DEDICATED TO: My friends and family. Thanks for always supporting me. All of you inspire me to do my best work, and I would not be the designer I am today without you.
~Heidi Peng
TABLE OF CONTENTS TAROT HISTORY
4
DESIGNING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
6
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS
8
Read about the history of tarot throughout the ages
Get a closer look at the design process for this tarot deck
See the meanings behind each card in the Major Arcana
GREETING YOUR NEIGHBORS
32
RESOURCES
34
AUTHOR’S NOTE
35
Learn how to use this deck for readings and more
A list of the resources used to complete this tarot set
A letter from the author to you
HISTORY OF TAROT
Learn how tarot evolved from a card game into what it is today 1. A MEDIEVAL CARD GAME In the early 15th century, “trionfi” cards were used in Italy as a card game. This deck included four suits (similar to how current card decks are made) and trump cards for a total of 60-70 cards. As rounds, or tricks, continued, each player would offer a card and scores were counted at the end of each round.
TAROT DE MARSEILLES SET //WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
2. TAROCCO BOLOGNESE Around the 15th century, the Tarocco Bolognese emerged as a 62-card deck. According to a manuscript from 1750, it was one of the first decks used for fortune-telling.
3. TAROT DE MARSEILLES By the late 16th century, the “fortune-telling” tarot movement had taken off in France. The most popular deck was the Tarot de Marseilles, and players assigned spiritual meanings to each card. 4. ALLIETTE AND ARCANA Jean-Baptiste Alliette, an eminent French occultist, created a tarot deck in 1789 for the sole purpose of spiritual use. The deck expanded to 78 cards with Major and Minor Arcana categories. The Major Arcana contains 10 allegorical figures, five abstract concepts and seven personified objects.
TAROT ETYMOLOGY
Even the word “tarot” has a rich history attached to it. Here’s a quick explanation of its etymology as well as the Japanese translation of tarot. ITALIAN ROOTS
A 70-card game derived from festivals (trionfo) during the Italian Renaissance.
TAROCH foolishness
Trionfi became known as tarocho in Italy during the 16th century when “the fool” card was added to the deck.
The French equivalent of tarocho, which also evolved from trionfi. Taraux then became “tarot.”
JAPANESE TRANSLATION KATAKANA SYLLABLES
KATAKANA SYLLABLES
タ: ta Sixteenth syllable in the gojūon order
ッ: tsu Eighteenth syllable in the gojūon order
ロ: ro Forty-third syllable in the gojūon order
TAROTTO tarot
ト: to Twentieth syllable in the gojūon order
DESIGNING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Take a look at the key themes underlying this design concept 2. PASTEL COLORS While each card has a unique color palette, all of them incorporate pastel colors somewhere in the figure or background, even in the darker cards. This ties the set together and evokes “soft” vibes.
3. SCENE, NOT JUST FIGURE I found that no other tarot decks really focused on the background, so for my deck, I chose to put just as much detail into the scenery as into the figures to create a world for each card to live in.
Moodboard
1. CHIBI ART STYLE When I chose to pursue a Studio Ghibli themed deck, I first thought about how I could make it my own. Thus, I settled on creating a chibi art style and used a crayon texture for all the line art in each card.
MOODBOARD: PASTEL, SOFT VIBES, CHIBI, “CRAYON” TEXTURES INITIAL SKETCH: THE MOON
THEMATIC ELEMENTS
There are a few elements that appear throughout the entire set. This is a breakdown of two cards and how each of them work within the set as well as how they differ.
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS 0 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X
THE FOOL THE MAGICIAN THE HIGH PRIESTESS THE EMPRESS THE EMPEROR THE HIEROPHANT THE LOVERS THE CHARIOT STRENGTH THE HERMIT WHEEL OF FORTUNE
XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI
JUSTICE THE HANGED MAN DEATH TEMPERANCE THE DEVIL THE TOWER THE STAR THE MOON THE SUN JUDGEMENT THE WORLD
UPRIGHT MEANING innocence, new beginnings, spontaneity, free spirit REVERSED MEANING recklessness, risk-taking DESCRIPTION Totoro sleeps in his “bed,� which is nested underneath the roots of a large tree he guards. Surrounded by lush plant life and his helpers, Totoro rests without a care in the world. He is also considered to be a spirit of the forest and possesses the ability to help trees grow. As such, he brings about new life to the forest and countryside around him. Totoro also loves to experience new things and is quick partake in new activities. No matter where he goes, laughs are sure to follow.
