
Ghibliotheque - A Podcast About Animation and Studio Ghibli
Welcome to the Ghibliotheque, the podcast that leafs through libraries of films from the world’s greatest animation studios.In 2018, Michael Leader, an avowed Studio Ghibli fanatic, sat down with Jake Cunningham, who had never seen any of the Studio’s work before. Together they looked at the history behind Ghibli's films (including Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke), and got a critical perspective from Jake as a first-time viewer. They covered all of Studio Ghibli's films, visited Japan on the ultimate Ghibli pilgrimage, and have since interviewed artists, animators and filmmakers who have either worked on or have been deeply inspired by Ghibli's films. With their co-host Steph Watts, they have also branched out to cover filmographies of other studios and filmmakers whose work has revolutionised animation, from Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Hosoda to Cartoon Saloon and Henry Selick.Where will we go next? For more information, follow us on Twitter at @ghibliotheque, or on Instagram at ghibliotheque.pod. Or email us at ghibliotheque@gmail.com.Follow Michael and Jake on Twitter:@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – Jake Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Jul 17, 2020 • 50min
Perfect Blue | Konology #1
Kicking off the Konology miniseries that looks at the work of anime legend Satoshi Kon, Michael, Jake and Steph watch Kon's influential debut, the psychological thriller Perfect Blue.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Steph Watts & Harold McShiel. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 10, 2020 • 2min
Konology | Trailer
A quick tease of what's to come from Ghibliotheque... The Konology! A miniseries looking at the work of Satoshi Kon, from Perfect Blue to Paprika, taking in Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and the anime series Paranoia Agent along the way. Kon's international reputation, singular artistic vision and unbeatable body of work put him in the annals of animation alongside the masters at Studio Ghibli, so if we were to add a new wings to the Ghibliotheque to cover non-Ghibli filmmakers, we thought Kon would be the perfect place to start. Tune in next week for the first episode...Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Steph Watts & Harold McShiel. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 3, 2020 • 56min
Ed Gamble's Ghibli Menu | Ghibliotheque Interview Special
This week, Michael and Jake welcome to the Ghibliotheque stand-up comedian, writer and podcaster Ed Gamble (Off Menu) to undertake that most excruciating, ambitious of feats: assembling the perfect meal from the delicious dishes served up in Ghibli films.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Steph Watts & Harold McShiel. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 5, 2020 • 40min
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In this ever so slightly off-topic bonus episode of Ghibliotheque, Michael, Jake and Steph talk about the latest, and some say greatest, instalment in Nintendo's long-running Legend of Zelda video game franchise, Breath of the Wild. The game tempted both Jake and Steph to sink hundreds of accumulated hours into their Switch consoles. But what did they learn on their respective adventures? And does this have anything to do with Ghibli?Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – Jake@_stephwatts - StephAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Steph Watts & Harold McShiel. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 29, 2020 • 33min
Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki | Ghibliotheque #26
In this second part of our Ghibliotheque documentary double bill, Michael and Jake discuss the TV special Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, which originally aired on Japanese TV in 2016 before getting a short cinema run in the USA and, finally, a DVD/Blu-ray release in the UK just this year. Shot in the aftermath of Miyazaki's retirement following the release of The Wind Rises, this doc charts the old master's attempts to incorporate CGI animation into his process, as he works on the short film Boro the Caterpillar for the Ghibli Museum.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Steph Watts & Harold McShiel. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 22, 2020 • 43min
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness | Ghibliotheque #25
Michael and Jake return to the Ghibliotheque for the first in a documentary double-bill. Mami Sunada's 2013 documentary started life as a promotional feature chronicling the making of Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises and Isao Takahata's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, but the finished film - observational, subtle and insightful - is a compelling and poignant portrait of the Studio at the height of its powers, contemplating an uncertain future as its two genius filmmakers make what, at the time, was believed to be their final films.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeAnd get in touch via email at ghibli@littledotstudios.comProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 24, 2020 • 46min
Ghibliotheque Mailbag Special
In this special episode of Ghibliotheque, Michael, Jake and producer Steph dial in remotely to catch up on life during lockdown, with the help of listeners, former guests and other Ghibliotheque friends.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 27, 2020 • 35min
An English Animator in Tokyo (with Paul Williams) | Ghibliotheque in Japan
In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this final episode, the team talk with British-born animator Paul Williams about working on Ghibli co-production The Red Turtle, the Japanese animation industry, and an animator's perspective on both Studio Ghibli and, specifically, the work of Isao Takahata.Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 20, 2020 • 45min
Visiting Studio Ponoc | Ghibliotheque in Japan
In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this episode, the team visit Studio Ponoc, the animation studio founded by Ghibli veteran Yoshiaki Nishimura (producer of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There). There, Michael and Jake talk with Ponoc's Chief of International, Geoffrey Wexler, about his work at both Ponoc and Ghibli presenting films such as Mary and the Witch's Flower, Modest Heroes, The Wind Rises and From Up on Poppy Hill to the world - as well as answering the eternal question: subs or dubs?Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 13, 2020 • 36min
Tokyo Stories Pt 2 | Ghibliotheque in Japan
In this very special miniseries of Ghibliotheque, hosts Michael and Jake and producers Steph and Harold travel to Tokyo for a distinctly Ghibli-themed pilgrimage. In this second episode, the team visit the Ghibli Museum, the Studio's shrine to the art of animation, and also share their spoils in a segment dedicated to their favourite merchandise finds from the trip.Find more pics, videos and treats from our trip to Japan at ghibliotheque.tumblr.com.Follow Ghibliotheque on Twitter:@ghibliotheque@MichaelJLeader – Michael@jakehcunningham – JakeProduced by Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham, Harold McShiel and Steph Watts. Audio wizardry from Jamie Maisner. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.