TOKYO (AP) 鈥� Studio Ghibli, the famed Japanese animation studio of Hayao Miyazaki, will become a subsidiary of Nippon Television Network Corp., both sides said Thursday.
Succession worries had been a priority at Ghibli, as Miyazaki has turned 82, and producer Toshio Suzuki is 75, the companies said in a joint statement.
The boards of both companies agreed at meetings Thursday that the major commercial broadcast network will become Studio Ghibli's top shareholder, with a 42.3% stake. Financial details were not given.
Nippon TV said it will send executives to support Ghibli鈥檚 management, while honoring its creative independence so it can focus on animation and other artistic projects.
The deal was first discussed last year at an 鈥渙nsen鈥� hot springs, the companies said, when Suzuki asked Nippon TV executive Yoshikuni Sugiyama for help in managing Ghibli. Sugiyama promised to give support.
Miyazaki鈥檚 son Goro is also an animation director and has been mentioned as a possible successor. But he had expressed doubts, saying the responsibility was too great.
Ghibli and Nippon TV have collaborated in the past, since 鈥淣ausica盲 of the Valley of the Wind鈥� aired on TV in 1985. Nippon TV has also helped produce various Ghibli works, starting with Miyazaki鈥檚 1989 鈥淜iki鈥檚 Delivery Service.鈥� It also helped set up the museum devoted to Ghibli works in Tokyo.
Earlier this year, Miyazaki finished 鈥淭he Boy and the Heron,鈥� completed after seven years. It is based on a book but is also loosely based on Miyazaki鈥檚 wartime childhood. The Japanese title, which better expresses its theme, translates to: 鈥淗ow Will You Live?鈥�
Miyazaki won an Oscar for his 2001 鈥淪pirited Away.鈥� He has occasionally declared he was retiring but has always returned to his craft.
He has produced an extensive range of animation works enjoyed by adults as well as children, including 鈥淢y Neighbor Totoro鈥� and 鈥淧onyo.鈥�
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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter
Yuri Kageyama, The Associated Press
