Editing Castle in the Sky (section)

== Development ==

=== Beginnings of Studio Ghibli ===
{{Further information|Studio Ghibli#History|The Story of Yanagawa's Canals#Production{{!}}''The Story of Yanagawa's Canals'' § Production}}

Following the commercial success of Miyazaki's previous film, ''[[Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)|Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind]]'' (1984), Miyazaki was eager to begin work on an old-fashioned adventure film that would be a "pleasure" to watch.{{sfn|Napier|2018|p=86}} His first proposal for an animated feature film was based on a research trip to [[Yanagawa, Fukuoka|Yanagawa]], tentatively titled "''Blue Mountains''".{{sfn|Miyazaki|2016|pp=8–9}} The film was never produced, but it inspired Miyazaki's longtime collaborator [[Isao Takahata]] to create ''[[The Story of Yanagawa's Canals]]'' (1987), a documentary on the environmental effects of industry on the local waterways.{{sfn|Odell|Le Blanc|2009|pp=68–69}} As Miyazaki was financing the project in large part through his personal office,{{sfn|Denison|2018|pp=33–34}} ''[[Animage]]'' editor [[Toshio Suzuki (producer)|Toshio Suzuki]] recommended that he direct another film to recover the expense, to which Miyazaki immediately agreed. He quickly developed a concept for the film based on an idea he had in elementary school. In 2014, Suzuki reflected on the events, saying "If Takahata had made his movie on schedule, [''Castle in the Sky''] wouldn't have been born."{{sfn|Stimson|2014}}

On June 15, 1985, Miyazaki and Takahata founded Studio Ghibli, with support from Suzuki and his publishing company [[Tokuma Shoten]]. Miyazaki chose the name himself,{{sfn|Greenberg|2018|p=110}} referencing both the Arabic term for a warm wind from the [[Sahara]], as well as the [[Caproni Ca.309|Caproni Ca.309 ''Ghibli'']], an aircraft used by the Italian military during the [[Second World War]].{{sfnm|1a1=Lioi|1y=2010|2a1=Ishida|2y=2014|3a1=Napier|3y=2018|3p=91}} The intent behind the creation of the studio was to "blow a whirlwind" into a stagnating Japanese animation industry by creating original, high-quality feature films.{{sfn|Napier|2018|p=91}} In a speech at the 1995 [[Annecy International Animation Film Festival]], Suzuki said "The idea was to dedicate full energy into each piece of work with sufficient budget and time, never compromising on the quality or content."{{sfn|Suzuki|1996}}

=== Trips to Wales ===

{{Multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = vertical
| width     = 200
| image1    = Caer 2.jpg
| alt1      = An ancient stone castle
| image2    = Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon, Wales June 12, 2015 (49526156446).jpg
| alt2      = A collection of brick-and-mortar structures on a grassy hillside
| footer    = [[Caerphilly Castle]] ''(top)'' and [[Big Pit National Coal Museum|Big Pit Mine]] ''(bottom)'' in southern Wales. Miyazaki drew inspiration from the region for the film.{{sfn|Miyazaki|2016|p=97}}
}}

Miyazaki first visited [[Wales]] on a research trip in 1985, when ''Castle in the Sky'' was in the early stages of production. He decided to take inspiration from the architecture of the region, and as a result, some of the structures seen in the film resemble Welsh mining towns.{{sfn|Miyazaki|2016|p=97}} Miyazaki also witnessed the aftermath of the [[UK miners' strike (1984–85)|coal miners' strike]]. Their ultimate failure to preserve the industry left a lasting impact on Miyazaki, who viewed the event as an attack by those in power on the miners' way of life and the hard-working spirit of the people.{{sfn|Greenberg|2018|p=110}} His experiences are reflected in several supporting characters in the film, who despite laboring through poverty in the mines, enthusiastically protect the protagonists from multiple aggressors. [[Susan J. Napier]] argues that this depiction reveals Miyazaki's yearning for a simpler way of life, and a desire to create a story based on optimism.{{sfn|Napier|2018|p=91}} Animation scholar [[Helen McCarthy]] writes "It seems that ''Castle in the Sky'' also contains echoes of the struggle of the Welsh people for nationhood and freedom."{{sfn|McCarthy|2002|p=96}} Miyazaki would visit Wales once more in 1986, ahead of the release of the film. In 2005, he told ''[[The Guardian]]'' "I admired those men, I admired the way they battled to save their way of life, just as the coal miners in Japan did. Many people of my generation see the miners as a symbol; a dying breed of fighting men. Now they are gone."{{sfn|Brooks|2005}}

=== Production ===

Certain special effects from the film use a combination of [[Traditional animation#Cels|cel]] and film techniques.{{sfn|Miyazaki|2016|p=36}} Takahata, who produced the film, insisted that the highest quality be maintained in spite of the production expense. Napier argues that the production of ''Castle in the Sky'' "established a new industry standard".{{sfn|Napier|2018|p=91}} Miyazaki stated in the original project proposal that {{nowrap|"[''Castle in the Sky'']}} is a project to bring animation back to its roots."{{sfn|Miyazaki|2009|p=253}}

Many of Miyazaki's old colleagues as well as much of the production crew of ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' were employed once again to work on ''Castle in the Sky'' at Studio Ghibli's inception.{{sfn|Greenberg|2018|p=110}} The film had a reported production budget of {{JPY|500 million}},{{efn|Equivalent to {{JPY|{{Format price|{{Inflation|JP|500000000|1997}}}}}} in {{Inflation/year|JP}}{{sfn|''Rateinflation.com''}} }} equivalent to {{US$|8 million}} in 2023.{{sfn|Harding|2020}} Several animation studios such as [[Doga Kobo]] and [[Oh! Production]] provided support for the [[Inbetweening|in-between animation]].{{sfn|Nausicaa.net}}