Earwig and the Witch: Studio Ghibli’s Most Controversial Film Explained

Studio Ghibli's first 3D CG film Earwig and the Witch fell flat with fans due to lifeless visuals, weak characters, and a lackluster story. Here's what went wrong. 😬 Earwig & the Witch – Studio Ghibli’s most controversial film – proves you can judge a book by its cover.

🎬 As the studio’s first fully 3D CG anime, fans had high hopes… but it lacked the warmth and charm of classics like Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle.

🧙‍♀️ Directed by Goro Miyazaki, the film struggled with:

Plastic-looking visuals 👎

Rigid character animation 🫥

Weak emotional depth 💔

Abrupt and unsatisfying ending 🚫

👧 Even Earwig herself – a clever, mischievous orphan – never undergoes meaningful growth.

💬 Critics felt it played more like a failed pilot than a proper Ghibli film. While innovation is crucial, Earwig shows how straying from storytelling roots can hurt even legendary studios.

📉 A rare misstep that reminds us why Ghibli's magic lies in hand-drawn beauty, heartfelt characters, and rich emotion.