You can always trustStudio Ghiblifans to show up to consume the studio’s unique merchandise. Two years ago, the animation company announced that a set of wholesome products was being added to the online store: Water Gardens that featured characters from some of its most popular movies. The Bonsai collection paid homage to titles likeMy Neighbor TotoroandPrincess Mononoke, but the one that flew off the virtual shelves was the one crafted usingSpirited Awaycharacters. Now, the product is re-stocked at theDonguri Sora official store, but it’s only a matter of time before it’s sold out again.
The “Spirited Away Water Garden BONSAI” doesn’t feature Chihiro herself, but rather a curious figure from theHayao Miyazakimovie. No-face is holding his hands up in the water garden, but rather than producing gold, just water and its soothing sound come out of it. The water flows from No-Face’s hands to ashishidoshiand flows down from a pile of rocks where Yubaba’s son Boh is placed at the top. You can check out the model in the video below.
According to the website, theSpirited Awaybonsai may operate in the traditional mode in which it stays turned on indefinitely, or you can set up a voice detection system in which it gets prompted to operate for five minutes, and then it will switch itself off. The product also supports USB power if you prefer to use it without batteries. TheSpirited Away,Princess Mononoke, andMy Neighbor Totorogardens are sold individually, and they cost approximately 17,600 yen, which is roughly about $113 (USD) — shipping fees not included.
‘Spirited Away’ Is Almost 25 Years Old
A testament toSpirited Away’s legacy is that, even after almost 25 years, the animated movie is still consideredone of the best ever made. Not by chance, the Miyazaki film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003. It was the first Ghibli nomination ever, and the follow-up prize only came in 2024 withThe Boy and The Heron. Despite the few Oscar wins for the studio, Ghibli’s movies are appreciated all over the world, and several of its titles frequently make it to best-of lists when it comes to animation.
Spirited Awaytells the story of Chihiro (voiced byRumi Hiiragiin the Japanese original andDaveigh Chasein the English dub), a young girl who’s depressed about her parents' decision to move to another city. In the middle of their trip, they are suddenly transported to a different and magical world, in which Chihiro issuddenly forced to deal with a series of responsibilitieswhile defying its ruthless ruler.
