Games inspired by Studio Ghibli Films

Co-founders Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli has changed the landscape of Japanese anime since its inception in 1985. The animation studio's talent for beautiful storytelling with important messages has touched creative media around the world, from film and television to games. For example, in 2010 Studio Ghibli collaborated with developer Level-5 on an RPG Not Kuni franchise by creating animated sequences in games.

Even outside of direct collaboration with developers, Studio Ghibli's influence can be clearly seen in several games, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Soulframe. The Japanese animation studio's influence shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, and continues to inspire game developers to create some of the most stunning art games in the industry.

Updated October 1, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Studio Ghibli's influence extends beyond just anime, with the studio's reach touching on manga, Western animation, and games. The article has been updated with a new one a game inspired by Studio Ghiblialong with galleries and specs for each title included.

7 Wandering village

Inspired by Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind & Princess Mononoke

IN Wandering villageSociety was driven from their homes by toxic plants and spores. While searching for shelter, they encounter a colossal, wandering creature they call the “Onbu”. They settle on the creature's back and form a symbiotic relationship as they both search for a new home that is uncontaminated.

Described as a “city building game with a unique twist”, the main core of the game Wandering village very reminiscent Howl's Moving Castle. But developer Stray Fawn's main inspirations for the game were in fact Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononokeas stated in their Kickstarter campaign. “For the rest of the visuals, we wanted to go with a detailed painting style that matches the Ghibli aesthetic,” Markus Rossé, animator and technical artist at Stray Fawn Studios, told 80 Level.

6 Whoa

Inspired by my neighbor Totoro

Whoa is a game that takes players directly into the hand-painted backgrounds of Studio Ghibli through the eyes of a little fairy. Developed by Scrollcat Studios, Whoa is a relaxing platformer that features a variety of magical creatures that help Hoa on her journey through breathtaking forests and other Ghibli-style landscapes.

The game's art director, Son Tra Le, fell in love with her My neighbor Totoro and put it in Whoawhich gave players the same experience as watching a movie.

“If you take some more from My neighbor Totoroyou'll want to spend the rest of your life in it,” she said Los Angeles Times. As for how they handled bringing Ghibli's art style into game form, Hoa's head Ryo told 80 Level that they “spent a lot of time watching all the Ghibli films, researching their backgrounds, dissecting the techniques and finding a way to recreate it”.

5 Europe

Inspired by Ghibli in general

Release is planned for October 2024, Europe takes place on the smallest of Jupiter's four moons. Players assume the role of Zee, an android who traverses a terraformed landscape to discover the mysteries of the abandoned Utopia, including what happened to the last human living in the colony. Zee embarks on their journey by running, gliding and flying via the Zephyr jetpack, which can be upgraded to the point where Zee can fly endlessly across Europe.

Europe developers Helder Pinto did not share any direct influences from Studio Ghibli in their game. But when you look at the trailer and its concept art, it's clear that the setting of Europe and the world building draw major inspiration from the beautiful work of Studio Ghibli artists. And its focus on telling “an intimate coming-of-age story and humanity's relationship with nature” will be very familiar to Ghibli fans.

4 Yokai Inn (in development)

Inspired by Spirited Away

Yokai Inn it wouldn't be in development if it weren't for Studio Ghibli. “The concept [the game] was designed to be inspired by many Studio Ghibli films, in particular Spirited away” its developer Shiba Pixels told Game Rant, adding that Princess Mononoke and Whisper of the heart were also influential in the design process. “The main places where this inspiration comes through are the character designs and color palettes.” In addition, Shiba wanted to use a “sense of wonder and adventure” in these films to bring life to his play.

Players can look forward to welcoming spirits (yokai) to their inn, which they will gradually improve by foraging, farming and crafting. He described the Shiba as “a mixture Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon” with a breath Stardew Valley, Yokai Inn effortlessly combines the best of these games with the spirit of Ghibli.

3 Spiritual

Inspired by Spirited Away

Developed by independent studio Thunder Lotus, Spiritual helps players explore the complex process of death and grief. The game follows Stella, a girl who takes over from Hades' ferryman Charon as he guides souls to the afterlife. In doing so, Stella completes tasks on their behalf so they can rest in peace.

Inspired by Greek mythology, SpiritualThe detailed inclusion of various spirits and their stories has its roots in Studio Ghibli Spirited away.

In a documentary presented to The Escapist, Thunder Lotus marketing director Rodrigue Duperron said the game “was very inspired Spirited away and the idea of ​​that hotel for ghosts.” 2D artist Marie-Christine Levesque emphasized that the spa house was a significant influence on their work, “with all its unorganized just living together. And to have someone running around trying to solve things and do chores and take care of people,” as Stella does in Spiritual.

2 Rogue Spirit

Inspired by Studio Ghibli in general

IN Rogue Spiritplayers become the Spirit of a prince from the kingdom of Midra. The land he once called home is under attack from a demonic evil known as the Chaos Army, and it is up to the prince to possess these enemies and absorb their skills to defeat them.

The game was developed by the independent studio Kids With Sticks and was inspired by the work of Studio Ghibli from the very beginning. However, there is no specific movie that the team used as a reference. Instead, they used the collective feel and aesthetic of Ghibli art to support the narrative in their game. “What we take from a handful of Miyazaki's films is primarily the color work and design,” Kids With Sticks told 80 Level. “Contrast and the right color space are the basis of our work. Thanks to the fact that Ghibli films use traditional painting techniques (watercolor, gouache), the palettes are very expressive.”

1 Forgotten Anne

Inspired by Ghibli in general

A stunning visual style that is unabashedly Ghibli, Forgotten Anne he wears his influences on his sleeve. As explained in an interview with GamePilgrim, two of the game's animators studied directly under the creators of Ghibli, and this education is immediately demonstrated through the opening cutscene, which is truly breathtaking. The similarities go beyond just the hand-drawn art style Forgotten AnneThe setting and story are reminiscent of the fantastic and emotional creations of Ghibli.

While it's easy to recommend to die-hard fans of the Japanese anime studio, Forgotten Anne it may also appeal to players who simply crave a story-based puzzle game with well-written characters and fascinating world-building. The campaign even has branching paths to encourage replayability.