The Idol Room Podcast Episode 8 - Will Studio Ghibli Make a Comeback?
The Idol Room Podcast
Hosted by Mark Tuan & Kim Yugyeom
Feat. Conan Gray & Troye Sivan
Guest Starring: Jeong-In [I.N.] & Kim Taehyung
Intro Theme: Starble Zone by Tee Lopes
All Voice Acting is produced using Elevenlabs Voice Cloning Software
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Mark
Hey everyone and welcome to the 8th episode of The Idol Room Podcast.
I'm your host as always, Mark Tuan.
And I'm joined in the studio with my three amazing co-hosts.
Yu-gyeom.
Yugyeom
Hey everyone.
Mark
Conan.
Conan
Hi everyone.
Mark
And Troye.
Troye
Howdy!
-Mark laughs-
Mark
So anyway, today we have an interesting episode for you guys.
Not just because of the subject we're gonna be talking about, but interesting because we have 'two' guests pm the show today.
Jeong-In from Stray Kids and Taehyung from BTS!
IN
Hey guys!
Taehyung
Hi everybody. I'm Taehyung, also known as V from BTS.
IN
And I'm Jeong-In, but everybody calls me I.N.
Hello!
Mark
Hey. Welcome.
Now before we start todays topic, I just wanna take a moment to wish our co-host; Yu-gyeom a happy 27th Birthday today.
Happy Birthday, Yu-gyeom.
-Group claps and applauds-
Conan
Congrats!
IN
Happy birthday man.
Troye
Congrats, man.
Yugyeom
Thanks guys.
Taehyung
Do you have anything special planned?
Yugyeom
Uhhh, Kinda.
Not really anything crazy but BamBam wants to take us all out to this new Thai restaurant in New Eden.
Baan Nual In Central Cove, I think?
Then after that Jin wants to take me to Flicky's Island.
Y'know that beach near New Eden harbour?
He's been talking about it all week actually.
Taehyung
Jin?
You mean Jin from BTS?
Our Jin?
Yugyeom
Yeah. He was here on the show last episode actually.
Taehyung
Oh really?
Mark
Yeah Jin's actually the sponsor and producer of this show actually.
He's the one funding all of this.
It's actually funny. We had him on last week and, when we told him you were gonna be on the next episode he started to freak out a little and kept asking about you.
I was like "Jin. Dude. We have to end this."
Taehyung
Was he really?
Troye
Yeah. I gotta admit. I always kinda knew Jin was crazy, 'cus I've seen a lot of his TV show appearances and all.
But... I was 'not' prepared for how crazy last weeks episode was going to be.
"My God!" That was something...
It was just... wow...
-Mark laughs-
Conan
He just wouldn't stop talking.
Troye
The whole "entire" episode was just Jin going off on crazy tangent after crazy tangent.
I was turning to Mark, and I was like... "Do you need us to even be on here at this point?"
Conan
It was "insane".
Troye
Yeah, at one point I remember, I looked Mark directly in the eyes and was like, "Umm... we should just, leave. Right?"
"Just let Jin carry on by himself?"
Like, are we even "needed" on here?
-Conan laughs-
Mark
Yeah, it was crazy.
Taehyung
Yeah, that sounds like Jin alright.
Conan
How do you put "up" with him??
My God. I was getting dizzy by the end of it.
I had no idea what he was saying. He just wouldn't stop talking.
Taehyung
Yeah, I don't know what it is with Jin.
At times he can be really smart and really serious, other times he's like a child with too much energy to burn, y'know?
Yugyeom
He did give me a really cool gift though.
Mark
Yeah, he gave Yu-gyeom a solid bar of gold for his birthday. It was insane.
Taehyung
Did he really?
Yugyeom
Yeah, it was so cool.
He gave me a literal brick of gold with my face carved into it.
Then he handed me a miniature gold statue of myself. I was like "Whaaaaaaaat the fuck!?"
-Conan laughs-
Taehyung
Really? He gave you that?
Yugyeom
Yeah. Real solid gold too.
24 Carots I think he said?
Taehyung
...Huh.
So, I guess you guys must be pretty close?
