Three years after being acquired by Nippon TV, there’s a shakeup at the top levels of Ghibli’s leadership.

Between its unparalleled commitment to anime artistry and larger-than-life creative keymen, it can be easy to forget that Studio Ghibli still is a company. So while the animators and designers play crucial roles in producing what we see on screen, they’re not the ones running the place. Studio Ghibli does have a president, and the current one is going to step down next month.

Studio Ghibli announced through its official website that Hiroyuki Fukuda will be leaving his position as president as of the Ghibli shareholders meeting next month. The 64-year-old Fukuda has been the president and representative director of Studio Ghibli since 2023, and currently concurrently holds the position of president and representative director of Nippon Television Holdings, the Japanese TV broadcaster who acquired Ghibli as a subsidiary the same year that Fukuda became the studio’s president.

Stepping in to replace Fukuda will be 51-year-old Kenichi Yoda. Like Fukuda, Yoda simultaneously is simultaneously a high-ranking executive in both Studio Ghibli and Nippon TV, having a seat on Ghibli’s board of directors since 2023 and also listed as a “general specialist” within Nippon TV’s Content Strategy Division, a combination that’s kept him heavily involved in planning and coordinating events such as exhibitions, concerts, and stage play adaptations for Ghibli’s anime works.

Aside from Fukuda’s departure from Ghibli and Yoda’s promotion within it, the studio is not planning any other changes to its upper leadership structure, meaning that co-founder and anime director Hayao Miyazaki will continue as honorary chairman of the board, veteran producer Toshio Suzuki as representative director and chairman of the board, and Goro Miyazaki as managing director. As such, Ghibli’s philosophy towards animation production and storytelling is unlikely to drastically change as a result of it getting a new president, and the more likely effect would be increased attention given to events and collaborations of the sort Yoda has been handling, which would be in keeping with Ghibli’s recent shift towards showcasing its legacy as opposed to producing new feature-length anime movies.

Yoda is scheduled to become Studio Ghibli’s president on June 22.

Source: Studio Ghibli
Top image: Studio Ghibli
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Kabuki adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki Ghibli anime opens in Tokyo this summer.

Princess Mononoke is one of the most celebrated anime films of all times, and with every frame bursting with Studio Ghibli’s distinct animation artistry, it’s hard enough to imagine what it would look like in live action, let alone as a kabuki play. That’s exactly what we’re getting, though, with the stage adaptation set to open in Tokyo this summer, and now we’ve got our first look at the main cast in costume.

The production team has released a video preview that opens with actor Dango Ichikawa declaring “My name is Ashitaka” as he notches and arrow and draws back the string of the wandering prince’s bow.

He’s followed by a silent introduction of Kazutaro Nakamura as San, the monster princess herself.

As a complex tale of various factions searching for ways to survive, sometimes at each other’s expense, Princess Mononoke doesn’t have a traditional, clean-cut villain. Within the central conflict of the forest denizens versus the humans, though, the latter group is led by Lady Eboshi, who’ll be played by Manju Nakamura.

Given its feudal Japan setting, Princess Mononoke’s characters’ outfits make for an easier adaptation into kabuki costumes than, say the wardrobes of My Neighbor Totoro or Kiki’s Delivery Service would. Still, the designers have added touches of ornate flair here and there. Kabuki does, after all, have a tradition of bold aesthetics, and the costumes need to have a level of visual impact that can reach far past just the front row of the audience.

▼ Kabuki San’s skirt, for example, gets extra feathery elements that aren’t present in the anime design.

The Princess Mononoke kabuki play is scheduled to run from July 3 to August 23 at Tokyo’s Shinbashi Enbujo Theater. Tickets for most of the performances won’t be on sale until May 25, but there are a pair for which reservations can be made now too.

Related: Princess Mononoke kabuki play official website
Source: Princess Mononoke kabuki play official website via Anime News Network/Joanna Cayanan
Top image: Princess Mononoke kabuki play official website
Insert images: YouTube/松竹チャンネル/SHOCHIKUch, Princess Mononoke kabuki play official website, Studio Ghibli
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In 1985, Eiko Kadono released a novel called Kiki's Delivery Service, and it wasn't until 1989 that Studio Ghibli adapted it into a feature-length film. Nearly 40 years later, this fantasy story about a young witch and her black cat will continue, bringing new challenges for Kiki as she embarks on her journey away from home. Kiki's Delivery Service follows Kiki (Kirsten Dunst), a 13-year-old witch-in-training who lives in a world where witches and humans coexist. After leaving home with her cat, Jiji (Phil Hartman), she starts her own delivery service in a new town and faces challenges that come with her newfound independence. The film made over $41.8 million worldwide and had a limited IMAX release early this year.

