Today, we're talking about Studio Ghibli tattoos. Studio Ghibli is clearly one of the greatest animation studios in the world, and just recently, the movie The Boy and the Heron, released in 2023, won Best Animated Feature at the 96th Academy Awards. Congratulations to Hayao Miyazaki! But I think he's accomplished so much more than that, the awards are just a representation. From Castle in the Sky in 1986 until The Boy and the Heron in 2023, Studio Ghibli has been producing so many great works for us that are one of the best parts of many people's childhood memories.

In this post, I'm going to pick three of the most iconic Ghibli animations and introduce them one by one. And of course, the best studio Ghibli tattoos!

1997· Princess Mononoke

"You cannot change fate. However, you can rise to meet it, if you so choose."

This is a story about man and nature, with some fantasy elements added to it due to the setting in ancient Japan. This is my favorite Ghibli movie, so I'll talk about it a little more.

San, or Princess Mononoke, is a young human girl raised by a pack of white wolves who sees the invaders of the forest as enemies. She has a sharp dagger and wears a mask on her head as well as white wolf fur on her body.

Ashitaka, a young man, is cursed for killing a hideous demon while protecting his village. In order to lift the curse, he embarks on a journey. On his journey, he knows from others that the Great Forest Spirit could help his curse. Along the way, he is witness to the conflict between humans and the forestgods, and is drawn into the war for survival between the animalgods of the forest and the evil demons and humans. He also meets San. San was wary of Ashitaka but ended up fighting alongside him.

As it turns out, the hideous demon was transformed by a giant boar god. Eboshi, the leader of Iron Town, clashed with the boar god due to deforestation and she shot him. At the same time there was a group of people who wanted to shoot the head of the Great Forest Spirit and offer it to the Emperor, which they believed would make one immortal. The story takes place among these forces.

Although the movie is carried out from Ashitaka's point of view, the fact that the name is Princess Mononoke speaks volumes about how wonderful the character is. I love how brave she is, how she fights for the forest and her home. At the end of the story, she still lives in the forest with her pack.

 

2001· Spirited Away

"Once you do something, you never forget. Even if you can't remember."

This is the story of Chihiro Ogino, a 10-year-old girl who, along with her family, mistakenly enters the world of the spirits.  After her parents are turned into pigs by the evil witch Yubaba, she is forced to work in the Bathhouse. She experiences growth and continues to search for ways to return herself and her parents to the human world.

The mysterious teenager Haku helps her a lot in this fantastically magnificent but dangerous world. The price for working for Yubaba in this world of spirits is to be stripped of her name. Chihiro loses it, and so does Haku. But in the end, Chihiro passes the test and remembers Haku's name as well. Haku's real identity is the spirit of the Kohaku River. He had saved Chihiro from drowning at a young age.

Chihiro Ogino and Haku. Just two beautiful creatures.

Tattoo by @diego_joey

Tattoo by @mina.boo_tattoo

No-Face, a mysterious, lonely ghost.

He is attracted to Chihiro and follows her to the Bathhouse. As he devours different demons, the negative traits of those demons show up in him, greed and overeating. His actual mouth is much bigger than the one on his mask, just like in the picture.By devouring food through that big mouth, he also became more and more gigantic. But eventually, Chihiro makes him change back to his original form and brings him to Zeniba. He accepts Zeniba's proposal to stay with her as an apprentice.

Tattoo by @eliklugari

2004· Howl's Moving Castle

"A heart's a heavy burden."

The story follows Sophie, a young miller who is cursed to become an old woman by a witch who breaks into her store. She meets a sorcerer named Hawl and becomes involved in his resistance to fighting for the king. And Howl is a beautiful young man a talented wizard who travels across the continent via a magical moving castle.

The film focuses on love, personal loyalty and the destructive effects of war. It's just hard to describe the plot in a few sentences. In 2013, Miyazaki said Howl's Moving Castle was his favorite creation, explaining, "I wanted to convey the message that life is worth living, and I don't think that's changed."

Sophie and Calcifer.

Calcifer is the fire demon who fuels Howl's Castle. He looks like a living fireball with eyes and a mouth.
Calcifier has a magical contract with Howl and is bound within the confines of Howl's castle. He promises to use his magic to lift the curse on Sophie if she breaks the pact with Howl.

Tattoo by @rhur_tattoo

Calcifer and the Soot Sprites.

The Soot Sprites(Susuwatari) are spirits that appear in the films My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. They are illuminated by soot itself. They are small, black, furry creatures with spherical bodies and white eyes and black pupils.

Tattoo by @clodin_93

A little game

Would you recognize which Ghibli anime each of these compilations came from?

Tattoo by @rhur_tattoo