Studio Ghibli Unexpectedly Closes Official X (Twitter) Account, Provides Only 6 Hours Notice

Studio Ghibli abruptly closed its main X (formerly Twitter) account, giving only six hours of notice. According to SoraNews24, @JP_Ghibli, which had 1.8 million followers, announced its shutdown for Nov. 3 at 12:00 am (JST). This move leaves Ghibli's official North American account and the Ghibli Park account as the company's only remaining X channels. No specific reason was given for the closure in @JP_Ghibli's farewell post, but it did express gratitude to its supporters since its creation in 2020. As a result of the limited information provided, Ghibli fans have begun speculating about the account's sudden shutdown.

Elon Musk and his changes to the X platform have been blamed by some Ghibli fans on the studio's subreddit. One Redditor, Electrical_Sector_10, described the shutdown as "unsurprising" while criticizing Musk and the social media presence of "racists and religious extremists" on X. Rumicposting, who shared @JP_Ghibli's final post, expressed sadness about the shutdown and emphasized its main purpose of promoting Ghibli's latest animated feature, The Boy and the Heron.

Despite the disappointment of Ghibli fans, some were able to decipher a hidden message in @JP_Ghibli's post that is seen as a reassuring gesture towards the studio's fan base. The message ends with the characters "Kahe." These same characters were previously seen in a post by singer-songwriter and Ghibli collaborator Kenshi Yonezu, where they formed a long repetitive string. Initially appearing meaningless, the message, when translated into Morse code, reveals the phrase "Listen to Chikyuugi." "Chikyuugi" roughly translates to "Spinning Globe," which is the title song of The Boy and the Heron.

Although Ghibli maintains a strong presence on social media, it tends to rely more on traditional marketing compared to its peers. With Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of Ghibli, returning from retirement to work on his next animated project, the company may have considered the existence of the account unnecessary. Additionally, the closure of the account could be linked to Nippon Television's acquisition of Studio Ghibli, which was announced in September. Representatives from both companies clarified that the primary objective of this partnership was to ensure successors for future projects, as Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro, has officially declined to take over the company from his father.

The Boy and the Heron will begin its North American theatrical run on Dec. 8. Studio Ghibli's collection of animated films is available on Max.

Sources: X (Twitter) via SoraNews24, Reddit

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I was surprised and disappointed to hear about the sudden closure of Studio Ghibli's official X (formerly Twitter) account. The account had 1.8 million followers and was a valuable resource for fans of the studio's work. I often used the account to stay up-to-date on the latest news about Ghibli films, and to see behind-the-scenes photos and videos.

The closure of the account has left many fans wondering what the future holds for Ghibli's online presence. Will the studio create a new X account? Or will it rely more on traditional marketing methods, such as print advertising and social media? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that Ghibli finds a way to continue to connect with its fans online. The studio's films have brought joy to millions of people around the world, and I believe it's important for Ghibli to have a strong online presence so that it can continue to reach new audiences.