{"id":44275,"date":"2026-08-14T12:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T07:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=44275"},"modified":"2026-08-14T12:06:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T07:06:02","slug":"studio-ghiblis-best-quote-wasnt-from-miyazaki-and-35-years-later-its-aging-like-fine-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=44275","title":{"rendered":"Studio Ghibli&#8217;s Best Quote Wasn&#8217;t From Miyazaki, And 35 Years Later, It&#8217;s Aging Like Fine-Wine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/tag\/studio-ghibli\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Studio Ghibli<\/strong><\/a> is known for its emotional storytelling and gorgeous hand-drawn animation. The smallest details in its greatest films are what breathe life into the story, allowing it to resonate with a global audience even decades after the films\u2019 initial release. Many times, these seemingly ordinary moments carry the greatest weight, especially when they capture a universal experience that connects with people regardless of age or background. <\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Despite becoming synonymous with Ghibli, some of the greatest examples of this don\u2019t come from Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s works, such as Isao Takahata\u2019s 1991 masterpiece, <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/db\/movie\/only-yesterday-185527\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Only Yesterday<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. Backed by a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, <em>Only Yesterday <\/em>stands out as one of Ghibli\u2019s greatest films and contains one of the most memorable, heartwarming quotes in the studio\u2019s history. The story behind how it came to be is all the more touching, arguably making it the greatest Ghibli quote there is.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"only-yesterday-rsquo-s-best-quote-wasn-rsquo-t-in-the-original-japanese-movie\">\n                        Only Yesterday\u2019s Best Quote Wasn\u2019t in the Original Japanese Movie<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/best-studio-ghibli-movies-anime-adults\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Only Yesterday<\/em> is one of Ghibli\u2019s slowest-paced films<\/a>, but it carries exceptional emotional weight and delivers an incredibly satisfying, unforgettable ending. The story centers around 27-year-old Taeko as she travels to the countryside to help with the safflower harvest. While there, she reflects on her fifth-grade self and all the experiences that shaped the person she became, challenging her ideas about the future she wants for herself as she grows closer to Toshio, a young farmer and companion who helps her during her countryside vacation. <\/p>\n<p>It becomes increasingly clear throughout the film that Taeko experiences significant emotional distance between her past and present, which ultimately culminates in a moment where she finally lets her walls down. During this monologue, she shares her innermost thoughts and delivers one of the most memorable lines in the film:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Did I just open my confused head and convoluted heart to this guy? I did. And yet, <strong>it was as easy as breathing in and breathing out.<\/strong> I&#8217;m amazed at how I&#8217;d been able to fall back on him that way. I felt as if&#8230; As if I&#8217;d always known him. As if he was part of my own past. And the one I wanted a handshake from most was&#8230; Toshio.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This moment captures the emotional breakthrough at the heart of Taeko\u2019s relationship with Toshio and comes after revisiting many unresolved memories from her youth. At this point, when she realizes she has found someone she can open up to without fear of embarrassment or defensiveness, she realizes that she isn\u2019t restricted by childhood regrets and that she can reconcile her past with her present.<\/p>\n<p>However, one line in particular is exclusive to the English dub of the film, and the reason behind it only adds to its significance and emotional weight. The line &#8220;And yet, it was as easy as breathing in and breathing out&#8221; is not a direct translation of the original Japanese film and was reportedly &#8220;snuck in&#8221; by the English-language production team, with the story behind it proving equally heartwarming.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"35-years-later-it-rsquo-s-still-one-of-ghibli-rsquo-s-most-romantic-quotes\">\n                        35 Years Later, It\u2019s Still One of Ghibli\u2019s Most Romantic Quotes<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\"\/><img width=\"825\" height=\"413\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Still from Only Yesterday Ghibli\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/still-from-only-yesterday-ghibli.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Still from Only Yesterday Ghibli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>During the English-language adaptation of the film, screenwriter David Freedman added a small detail of his own, drawing directly from personal experiences with his wife. In an interview at the end of a Ghibli Fest 2026 screening of <em>Only Yesterday<\/em>, which can also be found on the Blu-ray release, Freedman explained:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I snuck in a few lines&#8230; I like the fact that they&#8217;re so clearly comfortable with each other\u2026 And there&#8217;s a line I snuck in which was from I was dating my wife&#8230; I said, &#8216;It&#8217;s just hanging out with her is like breathing in and breathing out.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Before that personal connection was revealed, <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/only-yesterday-studio-ghibli-spirit-op-ed\/\" target=\"_blank\">Taeko\u2019s monologue already felt genuine and relatable<\/a>, but with the context behind the line, it becomes far more meaningful and impactful. By drawing on his personal experience, Freedman effectively infused true feelings from his own relationship into Taeko and Toshio\u2019s story, and that affection and familiarity gave their connection a far stronger sense of intimacy and depth. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"every-studio-ghibli-film-ranked-worst-best\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                                                                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/every-studio-ghibli-film-ranked-worst-best\/\"><br \/>\n                        <img width=\"440\" height=\"248\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An image of various characters from Studio Ghibli's catalog.\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/every-studio-ghibli-movie.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/every-studio-ghibli-movie.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/every-studio-ghibli-film-ranked-worst-best\/\" title=\"Every Studio Ghibli Film, Ranked From Worst To Best\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEvery Studio Ghibli Film, Ranked From Worst To Best<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki have made some of the best animated films of all time, but some of their anime movies are better than others. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Knowing that one of Taeko\u2019s strongest lines in the film comes from real, lived experience makes the payoff of the film ultimately more rewarding. However, beyond that, the very phrasing Freedman used, that their connection was easy as breathing, not only perfectly fits the story and characters, but completely invokes a sense of relief and belonging in ways that run far deeper than passion could.<\/p>\n<p>Even 35 years after its initial release, <em>Only Yesterday<\/em> continues to resonate with audiences, and Taeko\u2019s final monologue holds extraordinary meaning that has been expanded upon by the English-language team. Taeko\u2019s journey and growth throughout the film are nothing short of authentic and moving from beginning to end, and her final monologue only cements the film as one of Ghibli\u2019s best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Studio Ghibli is known for its emotional storytelling and gorgeous hand-drawn animation. The smallest details in its greatest films are what breathe life into the story, allowing it to resonate with a global audience even decades after the films\u2019 initial release. Many times, these seemingly ordinary moments carry the greatest weight, especially when they capture&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/studio-ghibli-blue-featured-image.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44275"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44275\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/44276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}