Studio Ghibli to transform Manarat Al Saadiyat in 2026

Summer exhibition will be a celebration of beloved Japanese animation house

Studio Ghibli is known for many animation classics, including the Oscar-winning film Spirited Away. Photo: Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli will take over Manarat Al Saadiyat next year, in an exhibition that will explore the many and much-loved worlds of the celebrated Japanese animation house.

The World of Studio Ghibli will open on May 30. The exhibition is organised by Theory Eleven Entertainment in collaboration with Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, Miral and Studio Ghibli.

It will explore nearly four decades of output from the studio, delving into its animation techniques, storytelling, as well as the characters from beloved films.

The World of Studio Ghibli was first presented in 2013 in Japan and has been showcased in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangkok and, most recently, in Singapore, where it concluded in February.

The exhibition will span 16 galleries in Manarat al Saadiyat, offering visitors the chance to come face-to-face with characters, including Chihiro from Spirited Away, and San from Princess Mononoke.

Large-scale theatrical sets, meanwhile, will transform the gallery spaces into familiar scenes from the films, such as waiting in the rain with Totoro to sharing a train with No Face. Interactive installations will also delve into other sets, such as the laboratory of Kokiri the witch from Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989).

The exhibition will conclude with a retail area, where merchandise and souvenirs exclusive to the exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat will be offered.

Studio Ghibli was established in 1985 by directors Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki, and producer Toshio Suzuki. Since then, it has grown to have a profound influence on the global landscape of animated cinema.

Two of its films, Spirited Away (2001) and The Boy and the Heron (2023), have won the Academy Award for best animated feature. The studio’s catalogue boasts several other classics, including Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), My Neighbour Totoro (1988), and Princess Mononoke (1997). Last year, Studio Ghibli also became the first group to receive the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Honorary Palme d’or.

Tickets go on sale on December 8 and start at Dh125