Yugyeom
Kinda, yeah.
He's actually inviting me to the big re-opening of his mall next week.
Taehyung
...Really?
Yugyeom
Apparently they're getting two Imax screens there now. He's really excited about it actually.
Taehyung
...Huh.
Mark
"Anyway". We should probably get on with today's episode.
So. "Will Studio Ghibli make a comeback".
That's what our topic is this week.
I trust everyone here is a little familiar with Ghibli and has seen at least one film from them?
Conan
Oh yeah.
IN
Definitely.
Yugyeom
Who hasn't?
Mark
Okay. Well let's start with that.
What's everyone's experience with Ghibli?
Or better yet, what's everyone's favourite Ghibli film?
Because we "all" have that one Ghibli movie that everyone can resonate with, right?
Conan
Definitely
Troye
Can I go first?
Mark
Yeah, go ahead.
Troye
Princess Mononoke.
I "love" this film so much.
I remember this and Sailor Moon being my two biggest exposures to Anime growing up.
I'm from Australia by the way, encase anyone didn't know.
But growing up in Australia, we didn't get a lot of Anime growing up. But I remember seeing this on TV one day.
I think I was in like... primary school I want to say?
Around late primary school, just starting secondary school.
...Or High School. Depending on where you're from, at least.
Anyway, Umm...
I just remember this being on TV and, I was just... blown away by everything.
The cinematography, the gorgeous art. The designs on Princess Mononoke herself.
I was honestly just captivated.
Mark
That's awesome man, Awesome.
Conan
Yeah, honestly I felt the exact same way with Kiki funnily enough.
I grew up in Texas during the late 90's, early 2000's.
And... Anime wasn't really that big here either.
I... Think I was at a friends house actually. And... I remember they were all sat in the living room watching this film.
I sat down and was watching it with them and I "Loved" it.
I loved every minute of it.
Oh my gosh! It was... incredible.
Mark
That's awesome.
Yu-gyeom? How about you?
Yugyeom
My Neighbour Totoro, hands down!
Mark
Yeah. It's funny how that always seems to be everyone's favourite Ghibli movie.
Like you ask almost everyone, they'll always have such an affinity to My Neighbour Totoro.
Yugyeom
Because it's such an amazing film!
Who doesn't like it?
Conan
Exactly. Who could hate that movie?
Mark
Honestly? It took me a couple of tries.
I found the main characters really annoying at first. That little girl, Mai?
She was so annoying at first, I just couldn't get through it.
It was only after my third take I finally got into it.
Troye
I think what it is, it's... well two things really.
Number one is the nostalgia.
Anyone who grew up in the rural countryside, especially if you're originally "from" a big city can resonate with this film.
Y'know, you're a kid. You've moved to a new environment, you don't have anyone to play with so, you know, you go out and you make your own adventures.
Yugyeom
That's true.
Troye
And... for everyone else. There's that feeling of escapism.
Y'know, say you did grow up in a big city.
Say you've never been to the countryside.
You've never lived in a rural environment surrounded by trees and big fields.
There's that feeling of interest because this world, this way of life is so foreign to you.
There's that feeling of intrigue, y'know?
Because, this world is 'so' different from what 'you' grew up with that you kinda wanna know more.
You want to experience it from the protagonists point of view.
Mark
Wow... that's actually a really interesting perspective actually.
I had no idea you were so into Anime culture, Troye.
Troye
Well that's one of the beauties about Studio Ghibli, is that... half of their entire library is escapism.
It is being take to these surreal, gorgeous fantasy worlds full of adventure and intrigue...
But their other films, a lot of them are more grounded in reality.
A lot of them are about dealing with the pressures of growing up, leaving school, finding a job...
Films like Only Yesterday or Whisper of the Heart...
There's a sence of Nostalgia to it all, wouldn't you agree?
Yugyeom
Oh yeah.
IN
Definitely.
Taehyung
I can agree on that.
Mark
Definitely. I think that's what makes Ghibli so special actually, it's that feeling of nostalgia you get when you watch these movies.
Even if they take place in a culture that isn't your own, it's still so easy to resonate with them and get sucked in anyway.
