I actually did a full campaign as if it were normal, it was a monster hunter-style combat system with and goal of killing monsters. But since it was in the Feywild how I usually end up running that is like a Ghibli Film where I don't explain or build concrete lore. My players ended up loving it so now I'm turning it into a module and putting it on Kickstarter. Some of the proceeds will be going back to the discord group we are a part of to give back to my players and the DM's of that server. I want to help them give better experiences and have more tools so they can create magical sessions like the ones that I have been able to experience with them. I truly love my players and that group, and I owe it to them to make better sessions.
This was super helpful. I'm actually creating a studio ghibli inspired campaign. I'm trying to incorporate various studio ghibli characters into the story but it's mainly through howls moving castle. Howl gets taken by the witch of the waste and sofie and markl beckon you to bring him home.
I’d say also that Ghibli films and Eastern stories use the Eastern 4 act structure instead of the Western 3 act. Most of this came from Vivistory’s video “Hollywood V East Asian Screenwriting: Kishotenketsu” Plots in 4 act structures can be waaaay more loose and vibe based. In western stories, there has to be a protagonist, antagonist, character arc, exposition and all sorts of other rules. Here’s all you need for a 4 act structure (especially for dnd) Some characters, some theme, and uhh… yeah. ACT 1 - INTRODUCTION: Introduce your characters/ setting in any way you want. You don’t have to do exposition here, but since this is DND you do you. ACT 2 - DEVELOPMENT: Develop your story and the themes you wanna explore (this is where most of the story will happen) ACT 3 - TWIST: Now don’t think of this as a Scooby-Doo “who done it” kinda twist, what this is is basically just you finding any interesting way of flipping the story on its head. ACT 4 - CONCLUSION: Exactly how it sounds, how does your story conclude with the twist added? EXAMPLES: Princess Mononoke Act 1- we’re introduced to Ashitaka and his abilities, as well as a demon taking over a boar. The boar curses his arm with hatred. He goes to the Iron Town to see eyes unclouded and meets both Lady Eboshi and Princess Mononoke, seeing that they’re at war. Act 2- he spends the rest of the film trying to make peace between these two different groups, nature vs human society. San wants all humans dead and Lady Eboshi wants to kill the Forrest spirit. Act 3- Lady Eboshi succeeds in killing the forest spirit (kinda) and it turns into a giant Night Walker which kills all life it touches Act 4- Ashitaka and San return the forest spirits head, spirits disappeared but the forest begins to grow once again, Lady Eboshi realizes she was wrong, San says she respects and cares for Ashitaka but can’t accept humanity, and it’s kinda ambiguous if Ashitaka was fully cured of his curse. Or Ghost Busters Act 1 A bunch of weirdos wanna prove the haters wrong that ghosts exist Act 2 They become the ghost busters and start busting ghosts Act 3 Armageddon happens Act 4 They stop Armageddon and prove the haters wrong I’d say that Miyazaki haaaates fighting and war, so making sure the players use other means of solving problems is vital for the vibes. A good loose plot would be: Act 1 Players are introduced as youngsters in an ancient European/Edo Period inspired town with lots of strange architecture when suddenly, while they’re all getting aquatinted, a round spaceship falls out of the sky. A fuzzy alien wobbles out. Act 2 - rest of whatever your party wants to do. This is where they get to have fun with discovering what the alien can do with it’s strange and (almost) game breaking abilities. Maybe you find out the little guy is from a race of planet that merges with every planet they visit. Act 3 There could be a character introduced that wants to use the lil guy as a way to not only make profit for the town- but also to find the other species to create more weapons for the country to use for war. Sadly for the party- the rest of the aliens are on their way. Act 4 What happens after is up to you. Also- instead of having constant Ghibli music have crisp and calming soundscapes that reflect your world. KaptainKristain kinda helped me understand that Ghibli doesn’t always play music for a very big reason- to let those moments of music hit harder, but to actually just… feel the scene as is. Use sound effects as your landscape, use music as intense emotional punctuation… or when the vibe’s just right :) Hope that helps!
This is such a helpful video! Lots of great advice and got my imagination started. I am thinking about making a Nausica inspired setting, starting things off in a town like the valley of the wind. I like the thoughts you have about how to adjust the stats for the player characters
The common thread between Studi Ghibli Movies are: The slice of life wondrous tone, soft magic (if any), common themes such as anti-war and the buity of nature, commonly young protagonists, and most notably the Kishotenketsu story structure (Witch is as subjective as any other plot structure but still.)
This is a great video!! I never thought of making a Studio Ghibli inspired D&D one shot I loved listening to your explanations and all the tips you’ve given!! Thank you, I’ve definitely been inspired!
I actually did a full campaign as if it were normal, it was a monster hunter-style combat system with and goal of killing monsters. But since it was in the Feywild how I usually end up running that is like a Ghibli Film where I don't explain or build concrete lore. My players ended up loving it so now I'm turning it into a module and putting it on Kickstarter. Some of the proceeds will be going back to the discord group we are a part of to give back to my players and the DM's of that server. I want to help them give better experiences and have more tools so they can create magical sessions like the ones that I have been able to experience with them. I truly love my players and that group, and I owe it to them to make better sessions.
