Studio Ghibli Theme Park Reveals Totoro Land Concept Art
New concept art for the Studio Ghibli amusement park offers a look at the area of the park inspired by the iconic film My Neighbor Totoro.
New concept art for the Studio Ghibli amusement park offers a look at the area of the park inspired by the iconic film My Neighbor Totoro. Written and directed by Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, the film is set in 1950s Japan and centers on two young girls who move with their professor father to a rural home and interact with the friendly spirits of the nearby woods. Since its release, it’s received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and is frequently the first film that comes to mind when discussing the studio, especially given the titular spirit acts as the studio’s logo and mascot.
The Studio Ghibli theme park was first announced to be in the works in early 2019 with plans to create areas based on a number of its iconic titles including Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart and Spirited Away. After nearly two years of silence, an update came a few months ago with the revelation of the first photos of a large replica of the eponymous Howl’s Moving Castle. Work on the park officially got underway early last year and now Ghibli has a new treat in store for fans.
As construction on the theme park gets underway, new concept art from the Totoro Land of Ghibli Park has been unveiled. Featuring the iconic bus-shaped cat and various other elements from the fan-favorite animated film, the land invites visitors to step into the fantastical world of the Ghibli classic. The concept art for Totoro Land and other areas of the park can be viewed below:
After years of enjoying the same-old areas of iconic theme parks Disneyland and Universal Studios, the branching out of other studios to develop their own parks feels like a breath of fresh air. Though it may come as a disappointment for some that places such as Ghibli Park and the recently-opened Super Nintendo World are only open in Japan, the availability of these amusement parks at all makes for an exciting opportunity of entertainment. Plus, with construction currently underway on the Hollywood iteration of the latter Universal park, fans won’t have to wait for long to step into the video game world of Nintendo.
Not to mention, with all that people had to endure being trapped at home for the past year, something such as the Studio Ghibli theme park may be just what they need to help find a new sense of normalcy. Being able to travel once again or even for the first time might seem all the more enticing if it means getting to explore the world of My Neighbor Totoro in the Dondoko Forest land. For those looking forward to the journey, there won’t be too long of a wait as the park is expected to open next year.
