Studio Ghibli Enchants With Magical Ghibli Park Anime Ad

What better way for Studio Ghibli to advertise their theme park than with an animation?

In honor of the opening of the final section of Ghibli Park, the animation studio has released a short 15-second animation video featuring the walking animatronic castle from Howl’s Moving Castle. Director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki storyboarded while Akihiko Yamashita directed the commercial. Yamashita was also the animation director and character designer of the film. Producer Toshio Suzuki said the commercial was produced at the request of Miyazaki’s son.

Studio Ghibli announced their plans to open the Ghibli Park as early as June 2017 and opened its first area, the Mononoke Village, on Nov. 1, 2023. Mononoke Village recreates the environment from the eponymous Princess Mononoke film. The park also has the Dondoko Forest which is the location of Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbor Totoro. The Hill of Youth is centred around Howls’ Moving Castle, Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse will feature character exhibitions as well as the area from Castle in the Sky.

The Valley of Witches will feature all things witchy, including Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Earwig and the Witch. Visitors can head into Gütiokipänjä, the bakery in Kiki’s Delivery Service, to buy some delicious bread. They can also visit Soratobu Oven (Flying Oven) for oven-baked dishes like pies and quiches. And if that doesn’t sate visitors’ stomachs, they can also go to the Hot Tin Roof for some hot dogs that can be eaten outside. In addition to the bakery, Gütiokipänjä will also have the attic where Kiki and Jiji slept for visitors to visit. The Valley of the Witches will also have a store called 13 Witches where visitors can buy original merchandise. The only hint of the interior is that it will have “unique shelves.”

The Valley of the Witches opens on March 16.

Source: YouTube