What Ghibli Understands About Evil (That Disney Doesn’t)

Summary

This video compares the approaches of Disney and Studio Ghibli in portraying villains. Disney’s villains, like Scar and Gaston, are clear-cut embodiments of evil, providing satisfying narratives with a sense of justice and moral clarity. In contrast, Ghibli’s antagonists, such as Lady Eboshi and No-Face, are more complex, shaped by personal struggles or societal forces, challenging the notion of evil and emphasizing understanding and compassion. The video explores how these differing philosophies reflect broader worldviews on morality, forgiveness, and personal growth, ultimately showing that both approaches offer valuable lessons in storytelling.

Takeaways

• 😀 Disney villains are often clear-cut representations of evil, built to be defeated and bring emotional release through their downfall.
• 😀 Ghibli villains, on the other hand, are more complex, presenting antagonists who are often misunderstood or morally grey, with deeper motivations and emotional layers.
• 😀 Disney villains, like Scar and Gaston, represent more traditional, externalized evil that makes us feel relief when they are defeated.
• 😀 Ghibli antagonists, such as Lady Eboshi in *Princess Mononoke*, challenge us to question whether they are truly evil and often evolve over the course of the story.
• 😀 Disney's approach to villains is grounded in a binary understanding of good and evil, often linked to Judeo-Christian morality, where evil disrupts the world and needs to be punished.
• 😀 Ghibli's storytelling is influenced by Shinto and Buddhist traditions, emphasizing balance, compassion, and transformation over punishment and victory.
• 😀 Disney villains usually have singular motivations (e.g., power, revenge), while Ghibli villains often have more nuanced, evolving goals that reflect the complexities of human behavior.
• 😀 Characters like Yubaba and No-Face in Ghibli films show that villains are not inherently evil but are shaped by their environment and circumstances.
• 😀 The key difference in philosophy: Disney teaches us to recognize when evil needs to be confronted, while Ghibli teaches us to understand and empathize with the source of the evil.
• 😀 Both Disney and Ghibli create compelling villains, but the best stories incorporate elements from both approaches, balancing entertainment with deeper reflections on morality and transformation.

Q & A

What is the primary difference between Disney villains and Ghibli villains?

The primary difference is that Disney villains are typically clear-cut embodiments of evil, with straightforward motivations like power or revenge, whereas Ghibli villains are more nuanced, often misunderstood, and shaped by their environment and emotional struggles.

How does Disney portray villains in its films?

Disney portrays villains as externalized evil with clear, unambiguous motives. These villains are often larger-than-life, bold, dramatic, and are built to be defeated by the hero, creating emotional clarity and catharsis for the audience.

How do Disney villains like Scar and Gaston differ in terms of their character arcs?

Scar's character arc revolves around his jealousy and manipulative nature, leading to his eventual fall, while Gaston’s arc stems from his fragile ego and inability to handle rejection, which turns him into a villain when he loses control.

What makes characters like Lady Eboshi from Ghibli films different from Disney villains?

Lady Eboshi, unlike Disney villains, is portrayed as a morally complex character with motivations that are not purely evil. She protects lepers, creates a society for outcasts, and fights to preserve her beliefs, making her a more multi-dimensional character.

Why are Ghibli villains considered more complex than Disney villains?

Ghibli villains are considered more complex because they are multi-faceted, with evolving beliefs and motivations. They often reflect deeper emotional or philosophical themes and are more relatable or humanized, unlike Disney villains whose motives are simpler and more one-dimensional.

What is the role of transformation in Ghibli’s portrayal of villains?

Transformation is central in Ghibli's portrayal of antagonists, with characters often evolving over the course of the story. Ghibli's philosophy suggests that evil is not innate but shaped by circumstances, and the appropriate response to conflict is often compassion, leading to character transformation.

How do Ghibli’s villains challenge the traditional notion of good versus evil?

Ghibli’s villains challenge the traditional good versus evil dynamic by presenting characters who are not inherently evil but are shaped by their environment, pain, or fear. The focus is on understanding, redemption, and coexistence rather than outright defeat or punishment.

How does the worldview of Disney differ from that of Ghibli in terms of morality?

Disney's worldview is rooted in a binary concept of good versus evil, where the villain is defeated to restore balance. In contrast, Ghibli's perspective is influenced by Shinto and Buddhist traditions, where morality is seen as a spectrum, and understanding, rather than defeating, the antagonist is emphasized.

What does the script suggest about the role of villains in storytelling?

The script suggests that villains play different roles depending on the storytelling tradition. In Disney films, villains are obstacles to be defeated, providing emotional release, while in Ghibli films, they serve as characters who force the audience to question and understand deeper human and philosophical truths.

What is the importance of having both Disney and Ghibli approaches to villains in storytelling?

Both approaches are important because they offer different emotional experiences. Disney villains provide clarity and a satisfying resolution through victory, while Ghibli villains encourage complexity, moral reflection, and compassion, offering a more nuanced perspective on human behavior.