A Disney-Tokuma (Studio Ghibli) Retrospective
In 1996, a distribution deal between the Disney Corporation and Tokuma Shoten, the parent company of Studio Ghibli, was struck for the US distribution of Ghibli movies.
Some feel that this was a deal that Disney had to make. Hayao Miyazaki (one of Studio Ghibli’s co-founders and star directors) was about to finish and release ‘Mononoke Hime’ (Princess Mononoke) and was referred to in Japan as the modern-day Walt Disney. If anyone was going to dethrone Disney’s monopoly on the US animation market, it was going to be Studio Ghibli.
No one except Disney and Tokuma know the exact details of the deal, but some report that:
- Disney was to use the original Japanese music.
- Disney was not to cut or rearrange any footage from the original films.
- It was Disney’s discretion to decide which movies would be released theatrically.
- Disney had exclusive rights to distribute Studio Ghibli properties world-wide.
- Ghibli retained all merchandising rights.
- It was Disney’s responsibility to produce English dialog (Dx) audio stems.
- Originally, only eight movies were included in the deal. Additional films were added when produced by Ghibli.
Many anime collectors (otakus) have harsh words about this deal. Most of these originate from a disdain for anything Disney related. They feel that Disney has no right to place their name on films so brilliantly made. Some even theorized that this was Disney’s conspiracy attempt to surpress an anime revolution in the US market.
I confess, I was one of those anime fans that felt this way. At the time, Japanese animation seemed so much more innovative than anything being developed by a US animation studio. Even today, Disney has an inability to make an animated feature targeted towards anyone above the age of 10. The deal felt like Ghibli was bowing to the powerful hand of Disney.
After fifteen years of seeing what actually has come out of the deal, one has to ask: Did/Does the deal help or hinder Studio Ghibli in the US market? I believe it did help Studio Ghibli, and in turn the entire anime industry.
Consider the following:
- Disney may have provided the best audio dub possible. Any other production company would have quickly hacked together a translation and hire second-rate actors to do the voice-overs.
- Disney has provided original Japanese audio tracks and English subtitles for DVD and Blu-ray releases (and even some theatrical releases in some markets). In 1996, most distribution companies just made an English dub and released that solely. Even those companies that dealt with anime imports exclusively had no confidence in US audiences and thought that viewers would best comprehend a story that was edited and dubbed. Today, however, there is a substantial group of people that insist on the original Japanese dialog (with English subtitles) and can’t stand to sit through an English dub. Thankfully, Disney seems to understand this.
- Any other distribution company would have mutilated the stories through a re-edit process. Those close to the matter say that other companies besides Disney were contacted for a distribution deal. But none except Disney would agree to the no re-edits clause.
- This deal helped expose Ghibli films and the entire anime sub-genre to those that would have otherwise not seen it. It seems that every major Ghibli release is getting a US theatrical release, thanks to Disney. Does this sound like the actions of a company that wants to subdue the rise of anime?
Sure, it may not have been Disney’s intention, but the deal helped bring the anime style of animation to a wide portion of the US and world audience. Today, the anime market is a much more thriving market than it was back in 1996. I think that it is due, at least in part, to the Disney-Tokuma deal.