UPRIGHT MEANING resourcefulness, manifestation, inspired action, determination REVERSED MEANING poor planning, untapped talents DESCRIPTION Kiki looks out at the lake near her home while listening to the weather forecast on her handheld radio. As a young witch, she is preparing to leave her home in search of a place to hone her craft; thus, she is hoping for clear skies during her journey. Upon learning that the weather will be favorable, Kiki is determined to leave home that night. As the wind blows past her, she considers what the future will hold and how she can succeed as a witch in her new town.
intuition, mystery, divine feminine, subconscious secrets, withdrawal Kaguya emerges from a bamboo stalk in the middle of the forest. In addition, these bamboo stalks surround the young girl yet simultaneously seem to bow before her, indicating her connection to divinity. Bathed in light, Kaguya emits a heavenly glow, and she is soon referred to as Princess Kaguya due to her beauty. While her origins are unknown, she signals a fresh start for the bamboo cutter and his wife, and she herself is given a second chance at life.
femininity, beauty, nurturing, abundance, nature dependence on others Marnie looks out at the water as the sun sets near her home, and as the setting sun tints the clouds with bits gold and fuchsia, Marnie embraces nature and accepts her past, present and future. While Marnie is shrouded in mystery, she symbolizes unconditional love and the importance of family. Furthermore, her beauty extends beyond the superficial to her very soul. No matter what pain she experiences, she wears a smile on her face to support those around her.
authority, establishment, structure, father figure domination, excessive control Fujimoto, the father of Brunhilde (also known as Ponyo), stands at the head of his submarine and holds a vase containing an elixir used to help purify the sea. Once a human, Fujimoto now lives underwater with his children and wife. While deep down he loves his children greatly, he is often mistaken as a villain due to his overbearing nature and never-ending pessimism. Fujimoto is also incredibly strict with Ponyo and will stop at nothing to ensure his children’s safety.
seeking council or advice, learning, spiritual guidance challenging the status quo The Baron leads Shizuku through the skies in her imaginary world. While riding on the wind, the Baron informs her about the world they are currently in and tells her to have no fear. As their journey comes to an end, Shizuku mentally returns to the real world where she seriously considers how she will proceed with her writing and education in the future. As she learns more about life through the Baron, Shizuku is finally able to be confident in her decisions.
harmony, relationship, commitment, love disharmony, imbalance Umi and Shun work in the Latin Quartier building, which is home to the journalism club. After Shun jumps into a shallow pool on school grounds in a ploy to prevent the building’s demolition, Umi is left with a rather negative impression of him. Even so, as they work to produce practice tests featured in the school newsletter, they eventually come to develop feelings for each other. Their love, however, often remains unspoken, and they resign to show their love in subtle ways.
control, willpower, action, success, ambition self-discipline, lack of direction Haku flies toward the bathhouse with Chihiro on his back after visiting Zeniba, the twin sister of Yubaba. Despite becoming badly injured just a few hours prior, Haku is determined to be with Chihiro. In both his dragon and “human� form, Haku demonstrates a strong determination to protect Chihiro and achieve his goals. Nevertheless, he is bound by a contract to Yubaba and often unable to exercise his own freedom, but through Chihiro, he is able to find happiness.
courage, persuasion, influence, compassion, inner strength self-doubt, raw emotion Nausicaä visits the Toxic Jungle in order to better understand the ecosystem that exists there. As the Princess of the Valley of the Wind, she proves herself to be a strong leader and warrior. Moreover, blessed with high intelligence and physical abilities, she proves herself to be the perfect heroine. As she continues to unravel the secrets of her world and strive for peace between species, Nausicaä exhibits incredible courage and tenacity in the face of danger.
soul-searching, introspection, inner guidance, reflection isolation, loneliness A young Howl catches a falling star, Calcifer, in his hands while alone at the Porthaven Marshes. Shortly after, Howl forms a contract with Calcifer and gives his heart to the fire demon. Throughout his life, Howl is regarded as a very powerful, yet dangerous wizard and often keeps to himself out of fear of forming deep relationships and losing his freedom. He puts an extreme amount of effort into his looks, as he is unable to open up to others and become vulnerable.
good luck, karma, destiny, turning point, life cycle resistance to change Guchokipanya, a bakery in Koriko, is home to Kiki’s Delivery Service and is owned by Osono and her husband, who allowed Kiki to stay with them. While Kiki initially has a very rough start in Koriko, even getting stopped by the police, upon meeting Osono and creating her own delivery service, things begin to look up for her. Osono’s husband even creates a custom sign made out of bread to help advertise her service, which is prominently displayed in the bakery window.
