Fire Up The Time Machine
An article from French outlet Le Monde divulged some new details about the Nintendo/Ghibli collaboration that never was. According to former Nintendo artist Yoichi Kotabe, Miyazaki was offered the chance to work on a video game with the company, but demanding schedules got in the way.
Apparently Miyazaki was initially interested. He wanted to make “a video game that takes place in the universe of insects.” Unfortunately, the legendary filmmaker was just too dang busy. Eventually, the potential collaboration simply fell apart, never to see the light of day.
While we did one day see what a Ghibli video game would look like, I feel like a Nintendo/Ghibli mashup would have been a project of legendary proportions. Both companies have extensive experience in blending whimsy and majesty, and both outfits have a distinct appreciation for widespread aesthetic appeal. Never mind the time machine, let’s make that mashup happen today. Even a project between the two studios without the legendary founder’s direct intervention would still have a lot of potential for wondrous beauty. Heck, we could go the other way altogether. Let’s make that upcoming Mario movie a Studio Ghibli production. The mind reels at the possibilities.