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Mr Xvious
Susuwatari
Registration Date: 01.06.09
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 2 |
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Hi!
For my Media Course in Sixth Form College I'm doing course work on Studio Ghibli films. Focusing on Childhood.
I've written a questionnaire which I would be really grateful if anyone could fill in please. It doesn't matter how many of the films you've seen, (though it helps if you have seen at least one  )
Please don't give me one word answers, the more thoughtful the answer the better it will be, but one sentence/brief answers are ok.
Thanks.
Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
__________________
I'm going to live forever or die trying.
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 01.06.2009, 07:17 PM |
  
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che ken
Tanuki
Registration Date: 12.27.08
Location:
Posts: 60 |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Xvious
Hi!
For my Media Course in Sixth Form College I'm doing course work on Studio Ghibli films.
You lucky bugger! My media studies is making a music magazine  Will post my reply a bit later
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| 01.07.2009, 07:58 AM |
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Dark Totoro
Ohmu
Registration Date: 10.09.08
Location: Ayr, Scotland
Posts: 321 |
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Were you able to pick that as a topic? that is quite lucky..
Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
- Anything to do with japan, be it anime, historical, thriller etc.
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
- Films, I cant stand the breaks between episodes 
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
- Simply amazing, beautiful, educational and warm to the soul
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
- Tales from Earthsea, Spirited away, Howls moving castle, Laputa: castle in the sky, Nausicaa valley of the wind, My neighbour totoro, Castle of cagliostro, Little norse prince, Cat returns, whisper of the heart, only yesterday, Princess mononoke.
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
- mmm... Animals? theres a lot of creatures, always seem to be cute and huggable or something like that 
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
- maybe if the viewer is a child, they can relate to certain situations, or the viewers are able to get whisked off to a totally different world and become part of the adventure thus making them feel young.
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
- I think that every child character has a very unique and vibrant emotion or energy, their actions and feelings make the situation explode with
c o l o u r s .
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
- I think they would be portrayed as negative, simply because childhood and adulthood are different dimensions so to speak, but there is many cases were children and adults were also close and connected so.. im not sure.
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
- innocence represents being good or being part of the good side and I think theres alot of black & white going on in each movie.
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
- not sure on that one. Sorry.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
- I think it enables the viewer to get in touch with the imagination, and like I said before, they can relate to the situations and enjoy the fantastical side.
There finished, hope its ok. 
__________________
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Post last edited by Dark Totoro on 01.07.2009, 09:39 AM.
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| 01.07.2009, 09:35 AM |
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kitsunejr
Warawara
Registration Date: 08.20.08
Location: England
Posts: 248 |
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Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
Anime, Horrer, Action, Thrillers... mostly but i watch most things 
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
Film, like DT said the breaks irratate me
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
Amazing, my all time fav anime
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Spirited Away
The Cat Returns
Howl's Moving Castle
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
Fanstays creature, Eg Totoro
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
it make you feal like it could be you (if your a younger veiwer)
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
it dosent make it a searius film, like imagine all the people in totoro as adults it would be crap...
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
Negitive beacuse it shows some adults as the bad charters ect but the childs seem to have more exitment barr some films
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
its like a teaching way sorta like in spirited aways sin isnt greedy so she dosnt get turned in to a pig...
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
so that children can realte to them
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
When your younger you just love Dragons ect but sometimes people when they get older think its childish to fanstay film i still love them like eg Neverending story
some of these questions i had to think about a lot i may have miss itrubted the question as well..
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| 01.07.2009, 11:20 AM |
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Orphic Okapi
Baron
Registration Date: 04.08.07
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 1335 |
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Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
- Drama, although I'm willing to watch anything if it's made with care. Straight dramas aren't often made anymore.
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
- Films. I haven't really been enthralled by the bits and pieces of series I've seen, with a few exceptions. I can't really afford series, anyway.
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
- They bring strong characterization and deeper themes to the world of animation.
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
- All of them, except My Neighbors the Yamadas.
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
- Childhood innocence, the loss of it, and the struggle to protect it during the transition to adulthood.
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
- A lot of adults watch Ghibli films because of the nostalgia they feel for their own childhoods; through film, they can relive that period of newness and discovery. Ghibli films also address adult issues in the context of childhood, which can help bring clarity to ambiguous situations in real life.
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
- Children feel emotions with greater intensity than adults. Adults form emotional callouses over time, until often even they become uncertain of how they feel. The emotional sincerity of a child can help break down the emotional walls adults have built up around themselves.
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
- The transition itself is neither bad nor good; it's the outcome that can be positive or negative. To completely lose touch with your childhood, I think, is the negative outcome. To keep your childhood and to let it help you grow, I think, is the positive.
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
- Innocence is looking at the world with fresh eyes. It's a lense through which to view the world--a lense through which everything is new and exciting and full of wonder. It's the attitude with which to approach any Ghibli film, and with which to approach life.
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
- All the child characters have the innocence I described above.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
- Adults have fantasy. Children have only reality. Adults have settled into a paradigm, and what exists outside that paradigm they call fantasy. Children have yet to form a paradigm; their imagination is as real to them as anything else.