fairness, truth, cause and effect, law, balance unfairness, dishonesty The Night-Walker roams the forest at night in its large, humanoid form. During the day, it appears as a deer with a human-like face and protects the Cedar Forest as the god of life and death. It governs the forest as an unbiased protector, giving life to the animals in the forest as well as causing decay in order to maintain balance. When its head is taken by Lady Eboshi, the Night-Walker causes mass destruction to punish the villagers for disregarding the laws of nature.
pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives delays, resistance The robot walks toward Sheeta and Pazu with a flower in hand while aboard Laputa as the last surviving automaton. Despite being left alone, the robot continues to place flowers on a gravestone in the massive Laputian garden as well as care for the remaining creatures as an unofficial gardener. Because of this, the robot has remained gentle. Even after Laputa is nearly destroyed for a second time, the robot can still be seen caring for the flora and fauna.
endings, change, transformation, transition inner purging Ashitaka, the former prince of the Emishi Village, rides Yakul after being forced to leave his home as a result of being cursed by a demon boar that attacked his village. Although he is never able to return home, Ashitaka is resolved to find a cure for his curse as well as lead a fulfilling life. While on his journey, he learns more about how the world has advanced, especially in terms of firepower, and demonstrates his morality and righteousness by always saving those around him.
healing, moderation, patience, purpose, harmony imbalance, realignment Umi watches boats sail by in the harbor of the Port of Yokohoma from her grandmother’s boarding house after raising signal flags in the morning. Even after her father’s death in the Korean War, Umi continues to raise them to pay homage to his legacy. She is also considered to be a very reserved and dutiful child, as she cooks and cleans for boarders as well as her younger siblings. Umi maintains an air of tranquility while supporting others from the background.
shadow self, attachment, enslavement, restriction suppressing impulses Prince Arren is confronted with a mirror and demonic self during a nightmare. After killing his father while possessed, Arren flees his home and seeks refuge with the powerful archmage Sparrowhawk. Arren is consistently plagued with bouts of rage and delusions; however, much of this is due to unseen and sinister forces. Although he has a strong moral compass, he often falls prey to unhealthy emotions of fear and vengeance, and it’s as if he is never in full control of himself.
sudden change, upheaval, chaos, renovation personal transformation Howl’s Castle ventures through the Waste, fueled by Calcifer’s flames and Howl’s magic. Despite being called a “castle” by outsiders, few of the inhabitants, especially Sophie, actually regard it as one. Upon arriving at the castle after being cursed by a witch, Sophie sees it as nothing more than a dump, yet as her days pass there, she comes to see it as the place where she truly belongs. While many of the doors lead to nowhere, it is home to endless exploration.
hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality, good health disconnection, illness Naoko runs out onto the balcony to try and catch a paper airplane, which was made by her future husband Jiro. After falling in love, Jiro suddenly learns that Naoko has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Despite her illness, however, they decide to get married, as they cannot bear to be separated. As a result of their faith in each other, Jiro is filled with the renewed energy and purpose he needed to finally create his first successful fighter airplane.
illusion, fear, anxiety, sensitivity, subconscious inner confusion Setsuko rests in a field while watching fireflies light up the night sky. After their mother dies as a result of an air raid, her brother Seita takes her to an abandoned bomb shelter in the hopes to staying safe. In the midst of World War II, both siblings struggle to come to terms with death and uncertainty. Having only recently turned four years old, Setsuko is still ignorant about the world around her and can do little more than cling to her brother for hope and warmth.
positivity, warmth, success, vitality, fun, enlightenment inner child, overly optimistic Ponyo’s siblings float on water bubbles as a column of water bursts into the air. Ponyo and her many siblings are the embodiment of fun and positivity. No matter the situation, they are always brimming with curiosity and smiles. Ponyo is especially gifted with the ability to bring about happiness wherever she goes. While she may be somewhat overzealous at times, she has a pure heart and strives for nothing more than to bring joy to those around her.
rebirth, inner calling, absolution, redemption, awakening ignoring the call The Bamboo Cutter and his wife watch as Kaguya leaves for the Moon with the Buddha. Kaguya eventually reveals herself to be a celestial being, having been exiled to Earth for breaking the law. But this was actually her wish, as she desired to live a “human� life. Even so, after she makes a silent plea to the Moon to save her from a political marriage, she is forced to return to her rightful place on the Moon. Her memories of Earth, however, stay with her as she leaves her parents behind.
completion, integration, accomplishment, travel failed plans, delays Arrietty’s family embark on a journey in search of a new home with Spiller, a Borrower her father met while foraging outside. As a result of being exposed to the human residents of their previous home, they are forced to flee and can only hope for safe travels. Arrietty, while initially reluctant to leave, is able to find closure with her human friend Sho and leaves a memento behind so that they may never forget each other. For Arrietty, this end is only the beginning.