Troye
Exactly! That's exactly my point.
You get sucked in the minute these films start. It's "impossible" to sit there and not be drawn in. It's impossible.
Mark
Mmm.
So how about you, I.N.?
What's your favourite Ghibli film?
IN
Pom Poko funnily enough.
I remember I was still young when this film came out. About... 7 I think?
And... no, wait sorry, not when this film came out. When I first saw it on TV I meant to say.
-Conan laughs-
IN
But yeah. I was at my Grandma's house. And... She actually lives in the countryside actually.
She lives in a small village not to dissimilar from where the movie takes place.
And... I think it's just like you said, it sucks you in and makes you feel... I dunno, is nostalgia the right word?
Troye
Nostalgia on behalf of the time period, I think.
Like, none of us are from the 1960's, but you can still put yourself in those shoes and feel a sence of nostalgia on the writers behalf.
Yugyeom
Yeah I feel that way about films set in the 1940's actually.
Conan
Do you really? Oh wow.
Mark
Yeah, the 70's for me as well. I love that time period.
Troye
Did you ever see that 70's show?
Mark
Oh, totally. It's one of my favourite shows.
I got the whole collection actually.
Troye
Do you really? That's awesome.
Yugyeom
Yeah, you should see how Mark decorates his apartment.
I think, you must have like, a lava lamp in every single room, right?
Mark
I freaking love lava lamps, man.
I love them.
Troye
I had no idea you were into 70's pop culture.
Mark
Yeah. I'm the oldest in my family but we all grew up in LA.
My dad listens to a lot of 70's rock and disco music so I guess it just stuck, y'know?
Conan
Is that where your love of lava lamps comes from, Mark?
Mark
Yeah, it is.
A lava lamp in every room and a retro pinball table in the garage.
No other way to live man, no other way to live.
Troye
Well alright then.
-IN laughs-
Mark
So... Taehyung. Sorry we didn't get to you.
Did you have a Ghibli film in particular that you love?
Taehyung
Yeah, Spirited Away.
Mark
Okay.
Taehyung
I love that movie.
I wasn't into anime growing up as a kid, but I remember, it was actually when we debuted actually.
We weren't allowed any electronic devices during our training period, but Jin somehow snuck in a laptop.
Well, I "say" snuck in...
Jin kinda does whatever he wants to so chances are he just brought it and didn't even care if he got in trouble.
-Yugyeom laughs-
Taehyung
But yeah, he had all these movies on it that he copied himself.
Thousands and thousands of movies. And I remember he said to us one day, "Let's do a Ghibli Marathon!"
And I was like... "What? What's a Ghibli Marathon?"
Next thing I know, there was like, an entire days worth of food sitting on our coffee table.
He hooked up his laptop into the TV and he was showing us all these movies we never seen before.
And uhh, yeah. Spirited away was my favourite. I loved that movie.
Mark
Wow, That's awesome.
So Jin's a big Ghibli fan too I take it?
Taehyung
Oh yeah, he has all of them.
He's a huge movie guy in general actually. He has hundreds of thousands of movies.
He even goes around sometimes saying "I have a bigger movie collection than Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un. Fuck those guys and their diabetes."
-Conan laughs hard-
Mark
What!?
Yugyeom
Oh, Jin.
Taehyung
Yeah. Jin's always been crazy like that.
Troye
So, I'm interested by the way.
What exactly is Jin like behind the scenes?
Because we met him, well a few times actually. And... I still can't figure out if the way he acts... is 'just an act', or if this guy genuinely is just... absolutely completely freaking insane. And, nobody does anything about it and just lets him be.
Doing his own thing. Y'know what I mean?
Taehyung
Yeah, no.
Jin's definitely crazy.
It's... I dunno how to explain it...
Like, Jin tends to act differently depending on who he's around, y'know?
So like...
When he's around us, he's all cheerful, always joking, always telling his weird jokes and acting all crazy and all...
But...
When the cameras are off, he's really serious.
Friendly, for sure, but more serious than joking.
No nonsense, we're here to work. Get this done, all that kinda thing...
Troye
Oh, really?
Taehyung
Yeah.
