I AM a grown man of 32 but I am not ashamed to say I have been enchanted by Studio Ghibli’s films.

The Tokyo-based animation house has been described as the Disney of Japan for creating immersive and emotive features which appeal to children and adults alike.

Studio Ghibli’s films, particularly those of renowned director Hayao Miyazaki, allow your imagination to take flight.

The stories are filled with warmth, humour and a sense of innocence.

Some make everyday life seem wondrous while others breathe life into surreal, magical worlds.

So that is why it is very sad to hear that the beloved studio is taking a break from production after 29 years to consider its future.

The fear is that Studio Ghibli will shut its doors permanently but it could just mean a restructure with more of a focus on managing the copyright and trademarks of its existing films rather than making new animated features.

It is a decision no doubt prompted by Miyazaki’s decision to retire as a filmmaker, aged 73.

His farewell film is The Wind Rises, a fictionalised biography of Dr Jiro Horikoshi, who designed Japanese fighter planes during the Second World War. It was nominated for seven awards.

Studio Ghibli’s most successful film was 2001’s Spirited Away, an Academy Award-winner which took $274 million worldwide.

It is about a 10-year-old girl who gets trapped in the spirit world while moving to a new neighbourhood.

But Miyazaki’s most iconic film is probably My Neighbor Totoro, a surreal and endearing film about a giant cat-owl type creature who protects the forest.

Studio Ghibli has also dealt with serious issues too.

Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies is a heartbreaking tale of two brothers struggling to survive during the final months of the Second World My Neighbor Totoro War. But my favourite has to be Howl’s Moving Castle about a fearful young woman who finds help from a wizard to break a spell which has turned her into an old witch. It is based on a novel by the late British author Diana Wynne Jones.

Only time will tell what will happen to Studio Ghibli but with Miyazaki’s retirement it is the end of spellbinding era.

à The Wind Rises is released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 29.