Boro the Caterpillar

Boro the Caterpillar, or Kemushi no Boro, was conceived by Hayao Miyazaki as a passion project decades before its eventual completion. Originally envisioned as a full-length feature film, Miyazaki transitioned the concept into a short subject exclusively for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. It serves as an intimate look at the world through the perspective of a newly hatched insect, reflecting the director’s lifelong fascination with the minute complexities of nature.

The production is notable for being Studio Ghibli’s first experiment with digital animation software, as Miyazaki sought to capture the movement of Boro in ways that traditional cel animation could not fully realize. The film was illustrated with a distinct, tactile aesthetic that prioritizes the sensory experience of the protagonist’s environment. Upon its 2018 debut at the Ghibli Museum, it was received as a charming and technically innovative milestone in the studio’s later period.