Giant ‘Castle in the Sky’ in Tokyo Celebrates the Work of Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Installation

Gif via Colossal

While we cross our fingers and patiently wait for Hayao Miyazaki's short Kemushi no Boro to hopefully debut in 2018, we'll comfort ourselves by looking at the incredible installation for Studio Ghibli's 30-year anniversary retrospective. This illuminated ship was just one piece of the interactive exhibition that took place in 2016 in Tokyo for the beloved anime studio's anniversary.

Modeled after the airship from Studio Ghibli's 1986 animated adventure Castle in the Sky, the structure moved and swayed in a unique setting more than fifty stories above Tokyo in the observation deck of the Roppongi Hills Tokyo City View. The mammoth ship was surrounded by other flying machines, an obsession for the legendary film director. Miyazaki, who will be turning 77 at the start of 2018, co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985. And though the studio has released just 18 feature films—in addition to shorts and commercials—it remains one of the most famous animation studios of our time.

Fans already flock to the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, where special shorts not available elsewhere are shown, but certainly, this 2016 installation was a must-see for any anime lover. As propellers whirl and churn over a glowing city, it's impossible not to be transported away into the world of Sheeta and Pazu. One can only hope it will be revived in some form for the 2020 opening of the Studio Ghibli theme park.

Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Installation

Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Installation

Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Installation

Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Installation

h/t: [Colossal, RocketNews24]

All images via RocketNews24 except where noted.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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