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Exhibition honoring Studio Ghibli’s late Isao Takahata is now open in Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills

Krista Rogers Jul 1, 2025
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The event features never-before-seen artwork and more to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the pioneering animation director’s birth.

Isao Takahata is perhaps best known to Western audiences as a founding member of the beloved Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli and as director of some of its most famous works, including Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Pom Poko (1994), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). Born on October 29, 1935, Takahata took a leading role in shaping Japanese animation over the course of over 50 years, alongside frequent collaborator and friend Hayao Miyazaki, until his passing in 2018 at the age of 82.

In honor of the 90th anniversary of Takahata’s birth, a new exhibition titled Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation that’s being held at Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills Gallery is welcoming visitors between June 27 and September 15.

▼ Promotional poster for the exhibition featuring Setsuko, one of the main characters of Grave of the Fireflies

The gallery features animation cells and background art from several of Takahata’s iconic TV series and films such as Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974), Grave of the Fireflies, and Pom Poko on display for the first time.

Since this year also marks 80 years since the end of the Pacific War, special tribute is paid to the lasting legacy of Grave of the Fireflies. The film, which is often considered to be Takahata’s masterpiece, follows two war orphan siblings in the aftermath of the 1945 fire bombings of Kobe. For this part of the exhibition, Hideki Anno, who served as a key animator for the film before going on to become a successful director for Neon Genesis Evangelion and more, has hand-selected impactful scenes to play at the gallery.

▼ Hideki’s layout drawings for the Imperial Japanese Navy Heavy Cruiser Maya (as it appears in the film) are also revealed for the first time.

Visitors can also purchase an audio guide featuring Japanese-language narration for an additional fee on top of the ticket price. This guide also comes bundled with a musical playlist curated by filmmaker Shunji Iwai, a distant relative of Takahata, designed to accompany the works of art throughout the gallery.

▼ Shunji Iwai

Unlike most other art galleries, there are some hands-on, interactive elements to this exhibition. Visitors will delight in the giant Papanda prop from one of Takahata’s earlier works, Panda! Go, Panda! (1972), and the ability to recreate the scene of Pan-chan flying to grab onto his dad’s fluffy tummy for themselves. It certainly makes for a fun commemorative photo.

In addition, it wouldn’t be a Japanese exhibition without a tie-in collaboration cafe. The menu features a variety of foods and drinks that pay tribute to some of Takahata’s most beloved works, including Panda! Go, Panda! curry.

Finally, weekday visitors to the gallery will receive a free multi-use paper case with a drawing of Takahata inside. There are five versions in total, one for each day of the week featuring a different one of Takahata’s productions.

Online tickets for the Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation begin at 2,000 yen (US$13.87) for general admission with discounts for high school/university students, young children, and more. They can be purchased on the gallery’s official website or via the Lawson Ticket site.

Along similar lines, for some newly revealed artwork behind the unrealized concepts of Miyazaki, you may also be interested in this artbook to be released in early July.

Exhibition information
Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation / 高畑勲展 ̶日本のアニメーションを作った男。
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Toranomon 5-8-1 Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza A, MB floor
東京都港区虎ノ門 5-8-1 麻布台ヒルズガーデンプラザA MB階
Duration: June 27-September 15
Open: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (last entry at 7:30 p.m.); 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays from June 27-July 18
Website

Source, images: PR Times (1, 2)
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[ Read in Japanese ]