Chihiro Boards a Train: Perceptual Modulation in the Films of Studio Ghibli

Abstract

This paper examines the ability of Studio Ghibli animated films to perceptually modulate their audiences. Working from Hayao Miyazaki’s suggestion that if a filmmaker wants to stay true to empathy they need only quieten things down, this paper seeks a technical explanation for this process. It will examine how the interplay of simple character designs and the sliding sensation of the animation stand induce a certain cognitive state. Through this process, the onlooker is more likely to imbue a two-dimensional character with a multidimensional, metaphysical presence.