Animation director Hayao Miyazaki started 2025 sharing an original illustration for Studio Ghibli fans during the Year of the Snake. Hayao Miyazaki who won a second Academy Award for The Boy and the Heron in early 2024 has made an ongoing tradition since 2021 that creates animal drawings matching each New Year in Japanese custom. Hayao Miyazaki created an image featuring a snake in keeping with the yearly zodiac symbol celebrations in Japanese tradition.
Miyazaki's New Year's Artwork Features Multi-Headed Snake with Traditional Symbols
Hayao Miyazaki who himself was born in the Year of the Snake in 1941 created artwork showing an eight-headed snake which closely resembles Yamata no Orochi the famous mythological serpent found in popular culture. Snakes in Japanese traditions can indicate a symbol of transformation. Also in the drawing a small mouse indicates fertility while a snail on the tail represents protection. Hayao Miyazaki added this unique design showcasing all the complex meaning associated with new year celebration that is both playful plus visually significant for viewers.
Studio Ghibli's Message Highlights Success of "The Boy and the Heron" plus Upcoming Projects for 2025
The artwork accompanies a New Year message that is shown to all fans that includes traditional greeting of "How are you?" plus “I look forward to your continued goodwill in the coming year”. The studio expressed hopes for 2025 to be far more peaceful than the last year that started with a series of terrible events and disasters. Studio Ghibli specifically cited completion of The Boy and the Heron worldwide release plus awards as well as planning exhibitions and new projects showcasing positive performance in the year past. This New Years Message provides a moment to reflect and highlight some significant successes and opportunities for Studio Ghibli which allows the group to showcase key accomplishments and growth opportunities. Studio Ghibli also mentioned their Ghibli Park expansion and their focus on facility improvements during the new year and its many future events.
Studio Ghibli Team Resumes Work January 6th Following Hayao Miyazaki’s 84th Birthday
Studio Ghibli plans to resume all productions on Monday January 6th with Hayao Miyazaki’s 84th birthday occurring the day prior that staff are expected to celebrate. Hayao Miyazaki a co founder of Studio Ghibli also directed several award winning movies such as My Neighbor Totoro Princess Mononoke Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle which have gathered recognition across the globe. These highly rated films have gathered six Japan Academy Film Prizes two Oscars and one Golden Globe five Annie Awards one BAFTA and twelve Tokyo Anime Awards. Studio Ghibli also has several unique plans for the upcoming year with some exhibitions set to tour globally. Many fans across the world enjoy Studio Ghibli movies such as My Neighbor Totoro from 1988 or Princess Mononoke which debuted in 1997 all created with Miyazaki's leadership and vision .
Miyazaki's Year of the Snake Artwork Incorporates Whimsical Design With Simple Fan Greetings
Hayao Miyazaki produced the artwork to honor Studio Ghibli fan base as a new years day celebration posting on the official site which has become tradition each year since 2021 which features the yearly animal in a hand-drawn work using his well known aesthetic. The design consists of both “How are you?” in Japanese and then “Best wishes again this year” alongside “GHIBLI” plus “2025”. The snake has eight heads a snail plus a mouse in a way that creates fantasy and also whimsy using classic Miyazaki art design traits. Many people across globe have identified iconic style in art pieces from movies like Totoro Ponyo and No Face showcasing unique visual design language.
Studio Ghibli Commemorates Past Success And Focus on the Future Growth For Organization
The Studio Ghibli team also sent a formal message to audiences describing its successes over the past year along with memories from 2024 and they further explained return to work information for team. They acknowledged both 2024 natural disasters plus all those that were affected while saying 2025 should start better. They highlighted the international release for The Boy and the Heron plus several other ongoing creative endeavors as major successes and points for future growth. Studio Ghibli communicated in their message a plan for enhancements to Ghibli Park alongside operations as Ghibli expands creative footprint. They specifically highlight unprecedented success with The Boy and the Heron demonstrating how this project helped further expand reach of studio across several key market territories.
The studio announced in their formal communication work will start January 6th just one day after Miyazaki turns 84 but many view the director as a constant source of inspiration and guidance to production. The studio plans several projects for 2025 for its many international audiences including potential upcoming movies or new expansions to existing facilities like their famous park showing active forward planning for audiences to look forward too. Hayao Miyazaki turned 84 years old just before studio staff and teams started working in early 2025 creating major buzz for anime production throughout the year with key leaders planning for great things.
Year of the Snake Celebrations Feature Miyazaki's Artwork And Well Wishes
The start of 2025 has marked the beginning of Year of the Snake with many individuals showing celebrations for the new zodiac calendar across the anime industry. The Studio Ghibli team and co founder Hayao Miyazaki have shown their appreciation by creating a work to celebrate this important change in the annual astrological calendar year . This specific piece of art designed by Miyazaki allows fan interaction and the showing of well wishes for those following traditions and cultures throughout the region and greater community that love the artistry of Hayao Miyazaki.
Hayao Miyazaki specifically noted his birth year was 1941 within the Year of the Snake aligning the image to be close to his heart with unique cultural meaning associated with traditional celebrations of New Years traditions in Japanese culture. The New Year's cards in Japan act as a way for families friends and businesses to stay in connection. Hayao Miyazaki designed an internet New Years card that showcases the zodiac animal allowing all Ghibli followers worldwide the feeling of personal attention for the work they so deeply value and the team they admire. Miyazaki designed a piece containing eight heads and included both a snail and mouse providing an excellent art work design that also includes significant culturally symbolic meaning and significance . Studio Ghibli also made sure to express well-wishes in the formal messaging sent out while showing clear concern for fan wellbeing.
Studio Ghibli shared the message highlighting past and current progress also providing important info concerning the team and creative studio projects while showing clear plans for staff celebrations which allows them to share joy among teams and show their unique family work-culture to a greater viewing community globally.
For many animation fans Studio Ghibli movies acted as a starting place within the world of anime offering highly varied genre options and appeal to specific audiences with movies like Kiki's Delivery Service which brings lighthearted fun and Princess Mononoke which focuses more intense action filled narratives. The work from Studio Ghibli films have generated huge attention due to compelling storytelling strong characters and outstanding animation. Some common threads found within all movies center on environmental respect as harmony with all species both living and in the natural world as seen through various plots.
Studio Ghibli Films Ranked By Nature-Based Themes: From Howl's Moving Castle to My Neighbor Totoro
Many studio Ghibli films from the early era and contemporary periods such as Howl’s Moving Castle have become fan favorites showing natural environments as backdrops to intense conflict alongside stunning landscapes. Also popular for showcasing settings at nature include Kiki’s Delivery Service highlighting a gorgeous seaside town during Kiki’s training and growth as well as The Cat Returns showcasing a world with energetic grassy landscapes highlighting various cat characters. The tanuki in Pom Poko strive to safeguard their habitats highlighting environmental concerns as main focal points and themes.
Some more recent production examples include The Tale of the Princess Kaguya demonstrating the significance of natural life experiences especially while highlighting themes of freedom and desires found in the core narrative. Ponyo showcases a world immersed in the beauty and strength of the ocean throughout its main plot alongside sci-fi epics like Castle in the Sky showing a strong and harmonic balance of nature alongside more powerful technology that has long fallen out of use. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind depicts importance of respecting the environment using the toxicity to indicate importance of nature while Princess Mononoke shows a somber exploration highlighting respect needed by humans with nature that acts as balance between human and animal worlds and actions and consequences. My Neighbor Totoro remains as Studio Ghibli main mascot also focusing on themes of friendship with the world’s natural inhabitants which create heartfelt family driven stories which also can bring people a deep sense of joy during some difficult times .