__________________
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Post last edited by Orphic Okapi on 01.07.2009, 03:01 PM.
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| 01.07.2009, 02:44 PM |
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che ken
Tanuki
Registration Date: 12.27.08
Location:
Posts: 60 |
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Here goes with my answers, they get a bit more detailed further down 
Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
Generally Anime, but I also like the odd Action films
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
Films, series are nice but the wait between episodes can get frustrating
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
Brill animes, a nice variation of genres and my fave set. Can never get bored of watching the Ghibli films!
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
The Cat Returns
Porco Rosso
Pom Poko
Kiki's Delivery Service
Laputa Castle in the Sky
Howl's Moving Castle
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbour Totoro
Grave of the Fireflies
Whisper of the Heart
My Neighbours the Yamadas
Spirited Away
Only Yesterday
Tales from Earthsea
The Little Norse Prince
The Castle of Cagliastro
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
Mythical creatures like demons and spirits
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
It brings the sense of innocent life into the stories and allows the remeniscient feeling of what it was like to imagine such events as a child
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
It brings a much lighter feeling into the films, apart from Grave of the Fireflies, which shows that even the innocent and happy childhood can end quickly. So depending on the childhood emotion I believe it affects the entire mood of the story to an extent that an adult would not be able to achieve.
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
I think that depending on the film, it would be a negative or positive transition. Like in Totoro, there is a positive transition as everyone helps search for one of the children when they go missing. However, in Grave of the Fireflies, children are merely ignored, and if they can't get away to a safe place, then they are left to fend for themselves, causing a negative transition between childhood and adulthood.
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
Innocence creates a place in each film where a character and viewer can escape from all sins and destruction that all humans eventually create, sometimes without knowing or even understanding. It shows what the world would be like if there was no such thing as sin, it's a perfect world that can only be ruined by the realism of the world we have created.
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
At least one of the main characters in every ghibli film is a child, or on the verge of creating sin, yet still has yet to do so, meaning they still contain the innocence of childhood. This leads on to creating all of their happy moments in every film that portray just how the innocence of childhood creates a feeling that will never leave you (the love of childhood!). Even the saddest ghibli film (Grave of the Fireflies - seems I like to mention that one alot ) can have it's bright happy moments of childhood innocence, a scene that can bring a tear to even the most stone hearted humans around.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
The fantasy of an adult can be things like that new red sports car you walked past the other day, or even something as small as that pint of beer on the table infront of you. A childs fantasy, however, is as limitless as the number of stars that ever have and ever will exist. They have the power to make something as small as specks of dust into a jungle safari adventure that can then turn into a giant alien hunting mission. It is the childs imagination that even adults have when around small children they are entertaining, but even that can be nothing compared to what a child will imagine. Fantasy is a creation of children, just as is any childrens story ever thought of! The theme of most ghibli films is fantasy, which is created by children. Therefore childhood creates the fantasy that is studio ghibli filming! That's why it's a key theme  .
Hope those were answered fully enough for ya When I get into something I just can't stop writing about it sometimes (That's why I now think I've probably repeated myself about 4 times in that last one lol)
Good luck in your media studies, I'm sure you'll do well with childhood and studio ghibli!
Post last edited by che ken on 01.08.2009, 04:53 PM.
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| 01.08.2009, 04:52 PM |
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Mr Xvious
Susuwatari
Registration Date: 01.06.09
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 2 |
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Thanks guys for filling this out. All sorts of answers are much appreicated.
I got to choose the question, which was really cool. I just need to do a little bit of research (to have some evidence) then I can write the exam.
Thanks again for filling this out, the exam is later this month.
__________________
I'm going to live forever or die trying.
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| 01.09.2009, 07:15 AM |
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dballred
Ohmu
Registration Date: 04.24.06
Location: Oklahoma City - Seattle - Tokyo
Posts: 406 |
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Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
Action; It's a function of my short attention span.
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
Films. That attention span thing again.
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
It makes the best animated films ever made.
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
All of them - Several times. Spirited Away got the most viewings (8 times in Japanese theaters and twice in American theaters, and numerous DVD and VHS experiences. The least was Ocean Waves, which I saw three times.
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
Miyazaki's massage: Children are better people than most afford credit. Treat them as adults and they will respond in mature ways. Treat them as helpless babies and that is how they will remain. Contrast Sousuke from Ponyo and Boh from Spirited Away.
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
All have experienced it personally and some have had to deal with it in secondary or tertiary form (being parents or cousins, etc) Ghibli brings a level of practicality to the story lines as it forces you to look at children--or yourselves--in a new light. Spirited Away, is a practical guide to life.
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
Ghibli, as opposed to other film enterprises, depicts children in eerily realistic form. Chihiro, when she's riding in the car, reminds many parents of their own kids. The parents of the girl whom Miyazaki modeled as Chihiro said that he had captured her soul. Takahata's picture of Setsuko when she's being contrary is more realistic than the live-action version showing her more impersonally as a victim. It's hard to connect with people who aren't complete--warts and all.
