Studio Ghibli and Pixar are two of the most successful movie companies in the world. They’ve released over a dozen memorable movies that can be enjoyed over and over again. The connection doesn’t end there, as Japan loves Pixar movies as much as the rest of the world loves Ghibli.
There are dozens of hidden gems to be found in Ghibli movies, which pay homage to beloved characters, and Pixar is also well-known for having a slew of Easter eggs that not only give a nod of respect to past characters, but also give clues about future characters and movies! Disney has released a new video of some of their favorite hidden treasures, and fans in Japan couldn’t be more excited about it.
Pixar’s first movie, Toy Story, was released in 1995, and even with a huge well of incredible movie ideas, their future productions were still up in the air. That didn’t stop the creators of Toy Story from throwing in a handful of hints about their possible future films. This tradition has continued as fans scour the newest Pixar films for hints at future projects. Have you been able to catch them all? Disney’s YouTube channel has released a handy video highlighting some of their favorite Easter eggs for those who aren’t in the know.
There is of course the Sully carving in Brave which hints at Monster’s University.
Here is a sprawling French scene in Cars that is reproduced in the mouse culinary classic Ratatouille.
Mr. Incredible makes a guest appearance in a waiting room in Finding Nemo, note that the comic is titled in Japanese!
Pixar doesn’t always pay it forward either, as Toy Story 2 gives special mention to Pixar’s past with a little buddy from A Bug’s Life providing a realistic scenery prop.
The video ends with a heavy hint of so much more as their final image is the famous Pizza Planet truck, which fans know appears in every Pixar movie.
Maybe Japanese Pixar fans aren’t quite as zealous as others around the world as some comments expressed some surprise about the links.
“That’s really awesome. They are all connected!”
“I didn’t know about these secrets! That’s just like Disney.”
“They do these secrets just like Ghibli.”
Since Ghibli is known for doing similar things, the parallels between the two companies are quite strong. Chief Creative Officer of Pixar, John Lasseter, is a self-proclaimed Ghibli nut, so these Easter eggs could be an homage to the famous Japanese animation studio itself, or just a playful bit of fun for his animating crew. We will let you decide.
Source: Hamsoku
Images: YouTube (Disney)