“The Simpsons” is a curious show. The longest running American sitcom in history (25 seasons and counting), its relevancy and quality dropped off hard after season 10, but in recent years it’s made a bit of a comeback. And certainly they’ve been more relevant than ever in the movie world with recent impressive tributes like the recent “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” opener directed by Guillermo del Toro. Well, they’re at it again.
This week, it’s an affectionate tribute to Studio Ghibli and its maestro Hayao Miyazaki, whose final film, “The Wind Rises” opens in regular release in February (we consider it one of the Best Movies Of 2014 We’ve Already Seen). This Sunday’s episode of the show, entitled “Married to the Blob,” centers on Comic Book Guy and his attempts to date a Japanese woman who is writing an autobiographical manga comic (of course). In the episode Homer drinks “snake wine” (and aquarium water) and enters a classic Simpsons hallucination that includes many Simpson-character riffs on Miyazaki’s most beloved characters.
Miyazaki is said to be retiring (though there have been recent rumors suggesting he may be back again) and if he does go through with it, “The Wind Rises” will be the last we see of his wonderful work, but at least Studio Ghibli will continue. Check out the clip below. What characters do you spot? Sound off in the comments section. [Slashfilm]
