http://kotaku.com/studio-ghibli-might-quit-making-feature-films-says-rep-1608198259

Studio Ghibli Might Quit Making Feature Films, Says Report

This summer, there's a new Studio Ghibli movie. According to one reported insider, it could be Ghibli's last.  

Studio Ghibli is best known for iconic anime like My Neighbor Totoro, Grave of the Fireflies, and Kiki's Delivery Service. Last year, the creator of many of Ghibli's best known works, Hayao Miyazaki, retired from making feature animated films.

The purported insider told Japanese site News Cafe that Ghibli's latest release, When Marnie Was There, "seems like it will be the last [from Studio Ghibli]." The article appeared on Rakuten, one of Japan's largest web portals. That being said, this is an unconfirmed rumor.

As the insider explained, there was scuttlebutt of the studio's dissolution last year after Miyazaki retired once completing The Wind Rises. Then, this past spring, longtime Ghibli producer and studio co-founder Toshio Suzuki also stepped down from producing films. He is now Ghibli's general manager.

"From here on, it appears as though this won't be a studio that makes new works, but instead, manages its copyrights."

So, Studio Ghibli won't be creating new animated works, but rather, making money off the anime its created so far.

The insider added animated films required tremendous amounts of money, so there is pressure for the films to be successful so Ghibli can cover its costly production expenses as well as, I'd imagine, remain healthy and profitable. By the insider's count, each film apparently needs to make at least ten billion yen (US$100 million) to cover all its production costs as well as, I'd imagine, turn a healthy profit. Even with a relatively small staff, the insider puts Ghibli's annual labor expenses at supposedly two billion yen ($19.7 million). Note: These numbers are unconfirmed.

Last fall, the Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan's largest papers, reported that while other animation studios have shipped jobs overseas to save money, Studio Ghibli had hired more permanent full-time employees in Japan, making the films incredibly expensive to make. Asahi reports that even though The Wind Rises had made 9.23 billion yen ($91 million), the film had apparently yet to turn a profit. The Tale of Princess Kaguya, apparently, cost even more to create.

"The Tale of Princess Kaguya from director Isao Takahata made 5.1 billion yen ($50 million), and for the studio, it was a flop," the source told News Cafe. "There's no choice but to dissolve the studio, because it's unable cross the high hurdle of announcing a new film on an annual basis."

A bright point is that Goro Miyazaki, Hayao Miyazaki's son, is directing Ghibli's first animated TV series, Ronia the Robber's Daughter. The computer animated series is a co-production, however, with Polygon Pictures and will debut this fall. The dark cloud is that back in 2010, Hayao Miyazaki did mention breaking up the studio.

"Suzuki-san is making a dissolution program for Ghibli," Miyazaki told Cut Magazine (via Bleeding Cool and Nausicaa.net). "No joke, we talked about it the other day. For example, Ghibli should be able to continue with about five staff members as a copyright management company even if we smash the studio. So, Ghibli can say 'We stop film production. Goodbye'. I do not have to be there."

The latest Studio Ghibli film When Marnie Was There was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and recently released in Japan. Let's hope it's not the last Studio Ghibli film.

Kotaku has reached out to Studio Ghibli regarding this latest rumor and will update this story should the studio comment.

マーニーがラスト? ジブリが解散?! [Infoseek]

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Another victim of Tripple A development.. :(

Don't say it is so!

Hmmm...never seen a movie from them. Did play Ni No Kuni though

Oh no. Oh no no no no no no no no no no no! Oh nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

I always read that Ghibli films cost 20-30 million $. And they usually make 100 mil + (The Wind Rises made 117 mil) which should cover the budget even if they take home half of that.

I would guess this is due to insecurity about Hayao-less Ghibli, but they should try to keep going as a traditional movie-making studio before giving up so easily. Imagine Disney calling it quits after the death of Walt. Inconceivable!

incredibly sad news if this turns out to be true

That would be a huge shame

Please no.
When I wake up this thread won't have existed along with all of this news.

All good things must come to an end..,

That would be a disaster. Over the past 30 years Ghibli has produced some of the best animated movies of all time, thanks in large part to Miyazaki. I'm sure there's a lot of creative energy left in the studio. It would be a shame to waste it on copyright management.

KLXVER said: Hmmm...never seen a movie from them. Did play Ni No Kuni though

...Ummm then go freaking watch their movies...like right now.