If you love Studio Ghibli’s iconic films — My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, the list goes on — and you also love buying things online just to feel something, then boy do we have good news for you today! An upcoming online auction is giving Ghibli stans the chance to own their own part of the production company by purchasing some of its original animation cells. Yes, step away from the Amazon Prime screen you’re perusing in secret after publicly tweeting about how much you hate late capitalism and Jeff Bezos. Here is something better to buy to distract yourself from the crushing weight of the world!
The auction gives Ghibli fans a chance to win original animation cells from their favourite films. One particularly cute lot shows the adorable little Totoros in an open scene from 1988’s My Neighbour Totoro. With bids currently standing at $1350 and climbing, it’s definitely not cheap, but it’s also, as the auction site reminds us “fantastically rare and unforgettably iconic”. Honestly, true.
The baby Totoro hand-painted original production cell comes from the opening credits of the Studio Ghibli masterpiece, and features nine little Totoro characters dancing across the painted image, which measures pretty small (7.75″ x 1.25″ on the 14″ x 10.25”, to be exact). And compared to other animation cells up for auction from the same movie, including one featuring Mei and Satsuki waiting in the rain, currently priced at an eye-watering $17,500, this one is definitely a steal.
The lot is up for auction as part of “The Art of Anime and Everything Cool”, a collection from Heritage Auctions selling a selection of animation cells, artwork and comic books from across various fandoms, from Ghibli to Batman and even some Peanuts pieces (cute!). Aside from Totoro’s pricey cells, fans can also bid on original animation from Kiki’s Delivery Service, if you happen to have an extra $15,500 lying around.
We don’t! So we’ll probably just settle for watching the movies at home, like poor people. But if you do, happy bidding! Check out all of the lots here.
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