The Simpsons celebrate the work of Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli

The Simpsons have been on air a long time - I recently read that has Bart aged normally, by now he would be 34 which is quite a scary thought. In order to keep the show as fresh the makers have, through the years, included nods to our many a cultural icon. Back in October The Simpsons opening sequence for Tree House of Horrors XXIV was directed by and dedicated to the monstrous works of Guillermo del Toro.

Now it is the turn of anime legend Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli , creators of classic anime classics such as Totoro, Sprited Away and a personal favourite, Howl’s Moving Castle. Back in September Miyazaki announced his retirement from film making, much to the disappointment of many a fan. Therefore, it seems fitting that one iconic animation acknowledges and gives a nod to another.

From the episode ‘Married to the Blob’, Comic Book Guy attempts to date a Japanese woman who is writing an autobiographical manga comic. During this episode Homer drinks “snake wine” resulting in hallucinations and a trip through the world of Miyazaki mixed with some of our favourite Simpsons characters. The tribute can be viewed below with the entire episode airing in the US this Sunday.