Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿or 宮﨑 駿,Miyazaki Hayao;[mijaꜜzakihajao]; born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, andmanga artist. He co-foundedStudio Ghibli and serves as its honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator ofJapanese animated feature films, and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished filmmakers in thehistory of animation.
Miyazaki's works are frequentlysubject to scholarly analysis and have been characterized by the recurrence of themes such as humanity's relationship withnature and technology, the importance of art and craftsmanship, and the difficulty of maintaining apacifist ethic in a violent world. His protagonists are often strong girls or young women, and several of his films present morally ambiguous antagonists with redeeming qualities. Miyazaki's works have been highly praised andawarded; he was named aPerson of Cultural Merit for outstanding cultural contributions in 2012, received theAcademy Honorary Award for his impact on animation and cinema in 2014, and theRamon Magsaysay Award in 2024. Miyazaki has frequently been cited as an inspiration for numerous animators, directors, and writers.
Hayao Miyazaki was born on January 5, 1941, in the town Akebono-cho inHongō,Tokyo City,Empire of Japan, the second of four sons.[1][2][3][note 1] His father, Katsuji Miyazaki (born 1915),[1] was the director ofMiyazaki Airplane, his brother's company,[5] which manufactured rudders for fighter planes duringWorld War II.[4] The business allowed his family to remain affluent during Miyazaki's early life.[6][note 2] Miyazaki's father enjoyed purchasing paintings and demonstrating them to guests, but otherwise had little known artistic understanding.[3] He was in theImperial Japanese Army around 1940, discharged and lectured about disloyalty after declaring to his commanding officer that he wished not to fight because of his wife and young child.[8] According to Miyazaki, his father often told him about his exploits, claiming he continued to attend nightclubs after turning 70.[9] Katsuji Miyazaki died on March 18, 1993.[10] After his death, Miyazaki felt he had often looked at his father negatively and that he had never said anything "lofty or inspiring".[9] He regretted not having a serious discussion with his father, and felt he had inherited his "anarchistic feelings and his lack of concern about embracing contradictions".[9]
Several characters from Miyazaki's films were inspired by his mother Yoshiko.[note 3]
Some of Miyazaki's earliest memories are of "bombed-out cities".[11] In 1944, when he was three years old, Miyazaki's family evacuated toUtsunomiya.[4] Afterthe city was bombed in July 1945, they evacuated toKanuma.[6] The bombing left a lasting impression on Miyazaki, then aged four.[6] As a child, he suffered from digestive problems, and was told he would not live beyond 20, making him feel like anoutcast;[12][13] he considered himself "clumsy and weak", protected at school by his older brother.[14] From 1947 to 1955, Miyazaki's mother Yoshiko suffered fromspinal tuberculosis; she spent the first few years in hospital before being nursed from home,[4] forcing Miyazaki and his siblings to take over domestic duties.[15] Yoshiko was frugal,[3] and described as a strict, intellectual woman who regularly questioned "socially accepted norms".[5] She was closest with Miyazaki, and had a strong influence on him and his later work,[3] inspiring several of his characters.[12][16][note 3] Yoshiko Miyazaki died in July 1983 at the age of 72.[20][21]
Miyazaki began school as an evacuee in 1947,[4] at an elementary school in Utsunomiya, completing the first through third grades.[22] After his family moved back toSuginami-ku in 1950,[22][14] Miyazaki completed the fourth grade at Ōmiya Elementary School, and fifth grade at Eifuku Elementary School, which was newly established after splitting off from Ōmiya Elementary. After graduating from Eifuku as part of the first graduating class,[22] he attendedŌmiya Junior High School.[23] He aspired to become a manga artist,[24] but discovered he could not draw people; instead, he drew planes, tanks, and battleships for several years.[24] Miyazaki was influenced by several manga artists, such asTetsuji Fukushima,Soji Yamakawa andOsamu Tezuka. Miyazaki destroyed much of his early work, believing it was "bad form" to copy Tezuka's style as it was hindering his own development as an artist.[25][26][27] He preferred to see artists like Tezuka as fellow artists rather than idols to worship.[26] Around this time, Miyazaki often saw movies with his father, who was an avid moviegoer; memorable films for Miyazaki includeMeshi (1951) andTasogare Sakaba (1955).[28]
