Nippon TV to become top shareholder of Studio Ghibli after search for successor

Nippon Television Holdings

21/09/2023 07:57

TOKYO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Japanese broadcaster Nippon
Television Holdings  9404.T  said on Thursday it would acquire
42.3% of Studio Ghibli to become the top shareholder of the
animation studio best known for hit films such as "Spirited
Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro".
    In a joint statement with Nippon Television, Studio Ghibli
said it had been studying a succession plan with director and
founder Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki reaching 82
and 75, respectively.
    Goro Miyazaki, Miyazaki's eldest son and an animation film
director himself, had been floated as a candidate several times
but he believed it would be difficult to shoulder the studio's
future on his own, the statement said.
    Goro Miyazaki "felt the company should be under left to
someone else's care, (and) has firmly declined," it said.
    Studio Ghibli settled on Nippon TV, with which it has a
long-standing relationship, it said. Nippon Television Holdings'
subsidiary Nippon Television Network Corp will take the stake
for an undisclosed amount.

 (Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama
Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)
 ((Satoshi.Sugiyama@thomsonreuters.com;))