Did you know Star Wars and Studio Ghibli teamed up? Where to watch and what to expect from their adorable collaboration

Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies is the collaboration the galaxies had been waiting for, which brings together two of the most beloved universes in a way no one expected. However, it works flawlessly. This three-minute hand-drawn short film was released on Disney+ in November 2022, and it introduces Grogu from The Mandalorian and the soot sprites from Studio Ghibli (My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away), under the direction of Ghibli legend Katsuya Kondō.

Released to celebrate Disney+ Day and The Mandalorian’s third anniversary, Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies is a visual poem that captures the charm and whimsy of both worlds in a single, unforgettable moment. And why are we now reminding you of this? Given that a Studio Ghibli-esque animation is coming later this year and the hype is already up!

A meditation interrupted: the story behind the collaboration between Star Wars and Studio Ghibli

Picture Grogu, meditating peacefully with his eyes closed, his tiny green figure drawn in Ghibli’s signature soft, pastel style. Just as he finds his center, a playful swarm of soot sprites (the same mischievous dust bunnies from My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away) show up, breaking the calm.

The sprites chase Grogu around the dreamy landscape, eventually presenting him with a massive flower as a gift. No words are said or needed; the expressive animation and Ludwig Göransson's captivating, almost lullaby-like score completely reveal the narrative. Released quietly on Disney+ in 2022, this short video was a wonderful surprise for fans of both Star Wars and Studio Ghibli.

Where the Force meets whimsy: what makes Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies special

What makes Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies stand out is how effortlessly it blends two entirely different worlds. Katsuya Kondō brings his iconic Ghibli touch to Grogu, turning "The Child" into a watercolor dream while staying true to the character’s essence. Grogu’s wide-eyed curiosity mirrors Chihiro’s wonder in Spirited Away - proving Ghibli’s universal language of innocence.

The film's charm is in its quietness. Relying on images and emotion to drive the story, Studio Ghibli has always been great in conveying tales with minimal dialogue. Göransson's score fits this exactly, creating a quiet, spooky and somewhat mesmerizing mood.

The soot sprites are not arbitrary creatures; they're the same naughty, endearing characters we know from those two iconic and beloved stories of Totoro and Chihiro, so quickly connecting Star Wars and Studio Ghibli. The outcome is a harmonic mix that seems both familiar and fresh, hence rendering the collaboration into something truly unique.

Where to watch this hidden gem

Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies is available exclusively on Disney+, but you won’t find it in the Ghibli section. It’s tucked away in the Star Wars collection, where its soft pastel palette and hand-drawn animation stand out against the more polished sci-fi universe.

Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies is a perfect little escape, a quick moment of serenity between intense space battles or a calming story for the whole family. At just three minutes long, it’s a tiny treasure that delivers the right amount of wonder without overstaying its welcome.

The future: more Ghibli in the galaxy?

Clearly, Disney sees the magic in this collaboration, because there’s more to come. Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, to be released on Ocotber 29, 2025, will include a Ghibli-inspired short titled Yuko’s Treasure, which takes us to Mos Eisley and introduces a teddy bear-like droid named Billy.

The aesthetic promises more of the hand-drawn, dreamlike quality that made the Grogu short so special.

And for those who attended Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025, there were exclusive art prints by Dave Filoni and Doug Chiang, blending Ghibli’s watercolor world with Star Wars imagery. This collaboration is just the beginning, with more creative crossovers on the way.

A small doorway to infinite possibilities

Even in such a short time, Zen–Grogu and Dust Bunnies opened a doorway between two worlds that seemed galaxies apart. This collaboration shows that sometimes, the most unexpected pairings result in the most magical creations.

What might come next? Perhaps a world where Porgs play with the forest spirits from Princess Mononoke, or a Catbus racing through Tatooine’s desert. The possibilities are endless, just like the Force itself.

Until more collaborations arrive, this three-minute masterpiece reminds us why we fell in love with both Star Wars and Ghibli in the first place: their ability to make us feel like wide-eyed children, discovering magic for the very first time.

Watch Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies on Disney+ and prepare to melt faster than butter under Tatooine’s twin suns!