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Anime Art Auction Features Rare Cels From Studio Ghibli Films and More

Exclusive art from popular animated works like My Neighbor Totoro, Akira, and Pokémon will be up for grabs.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Celebrating 40 Years of Studio Ghibli: The Art of Anime - Vol VI comes to Heritage in March
Celebrating 40 Years of Studio Ghibli: The Art of Anime - Vol VI comes to Heritage in March | Heritage Auctions

If you’re looking for a gift for the anime lover in your life, now’s your chance to look beyond cat ear beanies and Dragon Ball Z UNO cards. Some incredible—and expensive—anime-related treasures are heading to auction in late March.

According to Gizmodo, Heritage Auctions is hosting The Art of Anime - Vol VI, an auction featuring items from several renowned works of Japanese animation. The collection includes a total of 1202 items: 1139 pieces of animation art and 63 memorabilia. The art includes original production cels (hand-drawn pieces) featured in such anime series as Pokémon and Sailor Moon and movies like Akira (1988). Rare collectibles will be auctioned off as well, such as a studio-used production script from Ghost in the Shell (1995) and a print from a scene in Bleach autographed by Tite Kubo, the original creator.

Although the auction contains items from numerous anime, the main star of the show is Studio Ghibli—one of the most popular animation studios worldwide. In celebration of the Japanese powerhouse’s 40th anniversary, the sale features over 60 Ghibli-related treasures. Bidders can get their hands on original art from beloved films made by the studio’s co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki, including My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Princess Mononoke (1997), and many more.

It’s unclear how much the entire auction is worth, but Gizmodo states that Heritage Auctions made $17 million from animation alone in 2024. Hype Beast also notes that bidders spent a total of almost $3 million USD on the auction house’s Art of Anime and Everything Cool Auction last year. Though the auction hasn’t officially kicked off, items are open to early bidding, and some have already attracted bids of thousands of dollars.

The auction will take place online and by appointment at the Dallas auction house from March 22 to March 24, 2025. According to Heritage Auctions’ YouTube video above, this event is one of two anime-themed auctions in 2025. Stay tuned for the next one.

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