How Zelda and Studio Ghibli inspire happiness and purpose

(Toronto, August 18, 2025) A new study published in JMIR Serious Games by JMIR Publications reveals that playing the open-world video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and watching Studio Ghibli films can significantly improve young people’s overall happiness and sense of purpose in life.

Led by researchers from Imperial College London, Kyushu Sangyo University, and Georgia State University, the exploratory randomized controlled study, titled “Effects of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Studio Ghibli Films on Young People’s Sense of Exploration, Calm, Mastery and Skill, Purpose and Meaning, and Overall Happiness in Life: Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study,” involved 518 postgraduate students. Participants were randomly assigned to either play Zelda or not and to either watch nostalgic Studio Ghibli films like My Neighbor Totoro or Kiki’s Delivery Service or not. Researchers then measured feelings of exploration, calm, skill mastery, purpose, and life happiness.

Simply playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild led to higher life happiness scores, but adding the nostalgia of Studio Ghibli films boosted happiness even further. The increase in life happiness scores was partly due to heightened feelings of exploration, calm, mastery, and meaning.

These results suggest that certain games and films aren’t just entertaining—they can help young people navigate stress and sadness by deepening their sense of curiosity, peace, and life purpose. This offers fresh evidence that carefully chosen leisure activities may support mental well-being.

”The current study reveals a fascinating finding: Immersing oneself in the exploratory freedom of Breath of the Wild and the mindful wonder of Studio Ghibli films can actively nurture essential human capacities – exploration, tranquility, purpose-finding, and happiness – and, thus, offer valuable pathways to enhance everyday well-being," says author Andreas B Eisingerich.

With anxiety and loneliness increasing in young people, this research suggests that thoughtfully engaging with art and interactive worlds might play a meaningful role in helping people feel happier and more fulfilled.

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