When it comes to worldbuilding, there are two main schools of thought: hard and soft worldbuilding. Hard worldbuilding is where you create a detailed and believable world from scratch, while soft building involves taking a more minimalist approach and adding details as needed. In this video, Tim Hickson from the Hello Future Me YouTube channel compares the two methods by examining how they were used in Studio Ghibli movies as well in other works.
Hard worldbuilding can be seen in the level of detail that went into creating the world of Princess Mononoke. Every aspect of the world, from architecture to clothing, is based on real-world cultures and history.
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This attention to detail makes the world feel believable and immersive. Soft design and building of worlds and lore, on the other hand, is exemplified by the world of Spirited Away. While there are still many details in this world, they are not as integral to the story and can be added or removed without affecting the overall narrative.
Both hard and soft worldbuilding have their own strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately it is up to the author to decide which method works best for them and their story. What matters most is that the world feels believable and engaging, regardless of how much or how little detail is involved.
If you’re interested in learning more about worldbuilding, be sure to check out Tim Hickson’s video. If you enjoy this sort of content, you can also visit their Patreon site and consider becoming a subscriber.
YouTube: Hard Worldbuilding vs. Soft Worldbuilding | A Study of Studio Ghibli
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Grandfailure.