After graduating from Ōmiya Junior High, Miyazaki attended Toyotama High School.[28] During his third and final year, Miyazaki's interest in animation was sparked byPanda and the Magic Serpent (1958),[29] Japan's first feature-length animated film in color;[28] he had sneaked out to watch the film instead of studying for hisentrance exams.[3] Miyazaki later recounted that, falling in love with its heroine, the film moved him to tears and left a profound impression, prompting him to create work true to his own feelings instead of imitating popular trends;[30][31] he wrote the film's "pure, earnest world" promoted a side of him that "yearned desperately to affirm the world rather than negate it".[31] After graduating from Toyotama, Miyazaki attendedGakushuin University in the department ofpolitical economy, majoring in Japanese Industrial Theory;[28] he considered himself a poor student as he instead focused on art.[29] He joined the "Children's Literature Research Club", the "closest thing back then to a comics club";[32] he was sometimes the sole member of the club.[28] In his free time, Miyazaki would visit his art teacher from middle school and sketch in his studio, where the two would drink and "talk about politics, life, all sorts of things".[33] Around this time, he also drew manga; he never completed any stories, but accumulated thousands of pages of the beginnings of stories. He also frequently approached manga publishers to license their stories. In 1960, Miyazaki was a bystander during theAnpo protests, having developed an interest after seeing photographs inAsahi Graph; by that point, he was too late to participate in the demonstrations.[28] Miyazaki graduated from Gakushuin in 1963 with degrees inpolitical science andeconomics.[32]
Miyazaki first worked withIsao Takahata(pictured) in 1964, spawning a lifelong collaboration and friendship.[34][35][36]
In 1963, Miyazaki was employed atToei Doga;[34][32] this was the last year the company hired regularly.[37] He began renting a four-and-a-halftatami (7.4 m2; 80 sq ft) apartment inNerima, Tokyo, near Toei's studio; the rent was¥6,000,[37][34] while his salary at Toei was¥19,500.[37][note 4] Miyazaki worked as aninbetween artist on the theatrical feature filmsDoggie March (1963) andGulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon (1965) and the television animeWolf Boy Ken (1963).[38] His proposed changes to the ending ofGulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon were accepted by its director; he was uncredited but his work was praised.[39] Miyazaki found inbetween art unsatisfying and wanted to work on more expressive designs.[40] He was a leader in a labor dispute soon after his arrival at Toei, and became chief secretary of its labor union in 1964;[34] its vice-chairman wasIsao Takahata, with whom Miyazaki would form a lifelong collaboration and friendship.[40][36] Around this time, Miyazaki questioned his career choice and considered leaving the industry; a screening ofThe Snow Queen in 1964 moved him, prompting him to continue working "with renewed determination".[41]
