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From Spirited Away to Totoro: Our honest impression of Studio Ghibli's first Singapore exhibition

By now, you've probably heard the news: "The World of Studio Ghibli" is in town, meaning for just $29-$39 a head, you can now snuggle up next to Totoro or take a ride in Howl's Moving Castle.

Well, not really. If you're expecting theme park-type theatrics, keep in mind that this is an exhibit in the ArtScience Museum (ASM), meaning the activities are more educational and experiential than they are thrilling.

But who can resist the charms of Ponyo or the cuteness of the Cat Bus? When we received an invite to "The World of Studio Ghibli", we leaped, each of us assuming the other is a diehard fan.

Only afterward did we realise that our combined knowledge of Studio Ghibli amounts to just a working awareness: we can recognise the Cat Bus and No Face, but we don't have the slightest inkling of what Castle In The Sky or Pom Poko are about.

Kai: I don't think I've seen the usual "popular" Ghibli films; the ones I've watched are Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Spirited Away (2001), Ponyo (2008), and The Boy and the Heron (2023). But of course, I definitely recognise iconic characters like Totoro from My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Kiki and Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service (1989).

I was actually quickly googling synopses of the other films showcased in the exhibition before we walked through it (Ghibli fans don't come for me).

Diane: Colour me surprised when I found out you've never seen My Neighbour Totoro! Why the hesitation?

Kai: I guess I've never had a reason to catch it! And by the time I heard of My Neighbour Totoro, I was already "too old" for such cute-sy things. Although, after visiting the exhibition and seeing how lovable Totoro is, that is one Ghibli film on my next to watch list!

Diane: As someone born in the mid-1980s, I grew up seeing Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbour Totoro on TV. But I've gotta level with you: I never watched them in their entirety until I was in my late 20s and in a mood to revisit my childhood. I was caught completely off-guard by the bittersweet undercurrent of both films, something I completely missed out on as an 8-year-old kid. I agree that the exhibition does a great job of capturing both the whimsy and the tragedy inherent in Studio Ghibli's most popular works.

Let me get this out of the way: even as a casual fan, I had a decently good time at the exhibition. The movie summaries served as a welcome refresher (it's been 20 years since I saw Spirited Away so I really needed it) and I enjoyed being able to literally walk through some of Studio Ghibli's most iconic scenes. But is it for everybody?

Our honest takes below, as a casual fan and as a novice:

Personal favs from the exhibition

Kai: For a Gen Z like myself, it's all about the photo-ops galore. So my favs would be all the parts where I could pose for photos with iconic creatures/scenes (slay!). The lifts of ASM were also transformed into the lifts of the bathhouse in Spirited Away, which I thought was a really nice touch. Oh, and the giant Ponyo floating in the lily pond outside ASM's main entrance!

Plus, a core memory is peering into carved out holes of a tree trunk(?) to see a giant snoozing Totoro lying peacefully inside, super adorbz!

Denise: For me, it was being able to wait at a bus stop with Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei. Kudos to the exhibit for including rain sounds and a red umbrella as a photo-taking prop! And now that I'm an elder millennial with adult money, I also went a little ga-ga in the souvenir store.

Tips before heading down

Diane: The World of Studio Ghibli covers 11 films: Ponyo (2008), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Porco Rosso (1992), Pom Poko (1994), Princess Mononoke (1997), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Spirited Away (2001) and The Boy and the Heron (2023).

The installations contain movie synopses, character summaries, and immersive setpieces for photo-taking. Some of them are more interactive than others: for instance, the My Neighbour Totoro installation includes a sun-dappled tunnel to Totoro's cave, as well as a letter-writing activity complete with Totoro origami.

The Howl's Moving Castle and Pom Poko galleries also allow you to step into the movies' most iconic interiors (I especially loved being able to "warm" myself in Calcifer's hearth).

This exhibit will probably be more appealing to you if you've seen at least half of the 11 films. (If you don't have time to watch the ones you haven't seen before heading down, I'd recommend at least rewatching your favourite scenes from the ones you have seen, and love.)

Kai: Agreed with at least watching some of the 11 movies before heading down. I've only seen three of them, and was super lost while looking at the scenes and characters unknown to me. While I did enjoy looking at and finding out more about the numerous characters of the films I haven't seen, I definitely could have appreciated the installations more if I had seen the films first.

I also already foresee snaking long queues at popular photo spots, like the train with No Face, waiting in the rain with Totoro, Sheeta falling from the sky in Castle in the Sky, and more. So be prepared to patiently wait for your turn, though it might get a bit cramped. Speaking of cramped…

Since the exhibition spans two floors (Basement 2 and Level 3), I would advise bigger groups to start at Level 3 because it's a lot more roomy compared to Basement 2.

And out of the 11 films featured in the exhibition, you can find Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, The Boy and the Heron, and Spirited Away on Level 3.

Should you go?

Kai: I'm 50/50 on this. For those who are FOMO and need to update your IG feed, then yes. But at $39 a pop for an adult ticket during peak hours, it's (unfortunately) a pass for casual fans like me, or anyone who's only seen one or two films. I would have loved to see more of the creative process that made up the Ghibli universe (sketches, short films, snippets of iconic scenes); that would have encouraged me to catch the films I haven't seen, and also allow myself to be 'spirited away'.

But if u do go, at least you'll leave with lots of cute pics, and be one of the visitors who made it to Studio Ghibli's inaugural showcase in Singapore.

Denise: Three words: family photo ops. If you're a Studio Ghibli fan, you should 100 per cent go. If you're a Studio Ghibli fan with kids, and those kids also love Studio Ghibli — or at the very least, love Ponyo and Totoro — then you should 1000000 per cent go. The exhibits are atmospheric without being overstimulating — like the films themselves, they exude a gentle immersiveness that will enchant kids and adults alike.

But if you're like myself and Kai, then maybe you should learn from our mistake and wait until you've seen a few more of the films before heading down. At any rate, the exhibition's on until February 2025, so you've got plenty of time.