Huge new Ghibli chopstick series means you’ll always have company with your meals【Pics】

Totoro, Haku, and other Studio Ghibli anime movie stars make the leap from the screen to the table.

It’s common knowledge that chopsticks are the utensil of choice for most meals in Japan, but what’s not so widely known is that each member of the household has their own chopsticks, which only they use. So instead of buying a jumbo pack of identical designs, you pick out a pair that looks and feels just right for you, and if you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli anime, that might mean that a set of Ghibli chopsticks.

Of course, you’re still going to need to narrow things down quite a bit. Because of the studio’s rich legacy of amazing artwork and character designs, Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku’s new chopstick line consists of 17 different designs, representing five different animated classics, starting with My Neighbor Totoro.

If you’re thinking that pattern, with the gray Totoro smiling amongst Japanese paper umbrellas, looks familiar, it’s the sane motif as we saw on the beautiful two-tier Totoro bento box recently.

While the artwork on the two chopsticks is identical in the above model, many of the designs split the illustration into left and right halves, giving you an extra incentive to properly set your table so you can see the complete picture as the chopsticks lay side by side, like in this scene of all three Totoros frolicking in a field of flowers.

The trio is also out in the natural environment for their third design, in which a Soot Sprite joins their excursion.

Also making multiple appearances in the lineup is Spirited Away’s No Face.

In this elegant illustration No Face shows up against a seigaiha background, a traditional Japanese pattern representing ocean waves. Coupled with the red-and-black color scheme, these chopsticks would work well for a meal served on lacquer tableware.

No Face has long been a favorite of Donguri Kyowakoku’s designers, and there are two other patterns for the character…

…but the chopstick line also gives a nod to one of Spirited Awat costars who doesn’t show up nearly as often in merch, Haku, in his dragon form.

Speaking of time in the spotlight, the character whose fans will happiest of all will be Jiji, as the supportive familiar from Kiki’s Delivery Service’s has four different patterns to choose from.

Not only are they cute, they’re heartwarming too, as many of the patterns also feature some of Jiji’s kids, who can be briefly seen in the anime movie’s closing credits.

Rounding out the lineup are a pair of Ponyo chopsticks, with the movie’s Japanese title, Gake no Ue no Ponyo (“Ponyo on the Cliff”) written in Japanese…

…and a pair for Princess Mononoke’s San, showing off her fearsome battle mask.

The chopsticks are all adult-sized, 21 centimeters (8.3 inches) in length, and made of bamboo with urethane coating. Given their artwork. they’re likely to appeal even to anime fans who aren’t extensively experienced in eating Asian cuisine, but their textured tips provide a little extra grip, which should help noobies hold on to their morsels.

Each pair is priced at 770 yen (US$5.15), and they can all be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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