Studio Ghibli’s Miyazaki Kicks Off Year Of The Rabbit With Cute Hand-Drawn Card

New York City has its Ball Drop, Monica and Ross have “the routine,” and Studio Ghibli: its New Year cards.

The lunar calendar, observed in many parts of Asia, uses one of 12 animals to hallmark a full year. In 2023, it’s the rabbit’s turn, and you’ll see this creature appearing on decorations and merchandise in countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year. Following tradition, Studio Ghibli has shared an illustrated card denoting the Year of the Rabbit.

あけましておめでとうございます。

宮﨑さんが描いた兎。

名前は、うーちゃん。
ふーちゃんという双子がいるそうです。

本年も宜しくお願い申し上げます。 pic.twitter.com/W86BmQhmxe

— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) December 31, 2022

The beloved animation studio revealed the artwork right as the year 2023 rolled into Japan, giving other fairytale rabbits little chance to grouse about lateness (you know the one). It features a bunny, hand-drawn by founder Hayao Miyazaki, holding out a 2023 sign, with a mini Totoro and soot sprites by its side.

The main character in the card even has a name and backstory. The rabbit is called Uu-chan, Studio Ghibli explains, and it has a twin named Fuu-chan. As SoraNews24 describes, “Uu-chan” is an adorable play on the Japanese word for rabbit (usagi), while “Fuu-chan” is a pun on both the words for twin (futago) and luck (fuku).

“Happy New Year… Thank you for your continued support in the year,” Studio Ghibli writes in the note accompanying the card.

The cute greeting follows the studio’s 2022 Year of the Tiger card sporting a tiger with a mouse-like face quintessential of Ghibli’s art style.

新年明けましておめでとうございます。
本年もよろしくお願い申し上げます。 pic.twitter.com/wwF4p3dk6h

— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) December 31, 2021

The year before, Studio Ghibli celebrated the Year of the Ox with a drawing of a bovine crushing a spiky demon—a metaphor to COVID-19–with its hoof.

明けましておめでとうございます。スタジオジブリの公式Twitterを始めます。作品情報や、スタジオのこぼれ話などをお伝えしていきます。どうぞよろしくお願いします。https://t.co/0RLxighncb pic.twitter.com/zkd9ZeWpXu

— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) December 31, 2020

In the same way families in the west send out Christmas cards, it’s customary for people in Japan to give out New Year cards to loved ones and others who have helped them in the year before, such as colleagues and business partners—hence the company’s message thanking fans for their support throughout the year.

Next year will be the Year of the Dragon, a mythical creature that holds a special place in Studio Ghibli’s folklore—its most famous being Haku, the dragon god in Spirited Away who often disguises himself as a human boy. The Japanese studio’s 2024 New Year card will surely be an epic one.

[via SoraNews24 and Studio Ghibli, images via various sources]