#Toshio Suzuki

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Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. Drawing by Goro Miyazaki (also on the right ;-)

[elizadraws]

Bulgarian Music in Studio Ghibli films

”Myth has it that Orpheus was born in what is now Bulgaria. It seemed to be fact, not myth, that his daughters are still singing there”

These words were written by the New York Times in the remote 1963 — the year in which the largest Bulgarian folk ensemble crossed the Iron Curtain to conquer an entire continent with its cosmic art.

The 1975 release of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, a compilation album of modern arrangements of Bulgarian folk songs, further popularized Bulgarian music, and in 1977, a vinyl record featuring the folk song “Izlel ye Delyo Haydutin” (Eng: Come out rebel Delyo) began its journey aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts.

From this point on popularity from the West spread to the East, and Bulgarian folk music made it to the entertainment industry, including legendary Japanese anime films, like the cult cyberpunk “Ghost in the Shell” or the heartwarming Studio Ghibli features.

In this short article I write about two occasions of Bulgarian music playing in Studio Ghibli’s films.

The record that inspired the creation of “Only Yesterday”

“Only Yesterday” is a 1991 Japanese animated drama film written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the 1982 manga of the same title by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone. Set in rural Japan, the film draws parallels with the peasant lifestyle present in Eastern Europe.

The original work is a compilation of short stories about 11-year-old Taeko’s daily life in 1966. Director Takahata had a hard time making it into a movie since the manga, told in the form of a memoir, has no plot to hold a feature. Together with producer Toshio Suzuki, they came up with the solution of bringing the narrator of the story, adult Taeko, into the movie. But there is a curious anecdote about how this idea came to mind.

Taeko picks safflower as the Bulgarian song “Malka moma dvori mete” plays in the background. © Studio Ghibli

In a 2021 interview with students from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, producer Suzuki recounts how a record of Bulgarian songs performed by the children choir “Bodra Smyana”, introduced to him by director Takahata, inspired the creation of the movie. Moved by the cosmic voices of the children, they decided to make “Only Yesterday” a musical. He also recalls what a tiring process it was to acquire the rights to the music, but if you’ve seen the movie, I am sure you will agree that it was worth it; the haunting, beautiful songs with the pastoral images of farmers picking flowers contribute to one of the greatest scenes created in cinema.

Producer Suzuki showing the record that inspired the creation of ”Only Yesterday”. Source: Studio Ghibli’s Twitter

In “Only Yesterday”, we can hear two songs from the album Bulgarian Polyphony I by Philip Koutev Ensemble. The upbeat “Dilmano Dilbero” [Eng. beautiful Dilmana] sets a happy mood as the protagonist gets changed and ready to go on the field. As the scene shifts and Taeko starts narrating a sad story about the girls in the past picking safflower with their bare hands, the song and mood shift as well.

While the first song has a fast rhythm, with lyrics about pepper planting that can also be interpreted figuratively, the second one, “Malka Moma Dvori Mete” [Eng., a little girl sweeps the yard], is a ballad about a young girl who is forced into marriage but has never known true love.

Both compositions sing about life-cycle events like marriage and the regular coming of the harvests, with lyrics perfectly fitting the setting and plot of the movie, which makes me wonder if the filmmakers chose them by chance or if they had someone translate the words.

Bulgarian Cosmic Voices Enchanting Howl

“Howl’s Moving Castle” is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, loosely based on the 1986 novel of the same name by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Set in a fictional kingdom the movie draws inspiration from various places in Europe. One of them being Bulgaria.

The story focuses on a young girl, named Sophie, magically transformed into an old woman, and a self-confident but emotionally unstable young wizard, Howl, living in a magical moving castle.

A sketch of a Star Child. Source: The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle

If you’ve seen the movie, you surely remember the scene when Madame Suliman ambushes Howl and tries to strip him of his magic powers. Star Children encircle him and his companions; their shadows grow big, dark and intimidating. They start dancing and chanting unintelligible magic words and are almost successful in their devilish act.

This scene, together with the music played in the background, have been a favourite of many fans of the film. Some even recount it giving them nightmares when they were children.

Star Children encircle Howl in an attempt to strip him of his magic powers. © Studio Ghibli

It turns out, however, that these aren’t any incantations, but the lyrics of a folk song. In Bulgarian. And a love song! Contrary to popular belief, the lyrics have nothing to do with magic and are actually about a boy taking his sweetheart, Dona, to the market to buy her new clothes. The excerpt used in the movie is very short and a bit altered from the original, but the words used go like this: Trendafilcheto, kalafercheto, Done mamino, translated as “the rose, the costmary, my darling Dona”.

I am planing a follow up article where I will post the translated lyrics together with a brief explanation on how they are related to the movies.

If you want to comment on or add something, I would love to hear!

Source

[disneytva]

In honor of Fish Hooks 14th anniversary have these Studio Ghibli x Fish Hooks crossover art by Joe Johnston ("Amphibia", Cartoon Network Studios "Steven Universe" franchise)

[thefugitivesaint]

Toshio Suzuki (1904-1975), ''The Two Suns'' by Kusuro Makimoto, 1948 Source

[bobgoesw00t]

It happened...the one movie I really, TRULY cared about when it came to this year's Oscars (two if you include Barbie winning Best Original Song), How Do You Live/The Boy and the Heron FUCKING WON BEST ANIMATED FEATURE!!!!!

