Studio Ghibli's Risky Move: How Do You Live? Secrets Kept Under Lock and Key!

Studio Ghibli's latest animated film, How Do You Live?, has recently premiered in Japan without any prior promotion or marketing efforts. The absence of trailers, cast lists, and promotional images has attracted significant attention online. Furthermore, Studio Ghibli has decided not to sell the usual release day program for the film, continuing their efforts to maintain its secrecy.

The producer revealed that the studio aimed to ensure that the audience approached the movie with a fresh perspective, without any preconceived notions. They deliberately withheld any summary of the film's plot to achieve a true blank slate. While this approach would be considered risky for most movie studios, Studio Ghibli relied on their loyal fan base, who would support any film they produced, regardless of the promotional strategy.

Interestingly, Studio Ghibli's dedication to maintaining a spoiler-free experience extends to their decision not to release any merchandise for the film at this time. In Japan, it is customary for movies to be accompanied by a wide range of merchandise available in cinemas, including program booklets containing images from the film, plot details, and interviews with the cast. These sought-after collector items typically cost around ¥1000 ($7 USD), but Studio Ghibli has deliberately chosen not to offer them for this movie.

The release of How Do You Live? will not include any program for the first few weeks. This decision was announced by Toho Cinema's official Twitter handle, a prominent movie theater chain and a leading seller of movie merchandise. Box office earnings are of significant value to movies, but additional profits are also generated from merchandise, such as programs, which are sold in large quantities.

To ensure that the viewers can fully experience the film without spoilers, Studio Ghibli has made a commitment. The sale of programs could result in the online circulation of photos and scans, especially for a film that is surrounded by so much mystery. Therefore, rather than prioritizing the extra profit from merchandise, including programs, Studio Ghibli has made the choice to uphold their values.

Studio Ghibli, renowned for its commitment to creating movies as artistic masterpieces rather than mere money-making ventures, is truly exemplifying this philosophy with its approach to managing "How Do You Live?" This unprecedented move sets them apart from other major studios, and it remains to be seen in the coming weeks whether their daring decision will prove successful. One can only hope that the film's theatrical release generates substantial revenue as a compensatory measure for the absence of a reliable safety net in merchandise profits. On July 14th, 2023, "How Do You Live?" made its highly anticipated debut in Japanese cinemas.

Source: Twitter