On the 28th, Goro Miyazaki, director at Studio Ghibli, attended the opening ceremony of the "Ghibli Park and Ghibli Exhibition," held at the B&C Hall / E Hall in Tennozu, Tokyo. He discussed future plans, including the potential for a third phase of Ghibli Park.

Ghibli Park, which opened in 2022 in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, brings the world of Studio Ghibli’s works to life. It currently features five areas: "Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse," "Hill of Youth," and "Dondoko Forest" in the first phase, and "Mononoke Village" and "Valley of Witches" in the second phase. Director Miyazaki has overseen the project from its planning stages.

In addition, he has been involved in other projects such as the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, and the "Satsuki and Mei's House" at the 2005 World Expo. As an animation film director, he has created works like "Tales from Earthsea," "From Up on Poppy Hill," and "Earwig and the Witch." The exhibition reflects on Miyazaki's career and showcases the behind-the-scenes creation of Ghibli Park, focusing on his central role.

Miyazaki commented, "I always thought I had been doing inconsistent work, but seeing it all together like this makes me think I might be able to retire," echoing his father, Hayao Miyazaki’s famous "retirement" declarations. When asked about his future plans, he deflected by saying, "I have no vision."

He added humorously, "This evening, I have a 'what to do next' meeting with Suzuki (producer Toshio Suzuki). It's a meeting to tell Suzuki, who always says he wants to retire, that he can't quit yet." He continued, "The environment surrounding filmmaking has changed significantly since Studio Ghibli was founded. One challenge is how to continue making visual works. For creators, facing a masterpiece like 'How Do You Live?' puts immense pressure on those who follow. We need to think about how to overcome and manage this. At the same time, we've developed the Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park, so there are discussions about further expanding these projects. There’s talk about a third phase for Ghibli Park, and I’d like to tackle that."

Source : ORICON NEWS