Check Out This Incredible Video That Imagines Ocarina of Time With A Studio Ghibli Inspired Art Style
Posted on November 22 2023 by Sean Gadus
Despite twenty-five years passing since its original release on the Nintendo 64, many fans still have an intense connection to Ocarina of Time. Part of this connection must relate to the way Nintendo has continued to make merchandise based around Ocarina of Time and its vibrant world. It seems like there is always clothing, holiday ornaments, journals, and other items based on Ocarina of Time‘s version of Hyrule. Additionally, many people have maintained a strong connection to the game through a host of Zelda community members who have used Ocarina of Time as a subject and inspiration for their art. The characters and locations in Ocarina of Time are still some of the most popular subjects in art events like Linktober and on art sites like DeviantArt. Whether it is pixel art, impressionism, surrealism or other art styles and movements, Ocarina of Time has remained a favorite subject for posts, videos, and art pieces that have helped the game remain in the public consciousness.
This extensive video by RwanLink imagines Ocarina of Time in the style of acclaimed Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli. According to the introduction, RwanLink worked for more than 600 hours over the course of 4 months to complete this ambitious project. About thirty characters were created specifically for this detailed re-imagining of Hyrule Castle Town and its surrounding area. This video is designed to honor the game on its twentieth-fifth anniversary, and it is a wonderful tribute to a game that means a great deal to so many players.
Overall, the color palette and character design of Studio Ghibli films is a great fit with Ocarina of Time, and if Nintendo were ever to remake the game, this visual style would be enticing to newcomers and longtime fans alike. While the video draws from a variety of Studio Ghibli productions, there are some specific influences that are clear for fans of the acclaimed animation studio. The scenes of the Kokiri Forest and other wild areas are inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Princess Mononoke. RwanLink even includes images of the Kodamas (tree spirits), which are a key part of Princess Mononoke’s lush forest ecosystem. In contrast, Hyrule Castle Town feels like it draws influence from another excellent Hayao Miyazaki film: Howl’s Moving Castle. The bright marketplace is reminiscent of the film’s colorful opening setting of Market Chipping. This bustling city is where Sophie and her sisters live, and where Sophie works at the hat shop. RwanLink’s vision of Hyrule Castle, filled with attentive guards, brings to mind the royal capital of Kingsbury which Sophie and Howl visit later in the film. The close up of the flowers blowing in the wind at 1:30 seems to be inspired by similar shots in Howl’s Moving Castle.
It is really exciting to see so many of Ocarina of Time‘s characters imagined in this vivid art style. Whether it is background characters like Dancing Couple or Richard the dog, or more substantial characters like Malon, Talon, Ganondorf, and Nabooru, all of the characters look incredible. RwanLink also includes a few characters not directly present in Ocarina of Time like the sword spirit Fi and Princess Zelda’s father. I would love to see some of the characters from the adult time period modeled in this art style, particularly Sheik.
If you enjoyed this video, RwanLink has a variety of other Zelda related videos for fans to view on their YouTube channel. These video span a variety of games and concepts, so there is something for all Zelda fans to enjoy!
What do you think of this video reimaganing Ocarina of Time using an art style inspired by Studio Ghibli? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: RwanLink
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
