The studio has now added another historic distinction to its legacy after becoming the first anime studio ever selected for Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, described as the country’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize.
A Historic International Recognition for Studio Ghibli
The award was officially announced on May 6 in Oviedo, Spain, where the Princess of Asturias Foundation revealed that Studio Ghibli had been chosen from 48 candidates representing 20 countries. The organization highlighted the studio’s role as a cultural bridge through storytelling centered on empathy, humanity and the relationship between people and nature.
Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, the Tokyo based company emerged after the success of “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.” Over the next four decades, Studio Ghibli evolved from a respected Japanese animation house into one of the most influential studios in world cinema, with films such as “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke,” “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Boy and the Heron” reaching audiences across generations.
The Princess of Asturias Awards are regarded among Spain’s highest cultural honors and recognize achievements in fields ranging from science and literature to the arts and humanitarian work. Previous recipients in the Communication and Humanities category have included philosophers, academics and international organizations, making Ghibli’s selection particularly notable within the animation industry.
The studio’s body of work has consistently received recognition on the global awards circuit. “Spirited Away” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, while “The Boy and the Heron” earned the same honor more than two decades later. In 2024, Studio Ghibli also became the first production company to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
The 2026 Princess of Asturias Award ceremony is scheduled to take place in October, when Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are expected to present the honor. Along with the recognition, recipients traditionally receive a Joan Miró sculpture created specifically for the awards.