Studio Ghibli play wows critics in London

Spirited Away, the stage adaptation of the Studio Ghibli film now open in London, “perfectly captures a sense of awe and fantasy,” a review in The Conversation said.

It’s the second Ghibli animation to be made into a high-budget play, after the hugely successful My Neighbour Totoro: The new release sold out its Tokyo run in four minutes before going on an international tour.

Ghibli has become one of Japan’s most important cultural exports, combining images, stories, and themes from Japanese mythology with Western tales and animation styles: Its latest film, The Boy and the Heron, smashed box office records worldwide.