Anybody who’s seen a movie from Japan’s renowned animation house Studio Ghibli knows that living inside the magical, colorful worlds created by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and others would be several dreams come true. Lately, tons of immersive Ghibli-related nuggets have popped up, including a virtual reality experience, a 2D platformer, and plans for a Castle in the Sky theme park. But soon, adults and children alike will get to ride the iconic Catbus from Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro at Japan’s Studio Ghibli Museum.
The news came from the Japanese site CinemaToday which reports that beginning July 17, following the museum being closed for renovations, guests will get to “Ride the Catbus to the Ghibli Woods” in the new exhibit, which will bring back updated takes on past exhibits, including a Catbus that’s big enough for kids of all ages. Previously, the Catbus was only big enough for children to board, which was all well and good, but seriously, grown-ups love feline transportation methods as much as anyone. I’m glad the Ghibli Museum is no longer ageist.
Tickets to the exhibit go on sale starting Wednesday, May 25 and it will be open from July 17 to May of 2017.
If you haven’t seen photos from the Ghibli Museum, it looks like the most magical place you could possibly go to, with architecture and decor perfectly attuned to the sensibilities and style of the films. You can find a super nice and extensive gallery of images on the site Ignition, but we’ve pulled some of our favorites in the gallery below!
What magical place would you like to visit in the Catbus? Let us know in the comments below!
One theory says Totoro is the god of death…
Images: Ignition
Featured Image: Studio Ghibli
Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. He’s written extensive retrospectives on both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Follow him on Twitter!