How did the Kickstarter go? Did you publish it? I would love to support it
This was super helpful. I'm actually creating a studio ghibli inspired campaign. I'm trying to incorporate various studio ghibli characters into the story but it's mainly through howls moving castle. Howl gets taken by the witch of the waste and sofie and markl beckon you to bring him home.
That's so cool! Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite, so very good choice imo
I’d say also that Ghibli films and Eastern stories use the Eastern 4 act structure instead of the Western 3 act.
Most of this came from Vivistory’s video “Hollywood V East Asian Screenwriting: Kishotenketsu”
Plots in 4 act structures can be waaaay more loose and vibe based. In western stories, there has to be a protagonist, antagonist, character arc, exposition and all sorts of other rules. Here’s all you need for a 4 act structure (especially for dnd)
Some characters, some theme, and uhh… yeah.
ACT 1 - INTRODUCTION:
Introduce your characters/ setting in any way you want. You don’t have to do exposition here, but since this is DND you do you.
ACT 2 - DEVELOPMENT:
Develop your story and the themes you wanna explore (this is where most of the story will happen)
ACT 3 - TWIST:
Now don’t think of this as a Scooby-Doo “who done it” kinda twist, what this is is basically just you finding any interesting way of flipping the story on its head.
ACT 4 - CONCLUSION:
Exactly how it sounds, how does your story conclude with the twist added?
EXAMPLES:
Princess Mononoke
Act 1- we’re introduced to Ashitaka and his abilities, as well as a demon taking over a boar. The boar curses his arm with hatred. He goes to the Iron Town to see eyes unclouded and meets both Lady Eboshi and Princess Mononoke, seeing that they’re at war.
Act 2- he spends the rest of the film trying to make peace between these two different groups, nature vs human society. San wants all humans dead and Lady Eboshi wants to kill the Forrest spirit.
Act 3- Lady Eboshi succeeds in killing the forest spirit (kinda) and it turns into a giant Night Walker which kills all life it touches
Act 4- Ashitaka and San return the forest spirits head, spirits disappeared but the forest begins to grow once again, Lady Eboshi realizes she was wrong, San says she respects and cares for Ashitaka but can’t accept humanity, and it’s kinda ambiguous if Ashitaka was fully cured of his curse.
Or
Ghost Busters
Act 1
A bunch of weirdos wanna prove the haters wrong that ghosts exist
Act 2
They become the ghost busters and start busting ghosts
Act 3
Armageddon happens
Act 4
They stop Armageddon and prove the haters wrong
I’d say that Miyazaki haaaates fighting and war, so making sure the players use other means of solving problems is vital for the vibes. A good loose plot would be:
Act 1
Players are introduced as youngsters in an ancient European/Edo Period inspired town with lots of strange architecture when suddenly, while they’re all getting aquatinted, a round spaceship falls out of the sky. A fuzzy alien wobbles out.
Act 2 - rest of whatever your party wants to do. This is where they get to have fun with discovering what the alien can do with it’s strange and (almost) game breaking abilities. Maybe you find out the little guy is from a race of planet that merges with every planet they visit.
Act 3
There could be a character introduced that wants to use the lil guy as a way to not only make profit for the town- but also to find the other species to create more weapons for the country to use for war. Sadly for the party- the rest of the aliens are on their way.
Act 4
What happens after is up to you.
Also- instead of having constant Ghibli music have crisp and calming soundscapes that reflect your world. KaptainKristain kinda helped me understand that Ghibli doesn’t always play music for a very big reason- to let those moments of music hit harder, but to actually just… feel the scene as is.
Use sound effects as your landscape, use music as intense emotional punctuation… or when the vibe’s just right :)
Hope that helps!
This is such a helpful video! Lots of great advice and got my imagination started. I am thinking about making a Nausica inspired setting, starting things off in a town like the valley of the wind. I like the thoughts you have about how to adjust the stats for the player characters
Super helpful! I am altering the Eberron setting to align more with the studio ghibli aesthetic for a campaign
Great video! Really good breakdown of what makes a Ghibli story and to create your own in a TTRPG! Keep it up!
Brilliant! Loved the explanations and step by step guide
Thank you!
The common thread between Studi Ghibli Movies are: The slice of life wondrous tone, soft magic (if any), common themes such as anti-war and the buity of nature, commonly young protagonists, and most notably the Kishotenketsu story structure (Witch is as subjective as any other plot structure but still.)
ET is beautiful on the inside!! Also I'm a subscriber now.
This is a great video!! I never thought of making a Studio Ghibli inspired D&D one shot I loved listening to your explanations and all the tips you’ve given!! Thank you, I’ve definitely been inspired!
A ratatouille dark souls video would be cool
Do you have a studio ghibli one shots for us to buy and use?