Postcrossing Salt Lake City | Studio Ghibli, Trolley Square & Malaysian Anime

Hello, my dear readers!

It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon (September 9, 2025), and as usual, I was checking my mailbox, hoping for something exciting. You know the feeling, right? Usually, it’s just a sad-looking an advertisement for a new hypermarket. But that day? That day was different.

There was a splash of color. A stiff, rectangular piece of joy that had traveled all the way from the other side of the world. I flipped it over and saw the stamp from USA. Specifically, Salt Lake City, Utah.

It had taken its sweet time to get here (the postmark said August!), but that just makes it more special. It’s 'snail mail' for a reason. It didn't fly here in an email; it took a boat, a plane, a truck and maybe a postman in an electric van to reach my hand here in Malaysia.

The Treasure | A Ghibli Masterpiece

Let’s talk about the picture on the card. If you are an Anime fan, your heart just skipped a beat. It’s a scene from Studio Ghibli’s movie, The Wind Rises (or in Japanese, Kaze Tachinu).

The picture shows two men in sharp 1930s suits standing on the wing of a giant airplane. One is Jiro Horikoshi, the genius engineer from Japan. The other is Giovanni Caproni, the famous Italian plane maker. They are staring at the sunset, wind blowing through their hair, dreaming about flying machines.

It is such a classic, dreamy image. It represents the beauty of having a big dream, even when the world around you is chaotic. Holding this Japanese art, sent by an American friend, while standing in the humid Malaysian heat... it felt like the whole world was connected in my hand.

The Story from Utah | Romance at the Trolley Square

Now, let’s flip the card over. The sender is a lovely lady named Michelle C. She didn't just write "Hi and Bye." She shared a beautiful little piece of her life.

She wrote:

"Hello from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 71°F and Cloudy. I hope this postcard finds you well. I picked it up in a shop in Trolley Square. It’s a mall converted from the old trolley hub located in the heart of Utah’s capital city. My husband proposed to me in the center hall by a huge Christmas tree almost 7 years ago. Enjoy!"

Okay, first of all, 71°F is about 21°C. That sounds like air-conditioning temperature to us Malaysians! Michelle must be enjoying the nice cool weather while we are sweating here.

But the part that really caught my attention was Trolley Square. Being the curious "Canonrider," I had to do some research.

Michelle didn't buy this card at a normal shopping mall. Trolley Square is a historic place. Back in 1908, it was a huge barn for parking electric streetcars (trolleys). Imagine big, red brick buildings, industrial iron and the sound of bells ringing as trolleys went out to carry people around the city.

But in the 1970s, when everyone started driving cars, the trolleys stopped. Usually, people would just knock these old buildings down. But Salt Lake City decided to save them! They turned the old barns into a beautiful marketplace.

Michelle told us that her husband proposed to her there, under a giant Christmas tree in the center hall. Isn't that romantic? Standing in a building that is over 100 years old, making a promise for the future. It adds so much "soul" to this postcard. It’s not just paper; it’s a memory.

The Anime Connection | From Japan to Malaysia

Looking at this card, I started thinking. This movie, The Wind Rises, is about a man who wanted to build the best technology for his country. He wanted to show the world that Japan could create something amazing.

And that made me think about Malaysia.

We used to just watch cartoons. I grew up watching Doraemon pulling tools out of his pocket. I watched Dragon Ball and tried to go "Super Saiyan" in front of the mirror (don't laugh, you did it too!). We were consumers. We bought what the world sold us.

But have you noticed what is happening lately? The "Malaysian Dragon" is waking up. We aren't just watching anymore. We are creating.

The Rise of the Local Heroes

If Jiro Horikoshi is the hero of Japanese engineering in the movie, who are our heroes?

First, we have the legends... Upin & Ipin. Some people might say, "Alah, that’s just for kids." But think about it. Those two bald twins are superstars! 

In Indonesia, they are like celebrities. You can’t walk down a street in Jakarta without hearing "Betul, betul, betul!" Les’ Copaque (the studio) did something brave. They didn't make a superhero movie. They showed the world our kampung. They showed our food, our games and our multicultural friendship. They proved that our culture is beautiful enough to be a global hit.

Then, we have the "Cool" gang... BoBoiBoy and Ejen Ali. The animation in these shows is no joke. It looks expensive. It looks like something you would see in a cinema in America. Ejen Ali, especially, talks about deep stuff like Artificial Intelligence and loyalty. It’s smart.

The Big Winner | Mechamato

But the biggest connection to this Japanese postcard is Mechamato. Did you hear the news? A while back, Mechamato (from Monsta Studio) went to Japan and won the "Anime Fan Award" at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival.

Let me repeat that. A Malaysian cartoon about a boy and a robot trash can went to Tokyo... the home of Anime, the land of Ghibli... and won the hearts of Japanese fans.

This is a huge deal! It’s like selling Nasi Lemak to a chef in Paris and him saying, "This is the best food ever." Japan respects our work now. We have officially entered the international arena.

Does It Matter? (The Impact on Our Kids)

So, does watching these cartoons actually change anything? Or is it just entertainment?

I think it changes everything.

When kids watch Studio Ghibli movies like The Wind Rises or Princess Mononoke, they learn about nature. They learn that war is sad. They learn that dreams are worth fighting for. It makes them softer, kinder human beings.

When our kids watch Malaysian Animation, they learn confidence. They see a hero like Ali or Amato who looks like them. They hear characters speaking in our accents. They see Cyberjaya looking cool and futuristic.

It tells our children: "Hey, you don't have to be American or Japanese to save the world. You can be Malaysian and still be a hero."

It shapes their identity. It makes them proud of who they are. That is a powerful thing.

Conclusion

So, thank you, Michelle from Utah. You sent me a postcard with a Japanese picture, bought in an American historic site, which made a Malaysian blogger think about his own country’s future.

That is the magic of Postcrossing. It connects the dots. It reminds us that whether we are in the snowy mountains of Salt Lake City or the humid streets of Putrajaya, we are all dreaming the same dreams.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to re-watch The Wind Rises... and maybe follow it up with the Mechamato Movie. Because let's be honest, seeing our local animation hit the big screen with such quality proves that the Malaysian Tiger is roaring just as loud as the Japanese Dragon.

Happy Postcrossing!