During production of the anime seriesShōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru (1964–1965), Miyazaki moved from inbetween art to key animation,[42] and worked in the latter role on two episodes ofSally the Witch (1966–1968) and several ofHustle Punch (1965–1966) andRainbow Sentai Robin (1966–1967).[43][44][45] Concerned that opportunities for creative projects and feature films would become scarce following an increase in animated television, Miyazaki volunteered in 1964 to work on the filmThe Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968);[46][45] he was chief animator, concept artist, and scene designer,[47] credited as the latter.[48] On the film, he worked closely with his mentor,Yasuo Ōtsuka, whose approach to animation profoundly influenced Miyazaki's work.[47] Directed by Takahata, the film was highly praised and deemed a pivotal work in the evolution of animation,[49][50][51] though its limited release and minimal promotion led to disappointing box office results[48]—among Toei Animation's worst, which threatened the studio financially.[52] Miyazaki moved to a residence inHigashimurayama after his wedding in October 1965,[53] toŌizumigakuenchō after the birth of his second son in April 1969,[54] and toTokorozawa in 1970.[54]
Miyazaki provided key animation forThe Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots (1969), directed byKimio Yabuki.[55] He created a 12-chapter manga series as a promotionaltie-in for the film; the series ran in the Sunday edition ofTokyo Shimbun from January to March 1969.[56][57] Miyazaki later proposed scenes in the screenplay forFlying Phantom Ship (1969) in which military tanks would cause mass hysteria in downtown Tokyo, and was hired to storyboard and animate the scenes.[58] Beginning a shift towards slow-paced productions featuring mostly female protagonists,[59] he provided key animation forMoomin (1969), two episodes ofHimitsu no Akko-chan (1969–1970),[60][55] and one episode ofSarutobi Ecchan (1971), and was organizer and key animator forAli Baba and the Forty Thieves (1971).[61] Under thepseudonym Akitsu Saburō (秋津 三朗), Miyazaki wrote and illustrated themangaPeople of the Desert, published in 26 installments between September 1969 and March 1970 inBoys and Girls Newspaper (少年少女新聞,Shōnen shōjo shinbun).[54] He was influenced by illustrated stories such as Fukushima'sEvil Lord of the Desert (沙漠の魔王,Sabaku no maō).[62] In 1971, Miyazaki developed structure, characters, and designs forHiroshi Ikeda's adaptation ofAnimal Treasure Island,[56][57][63] providing key animation and script development.[64] He created the 13-part manga adaptation, printed inTokyo Shimbun from January to March 1971.[56][57][63]
Miyazaki left Toei Animation in August 1971,[65] having become dissatisfied by the lack of creative prospects and autonomy, and by confrontations with management regardingThe Great Adventure of Horus.[66] He followed Takahata andYōichi Kotabe toA-Pro,[65] where he directed, or co-directed with Takahata, 17 of the 23 episodes ofLupin the Third Part I,[61][67] originally intended as a movie project.[68] This was Miyazaki's directorial debut.[69] He and Takahata were engaged to emphasize the series' humor over its violence.[67] The two also began pre-production on a series based onAstrid Lindgren'sPippi Longstocking books, designing extensive storyboards;[65][70] Miyazaki andTokyo Movie Shinsha president Yutaka Fujioka traveled to Sweden to secure the rights—Miyazaki's first trip outside Japan and possibly the first overseas trip for any Japanese animator for a production[65][71]—but the series was canceled after they were unable to meet Lindgren, and permission was refused to complete the project.[65][70] Foreign travel left an impression on Miyazaki;[72][73] using concepts, scripts, design, and animation from the project,[68] he wrote, designed and animated twoPanda! Go, Panda! shorts in 1972 and 1973, with Takahata as director and Ōtsuka as animation director.[74][75] Their choice of pandas was inspired by the panda craze in Japan at the time.[72]
Miyazaki drew storyboards for the first episode ofThe Gutsy Frog in 1971 (though they went unused), provided key animation and storyboards for two episodes ofAkado Suzunosuke in 1972, and delivered key animation for one episode each ofKōya no Shōnen Isamu (directed by Takahata) andSamurai Giants in 1973.[76] In 1972, he directed a five-minutepilot film for the television seriesYuki's Sun; the series was never produced, and the pilot fell into obscurity before resurfacing as part of aBlu-ray release of Miyazaki's works in 2014.[77] In June 1973, Miyazaki and Takahata moved from A-Pro to Zuiyō Eizō,[78][65] where they worked onWorld Masterpiece Theater, which featured their animation seriesHeidi, Girl of the Alps, an adaptation ofJohanna Spyri'sHeidi.[78] The production team wanted the series to set new heights for television animation,[79] and Miyazaki traveled to Switzerland to research and sketch in preparation.[80] Zuiyō Eizō split into two companies in July 1975; Miyazaki and Takahata's branch becameNippon Animation.[78][81] They briefly worked onDog of Flanders in 1975 before moving on to the larger-scale3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1976), directed by Takahata, for which Miyazaki traveled to Argentina and Italy as research.[65][60]
