It’s no secret that Hayao Miyazaki often pulls from real life to create the beautiful backgrounds in his films. One of the most well-known is a forest close to his home inspired “My Neighbor Totoro.” The forest has always been loved by Miyazaki and with the help of his company Studio Ghibli and local government, it will become a nature preserve.
The Government of Tokorozawa will contribute about $13.4 million USD, while Miyazaki will contribute $2.23 million. Studio Ghibli will raise the rest by selling artwork to those who donate large sums of 25,000 yen ($185.96 USD) or more.
The city plans to sell 1,000 prints in September after signing an agreement with Studio Ghibli. More prints may be available if the demand is high. Each image is going to be size B-4 and framed in wood. Studio Ghibli is providing f 5 scenes from the iconic film “My Neighbor Totoro.”
Miyazaki moved to the area in 1970, and had lots of time to wander the forest. Which lead to the creation of “My Neighbor Totoro” in 1988. When promoting a new book about the inspiration of the film, Miyazaki told author Toshio Suzuki, “If I didn’t live in Tokorozawa, Totoro wouldn’t have been born.”