Not only did it, against all odds, beat out the front runner, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse but it did so with VERY little fanfare from the audience. Of the nominees, it was Across The Spider-Verse that got the most applause from the room, so when Hayao Miyazaki won his SECOND Oscar (and possibly his last), the lack of cheers from the audience was music to my ears. They REALLY wanted Across The Spider-Verse to win, but all the haters and whiners can SUCK IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!

Not only is this the SECOND Oscar Miyazaki has gotten, but it's also the SECOND anime movie to win the award, the second 2D film to ever win it, and it's also the first PG-13 animated film to win. If this was indeed Miyazaki's final film, it's safe to say he went out WITH A FUCKING BANG and made his mark on America once again.

Congrats once again to How Do You Live/The Boy and the Heron for winning not only the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature but also the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. With the additions of being the first PG-13 animated film to win, the second anime movie, and the second 2D animated film being some sprinkles on top.

[konvoluted]

The Boy and the Heron booklet insert with Hayao Miyazaki’s 2016 Project Proposal

[olafkardanadam]

"Nasıl olmuştu da benim karmaşık duygularımı anlamış ve onları düzenlemeyi başarmıştı?" Oysa ben bile içimdeki labirentte yolumu kaybetmişken, bir başkasının bu kadar kolay yol bulabilmesi mümkün müydü? Herkesin karmakarışık dediği ruh halim, onun gözlerinde bir anlam buluyordu.

Sessizce oturduğumuz bir akşam, hiçbir şey söylemeden bile kalbimi okuyabildiğini hissetmiştim. Gözlerimin derinliklerine baktığında, saklamaya çalıştığım bütün kırıklıklar ortaya çıkmıştı. Ama bu beni korkutmadı. Tam aksine, ilk kez birisi beni olduğum gibi gördüğü için huzur bulmuştum.

Onunla konuşmak, kendi içimde kaybolan parçaları bulmaktı. Ne zaman sustuğumda, cümlelerimin sonunu o tamamlıyordu. Ve her seferinde, sanki içimden geçenleri ezbere biliyor gibiydi. Belki de en çok bu yüzden ürküyordum: Beni benden daha iyi tanıyan birine nasıl karşı koyabilirdim?

Hayatım boyunca karmaşık olmaktan korkmuştum. Kimseye anlatamadığım, adını bile koyamadığım duygularım vardı. Ama o, karmaşıklığımı anlamakla kalmamış, bir düzene sokmuştu. Kendi zihnimde bile kaosa dönüşen düşünceler, onun yanındayken sessizleşiyordu.

O an anladım ki, bazen bir insan, diğerinin tamamlayamadığı cümle olur. Kendi kendine yetemeyen ruhlar için, bir nefes gibi gelir. İşte o, benim o nefesimdi. Nasıl başardığını bilmiyorum, ama içimdeki fırtınayı dindirmişti. Ve bu, dünyadaki en büyük mucizelerden biriydi. [08/02/2025 18:55]

[balu8]

 Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Studio Ghibli

directed by Hayao Miyazaki

[originalharmonysalad]

How a violent manga led to a kid’s anime revolution (Studio Ghibli)

[mikyapixie]

20 years ago today Howl's Moving Castle premiered in Japan theaters!!!

This my mom & I’s favorite Studio Ghibli movie!!!💙🥰💙

[mcdazek]

[kuribo4indahouse]

[shiguresouma]

El Niño y la Garza (película, 2023): acerca de la manera en que escoges vivir

Me tomo un momento de mis nuevas obligaciones paternales para darme el gusto de ver por primera vez el estreno de una película de Studio Ghibli en una pantalla de cine y sin saber más que lo indispensable de ella. Sin haberla visto antes en las funciones de Club SUGOI, por ejemplo. Y encima con un buen par de amigos también fans del anime y conocedores de la carrera de Miyazaki. Y la experiencia…

[stuff-diary]

The Boy and the Heron

Movies watched in 2023

The Boy and the Heron (2023, Japan)

Director & Writer: Hayao Miyazaki

Mini-review:

What a wonderful film. I knew Hayao Miyazaki would not disappoint me, but I didn't think I'd love The Boy and the Heron this much. I'm really glad I stayed away from all the promotional material, as Ghibli originally intended, cause that allowed me to be taken by surprise by this story, this world and these characters. It's definitely Miyazaki's weirdest and most esoteric film, and one of his most ambitious too. But that Ghibli magic we all love so much is as present as ever, and the movie is just so original. I really can't think of any other films like this one, and it kept me enthralled during its entire run. Its fascinating rumination on life, death and grief takes center stage through some of the smoothest and most delightful animation I have ever seen. Not to mention the character and creature designs, which are among Miyazaki's most fun work. To sum up, this is a must-watch for any Ghibli fans, and I recommend going in as blind as possible.

[ayriya]

This is brilliant 😭

Princess Mononoke’s mother wolf Moro and Howl’s Moving Castle’s Witch of the Waste are both voiced by a famous singer and drag queen Akihiro Miwa.

Akihiro Miwa (born in 1935) is one of the most prominent queer icon in Japanese history, who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki (his hometown) during WW2.

This clip is from a document How Princess Mononoke Was Born (1998)

Here’s a video clip of the finishes scene in the movie between Moro and Ashitaka.