In 1977, Miyazaki was chosen to direct his first animated television series,Future Boy Conan;[82] he directed 24 of the 26 episodes, which were broadcast in 1978.[65][83] Only eight episodes were completed when the series began airing; each episode was completed within ten to fourteen days.[82] An adaptation ofAlexander Key'sThe Incredible Tide,[84] the series features several elements that later reappeared in Miyazaki's work, such as warplanes, airplanes, and environmentalism. Also working on the series was Takahata, Ōtsuka, andYoshifumi Kondō, whom Miyazaki and Takahata had met at A-Pro.[65][85][86] Visually, Miyazaki was inspired byPaul Grimault'sThe Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird.[87] Miyazaki did key animation for thirty episodes of theWorld Masterpiece Theater seriesRascal the Raccoon (1977) and provided scene design and organization on the first fifteen episodes of Takahata'sAnne of Green Gables before leaving Nippon Animation in 1979.[88][83][89]
Miyazaki moved to Tokyo Movie Shinsha to direct his first feature anime film,The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), an installment of theLupin III franchise.[90][91] Ōtsuka had approached him to direct the film following the release ofLupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo (1978), and Miyazaki wrote the story withHaruya Yamazaki.[92] Wishing to insert his own creativity into the franchise, Miyazaki inserted several elements and references, inspired by several ofMaurice Leblanc'sArsène Lupin novels, on whichLupin III is based,[93] as well asThe Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird.[94] Visually, he was inspired by Kagoshima Publishing'sItalian Mountain Cities and the Tiber Estuary,[93] reflecting his love for Europe.[94] Production ran for four months[95] and the film was released on December 15, 1979; Miyazaki wished he could have had another month of production.[93] It was well received;[90]Animage readers voted it the best animation of all time—it remained in the top ten for more than fifteen years—and Clarisse the best heroine.[96] In 2005, former princessSayako Kuroda's wedding dress was reportedly inspired by Clarisse's, having been a fan of Miyazaki and his work.[97] Several Japanese and American filmmakers were inspired by the film, prompting homages in other works.[98]
Miyazaki became a chief animation instructor for new employees atTelecom Animation Film, a subsidiary of Tokyo Movie Shinsha.[99] and subsequently directed two episodes ofLupin the Third Part II under the pseudonym Teruki Tsutomu (照樹 務), which can read as "employee of Telecom".[88] In his role at Telecom, Miyazaki helped train the second wave of employees.[84] Miyazaki provided key animation for one episode ofThe New Adventures of Gigantor (1980–1981),[100] and directed six episodes ofSherlock Hound in 1981,[101] until legal issues withArthur Conan Doyle's estate led to a suspension in production;[102][103] Miyazaki was busy with other projects by the time the issues were resolved, and the remaining episodes were directed by Kyôsuke Mikuriya and broadcast from November 1984 to May 1985.[101][103] It was Miyazaki's final television work.[104] In 1982, Miyazaki, Takahata, and Kondō started work on a film adaptation ofLittle Nemo, but Miyazaki and Takahata left after a few months due to creative clashes with Fujioka (Kondō remained until 1985); the film was completed six years later asLittle Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989).[105][106] Miyazaki spent some time in the United States during the film's production.[107]
In the 1980s, Miyazaki began working withToshio Suzuki(pictured), who later produced most of his films at Studio Ghibli.
