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Studio Ghibli asks fans to help Hayao Miyazaki replace his beloved eraser

Oona McGee Jan 13, 2022
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Japanese animation studio is searching for a hard-to-find product used by the director to create anime for many years.

In a world where the speed and convenience of CG technology is poised to take over the anime world, Studio Ghibli and its esteemed co-founder and director Hayao Miyazaki are stalwarts of traditional anime processes.

Even when Earwig and the Witch, Ghibli’s first-ever CG film, was created, Miyazaki’s son Goro, who directed the film, was “the only person at Ghibli who knew how to work in that style“. Goro’s famous father, on the other hand, firmly believes that drawing frames by hand is a keystone of animation, despite the time-consuming and laborious nature of it, and it’s part of what gives Ghibli films their unique, heartwarming charm.

So when Studio Ghibli sent out this tweet to their followers the other day, fans immediately stopped what they were doing, because the legendary drawing devotee needed their help.

https://twitter.com/JP_GHIBLI/status/1480766294157045764

The tweet above reads:

“Miyazaki’s beloved, ideal electric eraser that he’s been using for many years has had it……

He was told that it’s no longer being made.

・ It’s not a battery type

・Charging can be done with the stand instead of directly inserting the cable

Is there anything that can be done?

If anyone knows of an electric eraser that’s close to this ideal one, please let us know.”

The studio was immediately inundated with helpful tips from fans, who’d taken note of the model number on the eraser — RADIC RE-14800.

▼ Some people found similar old-school models on Mercari, like this Kokuyo Pro priced at 1,200 yen (US$10.47).

『コクヨ電動字消器 (¥1,200)』フリマアプリ「メルカリ」で販売中♪https://t.co/xUf1ewFtSY
これどうでしょうか？

— りゅうな (@ryuna0523) January 11, 2022

▼ Others suggested some more modern models.

モノタロウさんには沢山載っていますです。
廃盤かどうかまでは不明なので、メーカーさんに問い合わせしてみて下さい。 pic.twitter.com/X1tvfQxQBb

— misako (@misako29155782) January 11, 2022

https://twitter.com/817414947/status/1480847011599777793

台座はないですが、USBで充電できるようです。https://t.co/Y9V7bmXsRk

— shinya miyamoto (@eurteb) January 11, 2022

A few people, though, were able to track down the RADIC RE-14800 at second-hand site Hard Off, where it was priced at 5,500 yen ($47.99).

これ買えませんか？https://t.co/hkjuEXKggZ

— KOBAしゃちょー (@koba_ankousan) January 11, 2022

That eraser above is now sold out, incidentally, although it’s unclear whether it was the studio that purchased it. Either way, it looks like Miyazaki is still dealing with the loss of his beloved eraser, which has played an important role behind the scenes of many a Ghibli film over the years, as the studio sent out this homage to the spent eraser later that day.

▼ “You did a lot of work for me. Thank you.”

https://twitter.com/JP_GHIBLI/status/1480774683234500609

This sweet eulogy is enough to bring tears to the eyes of any Ghibli fan, so if you or anyone you know is able to fill the eraser-shaped hole in Miyazaki’s heart, please get in touch with the studio by leaving a comment on their original Japanese tweet.

With Miyazaki currently working on his upcoming anime film How Do You Live?, we don’t need any setbacks like a lost eraser to get in the way of the long-awaited movie coming to theatres sooner rather than later!

Source: Twitter/@JP_GHIBLI
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