By Hafsa Rizvi

Those random days where we sit on the sofa on a rainy day and notice in a world where artificial intelligence can churn out artwork in seconds and digital tools promise instant creativity, a decades-old Japanese animation studio continues to capture hearts across our island and beyond. Studio Ghibli's painstakingly crafted films raise important questions about what we truly value in art and creativity today.

To explore this phenomenon, I spoke with local creatives who've experienced Ghibli's magic firsthand, discovering how these hand-drawn masterpieces resonate in our contemporary creative landscape.
First Encounters and Lasting Impressions

Shamah Badurdeen, a project manager and coach with a deep love for art, discovered Ghibli in an unexpectedly modern way. "Weirdly enough, I first encountered Ghibli not through a film, but through gifs, looping clips of floating spirits, trains gliding across water, and that iconic food scene," she recalls. "I didn't even know what Ghibli was, but I was hooked. It felt like someone had animated a dream I once had."

What struck her wasn't the narrative complexity, but something more fundamental. "What drew me in wasn't even the story; it was the pace. It was the first time I realised slowness could be powerful."
Shevin Thenuwara, a computing and filmmaking student from NIBM, encountered Ghibli through both academic work and personal interest. Meanwhile, another local creative shared a different entry point: "My first encounter with Studio Ghibli was the anime Spirited Away. I have watched many anime, but this was something that I had never watched or experienced. It was magical and immersive. One of the significant characteristics of Ghibli is their attention to characters and their motivations in a narrative sense."

The Soul Behind Every Frame
What sets Ghibli apart from today's polished digital art? According to Badurdeen, "It's got soul. You can almost feel the brushstrokes and effort behind every frame. Today's digital art is amazing, don't get me wrong, but it can feel too polished. Ghibli's world has warmth, like you could reach in and touch the grass or smell the food."

Our anonymous contributor emphasises the sheer human investment behind each scene. "Studio Ghibli uses hand-drawn techniques to animate their stories, so they take years to draw them. There is one particular scene, four seconds, in The Wind Rises which took like a year and three months to complete. The effort these artists put into their work is unthinkable, and that's why their work lasts long and is unique."

This perspective highlights something crucial about traditional animation. "Imagine all the psychological aspects of these artists they put into their work and how they shape over time with their own lives, and how all these things affect art. Modern digital art can't do that, they simply generate art based on used data, nothing really new technically."

Inspiration Without Imitation
The influence of Ghibli's aesthetic has sparked countless tributes and derivative works. But does this help or hinder emerging artists?

Badurdeen sees both sides. "It inspires people to slow down and create art that feels, which is amazing. But sometimes people get so caught up in the 'Ghibli aesthetic' that they forget to find their own style. There's a fine line between being inspired and just copying."

Our other contributor offers a different take: "I think it's not about Ghibli studio-inspired art, it's just a part of the current trends. New digital tools will open new doors, of course, and it will be easier to access many people, but creativity isn't something we can generate digitally; it comes within us. It won't overshadow original voices."

This insight suggests that while tools and trends may shift, true creativity remains deeply personal and human.

Learning to See Differently
Perhaps Ghibli's most profound influence lies not in technique but in perspective. Badurdeen credits the studio with transforming her creative approach entirely. "Ghibli taught me to observe, not just imagine. Instead of designing a fantasy world out of thin air, I'll go sit by a lake or people-watch at a café and really notice things. How someone absentmindedly taps their foot. How shadows stretch at sunset."

Our anonymous creative notes a subtler influence: "Ghibli's art has roots in Japanese culture, folktales and their mythologies, but I have a different view on how culture, mythologies and folktales can inspire storytelling after I experienced Ghibli's anime."

The Bigger Picture
The conversation around Ghibli touches on broader questions facing today's artists. Our contributor points out practical concerns: "These artists put years of their lives into these movies. Another problem is that there is a huge debate going on with copyright issues with digital art."

On the relationship between fan art and original creation, they provide historical context: "Fan art even existed before modern digital art, it goes back to the pre-20th century. For example, Shakespeare's plays, people reimagined these characters and scenes back then. I think modern visual culture is another tool that has access to anyone."

Badurdeen approaches this thoughtfully: "Fan art is kind of like a love letter. It's personal, and it connects people. But at some point, it's important to ask, 'What do I want to say with my own voice?'"

Hope for the Future
As artificial intelligence reshapes creativity at breakneck speed, what place remains for Ghibli's painstaking approach?

Badurdeen believes we need it more than ever. "Everything's moving so fast now, scroll, like, repeat. Ghibli reminds us to pause, to look around, to feel. I think people are quietly craving that. Not everything needs to be futuristic or flashy. Some things just need to be honest."

Our other contributor shares this optimism simply: "Yeah, there is hope always cause people always have the ability to come up with something new."

Behind these discussions lies a deeper question about what we value in art. Ghibli's enduring appeal suggests audiences hunger for work that feels genuinely human, that carries the weight of real time and real emotional investment.

In our hyperconnected world, perhaps Ghibli's greatest gift isn't just beautiful animation, but permission to slow down, observe carefully, and trust that depth and authenticity will always find their audience. As our digital landscape evolves rapidly around us, maybe that's exactly the reminder we need.