This Miyazaki Glitch Art Channels Vintage VHS Tapes

Images courtesy the artist

At their best, glitch artworks remind us of the limitations and inherent physicality of technology, and nothing says “this object has limits” quite like old VHS tapes. Designer and illustrator Hyo Taek Kim exercises this concept on drawings of beloved characters from the films of Hayao Miyazaki, distorting them with the fuzziness and discoloration engrained in the minds of anyone who grew up watching movies on VCRs. Totoro and Catbus, the witch Yubaba and Chihiro from Spirited Away, Howl, and Princess Mononoke all appear in the series, looping in and out of glitchy pauses.

Kim is responsible for both mashing up Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans with Miyazaki characters, and a series in which he breaks down entire films by color palette. “Ghibli is the master of creating emotions, and I love to revisit these moments whenever I get the chance,” Kim tells The Creators Project. His own memories of having to pause Miyazaki’s movies to eat dinner as a child—the worst, right?—inspired the series. “I can almost smell the rice and beans being cooked in the kitchen,” he reflects.

Check out the full Miyazaki Glitch series and a couple of exclusive sketches from the design process below.

Spirited Away’s Chihiro; Yubaba

My Neighbor Totoro; Catbus

Howl’s Moving Castle

Ponyo, Nausicaa

Kiki’s Delivery Service; Princess Mononoke

Learn more about Hyo Taek Kim on his website, and check out more of his work on Instagram. Buy his prints on Curioos.

Related:

Miyazaki Meets Warhol in Reimagined Soup Can Series

Miyazaki’s Not Retired—He’s Working on His First 3D-Animation

Miyazaki’s Best Films Get Commemorated In 8-Bit Style

22-Year-Old Animator Crafted an Unbelievable Homage to Miyazaki