As a lifelong anime enthusiast, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia when I heard about Studio Ghibli partnering with mm2 Entertainment to rerelease Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved classics across Southeast Asia. Growing up, I was captivated by the magical worlds and heartwarming stories of these iconic films, and I still remember the thrill of watching them for the first time on a tiny TV screen.
Over the next five years, Japan’s renowned Studio Ghibli will team up with mm2 Entertainment based in Singapore to re-present Hayao Miyazaki’s cherished anime masterpieces on cinema screens throughout Southeast Asia.
Starting this week, I’m thrilled to share that two awesome companies have revealed a partnership deal. As part of it, mm2 will be bringing 21 timeless masterpieces from Studio Ghibli into the spotlight! These iconic films, such as “Spirited Away”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “My Neighbor Totoro”, are about to grace screens in seven incredible territories: Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Cambodia. Can’t wait for this magical journey!
The strategy of Ghibli Studio, as in the past few years, is to maximize profits from its collection of films. By adopting a similar approach in mainland China, the company has raked in tens of millions by bringing Miyazaki’s masterpieces to Chinese audiences. For instance, “My Neighbor Totoro” made $26 million from a re-release in 2018, while “Spirited Away” grossed an impressive $69 million in 2019. Other films have also been successful in the region.
This year, some of the earliest Studio Ghibli films are set to receive a re-release in Southeast Asia. mm2 Asia, the company’s parent organization, operates movie theaters in Singapore and Malaysia, and they will manage the marketing and distribution of these Ghibli titles directly within those countries. In other regions, they will collaborate with partners.
Chang Long Jong, CEO of mm2 Asia, stated, “Studio Ghibli’s movies are famous globally for their artistic quality, storytelling ability, and emotional impact.” This partnership enables us to present these treasured masterpieces to Southeast Asian viewers, who can experience them on the big screen as originally intended. We believe that this alliance will introduce a new wave of fans to the realm of Studio Ghibli.
Recently, Studio Ghibli has been celebrating a victorious lap of appreciation. The studio was honored with an honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May, cementing its position as a globally recognized cultural icon. Moreover, Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, “The Boy and the Heron“, raked in more than $250 million at the worldwide box office last year and even won an Oscar for best animated feature. In Singapore, a forthcoming “World of Studio Ghibli” exhibition set to open at ArtScience Museum will introduce fans in the region to the distinctive world of the studio’s tales and characters.
Junichi Nishioka, Ghibli’s vice president of international distribution, mentioned that numerous visitors from Southeast Asia flock daily to both the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka and the nearby Ghibli Park. He added that with Hayao Miyazaki’s recent win of the esteemed Magsaysay Award (referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize of Asia’), it seems our films are being appreciated by a significantly larger Asian audience than previously. Nishioka expressed his joy, stating this recognition will greatly assist in spreading our creations to an even wider audience and to future generations of children.
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2024-10-03 09:24