Like everything Ghibli touches, the beauty is in the details.
Summers in Japan can be harsh, due to high levels of energy-draining humidity, but they also have a unique charm to them as well. Especially in countryside areas, where the sound of cicadas pierces the air as children wade through shallow streams in search of insects during their month-long school vacations, these midyear months conjure up a sense of wistful nostalgia for people in Japan. It’s a relaxed, rural summertime idyll that many people in big cities can only dream about as they get older, but now there’s a way to bring the charm of countryside living into your home, thanks to a new product from Studio Ghibli.
Called “Totorotachi no Tsuri Biyori“, which loosely translates as “The Totoros’ Perfect Fishing Day“, this product is classified as a “music box” but it’s so well crafted it looks more like a musical diorama.
With a built-in music box mechanism that plays “Sanpo” (“Stroll“), the film’s opening theme, this diorama will soothe you with its familiar melody, while charming you with its beautiful countryside scene. The three Totoros from the movie – Large, Medium and Small – are all present and accounted for here, with the largest of the trio sitting on a tree stump in the centre of it all.
The character’s expression is incredibly endearing, as he’s depicted peering to his left, showing wide-eyed interest in what’s taking place next to him.
There, on a branch extending from the stump, is the blue Medium Totoro, rod in hand and deep in concentration as he appears to be pulling something out of the pond beneath them.
▼ A crayfish!
Peer around the back of the diorama and you’ll see the white Small Totoro also watching the goings-on, from a coveted vantage point between the largest Totoro’s ears.
Because these are nature-loving creatures from a nature-loving anime studio – Totoro was born from a real-world forest, after all – no crayfish were harmed in the making of this scene.
▼ Look closely and you’ll see that the crayfish is holding onto the stick, as if it wants to come out and play.
Everything about this scene is charming and carefully crafted, with attention to detail in everything from the characters through to the tree stump, lotus flowers, and the pond, which displays meticulous coloring and just the right amount of transparency to bring the scene to life with an impressive amount of realism.
▼ The crayfish at the end of the fishing line isn’t fixed in place, so it will move gently when you poke it, adding to the realism.
The water’s surface sparkles, reflecting the light as aquatic plants become visible and shadows of tiny fish can be seen, as if swimming silently through the water. According to the product’s retailer, Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, this musical figurine will make you feel as if the characters are carrying a cool breeze from through the forest, bringing the crisp, clean air with them while you listen to the gentle melody.
It’s a beautiful scene that’s perfect for keeping you cool, calm and collected this summer, and it can be purchased at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online from 10 a.m. (JST) on 20 June, priced at 9,900 yen (US$61.64).
Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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