Studio Ghibli has re-released a fun family game about the robot soldiers from Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
Studio Ghibli’s official online store, Donguri Sora, has added “Castle in the Sky Character Puzzle” — a game for kids that’s essentially an inverted version of deconstruction Hasbro’s famous tower, Jenga. The game comes with six plastic robot soldier models, three cube stones, and three Laputian crystals (plastic) that resemble the crystals in the movie. The goal is to create a tower from all the pieces before it collapses. As shown below, the robot comes in a variety of poses, allowing the tower to be built in a variety of ways. Including tax, the game costs 3,630 yen (about 24 USD).
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Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky was inspired by Gulliver’s travels
Based on the classic novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, Castle in the Sky was written and directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. The film is about two children named Pazu and Sheeta who embark on an adventure to find Laputa – a mythical floating island that was once home to a technologically advanced civilization. The society’s military arsenal includes giant robots that protect the island from outside threats. After Pazu and Sheeta reach Laputa, they encounter the island’s last functioning robot, who continues to watch over the plant and animal life that still thrives there.
While Laputa’s robot soldiers aren’t nearly as iconic as characters like Totoro or Kiki, Ghibli does its best to honor their legacy. The Ghibli Museum displays the Laputian Robot Soldier statue on the roof of the main building – a colorful structure designed by Miyazaki himself, who is also the museum’s executive director. Recently, Ghibli released a buildable miniature model of the museum, the complete version features a small but detailed replica of the famous robot statue.
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Studio Ghibli continues to be one of Japan’s leading creators in the field of animated cinema. The studio’s latest film, The Boy and the Heron (2023), grossed a total of more than $167.5 million at the worldwide box office. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards, earning Miyazaki the title of the most Oscar-nominated animation director of all time. He currently holds this honor alongside Pixars’ Pete Docter (Inside Out, Soul), who has also earned four BAF nominations throughout his career.
Studio Ghibli has not yet announced whether Castle in the Sky Character Puzzle will be released outside of Japan. However, the studio’s movie library, including Castle in the Sky, is available to stream on Max.
Castle on the cloud
Original title: Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta A young man and a girl with a magical crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in search of a legendary floating castle.
Cast Mayumi Tanaka, Keiko Yokozawa, Kotoe Hatsui
Running time 2 hours 5 minutes
Production company Tokuma Shoten, Studio Ghibli
Source: Donguri Sora