GREETING YOUR NEIGHBORS
Here are several ways to use this deck for both fun and readings
PICKING A MOVIE
Can’t decide on a movie to watch? Shuffle your deck until a card pops out. Reference page 34 to find which movie that tarot card is inspired by and be prepared to watch a masterpiece.
THE GHIBLI SPREAD
Shuffle your deck at least five times. After stacking the deck, pull out the top six and bottom two cards for a total of eight. Arrange them in three rows (pictured below) to reveal secrets about your relationships. Relationships with Family
1
2
3
1. Past: parents and childhood influences 2. Present: the now 3. Future: starting a family or leaving one
Relationships with Friends
4
5
6
4. Conflicts: fights and disagreements 5. Opportunities: chances to bond 6. Outcomes
Relationship with Self
7 MOVIE: PRINCESS MONONOKE
8
7. Weaknesses: areas to work on or choices to reassess 8. Strengths: skills to continue cultivating
THE THREE-CARD SPREAD
After shuffling and stacking your deck, choose the top three cards and place them side by side. Use each card’s meaning to answer questions about your past, present and future.
PAST MEANING This card indicates what elements of your past may be holding you back or helping you grow. It can also uncover how your past may be affecting your present as well as how to move forward.
PRESENT MEANING This card displays what is currently happening in your life, including opportunities, events and energies. It can also expose the challenges you are presently facing and how to combat them.
FUTURE MEANING The final card reveals potential outcomes of the obstacles you are facing as well as what you may personally want from the situation. Lastly, it can tell you the general direction in which your life is going.
REFERENCES “3 Card Tarot Spread ~ Past, Present, Future.” Daily Tarot Girl, daily-tarot-girl.com/tarot-card spreads/3-card-tarot-spread-past-present-future/. “Appendix: Katakana Script.” Wiktionary, 2020, en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Katakana_script. “Ghibli Wiki.” Fandom, ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/Ghibli_Wiki. “Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings.” Biddy Tarot, 24 Apr. 2020, www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card meanings/major-arcana/. Richman-Abdou , Kelly. “The Spellbinding History of Tarot Cards, From a Mainstream Card Game to a Magical Ritual.” My Modern Met, 19 Apr. 2020, mymodernmet.com/history-of-tarot-cards/. “Tarot Cards - Tarot.com List.” Tarot.com, www.tarot.com/tarot/cards.
STUDIO GHIBLI REFERENCES FROM UP ON POPPY HILL: VI, XIV GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES: XVIII HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE: IX, XVI KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE: I, X LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY: XII MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO: 0 NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND: VIII PONYO ON THE CLIFF: IV, XIX
PRINCESS MONONOKE: XI, XIII SPIRITED AWAY: VII TALES FROM EARTHSEA: XV THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY: XXI THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA: II, XX THE WIND RISES: XVII WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE: III WHISPER OF THE HEART: V
FROM ME TO YOU... Dear Tarot Deck Holder, Thank you so much for choosing “My Neighbor Tarotto” as your designated tarot deck. This set took over 100 hours to completely illustrate and produce, but I loved the process every step of the way; thus, I hope you enjoy using these cards as much as I enjoyed making them. Furthermore, I hope using (or just looking at) these cards inspires your creative side and motivates you
to watch some Studio Ghibli movies yourself. Since I was a child, I’ve loved watching these movies, and I always marveled at the studio’s ability to create lush environments and intricate worlds. Hayao Miyazaki once said, “Reality is for people that lack imagination,” so go immerse yourself and have fun in the world crafted by Miyazaki and all the other animators at Studio Ghibli.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Heidi Peng is currently a sophomore at IU Bloomington. She studies Psychology and is also in the Graphic Design BFA program. She is adept in several programs like Adobe InDesign and Illustrator and is trying to learn new programs like Procreate. Use this link to view her work: heidipengdesign.com.
