Studio Ghibliis one of, if not the most, famous Japanese Animation film studios of all time. They are perhaps best known for producing the films oflegendary director Hayao Miyazaki, including such masterpieces asSpirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbour Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle,and many, many more. Studio Ghibli’s beautiful animation, unique stories, and incredible characters have inspired other movies and TV shows for years, one of those being the recentStar Warssequel trilogy.
While some fans have taken to YouTube to show the comparisons betweenStar Warsand Studio Ghilbi through shot for shot mashups and video essays that breakdown the similarities, one fan has created an incredible piece of fan art that depicts Rey and her trusted robot companion BB-8 in the animation style of the Japanese studio. Posted to Reddit by “Cephandrius,“the picture shows Rey and BB-8 looking off into the distance, probably on Jakku. The artist really nailsthe look of a Studio Ghibli film, replicating the exaggeration of certain features, while also maintaining a kind of beautiful simplicity.
RELATED:Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ Getting A Stage Adaptation
WhenStar Wars: The Force Awakenscame out in 2015, some fans were quick to point out the apparent similarities to one Studio Ghilbi film: 1984’sNausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, where the remnants of humanity now live in scattered, semi-hospitable environments among the “toxic jungle.” The film’s protagonist, Nausicaa, is the princess of the Valley of the Wind and is able to communicate with large incests that roam the world. She seeks to understand the jungle in the hope that it may one day co-exist with humanity.
Now, on the surface, this sounds pretty different fromStar Wars,but the similarities are actually present between the film’s protagonists, Nausicaa andDaisy Ridley’s Rey. The comparison between these two leads has been made by many fans, and when you look at them side by side, it’s easy to see what they are talking about. Both protagonists are strong, independent young women, who are skilled martial artists, and talented pilots who spend much of their time searching the remnants of a world long gone. They both befriend a lovable turncoat with a heart of gold and are both largely informed by a past trauma involving some kind of separation.
J.J. Abrams has never gone on the record saying that Nausicaa inspired Rey, but it’s easy to see where fans are coming from. It would also be a fitting inspiration sinceStar Warshas always heavily borrowed from Japanesecinema. The originalStar Warstrilogy drew heavily on the Samurai films of Akira Kurosawa. Hell,A New Hopeis practically an adaptation ofThe Hidden Fortress,featuring scenes and characters that directly resemble the 1958 film. Also, fun fact, Mark Hamill himself actually provided a voice for the English dub of one of Studio Ghibli’s films,Castle in the Sky.
If you live outside the US, you may watch the films ofStudio Ghilbistreaming on Netflix.
MORE:Star Wars: The Sequel Trilogy Tried To Give Rey A Hero’s Journey But Failed