After the release ofThe Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki began working on his ideas for an animated film adaptation ofRichard Corben's comic bookRowlf and pitched the idea to Yutaka Fujioka at Tokyo Movie Shinsha. In November 1980, a proposal was drawn up to acquire the film rights.[108][109] Around that time, Miyazaki was also approached for a series of magazine articles byAnimage's editorial staff. EditorsToshio Suzuki and Osamu Kameyama took some of his ideas toAnimage's parent company,Tokuma Shoten, which had been considering funding animated films. Two projects were proposed:Warring States Demon Castle (戦国魔城,Sengoku ma-jō), to be set in theSengoku period; and the adaptation of Corben'sRowlf. Both were rejected, as the company was unwilling to fund anime not based on existing manga and the rights forRowlf could not be secured.[110][111] Elements of Miyazaki's proposal forRowlf were recycled in his later works.[112] With no films in production, Miyazaki agreed to develop a manga for the magazine, titledNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.[113][114]
Miyazaki had intended to stop making the manga when he received animation work; while he took some breaks in releases,[115] the manga ultimately ran from February 1982 to March 1994.[116] Miyazaki's busy schedule and perfectionist mindset led to several delays in publications, and on one occasion he withdrew some chapters before publication; he considered its continued publication a burden on his other work.[117] The story, as re-printed in thetankōbon volumes, spans seven volumes for a combined total of 1,060 pages.[116] It sold more than ten million copies in its first two years.[118] Miyazaki drew the episodes primarily in pencil, and it was printed monochrome in sepia-toned ink.[119][120][114] The main character,Nausicaä, was partly inspired bythe character fromHomer'sOdyssey (whom Miyazaki had discovered while readingBernard Evslin'sDictionary of Grecian Myths) and the Japanese folk taleThe Lady who Loved Insects, while the world and ecosystem was based on Miyazaki's readings of scientific, historical, and political writings, such asSasuke Nakao'sOrigins of Plant Cultivation and Agriculture,Eiichi Fujimori'sThe World of Jomon,Paul Carell'sHitler Moves East.[121][122] He was also inspired by the comic seriesArzach byJean Giraud, whom he met while working on the manga.[123][note 5]
In 1982, Miyazaki assisted with key animation for an unreleasedZorro series, and for the feature filmSpace Adventure Cobra: The Movie.[101][103] He resigned from Telecom Animation Film in November.[126] Around this time, he wrote the graphic novelThe Journey of Shuna, inspired by the Tibetan folk tale "Prince who became a dog". The novel was published by Tokuma Shoten in June 1983,[127] dramatized for radio broadcast in 1987,[128] and published in English asShuna's Journey in 2022.[129]Hayao Miyazaki's Daydream Data Notes was also irregularly published from November 1984 to October 1994 inModel Graphix;[130] selections of the stories received radio broadcast in 1995.[128] Following the completion ofNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind's first two volumes,Animage editors suggested a 15-minute short film adaptation. Miyazaki, initially reluctant, countered that an hour-long animation would be more suitable, and Tokuma Shoten agreed on a feature-length film.[105][131][132]
Production began on May 31, 1983, with animation beginning in August;[131] funding was provided through ajoint venture between Tokuma Shoten and the advertising agencyHakuhodo, for whom Miyazaki's youngest brother worked. Animation studioTopcraft was chosen as the production house.[105] Miyazaki found some of Topcraft's staff unreliable,[133] and brought on several of his previous collaborators, including Takahata, who served as producer,[134][135] though he was reluctant to do so.[136] Pre-production began on May 31, 1983; Miyazaki encountered difficulties in creating the screenplay, with only sixteen chapters of the manga to work with.[131] Takahata enlisted experimental and minimalist musicianJoe Hisaishi to compose the film's score;[136] he subsequently worked on all of Miyazaki's feature films.[137]
For the film, Miyazaki's imagination was sparked by the mercury poisoning ofMinamata Bay and how nature responded and thrived in a poisoned environment, using it to create the film's polluted world.[138][139] For the lead role of Nausicaä, Miyazaki castSumi Shimamoto, who had impressed him as Clarisse inThe Castle of Cagliostro and Maki inLupin the Third Part II.[140]Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was created in ten months,[135] and released on March 11, 1984.[141] It grossed ¥1.48 billion at thebox office, and made an additional ¥742 million in distribution income.[142] It is often seen as Miyazaki's pivotal work, cementing his reputation as an animator.[143] It was lauded for its positive portrayal of women, particularly Nausicaä.