chihiro and No-face on the morning commute!

Also, check out the below making-of video which shows the amazing craftsmanship that went into creating the film.

Two illustrated book covers depicting a smiling Black man wearing a hat and tie, with a city skyline in the background

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