I found this really interesting video that attempts to connect all of Studio Ghibli's movies together in to a time line, similar to the Legend of Zelda time line. This is, of course, fake. But it's still interesting to discuss....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVcwByaN5U4

Although I agree with this imaginary time line almost completely, there is one minor gripe I have with it: Fox-squirrels are present in Castle in the Sky (which is second in the time line) as well as Nausicaa (last in the time line), but they are not present in any of the films in between. This leads me to believe Laputa and Nausicaa should be closer together on the time line. The only problem is.... I have no idea where they should go.

If anyone has other Ghibli time line theories, I'd love to hear them.

I don't agree with a few things.

Totoro is set in the mid-fifties, not the post-war forties.

He was close with Porco, but the magazine he was wearing at the beginning of the film was dated 1928--not 1927.

Both Spirited Away and Ponyo were set in the present--at the time the films were released. That reverses the order of those films.

Kiki is indeterminant becasue I agree that it was set in a Europe where World War II didn't happen. Without WWII, technology wouldn't have advanced as rapidly--particularly electronics and air flight.

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Originally posted by dballred

Both Spirited Away and Ponyo were set in the present--at the time the films were released. That reverses the order of those films.

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Originally posted by Heidi80

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Originally posted by dballred

Both Spirited Away and Ponyo were set in the present--at the time the films were released. That reverses the order of those films.

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There's one problem with this theory. If Spirited away and Ponyo are set in the present day, why are there no modern day machinery (cell phones, computers etc) in them? Spirited away MIGHT be set in the present day, but Ponyo definitly isn't. Ponyo has many different timelines, so it's really hard to see at what point in time it's set. The cars look modern as does the state of the surroundings (waste everywhere). At the same time Sosuke is communicating with his father via a lamp. So Ponyo seems to have many time layers.

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Originally posted by Heidi80

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Originally posted by dballred

Both Spirited Away and Ponyo were set in the present--at the time the films were released. That reverses the order of those films.

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There's one problem with this theory. If Spirited away and Ponyo are set in the present day, why are there no modern day machinery (cell phones, computers etc) in them? Spirited away MIGHT be set in the present day, but Ponyo definitly isn't. Ponyo has many different timelines, so it's really hard to see at what point in time it's set. The cars look modern as does the state of the surroundings (waste everywhere). At the same time Sosuke is communicating with his father via a lamp. So Ponyo seems to have many time layers.

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Wasn't Spirited Away released in 2001?

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Hayao stated himself that Kiki takes place in a small European village during the 50's if World War II never happened. There is lots of proof about Totoro taking place in the 50's as well, because of the calendar in the hospital room when the girls go to visit their mom. Can't remember it exactly, but it was set to a certain month starting on Friday, I think, and there are only two years like that, both of which are in the 50's. (I wish I could clarify, I lost the site that said this)

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Originally posted by Mushka
Wasn't Spirited Away released in 2001?

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Originally posted by dballred

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Originally posted by Heidi80

quote:

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Originally posted by dballred

Both Spirited Away and Ponyo were set in the present--at the time the films were released. That reverses the order of those films.

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There's one problem with this theory. If Spirited away and Ponyo are set in the present day, why are there no modern day machinery (cell phones, computers etc) in them? Spirited away MIGHT be set in the present day, but Ponyo definitly isn't. Ponyo has many different timelines, so it's really hard to see at what point in time it's set. The cars look modern as does the state of the surroundings (waste everywhere). At the same time Sosuke is communicating with his father via a lamp. So Ponyo seems to have many time layers.

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The car models aren't considered modern machinery? The Audi Quattro depicted in Spirited Away was in production between 1996 and 2001. The movie was in production in 2000-2001. The cars in Ponyo are driven today in Japan. In order to affect the "bubble" financial meltdown he was referring to, the cars would have to be no later than model year 1991. Back then, the cars were boxier with square lines and a horizontal bumper-like strip along the sides. The strip, visible on the Quattro, fell from trendiness in the 2006-2007 time frame.

As for computers, there IS a computer in Ponyo. It's sitting next to the very late model radio transceiver (with an LCD screen showing the operationg frequency). There was no story reason for any of the characters to be using cell phones and signal lamps are still used for ship-to-ship communications.

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