Tokyo, 30 March, /AJMEDIA/
We’re coming up on two years since the release of “The Boy and the Heron,” the most recent Studio Ghibli theatrical anime. Since that time the studio has been silent regarding what, if any, plans it has for new animated projects, which is entirely in keeping with its philosophy of making anime when its artists have a story they want to tell, not just a product they need to sell. After all, there was a nine-year gap between “The Boy and the Heron” and Ghibli’s previous anime movie, 2014’s “When Marnie Was There.”
But if you were worried that Studio Ghibli might be done creating new animation for good, it’s time to put those fears to rest, and maybe dust off your resume too. That’s because on Friday Ghibli announced not only that they’re starting a new anime project, but also that they’re looking to recruit new artists to help them make it.
The job openings were nonchalantly posted on the official Studio Ghibli website, saying that they’re recruiting staff for a new “short animation” project. First, Ghibli needs digital paint/checking workers, specifically individuals skilled in using RETAS and Photoshop for animation finishing. Ghibli is also looking for background artists, with preference given to those with experience creating art for animation or with Photoshop experience. Both positions stipulate that applicants must have “Japanese language capability sufficient for production work,” implying that non-Japanese artists with less than native-level fluency may be considered. Applicants do need to be residents of Japan as of April 30, however. Ghibli says that it is looking to hire “a few people” for each position.