But when he's with TG Industries, "that's" when he's super serious.
All business, not even a hint of humour.
Like, that's the Jin I know half the time.
The funny, crazy side of him does "exist"... but, it's more for when there's an audience watching him, y'know?
Mark
Really? Wow. I never knew that about Jin actually.
I've always known one side of him and yeah, like you said.
I know the serious, no nonsense, business side of Jin. But, I was aware of his crazy side as well.
Troye
That's actually shocking to me, actually.
Because it means that not only is Jin a good actor, but deep down there's a side to Jin that's had us all fooled all along.
Because, when he was on the show with us last week, ...I ...genuinely believed everyone who told me he was insane.
It was just... so hard to keep up with his insane ramble! My God!
-Yugyeom laughs-
Conan
Yeah, it was a 'real' head trip.
Troye
Yes it was.
So, hearing now that he "has" a serious side that's all business.
I mean... you have to wonder, which side is the real Jin, y'know?
Taehyung
Yeah, no. It's like...
I think both sides of him exist. I don't think it's so much an act. I think it's more...
Kinda like a coin, y'know?
He can be either really crazy or serious depending on the situation and can just go back and forth "like that", [finger snap sfx] Y'know?
Troye
That makes sence.
Conan
So it's like, 'Controlled crazy'.
Taehyung
Yeah...
Mark
well, bringing the topic back to Ghibli.
Uhh, everyone has mentioned their film of choice, right?
Yugyeom
Except you.
Troye
Yeah, what's your favourite Ghibli movie, Mark?
Mark
Uhh, for me it would have to be Porco Rosso actually.
Yugyeom
Oh really?
Mark
Yeah. Me and my brother used to watch that a lot growing up. We had it in our DVD collection. I loved it.
Conan
Anything else?
Mark
Uhh, quite a few actually.
I mean, I've pretty much seen them all now, but back then I loved Castle of Cagliostro.
Yugyeom
Ooh, good choice.
Mark
Yeah. A lot of people still debate whether it's technically considered a Ghibli film or not, but me personally?
Yeah, I consider it one.
Conan
Is it Miyazaki?
Mark
Yeah, it was his first feature film really. His debut.
Conan
Oh, cool.
Mark
What else...
Whisper of the Heart is really cool. I think it's really underrated.
Taehyung
I liked that one as well actually.
Mark
Yeah. I personally really like slice of life anime where it's just about nothing, but the characters and the narrative still drive the story forward in interesting ways.
Troye
I can agree on that.
Yugyeom
Nice.
IN
Studio Ghibli has plenty of those.
Mark
Tell me about it.
Anyway... let's move on to our main topic.
Can Studio Ghibli... or "Will" Studio Ghibli make a comeback.
So, I'm guessing all of you are aware that Hayeo Miyazaki came out of retirement to direct The Boy and The Heron, right?
Conan
Uhhh... I haven't "seen it", but I was aware it exists.
IN
I haven't heard of it, no.
Taehyung
Yeah, sorry.
Yugyeom
I have. We both saw it together, didn't we.
Mark
Yeah we did. Uhh, Troye? How about you?
Troye
I heard of it but I haven't got around to seeing it. Sorry.
Mark
Ahh, nah. Don't be.
This film... surprisingly came and went really quickly actually.
Hardly anyone was talking about it, you'd barely even know it existed to be perfectly honest.
Conan
Why? Is it bad?
Mark
Uhhhh... not "bad", but...
It kinda had the same problem Mary and The Witches' Flower had, where it was trying way too hard to be the next Spirited Away, without fully understanding the small subtleties that made Spirited Away such a classic Gem to begin with, y'know?
Like... it has a lot of great ideas, but... it doesn't really know how to convey them in a way which makes "us", the audience, care about them in a way in which we should.
Conan
Ahh, gotcha.
Yugyeom
That and the story was a complete mess.
Mark
Yeah, it 's really hard to follow actually.
Yugyeom
Honestly it felt like they were just making up the entire plot as they went along.
There's a point halfway through the movie where these characters all come out of nowhere, and apparently the whole entire story was supposed to revolve around them?
