The Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli has been awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities 2026, as announced by the jury in Oviedo. Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, the studio was born after the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Their works stand out for their handcrafted animation and female protagonists.
Hand-drawn animation and traditional techniques 🎨
Ghibli maintains a workflow based on manual drawing with pencils and brushes. Each frame is painted with acrylics and watercolors on acetate, a process that requires months of work per film. The studio avoids massive 3D animation, using few digital effects for backgrounds or particles. This artisanal methodology, along with Miyazaki's meticulous direction, allows precise control over the expressiveness of the characters and the atmosphere of each scene, although it extends production schedules.
Now the Japanese will want to come to Asturias 🍜
With the award in hand, scholars of Japanese cinema will surely start looking for connections between Asturian cider and the spirit of Totoro. Perhaps the jury saw parallels between the nature of Spirited Away and the landscapes of the Picos de Europa. Or maybe they just wanted to make sure Miyazaki comes out of retirement to pick up the award in person. Meanwhile, fans await an official collaboration: a short animated film about a fabada.