Studio Ghibli Is Losing Its Independence in Nippon TV Acquisition

The Boy and the Heron may not be Miyazaki’s last film, but it might just be the last film by Ghibli as an independent studio. That’s because Studio Ghibli is losing its independence following an acquisition by Nippon TV.

Studio Ghibli announced that Japanese media giant Nippon TV has acquired 42.3% of Studio Ghibli’s shares, making the company Ghibli’s largest shareholder.

This may not be a full acquisition, but according to Ghibli, this will make the studio a subsidiary of Nippon TV moving forward.

Nippon TV to Become Largest Studio Ghibli Shareholder

If the US has Disney, then Japan has Studio Ghibli. It’s fair to say that Ghibli is Japan’s most legendary animation studio.

After all, the studio’s works, especially those directed by Hayao Miyazaki such as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are iconic the world over.

Ever since the studio began, it has been a privately held company. While it has partnered with major Japanese distributors over the years, the studio has remained a private entity, until now that is.

Studio Ghibli recently announced via a press conference that Nippon TV has become the studio’s biggest shareholder. It has also been decided that Ghibli will become a Nippon TV subsidiary.

It was also mentioned that Ghibli president and co-founder Toshio Suzuki and Nippon TV chairman Yoshikuni Sugiyama decided on the acquisition. This is because Suzuki has been looking towards the future of the studio.

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It’s the End of an Era For Studio Ghibli as It Becomes a Subsidiary

According to Suzuki, the fact that he is 75 years old and Hayao Miyazaki is 82 meant that they needed to look for a successor. It was noted that Miyazaki’s son, Goro, declined to become the studio’s next head.

Thus, Ghibli’s founders have been looking at getting the studio acquired. Suzuki then got to spend time with Nippon TV’s Sugiyama at a hot spring resort. There, the two were able to hash out plans for the acquisition.

So, what does this mean for Ghibli’s future? According to Ghibli’s announcement, Sugiyama told Suzuki that Nippon TV will “continue to support Ghibli's works” and “[protect] the environment in which Ghibli can continue to make movies.''

This should mean Ghibli will continue to make films. Still, it’s no doubt the end of an era for the studio, especially as the acquisition likely means that Suzuki and Miyazaki will take a step back from future productions.

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Source: Studio Ghibli via Japan Times