[144][145][146] Several critics have labeledNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as possessinganti-war andfeminist themes; Miyazaki argues otherwise, stating he only wishes to entertain.[147] He felt Nausicaä's ability to understand her opponent rather than simply defeat them meant she had to be female.[148] The successful cooperation on the creation of the manga and the film laid the foundation for other collaborative projects.[149] In April 1984, Miyazaki and Takahata created a studio to handle copyright of their work, naming it Nibariki (meaning "Two-Horse Power", the nickname for theCitroën 2CV, which Miyazaki drove), for which an office was secured in Suginami Ward,[105][150][151] with Miyazaki serving as the senior partner.[117]
Miyazaki and Takahata founded the animation production companyStudio Ghibli(offices pictured in 2023) in June 1985.[152]
Following the success ofNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,[153] Miyazaki and Takahata[note 6] founded the animation production companyStudio Ghibli on June 15, 1985, as a subsidiary of Tokuma Shoten,[152][note 7] with offices inKichijōji designed by Miyazaki.[157] The studio's name had been registered a year earlier;[158] Miyazaki named it after the nickname of theCaproni Ca.309 aircraft,[159] meaning "a hot wind that blows in the desert" in Italian.[160] Suzuki worked for Studio Ghibli as producer,[161] joining full-time in 1989,[162] while Topcraft's Tōru Hara became production manager;[117] Suzuki's role in the creation of the studio and its films has led him to being occasionally named a co-founder,[163][164] and Hara is often viewed as influential to the company's success.[165] Yasuyoshi Tokuma, the founder of Tokuma Shoten, was also closely related to the company's creation, having provided financial backing.[166] Topcraft had been considered as a partner to produce Miyazaki's next film, but the company went bankrupt in 1985.[167] Several staff members subsequently hired at Studio Ghibli—up to 70 full-time and 200 part-time employees in 1985—had previously worked with Miyazaki at different studios, such as Telecom, Topcraft, and Toei Doga, and others likeMadhouse, Inc. andOh! Production.[165]
In 1984, Miyazaki traveled to Wales, drawing the mining villages and communities ofRhondda; he witnessed theminers' strike and admired the miners' dedication to their work and community.[161][168] He was angered by the "military superpowers" of theRoman Empire who conquered theCelts and felt this anguish, alongside the miners' strike, was perceptible in Welsh communities.[169] He returned in May 1985 to research his next film,Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the first by Studio Ghibli.[170][171] Its tight production schedule forced Miyazaki to work all day, including before and after normal working hours, and he wrote lyrics for its end theme.[161] Miyazaki used the floating island of Laputa fromGulliver's Travels in the film.[172]Laputa was released on August 2, 1986, by theToei Company.[173] It sold around 775,000 tickets,[174] making a modest financial return,[175] though Miyazaki and Suzuki expressed their disappointment with its box office figures of approximatelyUS$2.5 million.[170][176][177]
After the success ofNausicaä, Miyazaki visitedYanagawa and considered imitating it in an animated film, fascinated by its canal system; instead, Takahata directed a live-action documentary about the region,The Story of Yanagawa's Canals (1987). Miyazaki produced and financed the film, and provided several animated sequences.[178][161] Its creation spanned four years, and Miyazaki considered it his social responsibility—to both Japanese society and filmmaking—in seeing it produced.[179]Laputa was created partly to fund production of the documentary, for which Takahata had depleted his funds.[180] In June 1985,Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released in the United States asWarriors of the Wind, with significant cuts;[161][181] almost 30 minutes of dialogue and character development were removed, erasing parts of its plot and themes.[161][182] Miyazaki and Takahata subsequently refused to consider Western releases of their films for the following decade.[161]
My Neighbor Totoro andKiki's Delivery Service (1987–1989)
Miyazaki's next film,My Neighbor Totoro, originated in ideas he had as a child; he felt "Totoro is where my consciousness began".[184] An attempt to pitchMy Neighbor Totoro to Tokuma Shoten in the early 1980s had been unsuccessful, and Miyazaki faced difficulty in attempting to pitch it again in 1987. Suzuki proposed thatTotoro be released as adouble bill alongside Takahata'sGrave of the Fireflies; as the latter, based onthe 1967 short story byAkiyuki Nosaka, had historical value, Suzuki predicted school students would be taken to watch both.[185]Totoro features the theme of the relationship between the environment and humanity, showing that harmony is the result of respecting the environment.[186] The film also references Miyazaki's mother; the child protagonists' mother is bedridden.[187] As withLaputa, Miyazaki wrote lyrics forTotoro's end theme.[188]
