Have you ever watched a Ghibli movie and your stomach began to grumble as the characters chow down on the most delicious-looking piece of toast? You're not alone. Sprinkled throughout Ghibli's works, there are multiple moments in which characters simply eat quietly. The scenes are underscored by nonverbal hints of character relationships and the affirmation of bonds. Such cues include the care of cooking, a character's look of delight as the food is eaten and the comfort it brings. Such moments Hayao Miyazaki describes as Ma (間), meaning "emptiness" in japanese. Miyazaki describes Ma as the time between a clap. The balance of action with "emptiness" is what makes a character or story so extraordinary. Miyazaki explains, "If you just have nonstop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness. But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension." Ma is not just moments of meals, but can also be the journey, by foot or machine, from one point to the next. However one cannot deny that when watching Ghibli movies, the viewers feel as though they are also sitting at the table enjoying a meal. Food is sustenance, but so are the relationships we form alongside a warm bowl of soup.