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Studio Ghibli Cinematic Universe

WARNING! There are unmarked Spoilers ahead. Beware. Almost every single Studio Ghibli film will be spoiled.

Just like how there's a Pixar theory about how Pixar films all take place in the same world, here's a theory about how Ghibli films all take place in a shared universe.

Characteristics of the Ghibli Cinematic Universe

In the GCU, magic exists. This isn't Functional Magic, it's more Magic Realism. Magic is subtle, and never world changing. You won't see epic battles between wizards and witches, but you might see a witch start a delivery service. Over time, as the world slowly industrialised, magic retreated back into hiding, with magic critters only letting humans see them if they wish. Whereas in the early ages of the GCU magic can be found anywhere, and used by nearly everyone, in modern times you can go your entire life without seeing a single drop of magic. Rather, in modern times magic finds you, and sends you on your journey. You'll stumble across it on your daily life, then get sent into a world of adventure, returning as a better person. Don't go out seeking magic, though, because they'll just hide from you, and you'll never see them.

Studio Ghibli as a company exists within the Studio Ghibli Universe. It's a bit confusing, but we'll get there. In the real world, Ghibli has an absolute love for airplanes, flying, and transport, incorporating them into every single film they can get their hands on. In the universe, it's safe to say that Ghibli would do the same too. That explains why the words "GHIBLI" appear on a bus in Kiki's Delivery Service or a boat in From Up on Poppy Hill. Real Ghibli absolutely loves animation, and virtual Ghibli does as well. It's safe to guess that Mei or Satsuki, after witnessing the joys of the forest, decide to start their own company, and bring their stories and adventures to more people. Every single film produced by the real Studio Ghibli can either be a Defictionalisation of an in-universe film found within the cinematic universe, produced by the imagined Studio Ghibli, or a film showing the real events of the universe.

The Plot

The Ghibli Cinematic Universe has always been different than our reality. It's subtle, but if you look closely, you can see the differences. Stay in your house for a day, and you'll find nothing, but look closer at the details, enjoy the life of the forests, and bask in the warm sunlight, and you might notice a few things.

Look to the sky. Has the Moon always been that large?

Or look over at the fields. is that a small forest critter?

Did that cat statue just move its hand?

These details, in addition to the elements from life you know, make up the Ghibli universe. So, let's start the story, right at the beginning. The very beginning.

Ancient Japan

Once upon a time, a man named Sanuki no Miyatsuko was cutting bamboo. He chopped all day, every day. On and on, taking no breaks. One day, inside a bamboo shoot, he found a little girl, born from plants. He found clothes and gold, and used them to move the girl and his family into the capital, and is named Princess Kaguya. The girl longs for the countryside, and, wishing a bit too hard for a different life, is taken back to the moon. For that girl was, in fact, a resident from the moon in the first place, and now she only went back to her home

That would explain how magic exists. Magic descends from people from the moon! The Moon is where all the magical elements lie, and why there are magic on Earth! Of course, the magic can't be particularly strong due to the sheer distance between the Moon and Earth, but still, the Moon, and all its residents, slowly shape the course of life on Earth. People like the girl defect to Earth, where they spread their knowledge. Then, when they are retrieved for their sins of escaping, the search party leave behind more traces of magic. Thus, the magic in the world slowly expanded, until it grows more and more potent.

Timeline of the GCU

The following is an approximate chronological order of the films in the GCU, with the first entry being the earliest.

Age of Ancients

These films are set in a time long ago. Technology exists, but are primitive. Magic runs rampant throughout the films' worlds.

Age of Development

These films are set in an age where the world is rapidly developing, and the level of technology is rapidly increase. With the development in technology, magic slowly goes into hiding.

Modern Age

These films are set in a period of time that would be equivalent to the late 90's to early 20's in the real world. Magic is selomly seen, and entire movies pass without a single hint of magic, but it still exists, somewhere in the world.

Post Collapse Age

This is after the societal collapse brought on in Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. The level of technology decreases, although powerful pieces of equipment from the past still remain. Magic and magical critters start to roam the world again.

Defictionalised Works

These works are made by the version of Studio Ghibli within the Studio Ghibli universe. This is going to get confusing, so get ready.

Some of them may be a canonical tale that occurs within the story, with the in-universe Ghibli describing what is happening in universe from their perspective. The real Studio Ghibli can tell stories from wherever in the universe they want, without relying on the perspective of a limited animation studio. The Studio Ghibli inside the universe can only tell stories from their perspective. You can expect the real Ghibli to make Princess Mononoke and have it be fully canonical, but the virtual Ghibli cannot make it a canon part of the timeline. Instead, they can only choose to make them as fiction.

Because of this, there will be some overlap between the timeline of the GCU.

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