Some months after Hayao Miyazaki’s announcement that he will not be directing any new animation films, the heart-wrenching announcement that Studio Ghibli is going on an indefinite hiatus has hit millions of fans last week.

However, this news does not mean that Ghibli is disappearing with no second thought by its executives. Toshio Suzuki, the company’s president has clarified this by stating that the studio is taking a break for restructuring purposes. The future of the company will be discussed and if a return to production is deemed possible and sustainable, the animation enterprise will resume making films. This specification, although it is quite bittersweet, still leaves hope for the millions of fans of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki.

Hayao Miyazaki

Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Takahata, Studio Ghibli has become one of the world’s most appreciated animation films in the world. Often compared to the Walt Disney Company, this filmmaking enterprise has released animated movies such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Pom Poko, Howl’s Moving Castle and many more.

The latest Studio Ghibli releases are entitled The Tale of Princess Kaguya, which will make its debut in US cinemas on October 17, and When Marnie Was There. If ever the company stops making animation films, it will certainly retain some of its executive staff to maintain the rights to its existing films.

Typos: hayo miyazaki, hayao miyazak, studo ghibli, studio gibli  

Studio Ghibli Museum official website

Image credit: ©AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI