A comprehensive feature by Bloomberg offers a rare glimpse into the current state and future of Studio Ghibli. True to form for the legendary animation house, the path ahead looks delightfully unplanned. Hayao Miyazaki continues to arrive at the office daily, the studio has no next feature in development, and leadership is entirely comfortable with that uncertainty.
Authored by Sohee Kim and Felix Gillette, the article chronicles a visit to Ghibli’s headquarters just outside Tokyo, featuring interviews with Goro Miyazaki alongside the studio’s new president and CEO, Kenichi Yoda.
While the complete piece is well worth reading (and currently accessible without a strict paywall via reader mode), here are the standout insights from their visit:
No upcoming film is currently in the works: It has been over two and a half years since the release of the Academy Award-winning The Boy and the Heron, yet Ghibli has yet to announce a successor—and they aren’t in a hurry. Yoda explains that the founders have historically ignored market data, release schedules, and investor pressure. If a compelling concept isn’t ready, they simply wait for the right inspiration rather than forcing a project.
Hayao Miyazaki remains a daily presence at age 85: What is the master animator currently creating? Surprisingly, nobody at the studio knows for sure, nor are they stressing about it. Yoda notes, “Only he knows exactly what he’s working on”—a mystery shared by his son, his longtime producer, the CEO, and the studio’s financial backers alike.
Finding a successor remains an uphill battle: While Yoda acknowledges that Ghibli is open to collaborating with external directors in the future, Goro believes doing so while his father is still alive is “absolutely impossible.” Yoda elaborates on the daunting environment, stating, “Any sane animation director would not come close to this castle” as long as animation’s most iconic living legend remains at the helm.
The studio’s stance on AI is surprisingly nuanced: Despite Hayao Miyazaki’s famous critique of artificial intelligence years ago—and the recent internet fascination with AI-generated Ghibli aesthetics—Goro clarifies that the studio is essentially neutral toward the tech itself. “We’re not denying, or feeling negative, about AI technology itself,” he explains, separating the tool from how humans choose to employ it. Goro even ventures that late co-founder Isao Takahata, a pioneer fascinated by new techniques, would likely have been an early adopter of AI experimentation.
Nippon TV has no plans to turn Ghibli into a franchise factory: Yoda, who stepped into the CEO role in June, emphasizes that profit is not the studio’s primary driver. Instead, he views his main responsibility as safeguarding the status quo: “What matters is that nothing changes.”
That sentiment provides immense relief following the Japanese broadcasting giant’s acquisition of a majority stake in Ghibli back in 2023.
Ultimately, the legendary studio remains unbothered by unanswered questions regarding its next film, future leadership, or its identity in a post-Miyazaki era. For now, everyone involved is content to let the future unfold on its own terms.