Strawberry Loft

When the chilly air of fall starts to blow, the flames of Studio Ghibli’s cozy films seem to ignite. I feel like I want to stay inside all day with a warm bowl of soup while watching Kiki’s Delivery service again. Fall feels like walking through a Studio Ghibli film with all the leaves changing to beautiful bright colors. It’s kind of odd that fall is when I think the best Studio Ghibli merch comes out because I think most of the movies take place in spring and summer.

Recently I saw a new plushie release of some beloved Studio Ghibli characters and unsurprisingly they disappeared within the day if not hours of release. I was kind of bummed because I saw a Moon the cat plush in the drop. Whisper of the Heart isn’t very popular in the states. I’ve never seen merch for it in a Boxed Lunch of FYE. I think it lacks some of the whimsical properties people look for in Studio Ghibli films. It’s closer to a typical coming of age story, but I think it has a magical feeling to it. Looking into this plush release took me to the wonderful website of Donguri Sora, a Ghibli paradise.

Donguri Sora feels like it’s geared towards the older Ghibli fan with more than just t-shirts but a lot of cute home décor. Mugs, tea pots, small towels, beautiful throw pillows that look like art pieces. Navigating through the main store page I saw the same characters I always say, Jiji from Kiki’s Deliver Service and Calcifer from Howel’s moving castle. When searching by movie though I felt like I found the holy grail of Ghibli merch. The website is in Japanese, so it took me a few clicks, but when I found the Whisper of the Heart section, I found candles that I bet smell like the antique store. I also found a beautiful notebook I can already picture on my desk full of hastily written notes for content. While exploring the different film sections I also found earrings and a necklace that look like the stone from Castle in the Sky. Also, some cool merch with the robot which I feel like doesn’t have enough merch.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate functional fandom merchandise more. Keychains are cute and I love putting Ita bags together, but there’s something special about using a mug or candle with my favorite characters on them. House items aren’t admired by as many people, but they make normal activities feel more fun. I also feel less guilty buying something I can use and replace one day like a full notebook. It serves a purpose and opens up room for new trinkets.

Donguri Sora takes some extra steps to purchase form if you’re purchasing outside of Japan. Treat yourself and find your perfect Christmas present early. Surprisingly at the time of writing this the Cat Bus plush is still available, and there was no Totoro plush. What kind of merch do you like to get?