NextSharkNextShark.com

Stunned fans spot ‘Hayao Miyazaki’ strolling around Ghibli Park in news report

Stunned fans spot ‘Hayao Miyazaki’ strolling around Ghibli Park in news report

Izumi Pao, a Hayao Miyazaki impersonator for over 15 years, became an instant celebrity at Ghibli Park during its opening day on Nov. 1.

November 10, 2022
SHARE
A Hayao Miyazaki impersonator has left many fans scratching their heads after local news coverage of the recently opened Ghibli Park showed him walking around the park last week.
The long-time impersonator, later identified as Izumi Pao on Twitter, was briefly spotted by TBS News Dig outside the Grand Warehouse entrance on Nov. 1, the park’s opening day.
Footage shows Pao casually strolling around donning the legendary Japanese director’s iconic cream-colored apron while holding an umbrella.
Several fans realized that the man was an impersonator and not Miyazaki after Japanese actor Takeshi Tsuruno uploaded a picture of himself standing beside Pao on Twitter on Nov. 1.
View post on Twitter
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

As it turns out, Pao became quite the celebrity at Ghibli Park on opening day, as seen in a recent CBC News video.
Pao’s dedication to dressing up as Miyazaki goes way beyond cosplaying. According to SoraNews24, the impersonator has been dressing up as the director – complete with the iconic apron, beard, wig and glasses – for over 15 years now.
View post on Twitter
View post on Twitter
Plans for Studio Ghibli’s new theme park, which is located in the city of Nagakute in Japan’s Aichi prefecture, were first announced in 2017. The park’s construction, which started in 2020, ultimately replaced Aichi Prefecture’s EXPO Park. In August, Miyazaki teamed up with legendary composer Joe Hisaishi to create a vibrant animation trailer for the park.
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Bryan Ke

      Bryan Ke is a Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.