Propstore Is Bringing Rare Studio Ghibli Production Cels to Auction This July

Propstore’s Animation Art Live Auction will offer a curated selection of original Studio Ghibli production cels across two days on July 8 and July 9, with global online, absentee, and telephone bidding. The lots span five films across nearly a decade of Ghibli’s output, from My Neighbor Totoro in 1988 through to Princess Mononoke in 1997, and include hand-painted production backgrounds, Key Master backgrounds, and background overlays alongside the cels themselves.

The leading lot is a production cel from Kiki’s Delivery Service depicting Kiki during a pivotal moment in the 1989 film when she struggles with the loss of her powers. What distinguishes the piece physically is the combination of its original hand-painted Key Master background and a hand-painted background overlay, a pairing the press release describes as rare, and one that speaks to the layered construction method Ghibli employed during its hand-painted production era. The setup retains its original components intact, which adds material significance beyond the image itself. It carries a pre-sale estimate of £6,000 GBP to £12,000 GBP (approx. $7,620 USD to $15,240 USD).

A production cel from Porco Rosso carries the same estimate. The 1992 film is widely regarded as one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal works, and the lot captures Fio holding a battle-worn Porco following the film’s climactic final fight. The cel is presented on a hand-painted production background, reinforcing the physical authenticity of the piece as a working artifact from the film’s original production rather than a presentation or promotional item.

The Princess Mononoke cel, estimated at £3,000 GBP to £6,000 GBP (approx. $3,810 USD to $7,620 USD), features Ashitaka and Moro, the great wolf goddess, from Miyazaki’s 1997 epic. The film was the highest-grossing release in Japan that year and holds a specific place in animation history as one of the last Ghibli features produced predominantly with traditional hand-painted cels, made just as the studio began its transition to digital production. Surviving cel artwork from Princess Mononoke carries additional scarcity value as a result, and the lot is presented on a fine art giclée background. Further lots include a My Neighbor Totoro opening credits cel on a presentation background, estimated at £2,000 GBP to £4,000 GBP (approx. $2,540 USD to $5,080 USD), and a Pom Poko cel of Bunta on a fine art giclée background, estimated at £1,000 GBP to £2,000 GBP (approx. $1,270 USD to $2,540 USD).

Propstore’s Animation Art Expert Russell Singler shares, “Studio Ghibli’s films have a remarkable ability to resonate with audiences of all ages, combining breathtaking artistry with stories that stay with us long after the credits roll. From Kiki’s journey of self-discovery and Porco Rosso’s quiet melancholy to the epic scale of Princess Mononoke, these films represent some of the most celebrated achievements in animation. The pieces featured in this Propstore collection are the original hand-crafted artworks that helped bring those worlds to life. Carefully selected for their quality, rarity, and significance, they offer collectors a rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of Studio Ghibli history.”

Propstore’s Animation Art Live Auction takes place July 8 and July 9. A free public exhibition at Borough Yards, London also runs from July 2 to July 5.