Studio Ghibli: The Films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata is a book I received as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. First, I must start off saying that I love Studio Ghibli films! So much so, that I named my cat Miyazaki! I was therefore, really looking forward to reading this book. While I did learn some facts about the studio, the men behind the films and the films themselves, I was slightly disappointed in this book. The beginning came off as a college essay (though a well-researched one). As it flows from the introduction to the meat of the book, it gets a little better. However, it still struck me as a comparison/contrast essay more than a book. A lot of the information was repetitive and I found myself nodding off more while reading it, than being interested in what the authors had to say. I ended up giving it three out of five stars, because I did learn some new facts, there are beautiful pictures near the end, and there was mention of movies that I have not yet watched. Studio Ghibi will forever hold a place in my heart, this book however, will not. ( )

Odell and LeBlanc take readers through the development of Studio Ghibli, arguably the most influential animation company in Japan, by examining each Studio Ghibli film and a handful of the pre-Ghibli works. Many of the films are now well known in North America (hence the publication of this book), so it was interesting to see them viewed in what is arguably a very Western perspective. Odell and LeBlanc put forth some very personalized opinions (I can't beleive that they think Spirited Away is "terrifying"), but also focus on more general critical theory. They speak to many of the common themes that resound throughout the films - such as environmentalism, flying, and the magic of childhood - so this book acts as a good overview and introduction to examining the films of Studio Ghibli. I only wish that they had spoken more about the side projects (tv commercials, etc) though, since worldwide audiences don't have easy access to these. ( )

Studio Ghibli: The Films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata is a book I received as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. First, I must start off saying that I love Studio Ghibli films! So much so, that I named my cat Miyazaki! I was therefore, really looking forward to reading this book. While I did learn some facts about the studio, the men behind the films and the films themselves, I was slightly disappointed in this book. The beginning came off as a college essay (though a well-researched one). As it flows from the introduction to the meat of the book, it gets a little better. However, it still struck me as a comparison/contrast essay more than a book. A lot of the information was repetitive and I found myself nodding off more while reading it, than being interested in what the authors had to say. I ended up giving it three out of five stars, because I did learn some new facts, there are beautiful pictures near the end, and there was mention of movies that I have not yet watched. Studio Ghibi will forever hold a place in my heart, this book however, will not. ( )

Ever since watching the great movie My Neighbor Totoro I am in love with the movies from Studio Ghibli. They have a great quality to them, very different from western cartoons. I have seen most of them, and now that we will be visiting the Studio Ghibli museum in a few months, I felt I had to read this book to learn more about Ghibli and it’s creators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
The book covers the careers of Miyazaki and Takahata, with a short piece about their work before Ghibli and how they came to found Studio Ghibli. It tells a bit about their lives, and where they take their inspiration from. Most of the book covers the Studio Ghibli movies, starting with Laputa; Castle in the Sky, and ending with Ponyo. It gives a short summary of each movie, with more details on how the movie was received both in Japan and the rest of the world, and what makes the movie special. In the last few pages shorts and other Ghibli projects are also mentioned.
As much as I love Studio Ghibli, this book was a disappointment. There was no consistency in the book. The parts of each movie had no general direction, jumping from one thought to another in every sentence. Some movies were linked to others, but not to the rest, without explanations. Some movies feature many Japanese traditions, and this was mentioned, but just when you think more explanation is coming, another subject is taken up. Most of this information I could have gotten from websites. Also, I would love to have know more about Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and the other people who made Studio Ghibli great, and Studio Ghibli itself, more of a history book of the Studio than this list of movies. Oh, and Tanuki aren’t raccoons, they are raccoon dogs… Three out of five stars, but that’s mostly because I like Ghibli. ( )