Studio Ghibli is often called the Disney of the East due to the way its films capture the wonder and curiosity of childhood. Every meticulously crafted frame is rich with color and emotion, and the stories told are subtle, yet so potent, they have audiences pondering over them long after the credits have rolled. Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro have become cult classics while titles like Porco Rosso and Kiki's Delivery Service are less known but are still deeply loved by die-hard fans of the studio.
With their fantasy worlds, colorful environments, and memorable cast of characters, many Studio Ghibli films would make for great video game adaptations. However, it would take a skilled director to artfully capture the aesthetics of the films, while balancing cheerful and morbid themes as expertly as the studio does. With a track record for paying attention to the smallest of details, being obsessed with film, and always innovating, Hideo Kojima would be the best candidate for director if a Studio Ghibli game were ever green-lit.
Kojima Is a Certified Film Buff
Kojima is a cinephile, though that should not be a surprising label to slap on a man who describes himself as being 70% "made of movies" on Twitter. His love of film shines through in his video games, which often feature strong cinematic aspects, often making players sit through long, high-production cutscenes. According to Kojima, his love of film began at an early age. His family had a tradition of watching movies together, and his parents eventually gave him money to go to the cinema on his own. Now, even as an adult, it is part of his daily ritual to "watch a new film every day, no matter what."
Should Kojima direct a Studio Ghibli movie, it would be certain that he would study the source material very carefully. As someone who respects the film medium, he would want to do right by it and offer the most authentic adaptation possible, one that even the most ardent Studio Ghibli fans would approve of.
Kojima Has Childlike Wonder
Many of Kojima's games deal with serious themes and political topics. For instance, Death Stranding, which features a world where people live in isolated bunkers, grapples with loneliness and societal divides. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which features Venom Snake who has a prosthetic arm to replace the one he lost in war, has themes of revenge and trauma. There is plenty of violence, players have to navigate complex moral dilemmas, and sometimes there are no happy endings.
Despite this, Kojima is always able to inject levity into his games. In Metal Gear Solid 5, when lifting enemies out of the battlefield with Fulton Recovery System balloons, they howl comically. There are also plenty of moments where players are given the chance to connect with their childlike, playful side. Metal Gear Solid 5 may be a game about war, but it is also a game where players can sleigh down dunes on a cardboard box.
Similarly, Death Stranding maintains a somber tone for most of its runtime, but there are moments of fun when players can surf on a floating carrier or stop by a crispy stream to play the harmonica. With Kojima directing a Studio Ghibli game, he could weave that same childlike playfulness into it, ensuring that it feels as whimsical as any Studio Ghibli film.
Kojima Can Capture Natural Beauty
A recurring theme in Studio Ghibli films is the depiction of nature in its most beautiful and sublime form. My Neighbor Totoro features scenic shots of Japan's pastoral countryside, while Princess Mononoke has countless views of dense forests and explores themes of environmentalism. For anyone hoping to direct a Studio Ghibli game, a keen eye for natural environments and beautiful landscapes is a must.
Some of Kojima's prior games illustrate an appreciation of nature, perhaps none more so than Death Stranding. Despite being set in a post-apocalyptic future, it manages to capture a kind of austere beauty by presenting unforgiving mountainscapes, where black rocks contrast with green meadows not far away. Around every boulder and horizon is a picture-perfect scene reminiscent of the bumpy lava fields of Iceland. Should Kojima ever be at the helm of a Studio Ghibli film, gamers would be guaranteed visually splendid environments that put them right into nature.
Although there are no confirmed Studio Ghibli games in the works, Kojima has stated that he will be spending time on a "radical project." However, with Kojima, it is impossible to tell whether that is a game, film, or something entirely unexpected. For players who do want a bit of Studio Ghibli in their gaming, it might be worth delving into the Ni No Kuni series, because Ni No Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch were both created in collaboration with Studio Ghibli and feature animated sequences by the studio.
