Table of Contents
Another Studio Ghibli-themed LEGO Ideas project has now reached the 10,000-supporter milestone, and that matters beyond a single fan design. Chihiro & No-Face (Piggy Bank) by NasqBrick has entered the LEGO Ideas review pipeline, adding fresh momentum to a theme already highlighted by the previously published Totoro 10K article. Taken together, these projects point to a clear and growing pattern: fans are not just casually interested in Studio Ghibli-inspired LEGO concepts, they are actively pushing them into review territory. That does not mean LEGO will secure the rights or approve any of these projects, but it does strengthen the broader case that there is real demand for official LEGO sets based on the worlds associated with Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films.
The important point here is not simply that one more anime-adjacent project has reached 10K. It is that LEGO Ideas is again being used by fans to express a very specific licensing wish. After Totoro, this new Spirited Away-inspired build suggests the appetite for Studio Ghibli material is deeper, broader and more persistent than a one-off success story.
What the Chihiro and No-Face LEGO Ideas project is
The project is titled Chihiro & No-Face (Piggy Bank) and was created by NasqBrick. Rather than focusing on a static display-only concept, the build introduces a simple mechanical function inspired by the creator’s engineering background. According to the official LEGO Ideas description, tilting No-Face’s head backward raises the character’s arm and allows a coin to drop into the mouth, turning the model into a usable piggy bank with a built-in storage compartment.
That mechanical angle helps the concept stand out. Many LEGO Ideas projects succeed because they are visually appealing or emotionally nostalgic. This one adds a practical play-and-display feature on top of its visual identity, which gives it a slightly different profile from a pure collector diorama.
The wider scene also matters. The creator did not isolate No-Face as a standalone figure, but added Chihiro and a bridge-inspired setting meant to evoke an iconic moment from Spirited Away. That makes the project feel closer to a tribute to the film’s atmosphere than a generic character sculpture.
Why this project matters more than a single 10K milestone
On its own, a 10K result is already meaningful. It means a project has cleared the public support phase and earned a place in a future LEGO Ideas review round. But in this case, the milestone feels more significant because it follows a pattern already visible on Afol News through the Totoro article.
That earlier project already showed that LEGO fans were ready to rally around Studio Ghibli-related ideas. Now this Spirited Away concept reinforces the same message from a different angle. The fan interest is not limited to one famous scene, one creator, or one isolated burst of nostalgia. It is beginning to look like sustained demand for a broader category of licenses that LEGO still does not officially have.
That is the real story here. Fans are using LEGO Ideas to say, repeatedly and publicly, that they want official sets based on these worlds.
The existing Totoro article already pointed in this direction
When the Totoro project reached 10,000 supporters, the central takeaway was not just that one beautiful fan design had gained traction. It was that Studio Ghibli looked like an obvious missing license in LEGO’s portfolio. That conclusion feels even stronger now.
Totoro made the case through one of the most iconic and gentle scenes in animation. This new Spirited Away project makes the case differently. It combines character recognition, display value, interactivity and a film that remains one of the most widely admired animated works of its era. In other words, it expands the argument instead of merely repeating it.
If only one Ghibli-related project had reached 10K, it could be dismissed as an isolated standout. But when another one follows and gathers the same level of support, it becomes harder to ignore the broader signal coming from the fan base.
Fans clearly want LEGO to explore Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki-inspired licenses
This is where the article really needs to be clear. The demand being expressed here is not just for one piggy bank build or one Totoro display piece. The stronger demand is for LEGO to explore Studio Ghibli licenses more seriously — or, put another way, for LEGO to finally open the door to the kinds of worlds audiences associate with Hayao Miyazaki and the studio’s most beloved films.
That does not automatically make a commercial deal easy. Licensing around Studio Ghibli is likely to be selective and carefully managed, and LEGO Ideas approval is never a guarantee of production. But from a fan-demand perspective, the evidence is becoming harder to dismiss.
These films have what LEGO usually looks for in a premium collectible range:
- instantly recognisable characters
- distinctive environments
- strong emotional attachment across generations
- display value without needing action-heavy play patterns
- clear crossover appeal between animation fans and adult LEGO fans
That is why the repeated success of projects like Totoro and now Chihiro & No-Face feels important. Fans are not guessing blindly. They are identifying a part of pop culture that seems unusually compatible with the type of premium, atmosphere-rich sets LEGO increasingly excels at.
Could this Spirited Away-inspired project become an official set?
It is now in the review pipeline, but that is all. Reaching 10,000 supporters means the project will be reviewed by LEGO. It does not mean approval, product development, or a confirmed licensing agreement.
That is especially important here because there are two different hurdles. First, LEGO would need to like the project as a concept. Second, LEGO would need the rights situation to be workable. Those are separate questions, and either one could stop the project from moving forward.
Still, even if this exact model never becomes an official set, it may still matter. Every successful Ghibli-related Ideas project adds another visible datapoint showing where fan enthusiasm currently sits. That can shape future thinking even when a specific submission does not survive the review process.
Final thoughts
Chihiro & No-Face (Piggy Bank) reaching 10,000 supporters is worth covering on its own, but it becomes much more interesting when viewed next to the already published Totoro article. Together, they strengthen the same conclusion: fans are showing strong demand for official LEGO sets tied to Studio Ghibli-style licenses and Miyazaki-associated worlds.
Whether LEGO acts on that demand is another question entirely. But the signal from fans is no longer subtle. It is repeated, public and increasingly consistent. For now, this project joins the Ideas review process. More importantly, it adds one more strong argument to the case that Studio Ghibli remains one of the most obvious missing licenses in LEGO’s current lineup.
