吉卜力工作室（Studio Ghibli）是日本享譽國際的知名動畫電影製作公司，工作室於1985年由日本動畫大師宮崎駿及高畑勳等人成立，名稱由宮崎駿命名，源自二戰時期義大利偵察機「Ghibli」，意指撒哈拉沙漠上吹送的熱風，象徵工作室要在日本動畫界掀起一陣新風潮，果然，日後的作品，如《風之谷》、《龍貓》、《神隱少女》、《蒼鷺與少年》等，前一陣子，還風行過以吉卜力風格生成的AI圖片，到處都可以見到朋友們拿自拍照，生成為吉卜力風格的圖片，可見得宮崎駿的融合自然、日常與奇幻元素的療癒系畫風，已經深得人心了。
這家位於商場內的店，看起來已經存在一段時間了，我要不是剛好逛到，還不知道，這裡原來有一間那麼有趣的店，因為就算不買商品，光是欣賞貨架上的商品，也是非常的有意思，店門口有等身大的大龍貓、中龍貓、小龍貓，讓人一眼難忘，店內則有停靠在台北信義站的毛茸茸貓巴士，動畫中的貓公車是龍貓的交通工具，有12隻腳，外型活潑可愛，非常適合打卡拍照，商品架也打造成《魔女宅急便》中的麵包店建築風格，《魔女宅急便》中的黑貓奇奇也藏在店內的角落，常常在不經意間，能發現動畫作品中的各式知名角色，隱藏在店內的某處，讓人驚喜連連。
我猜，並不是每個人都對吉卜力工作室的作品，瞭若指掌，因為吉卜力數十年來推出了許多經典動畫，每一部作品都有獨特的角色、場景與故事背景，即使是忠實粉絲，也未必能立刻認出所有周邊商品的出處，不過，店內商品都貼心地附上標籤與說明，標示角色名稱以及來自哪一部作品，讓人只要稍微看一眼，就能快速對照並了解這件商品與哪部動畫有關，當然，有些已經熟悉的動畫角色，商品也給角色賦予了新的生命，如《神隱少女》中的無臉男，原本是一位神秘而沉默的角色，如今卻化身為造型存錢筒，彷彿默默幫主人保管零錢。
走在店內，看著一件件充滿巧思的商品，幾乎每一件商品，都能喚起腦海中的經典畫面，讓人不知不覺地沉浸在吉卜力工作室所打造的奇幻世界之中，在這裡消磨的時間，比我想像中多，我原本以為只逛個十分鐘左右，結果在這裡把玩了快一個小時。
Studio Ghibli is one of Japan’s most internationally recognized animation studios. It was founded in 1985 by legendary animators such as Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The name "Ghibli" chosen by Miyazaki, comes from an Italian reconnaissance aircraft used during World War II. The word refers to a hot wind blowing across the Sahara Desert and was meant to symbolize the studio bringing a fresh new breeze to the Japanese animation industry. Looking back, that goal was definitely achieved. Films such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and The Boy and the Heron have become beloved classics around the world.
Not long ago, AI-generated images in the Ghibli style became incredibly popular online. Everywhere I looked, friends were turning their selfies into artwork inspired by Ghibli films. That trend showed just how deeply Miyazaki’s warm and comforting art style—blending nature, everyday life, and fantasy—has resonated with people around the world.
This store inside the shopping mall seems to have been around for quite some time. If I hadn’t happened to walk by it, I probably would never have known such an interesting place existed. Even if you don't buy anything, simply browsing the merchandise is entertaining enough. Right at the entrance, there are life-sized displays of the large Totoro, the medium Totoro, and the tiny Totoro, making a memorable first impression.
Inside the store, there’s a furry Catbus parked at "Taipei Xinyi Station". In the movie, the Catbus serves as Totoro’s magical transportation and is famous for its twelve legs and playful appearance. It’s an incredibly popular photo spot. Some of the display shelves are even designed to resemble the bakery from Kiki's Delivery Service. Meanwhile, Jiji, Kiki’s black cat companion, is hidden away in one corner of the store. As you wander around, you’ll often discover familiar characters tucked away in unexpected places, making the whole experience feel like a treasure hunt.
I imagine not everyone is familiar with every Studio Ghibli film. After all, the studio has produced so many classics over the decades, each with its own unique characters, settings, and stories. Even dedicated fans may not immediately recognize where every piece of merchandise comes from. Fortunately, the products are thoughtfully labeled with character names and the films they appear in. With just a quick glance, visitors can easily learn which movie a particular item is associated with.
Of course, some of the most iconic characters have been given new life through merchandise. Take No-Face from Spirited Away, for example. Originally a mysterious and silent character in the film, he has now been transformed into a decorative coin bank, quietly guarding spare change for his owner. It's a creative way of bringing a beloved character into everyday life.
As I walked through the store, looking at all the carefully designed products, almost every item brought back memories of scenes from the movies. Before I knew it, I had become completely immersed in the magical world that Studio Ghibli has created. I ended up spending far more time there than I expected. I originally thought I would browse for about ten minutes, but I ended up exploring the store and playing around with the merchandise for nearly an hour.