Miyazaki struggled with the film's script until he read aMainichi Graph story about Japan forty years prior, opting to set the film in the country before Tokyo's expansion and the advent of television. Miyazaki has subsequently donated money and artwork to fund preservation of the forested land inSaitama Prefecture, in which the film is set.[187] Production ofMy Neighbor Totoro began in April 1987 and took exactly a year;[189] it was released on April 16, 1988.[190] While the film received critical acclaim, it was only moderately successful at the box office.[183][191] Studio Ghibli approved merchandising rights in 1990, which led to major commercial success; merchandise profits alone were able to sustain the studio for years.[183] The film was labeled a cult classic,[191] eventually gaining success in the United States after its release in 1993,[183] where its home video release sold almost 500,000 copies.[192] Akira Kurosawa said the film moved him, naming it among his hundred favorite films—one of few Japanese films to be named.[193] Anasteroid discovered byTakao Kobayashi in December 1994 was named after the film:10160 Totoro.[194]
In 1987, Studio Ghibli acquired therights to create a film adaptation ofEiko Kadono's novelKiki's Delivery Service. Miyazaki's work onMy Neighbor Totoro prevented him from directing the adaptation; he acted as producer, whileSunao Katabuchi was chosen as director and Nobuyuki Isshiki as script writer.[195][196] Miyazaki's dissatisfaction of Isshiki's first draft led him to make changes to the project, ultimately taking the role of director. Kadono expressed her dissatisfaction with the differences between the book and screenplay, but Miyazaki and Takahata convinced her to let production continue.[197][196] The film was originally intended to be a 60-minute special, but expanded into a feature film after Miyazaki completed the storyboards and screenplay.[198] Miyazaki felt the struggles of the protagonist, Kiki, reflected the feelings of young girls in Japan yearning to live independently in cities,[199] while her talents reflected those of real girls, despite her magical powers.[200] In preparation for production, Miyazaki and other senior staff members traveled to Sweden, where they captured eightyrolls of film inStockholm andVisby, the former being the primary inspiration behind the film's city.[201]Kiki's Delivery Service premiered on July 29, 1989;[202] it was critically successful, winning theAnime Grand Prix. With more than 2.6 million tickets sold,[203] it earned ¥2.15 billion at the box office[204] and was the highest-grossing film in Japan in 1989.[205] Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli personally approved the subsequent English translations.[197]
From March to May 1989, Miyazaki's mangaHikōtei Jidai was published in the magazineModel Graphix,[206] based on an earlier film idea he had assigned to a younger director in 1988 that fell through due to creative differences.[207][130] Miyazaki began production on a 45-minute in-flight film forJapan Airlines based on the manga; Suzuki extended it into a feature-length film, titledPorco Rosso, as expectations and budget grew.[207][208] Miyazaki began work on the film with little assistance, as its production overlapped with Takahata'sOnly Yesterday (1991), which Miyazaki co-produced.[209][210] The outbreak of theYugoslav Wars in 1991 affected Miyazaki, prompting a more sombre tone forPorco Rosso;[211] theCroatian War of Independence moved the film's setting fromDubrovnik to theAdriatic Sea.[212] Miyazaki later referred to the film as "foolish", as its mature tones were unsuitable for children,[213] noting he had made it for his "own pleasure" due to his love of planes.[214]
Except for theCurtiss R3C-2, all planes inPorco Rosso are original creations from Miyazaki's imagination, based on his childhood memories.[215] The film also pays homage to the work ofFleischer Studios andWinsor McCay, which were influential to Japanese animation in the 1940s.[216] The film featured anti-war themes, which Miyazaki would later revisit.[217][218] The protagonist's name, Marco Pagot, is the same as an Italian animator with whom Miyazaki had worked onSherlock Hound.[219] Some female staff at Studio Ghibli considered the film's Piccolo factory—led by a man and staffed by women—an intentional mirroring of Studio Ghibli's staff, of whom many are women; some viewed it as Miyazaki's respect for their work ethic, though others felt it implied women were easier to exploit.[220] Japan Airlines remained a major investor in the film, resulting in its initial premiere as an in-flight film,[211] prior to its theatrical release on July 18, 1992.[221] It was Miyazaki's first film not to topAnimage's yearly reader poll, which has been attributed to its mature focus.[222] The film was commercially successful, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year in Japan;[149] it remained one of the highest-grossing films for several years.[223]