Ugh, I was honestly falling asleep at the end.
Mark
Yeah, and that's not a good look for Ghibli as well.
If you're falling asleep during a Miyazaki movie, then that's just a clear sign that it might be time to just end it, y'know?
Troye
How many times has Miyazaki come out of retirement now?
Mark
I wanna say... 3 or 4?
I know at one point Princess Mononoke was supposed to be his last film.
Then he came out of retirement to do Spirited Away.
Followed that up with Howls Moving Castle and then Ponyo.
I think he said Ponyo was supposed to be his final film... but then he came back again shortly after.
Made Wind Rises and announced that as his final film... but now years later here is is with The Boy and The Heron.
And... yeah man, it's crazy.
The guy just cannot sit still.
Troye
Wow...
I knew Princess Mononoke was supposed to be his last film at one point, but...
Holy shit. Really?
4 times he's come out of retirement now?
Yugyeom
The Japanese, man. They just don't know when to stop.
Mark
Yeah, it's kinda a similar situation with Pixar as well.
I don't know if it's related but, during the second episode of this podcast, we had Kai on the show, and...
We were discussing Pixar movies and Disney's potential strategy to push sequels out the door and fix their reputation.
And... I can't remember if I said it, or if Yu-gyeom or someone else did... but, I remember one of us specifically saying, if Pixar is ever at a point where they have to resort to making Toy Story 5...
They should probably close their doors and just retire already.
Yugyeom
And guess what they're making.
Mark
They're actually doing it.
I can't remember which one of us said it, or if we even said it during the podcast itself. But I remember the conversation specifically.
If Pixar ever ends up considering making Toy Story 5 they should just end their legacy and retire.
Yugyeom
And now they're doing it.
Taehyung
There's no way.
Really?
There's gonna be a Toy Story 5?
Mark
Yeah. It was just the other day actually.
Me, Yu-gyeom and Jay B I think it was.
We were hanging out together, and we were thinking of catching a film.
We couldn't decide whether to see Wicked, Moana 2 or Gladiator 2, because all three films are currently on Imax right now.
And... I was curious about Moana 2, so I looked it up to see if it got good reviews or not, just to help us decide.
And... what I saw in their upcoming line-up just... blew me away.
Yugyeom
Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, Jungle Book 2, The Lion King 2... Shrek 5, The Bad Guys 2, The Secret Life of Pets 3...
IN
Wow.
Conan
Wow, really. There's a Shrek 5 coming out as well?
Mark
My mind was blown... holy shit.
Like, when they said they were doing sequels, I thought... oh, we might actually get a third Monsters Inc movie, or Incredibles or maybe A Bug's Life sequel, but 'this'?
Nah man, this is going too far.
Yugyeom
Yeah I remember telling Jin about that afterwards and he was like, "Why can't Hollywood just go around college campuses and host a contest where film students can submit movie ideas for Pixar movies. And the best entry wins an internship at Pixar. A consultation fee and gets to see their movie make it to the big screen. If they did that, Hollywood would never run out of new ideas."
-IN laughs-
Yugyeom
And I was like... "Yeah. You're totally right, they should."
And he said "They should just do that every single year. Host a yearly contest where college students can submit film ideas and the best idea gets to make it to the big screen. That student gets an internship. It's a win-win."
And I was like "Oh my God!"
Taehyung
You... mention Jin a lot.
Are you two... like... seeing each other?
Yugyeom
Yeah, kinda.
I was at his house the other day actually. He showed me his new zen garden.
Taehyung
...Huh.
Mark
Yeah, I think it really is a hell of a thing.
Like, here we are. About to reach 2025... and Hollywood is now completely out of original movie ideas.
They've completely given up.
Troye
Kinda makes you miss John Lasseter, doesn't it?
IN
Mmm...
Mark
Yeah, and that's exactly my point.
When... you remove the best talent at the Studio, the studio just can't seem to survive without them.
I mean, take Miyazaki and Ghibli.
It's almost like he "can't" retire.
Because, Ghibli is absolutely nothing without him.
It almost makes me wonder if Nintendo is gonna go the same way if Miyamoto ever retires.
