In March, Studio Ghibli partnered with energy company Marubeni Shin Denryoku to create an animated version of a portion of the Choju Jinbutsu Giga, or Scrolls of Frolicking Animals.
The 12th-century series of inked picture scrolls is regularly credited as being the oldest manga, and Ghibli has just released its second animated short based on the historical artifact.
For the most part, Studio Ghibli doesn’t do sequels.
The artwork skillfully retains the original designs of the Choju Jinbutsu Giga, and even accounts for the notations and discolorations on the surface of the 800-year-old scroll.