My Neighbour Totoro is here to help you look and feel cool in traditional Japanese style. 

With the weather heating up in Japan, people across the nation are reaching into their cupboards and bringing out their fans, cotton bedding, and other cooling items to help cope with the rising temperatures.

Those who like to stay cool in traditional Japanese style, however, will be reaching for items made with igusa, a soft rush grass that has been used here for centuries. Commonly used for tatami flooring, products made with igusa have an earthy scent, natural deodorising effects, and excellent moisture-regulating properties – when humidity levels are high, igusa absorbs excess moisture, and in dry environments, it slowly releases moisture, providing comfort without the use of air conditioning.

▼ The cooling, air-cleansing properties of igusa are part of what makes Japanese homes so special.

Image: Pakutaso

Igusa is a common element in traditional countryside homes where the old ways still hold strong, like the Kusakabe family home that features in the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro. So it makes sense that Studio Ghibli would release its own series of igusa products, adorned with motifs and characters from the movie.

▼ The first item is the Igusa Seat Cushion, which comes in two gorgeous designs.

The cushions measure 40 centimetres (15.7 inches) in height and width, and are two centimetres thick, with a smooth surface that makes them very comfortable to sit on, even for long periods of time.

The first design, “Drop“, gives us a Soot Sprite, Small Totoro, and Medium Totoro, with a handful of sweets for added colour and cuteness.

The second design, “Retro Style“, adds a dash of retro colour to a Soot Sprite, a Small Totoro and a silhouette of the Large Totoro, accompanied by an auspicious traditional shippo pattern.

These two designs also feature on three other cushions, starting with the “Mini Flat Pillow” which is filled with breathable polyethylene pipes.

▼ Drop

▼ Retro Style

▼ Next up, we have the Bale Pillow, which is filled with low-rebound urethane chips.

These chips have excellent resistance against sagging, so the cushion is less prone to losing its shape, giving you just the right amount of neck support for summertime naps.

▼ The final cushion is the Candy Pillow, so-called as the rolled shape and ties on each end resemble a candy roll.

Filled with breathable polyethylene pipes, this pillow is less prone to heat buildup, making it another summer naptime essential.

For the ultimate nap, you can pair the pillows with an igusa rug, and there are two to choose from in the collection, both cutely named “Wagororo“.

Wagororo combines the word “wa” (“Japanese style”) with “gorogoro” (“to lounge around”), and that’s exactly what these mats are designed for.

▼ The rectangular mat comes in two sizes, 140 x 200 centimetres and 176 x 230 centimetres.

▼ The round mat is 176 centimetres in diameter. 

Every item in the range is made with domestically sourced igusa, and protected with “Hiba Essence” extracted from Hiba trees in Aomori Prefecture, using a special process unique to the manufacturer. Hiba essence contains a natural substance called hinokitiol, which adds further antibacterial and deodorizing properties to each product.

According to stockists Donguri Kyowakoku, the scent of grass and the expressions of Totoro and his friends will help “soothe away the fatigue of everyday life”. That’s something we could definitely do with when Japan’s humidity starts zapping our energy levels, and the entire range is available to purchase now, at Donguri Kyowakoku stores in Japan and at the online store (links below).

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Bring Totoro and the gang to work with cleverly concealed character details. 

One of the things we love about Studio Ghibli is the way its movies appeal to people of all ages. Even My Neighbour Totoro, which might seem like a children’s movie, with its child protagonist and fantastical characters, has wider themes of familial love and rural ideals that strike a chord across generations, garnering fans that range from toddlers through to businessmen.

In fact, toddlers who first watched the film when it was released in 1988 would now be in their 30s, making them a prime customer for Totoro nostalgia. This is a market that the studio’s specialty retail chain, Donguri Kyowakoku, is now catering to with a new release of My Neighbour Totoro neckties.

The My Neighbour Totoro Necktie 26 Spring Summer collection consists of eight silk ties, in four designs.

▼ The first design, “Nut Stripe“, comes in two colourways – navy and wine.

This tie features the adorable movements of Totoro toddling around with fallen acorns, incorporated into a neat diagonal stripe pattern.

The design might be playful, but its subdued colours make it suitable for people of all ages, from young adults to seniors.

▼ Next up, we have Clover Check, also in navy or wine.

This design features a sophisticated check pattern, with a scattering of clovers and subtle appearances from the white Small Totoro.

