Though Studio Ghibli has had a New York Comic Con presence in the past, for the first time the studio behind such beloved films as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro has a full NYCC 2022 booth experience. Checking out the booth, I found a decent sized line winding through the area for people to get their merch. But it helps that people have a lot to gawk at along the way, with glass display cases filled with statues and other Ghibli goods from the iconic films.
The booth comes courtesy of Bandai Namco, the exclusive distributor for Studio Ghibli products in North America. Though the entertainment company has had booths for Dragon Ball and Gundam in the past, this is their first major convention experience for Studio Ghibli. Aside from the merchandise on offer, the booth also offers photo ops with a giant Princess Mononoke paper theater display as well as a relatively normal size My Neighbor Totoro Cat Bus one. But the big draw is a seemingly to-scale rendition of the big fella himself. That’s right, guests can become the photo op neighbor of Totoro.
While the experience doesn’t offer any exclusive NYCC merchandise per se, guests can pick up a free Princess Mononoke fan and those who purchase at least $30 worth of goods will receive an exclusive tote bag in honor of the movie’s 25th anniversary, while supplies last. The classic Hayao Miyazaki film about a mystical conflict between humans and nature arrived in the United States in 1999, but originally debuted in Japan in 1997. Fans can follow @worldofghiblius and post a picture of themselves at the booth with the hashtag #GhibliAndMe to enter a drawing for a Princess Mononoke tote bag, fan, and Yakul beanbag plush.
The Studio Ghibli experience also offers some new items and a sneak peak at an upcoming plushie line. The main new item is the collectable model kit of the gunship from Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind. Currently, the item cannot be found on the Bandai Namco website for some reason, but still may be purchased at the NYCC booth at time of writing. The booth showcases a new and upcoming line of plushies on display by the front desk. Though most have no official release date, a representative from Bandai Namco said that they hope to bring them stateside around the first quarter of 2023.
Until then there’s plenty of merchandise for sale, though a couple of items have sold out. At time of writing, the booth ran out of some of the most popular items: a couple of the desk models and the stained glass-style puzzles. But there’s still a ton available, with a menu at the booth showcasing what’s still in stock. This includes my personal favorite item from my personal favorite Ghibli movie, a Spirited Away soy sauce dish that reveals the face of No Face.
You can check out the Studio Ghibli experience at New York Comic Con this weekend until the convention ends tomorrow on October 9th. And of course, don’t forget to visit your neighbor Totoro.