I mean... how "can" you make Mario without Shigeru Miyamoto?
I dunno man, can it even be done?
Conan
I would "hope" so.
Mark
I dunno man. I mean, look at what happened to Crash Bandicoot after Naughty Dog left. Or Sonic after his original creator left Sega.
Yugyeom
Banjo Kazooie under Microsoft.
Mark
Banjo, Conker... all these IP's.
You take the talent away that made them, you're left with next to nothing.
Troye
So do you think Ghibli can't continue without Miyazaki at the helm?
Mark
I don't think they should.
Every time they try, they just turn out okay movies.
Mid at best.
Did you guys ever see Mary and the Witches flower?
Yugyeom
I did.
Mark
Right. That was an anime independent from Ghibli.
A new studio called Studio Ponoc.
And... they tried to continue Miyazaki's legacy, they really did.
And, it just wasn't happening, man. It really wasn't.
IN
Was it bad?
Yugyeom
Kinda, it was, yeah.
I mean, they did try.
The art style was really good.
Mark
It was just trying way too hard to be a Miyazaki film without understanding the subtleties.
Yugyeom
Yeah, pretty much.
Troye
Have... any of you guys seen the movie "Your Name" by any chance?
Yugyeom
Totally!
Mark
I was hoping someone would bring that up.
Troye
That was such an amazing film, and that's completely independent of Miyazaki or anything Ghibli related.
Taehyung
That got a 4K remaster recently didn't it?
Mark
It did, yeah.
One of the very few anime to be released in 4K.
Conan
Really? How many are there?
Mark
Not many.
Your Name and Boy and The Heron are the only two that I know about.
Hopefully that will change sometime in the near future.
Troye
I really hope so.
Seeing all the old Ghibli films in 4K would be amazing.
IN
Totally.
Yugyeom
Tell me about it.
Mark
Yeah. I get what you mean though, about Your Name.
The thing is, great anime "does exist" that isn't tied to Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli, the problem is getting it to reach a mainstream western audience.
Like, Studio Ghibli had a partnership with Disney. That's how all these films became so popular in the west to begin with.
It was actually John Lasseter who helped bring them over and reach a mainstream audience.
The same can't be said for Directors like Satoshi Ko'en, who made Paprika and Perfect Blue.
His films are popular, but they don't quite have the same clout and household recognition that Ghibli has, just because he doesn't have a huge juggernaut like Disney to back him up.
His films are more "word of mouth", y'know what I mean?
Troye
I think I do, yeah.
Mark
Like, his films are popular in anime sub-culture circles, but... unless they win an award at a film festival and get pushed by the west, you'd never even know these films exist, unless you were already hardcore into anime.
You know?
Yugyeom
Totally.
Korean movies are the same way.
Parasite for example.
Conan
Squid game?
Yugyeom
Yeah. Exactly.
Troye
I think you're more talking about the independent film awards though, right?
For stuff like Paprika, that sort of thing.
Mark
Yeah I am.
That might of actually been how Your Name became popular in the first place actually.
Same with Paprika.
Yugyeom
Tokyo Godfathers...
IN
Alita Battle Angel?
Mark
Kinda, yeah. But that's more due to James Cameron rather than the anime itself being featured.
IN
Right, gotchu.
Mark
Anyway, uhh... If there's nothing else I guess we could end it here?
Taehyung
Yeah, I'm good.
Mark
Conan? Troye?
Troye
Yeah, this might be a good place to end today's episode.
Conan
Yeah, I'm good.
Mark
Okay.
Well guys, as always. Thank you so much for tuning in.
I wanna thank my amazing co-hosts, as well as our two guests, I.N. and Taehyung for being with us today.
IN
Thanks guys!
Taehyung
Yeah, thanks guys.
Mark
Be sure to join us in episode 9 where we'll be joined by both Chris Bang and Lee Know from Stray Kids, where we'll be discussing Hollywood.
And uhh... yeah, should be a great episode.
Anyway, until next time.
Yugyeom
Bye guys!
Conan
Bye everyone.
Troye
Bye.
Taehyung
So long.
Mark
Bye guys.
-Outrow music plays-