▼ Look closely and you’ll see a little Soot Sprite perched on a clover leaf!

▼ The third design is Circle Dot, in blue or navy.

This lovely design has small Totoros peeking out from clusters of tiny, neatly arranged dotted circles.

Like all the ties, you wouldn’t know there was a character hiding out in the design when viewing it from a distance, but up close you can appreciate all the fine details.

▼ Finally, we have Acorn Check, in turquoise or blue.

Based on a traditional Japanese checkered pattern, this design features Totoro and acorns scattered in a balanced and cleverly concealed way.

This design is said to evoke a sense of nostalgia while maintaining a modern, contemporary Japanese aesthetic.

Every tie comes with a Studio Ghibli tag, so you can keep your love for the studio close to your heart…

▼ …and a sweet gift box, which is ideal for Father’s Day gift-giving.

With so many cleverly disguised character details, these ties are a great way to bring Totoro and the gang to work while maintaining a polished and professional appearance. They’re only available while stocks last, though, both online (links below) and at Donguri Kyowakoku stores in Japan, priced at 9,350 yen (US$58.47) each.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Can you please pass the soy sauce, No Face?

Explicit exposition has never really been Studio Ghibli’s thing, but even by their standards, No Face’s character arc is an impressive case. Without saying a single word of dialogue, we watch the Spirited Away scene-stealer go from covetous to considerate over the course of the film, learning that there’s more to life than a cycle of gorging and coercing people with regurgitated pricy baubles.

By the time the movie ends, No Face has become a sympathetic, even heartwarming character, and his new life as a generous, helpful sort can continue in your kitchen in the form of a cute and classy No Face soy sauce dispenser.

The porcelain bottle stands 10.8 centimeters (4.3 inches) tall, with its glaze catching the light in a hazy way evocative of the indistinct nature of No Face’s physical form within the anime.

Instead of pouring from the very top of the bottle, the soy sauce comes out of No Face’s extended arm, which is crafted to bring to mind his on-screen posing.

A silicone seal helps keep the connection between the two parts of the bottle snug and secure, and separating them also makes for easy cleaning of the inside.

While this is technically classified as a soy sauce dispenser by Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, you could use it to hold whatever liquid you want (although the modest diameter of the opening means that thick condiments or lotions probably won’t flow too easily through it). And if your diet isn’t all that saucy, there’s always the option of using the bottle for decorative purposes like a very unique anime figure.

While the No Face soy sauce dish shown in the above photo is sold out, the soy sauce dispenser is back at Donguri Kyowakoku following a recent restock, and can be ordered through the chain’s online store here, priced at 2,640 yen (US$17). Just be careful not to spill any sauce on your new Totoro necktie.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku, Studio Ghibli
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KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — The Royal Selangor Visitor Centre is set to transform into a multi-stage musical hub, hosting a 13-hour continuous lineup for the upcoming Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026.

Returning for its third edition on July 12, the festival will feature 19 acts across four distinct stages, anchoring a programme designed to showcase jazz’s cross-cultural and evolutionary reach.

This year’s programme emphasises regional adaptation and genre-blending, bridging traditional Malaysian sounds with Western jazz foundations.

Headlining the list is none other than legendary Malaysian cultural icon Datuk Zainal Abidin who will perform a special set. 

In a similar vein of cultural reinterpretation, Ida Mariana is scheduled to perform her “Kebaya Jazz” set, which uses contemporary jazz arrangements to reinterpret vintage Malay classics.

The festival’s roster also leans heavily into cross-lingual and experimental territory.

Vocalists JSY, Janet Lee, and Winnie Ho are slated to perform, delivering Mandopop and Cantopop classics reframed through a traditional jazz lens. 

For audiences looking for more contemporary instrumental trends, the group Naungan is not to be missed; they will debut soundscapes that blend indigenous regional instruments with modern arrangements. 

Duo Vonlynn and Poann are set to perform jazz interpretations of iconic Studio Ghibli cinematic themes.

Standard swing and foundational jazz will maintain a strong presence throughout the day.

The Frankie Sixes will anchor a tribute to the Great American Songbook with a set focused heavily on Frank Sinatra

Acclaimed Malaysian musician Michael Veerapen and jazz groups Pop n’ Bop will also perform at the festival, along with expressive vocalist Jo Lixian.

Tickets for the Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026 are available via ticket2u.com.my with general admission priced at RM150 for adults and RM30 for kids below 12 years old. 

