Masterpieces from Nintendo and Studio Ghibli go together amazingly well, photos show.

Animal Crossing has always been a series about building communities of cute critters in a rural setting, and the baseline aesthetic has gotten even more specific in the series’ newest game, the island-set New Horizons. But while millions of fans are spending their time in Animal Crossing relaxing by the sea or picking peaches, Japanese gamer Tsukimaro (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a on Twitter) has been using New Horizons to recreate one of the most beloved anime films of all time.

Starting the week before last, Tsukimaro has been posting scenes from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, but reenacted in New Horizons, such as the one pictured below where protagonist Chihiro loses half of her name when she’s coerced into signing a magical contract with the witch Yubaba.

And of course, you can’t tell the story of the abduction of Sen and Chihiro without such important supporting characters as dragon boy Haku…

…and the mysterious No-Face, whose indistinct body Tsukimaro cleverly reproduces by rendering him as a shirt for some scenes.

Because of how extensively New Horizons allows you to customize avatars, clothing textures, and the game’s other environmental building blocks, Tsukimaro is taking on the ambitious project of retelling the entirety of Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning animated feature.

▼ Part 1: Chihiro’s dad takes a fateful turn into the wood

▼ Part 2: Transformation into pigs and meeting Haku

▼ Part 3: The bridge procession and working with Kamaji and the Soot Sprites

▼ Part 4: Signing the contract and getting encouragement from Lin

▼ Part 5: Finding mom and dad in the pig pen

▼ Part 6: The first appearance of No-Face

▼ Part 7: No-Face handing out golden gratuities

▼ Part 8: No-Face going berserk

▼ Part 9: The engorged No-Face, now presented as a series of wall panels, and meeting plus-sized baby Boh

▼ Part 10: Saving Haku

▼ Part 11: The famous train ride and ocean scenes

▼ Part 12: Chihiro learns Haku’s real name

Spirited Away isn’t the only Ghibli anime that Tsukimaro has proven works with the Animal Crossing aesthetic, either. For example here’s Kiki’s Delivery Service’s Tombo, as well as some of the cast of Howl’s Moving Castle.

Tsukimaro has been updating the Animal Crossing version of Spirited Away with a new post more or less daily, and as awesome as it’s been to watch unfold, we’re going to be a little sad to see it end…unless, of course, that clears up Tsukimaro’s schedule to start another long-form Ghibli/New Horizons mashup.

Top image: Twitter/@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a
Insert images: Twitter/@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a (1, 2, 3, 4)
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Follow Casey on Twitter, where Kiki’s Delivery Service remains his favorite Studio Ghibli film.

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