Hayao Miyazaki's animated film 'Spirited Away' was released in Korea in 2002. At that time, my husband and I took our son and daughter, who were elementary and kindergarten students, and went to see the movie together. I had no mental space to write a review of this film to submit somewhere. I was engrossed in understanding the themes, psychological meanings, and symbols of this film, which has characteristics of a fairy tale or folk story. My son and daughter, unaware of this situation, were completely absorbed in the fantasy nature of this film, maintaining their pure childlike emotions. What was even more impressive was that my parents were also engrossed in the film just like the children. At that moment, I realized: 'AHA, our children naturally accept characters that appear in movies as friends from their imagination and do so with their inherent childlike innocence.' Also, 'there is another source of childlike innocence, called the 'inner child,' that makes parents mobilize their imagination and immerse themselves in the fantasy, similarly to the children.'
"As someone who knows no Japanese, I entered a movie theater in Tokyo without Korean subtitles with a feeling of uncertainty. However, as soon as the movie began, I was captivated by the pinnacle of indescribable visual aesthetics and fell into ecstasy. It felt as though I was being drawn into the story merely by watching the pictures." This was shared in a private conversation by Jeong Byeong-kyu, a pioneer in Korean book design, when Miyazaki's 'Howl's Moving Castle' was released in 2004. I read this as a sign that there was an inner child alive in his heart.
Only I, preoccupied with work, was unable to accept the film with a calm heart, as it truly is, through the prism of my inner child. I had only been mentally consumed with breaking down and analyzing the film's characters and events using the pretentious scholarly knowledge and rationality of an intellectual steeped in ink, merely following the story.
The analog emotion that still captivates us
In the digital age, analog emotions are gaining attention. Despite the flood of high-end audio devices armed with cutting-edge technology, LP records still maintained their popularity when played with fingertips. The resurgence of cassette tapes and Walkmans is similar. With digital cameras, which boast an enormous number of pixels, one can press the shutter indefinitely and select preferred images on the spot. Yet, film cameras, which operate at a slow pace where the captured images can only be known after development, still continue to sell.
There are many convenient digital note apps available. They can record notes as they are taken in real-time and convert that content into text. Moreover, they pinpoint and summarize the key points of the content, and they can even create mind maps. However, people still seek hand-made notebooks that create the tactile feeling of the subtle pressure of a pen's tip, as well as fountain pens that require manual refilling or changing cartridges. Although we are in an era of modern cafes with advanced facilities, it's still common to find coffee shops or cafes decorated with simple and rustic retro interiors. This retro preference is not just a fleeting trend; it has solidified into a trend over time. But why is that?
Behind this trend, I believe there is a longing and desire for something essential buried somewhere in our hearts. Seen in this flow, the popularity of Studio Ghibli is certainly not a coincidence. Ghibli animations can be seen as a kind of 'inner forest' touching the depths of our inner being or 'healing spring.' While watching the films, we delve into the deep realms of the unconscious and encounter some image within ourselves.
'In Spirited Away, the protagonist Chihiro shows the journey of recovering the purity and identity lost by adults. The process of finding her forgotten name symbolizes the psychological healing of rediscovering her lost 'ego.' Her adventure is bizarre yet somehow evokes a familiar sense of déjà vu, along with warmth. The space of fantasy existing beyond reality feels even more authentic than reality itself. This is the scene where our consciousness and unconsciousness meet.
'In Howl's Moving Castle, the protagonist Sophie suddenly transforms into an elderly woman, yet within that, she discovers inner courage and love. Sophie's external change reflects her inner maturity. The relationship between Sophie and Howl illustrates a journey of facing each other's wounds and imperfections to heal them. This can also be interpreted as the process of integrating the shadow, as described in Jungian psychology, with our inner self. The shadow refers to the emotional wounds and shames that we have repressed and hidden away in the secret storage of the unconscious, whether we realize it or not.
To put it bluntly, Ghibli-style animated works stimulate our unconsciousness. It is more than just animation. The warm colors that seem hand-drawn, the backgrounds infused with the breath of nature, and the magical elements hidden in daily life provide a refreshing respite and comfort for modern individuals who feel fatigued amid overpowering stimuli and an excess of information.
The psychology of wanting to touch lost time
According to psychological research, Ghibli style serves as an antidote for sensory overload and emotional stimulation that induces mindfulness. It teaches us how to linger slowly in a fast-paced world. Ghibli style awakens senses long forgotten and feelings we thought were lost. Scenes where nature, people, relationships, and memories quietly blend help recover lost attachments and restore emotional consolidation.
This sensibility is also connected to Jung's concept of collective unconscious. The forests, winds, waters, and tranquil spaces that frequently appear in Ghibli works serve as archetypal images of humanity and act as psychological mechanisms that stabilize the individual's inner self. In the cold and rational order of the digital realm, we want to return to the primal base of warm sensations and human emotions.
The popularity of Ghibli-style profile pictures (hereafter referred to as 'Ghibli profile pictures') or illustrations on social media (SNS) resonates with the same context. Of course, among those uploading Ghibli-style profile pictures on SNS, some may have chosen it as an alternative due to feeling burdened about sharing their actual photos. There may also be those who seek an effect where they resemble themselves but appear prettier than they truly are, complemented by the warm and mysterious atmosphere of the Ghibli style. However, at the core of people's fascination for Ghibli style lies an unconscious desire to reach 'lost time' through this act. It is an instinctual behavior to find a breath of air amid the overwhelming flood of rapidly passing information. As Ghibli-style profile pictures gained popularity, Studio Ghibli, founded by Miyazaki, seems to be very sensitive to intellectual property issues. Yet, is there really a need to react so sensitively to individuals posting Ghibli profile pictures? Of course, if this goes beyond simply enjoying it on personal SNS and veers into excessive commercialization, that would be another matter.
Modern individuals weary from digital fatigue will continue to seek out analog emotions endlessly in the future. However, there is no guarantee that this will always be in Ghibli style. The public may at any time search for a second or third Ghibli style. Studio Ghibli is asking for understanding of this situation and requesting for leniency. It is said that the name 'Ghibli' in Studio Ghibli originally comes from the Italian word 'ghibli,' which means 'a hot, dry wind that blows from the Sahara Desert in North Africa.' I hope that Ghibli style evolves beyond mere consumer trends into an emotional language that soothes the modern soul and warms our hearts frozen in the digital age.