For those planning to attend in groups, there is also a bulk pricing structure: group orders of 20 to 49 tickets are discounted to RM110 per ticket, while orders exceeding 50 tickets drop to RM100 per entry. 

For more ticketing information on the Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026, please visit https://www.ticket2u.com.my/event/48886/royal-selangor-jazz-festival-2026

Totoro and friends want to keep you cool and smiling this summer with these traditional non-folding fans.

Summer presents a bit of a conundrum in Japan. On the one hand, it’s not a matter of if the weather will be hot and humid, but whether it’ll be extremely or just very hot and humid. At the same time, summer is full of festivals, fireworks shows, pop culture events, and even beautifully blossoming flowers, so there’s tons of fun to be had if you can find a way to cope with the heat.

And if you have a fun way to do so, all the better, right?

Filling that role nicely are these fans from Studio Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku. This type of fan is called an uchiwa, and because they have an easy-to-grip handle, it’s easier to generate a cooling breeze with uchiwa than with than sensu (folding fans), making them a classical summer lifesaver.

The Ghibli uchiwa are made from bamboo frames and textured paper. A total of four designs are available, representing two of Ghibli’s greatest hits and with unique artwork on each side. On the fan above, we see Spirited Away’s Chihiro riding through the sky on Haku in his dragon form on the front, and when you flip the fan over, you can see Mouse Boh and Haedori having a somewhat less elegant flight.

Also here from Ghibli’s Oscar-winner is No Face, which is fitting since uchiwa are said to be shaped like koban, Japan’s traditional oval gold coins. The back of the No Face fan bares the kanji for Abura, as in the Aburaya bathhouse of the gods where most of the movie takes place, along with illustrations of some of the establishment’s more prominent patrons.

No Ghibli movie captures the vibes of a carefree summer day like My Neighbor Totoro, though, and so it’s also part of the lineup, with one of its designs featuring sisters Mei and Satsuki along with the Catbus.

▼ The back of the fan reveals that the Catbus leaves adorable pawprints behind as it scampers around the countryside.

And finally, the fourth fan shows a gathering of all three Totoros, big, medium. And small, with them dancing under fireworks and the kanji for matsuri (“festival”) on the back.

The fans are all 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in width and 37 centimeters in length, with the exception of the Catbus uchiwa which is just a bit longer at 37.5 centimeters. The long handles make them easy to tuck into a tote bag or slide into the sash of a summer kimono, and since uchiwa don’t fold up, they also work great as interior decorations, since they’re essentially little mini posters that you can also use to make a breeze. All four of the fans are priced at 880 yen (US$5.70) and recently restocked at Donguri Kyowakou, with online orders available here.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4)
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Newest volume in Ghibli cookbook series is packed with easy-to-make recipes for fans of the anime film.

The delicious-looking depictions of food in Ghibli anime have become as much a calling card of the studio as scenes of magical flight and whimsically emotional storytelling. So if fans are going to have their stomachs growling after watching a Ghibli film, it’s only fair that someone tell us how to make the meals for ourselves here in the real world too, right?

That’s the idea behind the Ghibli’s Table cookbook series from Japanese publisher Shufu no Tomo. Each volume shines the spotlight on a different Ghibli anime, teaching how to bring that mouthwatering anime food to your own kitchen, and the newest book is all about Ponyo.

Naturally, the recipes include one for Lisa’s Ham and Egg Ramen, the movie’s most memorable edible work of art.

▼ And yes, there’s a way to get your hands on that exact bowl, too.

The book also contains recipes for adding the Hot Honey Milk that warms Sosuke and Ponyo up to your repertoire, plus the Risa’s In a Hurry Sandwich and the Giant Soft Serve Ice Cream that Sosuke snacks on (sharing optional).

In addition, the 64-page cookbook introduces a number of original recipes inspired by the anime, such as an Overflowing Magic Rice Omelet, Sailor’s Seafood White Curry, and Mysterious Seawater Orb Gelatin, sort of a cooking equivalent to anime soundtrack bonus image songs.

▼ Previous entries in the Ghibli’s Table series have covered Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Laputa/Castle in the Sky.

Though Ghibli anime are produced by some of the most talented artists in their fields, the Ghibli’s Table cookbooks are written with more casual culinary creators in mind, with simple, easy-to-follow steps and photo examples to help keep cooks on track, Shufu no Tomo says, and it even recommends the books for parents and kids who want to try making something together.

The Ponyo edition of the Ghibli’s Table series is priced at 1,980 yen (US$13) and goes on sale July 10, but preorders are open now and can be placed through Amazon Japan here. And if you need to whip up some Ghibli snacks right now, we have a recipe for Spirited Away sweets you could be making right now.

