Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, your go-to podcast for deep dives into books that challenge the way we think about industries, innovation, and creativity. This is our Weekend Book Review, where we explore the ideas and research behind some of the most thought-provoking books out there.
Today, we’re stepping into the world of one of the most beloved animation studios of all time—Studio Ghibli. But not through the lens of its films. Instead, we’re looking at it as a business, an institution, a workplace. We’re reviewing Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History by Rayna Denison, a book that moves beyond the magic of Miyazaki’s storytelling to examine the realities of the studio’s production culture, marketing, and legacy.
Rayna Denison isn’t just any film scholar. She’s the Head of the Department of Film and Television at the University of Bristol, with a career deeply rooted in Japanese media studies. From Oxford to Nottingham, she’s spent years unpacking the global influence of Japanese pop culture, and her research has even been recognized by the Eisner Awards. With this book, she takes us behind the curtain of Ghibli, separating myth from reality to show us how this legendary studio operates.
So here’s the question: Is Studio Ghibli really the progressive, artist-friendly powerhouse we’ve always believed it to be? Or is there more to the story, hidden in the way it manages talent, technology, and tradition?
A huge thank you to Rayna Denison for this fascinating book. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to Revise and Resubmit on Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, Apple Podcasts, and of course, our YouTube channel Weekend Researcher.
Reference
Denison, R. (2023). Studio Ghibli. In Palgrave animation. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16844-4
Youtube channel link
https://www.youtube.com/@weekendresearcher
Support us on Patreon
https://patreon.com/weekendresearcher
