Parody has always been a part of The Simpsons, but over the last couple of seasons, the show has done some so thorough that they feel more like tributes. There have been their takes on Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, The Hobbit, and the Guillermo del Toro–spearheaded tribute to horror. In this week’s episode, there is a nice homage to legendary and now retired animator Hayao Miyazaki. There’s Otto as a catbus, Smithers as a frog man, Moe as a scarecrow, Skinner as a kite, and enough whimsy to ruin a convenience store. (Watch an annotated version from Slate below the original.)
Watch The Simpsons’ Wonderful Hayao Miyazaki Tribute