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
That's a mixed question. Hayao Miyazaki tends to show adults in a jaded way and children nobler. Obviously all adults were once children, so it soesn't seem that he views the transition as a particularly good thing. However, he shows most transitional processes in a favorable light. Chihiro's parents are an example of the former and Kiki's transformation is an example of the latter.
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
Innocence is part of Ghibli's positive take on children. Miyazaki puts them in stressful situations that might otherwise break a jaded adult and their purity of character pulls them through. Chihiro is thrust from being a kid to an adult who is protecting and nurturing not only herself, but her new friends and even her own parents.
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
I think Miyazaki gets it a bit off here, as he tends to show some of the children as innocent adults. Chihiro, Kiki, Sousuke (from Ponyo) and Shizuku all display wisdom beyond their caricature years. Of those he gives the pure child persona, the wonderment at new things and boundless curiosity. Among those, you can include Mei and Ponyo.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
I think the fantasy aspect is thrown in to get the audiences' attention and keeps them entertained. Those films without it find themselves less satisfying to many. Porco Rosso could have been a fine romance without the fantasy aspect. I don't know about the others here, but the added fantasy element put this film near the top of my number of viewings list and the lack of it helped put Ocean Waves at the bottom. Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies lacks the fantasy aspect and is emotionally draining. The fantasy aspect also gives a value-added facet to the animation process.
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| 01.09.2009, 01:27 PM |
 
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che ken
Tanuki
Registration Date: 12.27.08
Location:
Posts: 60 |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Xvious
Thanks guys for filling this out. All sorts of answers are much appreicated.
I got to choose the question, which was really cool. I just need to do a little bit of research (to have some evidence) then I can write the exam.
Thanks again for filling this out, the exam is later this month.
Anytime! Hope ya do well in your Media Studies exam (still gotta wait till June for mine), and good luck with any other studies your doing!
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| 01.09.2009, 01:38 PM |
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Decarabia
Susuwatari
Registration Date: 01.17.09
Location:
Posts: 2 |
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Q1: What genre of films do you personally prefer and watch most?
I like Drama and Sci-Fi the most as with Drama it is something I can immerse myself in as I like the realism especially if it is a film portraying hisoric events whereas I like Sci-Fi as it is escapism and if real life gets a bit too much I can immerse myself in another world for a while.
Q2: Do you prefer to watch anime films or series?
I personally prefer anime films over series, I think it's because after a while a series can get stale and boring and I hate losing that magical feeling of being in awe of what you're wathing then feeling it fade away as the series drags on.
Q3: What is your opinion on Studio Ghibli films?
I love Studio Ghibli films, they encompass so much in their films from the narrative of the story to the intricacy of the characters. In some cases they seem more real than actual human beings, I've never seen any characters detailed as well or as much as in Ghibli films.
Q4: Which Studio Ghibli films have you seen?
Grave of the Fireflies, The Cat Returns, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Pom Poko, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Laputa Castle in the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Only Yesterday, Horus: Prince of the Sun, Panda! Go Panda, Tales from Earthsea, Night of Taneyamagahara and Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro.
Q5: Which childhood themes are most commonly represented in the films?
I think lonliness is a theme that is commonly explored especially in Grave of the Fireflies and to a certain extent in My Neighbor Totoro. Fantasty creatures are another and escapism.
Q6: What makes childhood so important to the viewers of these films?
Childhood respresents innocence and its something I think most adults would love to recapture; the innocence of their youth (at least it is for me).
Q7: How does childhood emotion affect the story?
Childhood emotion is very simple, it's straighforward and doesn't have the constraints of logic applied to it which I think is why most people can relate to it. Adults dessnsitise as the grow older whereas children experience emotion in the rawest and probably most sincere forms.
Q8: Is the transition between childhood and adulthood presented as a positive or negative thing in these films?
I think it strikes a good balance between both, in the Cat Returns it is shown that Haru has made a positive and successful transition from young girl to grown woman where as in Grave of the Fireflies both Seita and Setsuko are ignored and trated as lesser beings because of their situation.
Q9: Why is innocence an important theme in each film?
It's important because in real life true innocence is hard to come by, children are growing up faster and with all the horrors that go on around us we become desensitised and jaded. Watching Ghibli filsm gives you back that innocence, it lets you feel what it's like to be free of the sins and immorality of the real world and I think everyone needs to feel that.
Q10: How do the main characters in these films portray certain positive aspects of childhood.
They all possess innocence and their struggle to maintain it, most are wise beyond their years such as Satsuki as she had to gorw up so fast by looking after Mei whilst their mother is in hospital and yes she still somehow still managed to retain her innocence and joy de vivre.
Q11: Why is the connection between fantasy and childhood a key theme in these films?
I think it's because it lets our imaginations run wild for a while and to be immersed in something so fantastic and awe-inspiring you really wished it were real.
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| 01.17.2009, 12:13 PM |
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Childhood Questionnaire.