Source: PR Times
Top image: Studio Ghibli
Insert images: PR Times, Studio Ghibli
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Famed anime house isn’t worried about losing relevancy by limiting access to its films.

Studio Ghibli has a reputation for preferring to do things the old-fashioned way, and so fans weren’t really shocked when the famed anime production house was initially reluctant to licensing its works for online streaming. The studio eventually softened its stance, striking deals with HBO Max in 2019 and Netflix the following year, and while the Netflix agreement has since expired, HBO Max still offers the Ghibli catalog for streaming…but not if you’re in Japan.

To this day, there’s only one Ghibli-produced film that’s ever been made available for streaming within Japan, and it’s the one film that Ghibli itself didn’t control the rights to, Grave of the Fireflies. Everything else, like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle? Not available to view online in Japan.

▼ “Ashitaka, will I ever see you online?”

On-demand online streaming may not dominate the video entertainment landscape in Japan to quite the same extent as it does in many other countries, but things are moving in that direction, especially with Japan’s physical media rental stores fading away at an accelerating pace. It’s getting to the point where one could question whether Ghibli’s attitude about making its anime available for streaming in Japan has gone from being quaintly old-fashioned to detrimentally outdated. That was the sentiment one attendee alluded to at a regular press conference held by Hiroyuki Fukuda, president of Japanese television broadcaster Nippon TV, which acquired Studio Ghibli as a subsidiary in 2023. At the press conference, held on May 25, the attendee asked Fukuda:

“Ghibli’s works remain unavailable for streaming within Japan, which limits their audiences…Concerns have been raised that without opportunities to view these titles, some of them may become forgotten [by the public], so is there any chance of Ghibli’s anime becoming available for streaming on your company’s Hulu service?”

As alluded to in the question, Hulu Japan is a subsidiary of Nippon TV, which would make it the natural, and theoretically easiest to negotiate with, online host of the Ghibli catalog. Users shouldn’t go typing “Ghibli” into the Hulu Japan search box just yet, though, nor that of any other streaming service in Japan, as Fukuda answered that there are no plans to put Ghibli’s films online, because Nippon TV and Studio Ghibli want to preserve the relevance of the TV broadcasts of Ghibli anime.

“Presently, Studio Ghibli and Nippon TV are of the shared belief that we want to preserve the specialness of Ghibli’s films appearing on broadcast TV through our Friday Roadshow program. We are of course aware of the various requests for and different opinions regarding streaming, and this is a matter we intend to continue discussing moving forward.”

Friday Roadshow, or Kinyo Roadshow in Japanese, is Nippon TV’s Friday night movie block, in which it shows a different classic, popular, or family-oriented film each week. Ghibli anime are featured several times per year, with mega-hits like Totoro often saved for dates during summer or other vacation seasons, becoming appointment television for fans.

▼ Hurry home, Chihiro! Friday Roadshow is about to start!

Still, not every Ghibli anime airs every year, and even those that do usually do so only once annually. Nippon TV and Ghibli aren’t currently worried about that lessening the relevance of the studio’s films, though. In his press conference response, Fukuda went on to say that permanent facilities like the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo and the Ghibli Park theme park near Nagoya help build interest and excitement for Ghibli’s anime, as do celebratory events like Ghibli’s art exhibitions that travel around the country. Though Fukuda didn’t mention them, Ghibli’s kabuki stage play adaptations, like the one for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and the upcoming one for Princess Mononoke, also help to spark interest in their source material, and even if there’s no Friday Roadshow broadcast of them in the near future, Ghibli’s anime are always readily available for purchase on physical media in Japan.

Occasional overseas events and London’s My Neighbor Totoro stage play notwithstanding, the average overseas Ghibli fan has far less access to these kinds of Ghibli touchpoints than fans in Japan do, which in turn makes easier access to the anime movies themselves, though online distribution, a greater necessity outside Japan, which would explain why Ghibli has come around to the idea of streaming its works in foreign countries. And the day may come when Ghibli shrugs its shoulders and says “OK” for streaming inside Japan too. Nippon TV and the studio aren’t at that point just yet, though, and Fukuda’s treatment of Ghibli as a partner, as opposed to just a subsidiary, in the matter is probably a wise call, considering how committed Ghibli is to presenting its creations in the way it feels best conveys their vision.

Source: Nippon TV via Oricon News via Otakomu
Top image: Studio Ghibli
Insert images: Studio Ghibli (1, 2)
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