From the developer ofWarfame, a new game calledSoulframehas been announced and is currently in development. One of its big selling points is that the world is inspired byPrincess Mononoke, one of Studio Ghibli’s most famous films. The trailer even shows a giant wolf being saved by the protagonist, which would immediately strike some Studio Ghibli fans as familiar.
Soulframeis not alone in the gaming industry when it comes to being inspired by Studio Ghibli. A lot of video games are beginning to tackle similar themes thatStudio Ghiblifilms do, such as environmentalism, pacifism, the beauty of nature, and the importance and wholesomeness of cooking, cleaning, and making art. These games beginning to appear is not only a sign that such issues are important to the current times, but also that a lot of anime lovers and people who grew up with Studio Ghibli are now game developers.
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Games Inspired By Studio Ghibli
Soulframeis far from the first game to mention taking inspiration from Studio Ghibli. Game designer Douglas Wilson, who worked on the post-apocalyptic slice-of-life game,Mutazione, mentioned that some of the game’s themes and its soundtrack were inspired by Studio Ghibli. In an interview with Polygon, Wilson said the particular Studio Ghibli film that inspiredMutazionewasNausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. The soundtrack was inspired by Joe Hisaishi’s work, whose music was inSpirited Away.MutazioneStudio lead, Hannah Nicklin, also pointed out that she loved how Ghibli is not afraid to focus on the domestic. Their films make the mundane seem sublime.
Another indie game,Battle Chef Brigade, noted its Ghibli inspirations with Polygon. The art director, Eric Huang, said that they particularly focused on how Studiio Ghibli showed food. In his list of inspirations, he mentioned the bakery fromKiki’s Delivery Service,food fromSpirited Away,and the magical aesthetics ofHowl’s Moving Castle.
Ori and the Blind Forestwas incredibly influenced byPrincess Mononoke. Co-founder of Moon Studios, Thomas Mahler told Polygon he was enchanted by the film, and watching it made him come up with the game idea. The game’s visuals are much like the forest inPrincess Mononoke. Moon Studios also took some inspiration from Ghibli’s darker film,Grave of the Fireflies, which influenced some of the game’s storytelling.
Boy and His Blobis yet another video game on the ever-increasing list of games inspired by Ghibli. The art director, Marc Gomez, told Polygon he thought a lot ofMy Neighbor Totorowhen making the game. He liked the idea of capturing childlike wonder without using many words, and his game succeeded on that front by using little dialogue and having a “hug” button for the boy and blob.
One thing all these games have in common is that they are indie games, not games made by mid-sized or huge developers and publishers. Due to having smaller teams, indie games often have more control and freedom with their art style and themes. This may be part of why so many indie games take Studio Ghibli inspirations. It’s because they have the freedom to do so. However,Soulframenow proves that Ghibli inspirations are now going into AA and AAA games as well.
Why Ghibli Is Inspiring So Many Games
Many gamers also like anime, so it is unsurprising that anime would influence video games. However, the question still stands as to why it is Studio Ghibli films in particular that influence the gaming industry. The answer may be about current times. Between climate chaos, over-industrialization, and other issues, the environmentalist andanti-capitalist politics of Hayao Miyazaki’s filmsmay have garnered many fans. Gamers are living in a time when stories of forest spirits, nature overcoming industry, and the simple joys of creating something with one’s hands are all incredibly romantic and desirable.
Video games have a bright future ahead, as they explore more and more themes and genres. Indie games are often the first to explore new ground and take risks while the bigger companies wait to see what does and does not sell. WithSoulframecoming out, it is looking like bigger companies are starting to realize the value of Studio Ghibli’s worlds, themes, and messages.
Soulframeis currently in development.
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