Hayao Miyazaki’s latest anime makes its photo spot debut, but a classic Castle in the Sky scene is bowing out.
Ghibli Park isn’t a typical theme park. Instead of rides and parades, the focus is on art and atmosphere, with one of the biggest draws being Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, which houses a variety of artistic artifacts and displays about how the famed studio creates its anime films.
One of the highlights of the Warehouse is its Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes section, which invites visitors to step into famous scenes from Ghibli anime, taking the place of one of the characters and allowing you to see things from the in-movie perspective (plus snap some really cool photos). Soon, Ghibli Park will be making its first update to Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes since the park’s opening in 2022. The area currently consists of 14 scenes and will be getting seven all-new ones.
Starting with the bad news, as part of the update some of the existing scenes will be going away. December 1 will be the last day for the Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes displays for The Wind Rises, When Marnie Was There, and Ocean Waves. Considering that those are among Ghibli’s less enduringly popular titles, there probably won’t be too many tears shed as they’re shuffled out, but December 1 will also be the last chance for fans to enjoy the Castle in the Sky/Laputa scene where they can catch Sheeta falling from the sky, one of the most memorable visuals in anime.
But moving on to the things to smile about, four Ghibli anime will be getting their very first Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes displays. The most intriguing of the bunch is The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent movie, as guests are invited to take protagonist Mahito’s place as he and Himi have a fateful conversation with the mysterious powerful sorcerer Granduncle.
▼ The scene that serves as the inspiration for the new Ghibli Park display
Also making their Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes debuts are scenes from My Neighbors the Yamadas, Ghiblies Episode 2 (an animated short that screened in theaters with The Cat Returns), and On Your Mark (the Studio Ghibli-animated music video for Japanese pop duo Chage and Aska’s 1994 song of the same name). Ghibli Park hasn’t given any hints as to which specific scenes will be featured for those three works, but in the case of On Your Mark, the sequence with the angel and the two policemen in the Alfa Romeo-esque convertible is largely considered its signature moment.
In addition, Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes will be introducing three new scenes from Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya as part of the update, with all seven new displays being added on December 17.
Ghibli Park hasn’t said what’s going to happen to the Becoming Characters in Memorable Ghibli Scenes displays that are being shuffled out, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll be destroyed, especially with how iconic the Sheeta scene is. Most likely they’ll be kept in storage so that they can be used in future traveling exhibitions of Ghibli art.
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse isn’t the only part of the park that’s getting a sprucing up, either. The Rotunda Kazegaoka cafe is currently closed for renovations, but when it reopens on November 1, it’ll feature a gigantic Savoia S-21, the beloved flying boat of Porco Rosso’s porcine protagonist. This woodcraft piece of art was previously on display at the Studio Ghibli Exhibition Tokyo 2025 event in Japan’s capital, but with it ending late last month, the anime aircraft is getting a new, and permanent, home at Ghibli Park.
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Studio Ghibli
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