Studio Ghibli: How They’ve Long Dominated Mainstream Anime Ideas Posted Nov 4, 2020

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global anime industry is forecast to reach revenues of $36.26 billion by 2025. With a compound annual growth rate of 8.8 percent, the ever-popular Japanese animation looks set to gain further popularity in the coming years. This is a testament to the work of existing designers, including Studio Ghibli.

Since being founded in 1985, the Tokyo-based company has spearheaded anime’s rise as a mainstream concept. However, Studio Ghibli has been quiet since the temporary retirement of Hayao Yamazaki in 2014 and the death of Isao Takahata four years later. This has allowed new studios and new anime forms to come to the forefront. So, let’s take a look at Studio Ghibli’s contributions, as well as how the market has recently expanded.

Studio Ghibli, the Rise of Other Studios, and Emerging Forms of Anime

Fundamentally, Studio Ghibli’s work can’t be understated. As per a report by The Courier, few have been able to invoke pure joy through a sense of nostalgia quite like the 35-year-old organization. The reason that Studio Ghibli succeeded in taking the traditional art form to the masses revolved around its forward-thinking visuals and high standard of excellence. Not only that, but the studio altered stereotypical mindsets regarding animations, opening the concept up to adult viewers.

In the mid-2010s, internal factors saw Studio Ghibli take a step back from producing new content. The revolutionary company did, however, lay the foundations for new studios and anime styles to be successful. Bones studio – which came to fruition in 1998 – is regarded as being one of the world’s most popular anime designers. Along with other studios, Bones sparked a change in the industry. Styles became more refined, while stories also had a lot more depth, as evident from Monster, a 75-episode-long animated drama.

The Ever-Growing Relationship Between Anime and Digital Platforms

Outside of cinematic and television productions, anime has expanded into diverse markets throughout the 21st century, including gaming. Steam – a 17-year-old digital distribution service – features a wide array of genres within its platform, with the Japanese art form being one of undeniable popularity.

Recently, the platform has become a go-to service for anime developers to host and internationally market their titles. This is apparent from Lose’s 2020 release, Maitetsu: Last Run!!. Interestingly, the earlier study from Grand View Research highlights that this segment of the sector - which falls under internet distribution - was one of the largest contributors to the concept’s overall European market share in 2018.

Not only that, services such as CrunchyRoll have also been at the heart of enhancing anime’s global popularity. The personalized platform features a diverse catalog of content that prospective viewers can consume when first looking to explore the sector. Furthermore, the online casino industry has also embraced anime over the last few years, and this presents an alternative approach to enjoying the traditional style. Through many of the listed operators at BonusFinder, who offer some of the best no deposit bonuses, players can immerse themselves in a wide array of anime-themed titles, including Fortune Girl, Toki Time, Sailor Moon, and many more.

A Thriving Industry that Owes a Lot to Studio Ghibli

Of course, organizations and productions have collectively taken anime to international audiences. However, the early successes of Studio Ghibli set the tone for the style to establish itself as a popular and versatile concept. The 35-year-old studio continuously raised the bar regarding the genre’s content, and that’s aided its long-term sustainability at mainstream markets.