During production ofPorco Rosso, Miyazaki spearheaded work on Studio Ghibli's new studio inKoganei, Tokyo, designing the blueprints, selecting materials, and working with builders.[149] The studio opened in August 1992,[224] and the staff moved in shortly afterPorco Rosso's release.[149] Around this time, Miyazaki started work on the final volumes of the mangaNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which he created in-house at Studio Ghibli.[225] In November, twotelevision spots directed by Miyazaki were broadcast byNippon Television Network (NTV):Sora Iro no Tane, a 90-second spot adapted from the illustrated storySora Iro no Tane byRieko Nakagawa and Yuriko Omura; andNandarou, a series of four five-second advertisements featuring an undefinable creature.[226][227] Miyazaki assisted with the concept of Takahata'sPom Poko (1994),[226] and designed the storyboards and wrote the screenplay for Kondō'sWhisper of the Heart (1995), being particularly involved in the latter's fantasy sequences.[228] Critics and fans began to see Kondō as "theheir-apparent" to Studio Ghibli.[225]
Princess Mononoke and global emergence (1995–1997)
Miyazaki used3D rendering inPrincess Mononoke (1997) to create writhing "demon flesh" and composite them onto the hand-drawn characters. Approximately five minutes of the film use similar techniques.[229]
Miyazaki's next film,Princess Mononoke, originated in sketches he had made in the late 1970s, based on Japanese folklore and the French fairytaleBeauty and the Beast; his original ideas were rejected, and he published his sketches and initial story idea in a book in 1982.[230][231] He revisited the project after the success ofPorco Rosso allowed him more creative freedom.[230] He chose theMuromachi period for the setting as he felt Japanese people stopped worshiping nature and began attempting to control it. Miyazaki began writing the film'streatment in August 1994. While experiencingwriter's block in December,[232] Miyazaki accepted a request to createOn Your Mark, a music video forthe song byChage and Aska. He experimented with computer animation to supplement traditional animation.On Your Mark premiered as a short beforeWhisper of the Heart.[233] The video's story was partly inspired by theChernobyl disaster.[234] Miyazaki intentionally made it cryptic, wanting viewers to interpret it themselves.[235] Despite the video's popularity, Suzuki said it was not given "100 percent" focus.[236]
Miyazaki completedPrincess Mononoke's formal proposal in April 1995 and began working on storyboards in May.[232] He had intended it to be his final directorial work at Studio Ghibli, citing his poorer eyesight and physical pains.[225][237][238] In July 1996,the Walt Disney Company offered Tokuma Shoten a deal to distribute Studio Ghibli's films worldwide (except forSoutheast Asia) through itsBuena Vista andMiramax Films brands. Miyazaki approved the deal, not personally interested in the money and wanting to support Tokuma Shoten, who had earlier supported him.[239] In May 1995, Miyazaki took four art directors toYakushima—which had previously provided inspiration forNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind—to research the forests as inspiration; another art director,Kazuo Oga, traveled toShirakami-Sanchi.[240] The landscapes in the film were inspired by Yakushima.[241] InPrincess Mononoke, Miyazaki revisited the ecological and political themes ofNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.[242] His historical research, including that of Eiichi Fujimori, led him to the conclusion that women had more freedom during the prehistoricJomon period, and he opted to focus on ordinary people in society.[243]
Miyazaki felt the melancholy of the protagonist, Ashitaka, reflected his own attitude, while he compared Ashitaka's scar to modern physical conditions that children endure, likeAIDS. Animation work began in July 1995,[244] before the storyboards were completed—a first for Miyazaki.[212] He supervised the 144,000cels in the film, about 80,000 of which were key animation.[245][246]Princess Mononoke was produced with an estimated budget of ¥2.35 billion (approximatelyUS$23.5 million),[247] making it the most expensive Japanese animated film at the time.[248] Approximately fifteen minutes of the film uses computer animation: about five minutes uses techniques such as3D rendering, digital composition, andtexture mapping; the remaining ten minutes usesdigital ink and paint.[229] While the original intention was to digitally paint 5,000 of the film's frames, time constraints doubled this, though it remained below ten percent of the final film.[249] Animation was completed in mid-June 1997.[232] Miyazaki collaborated directly with Hisaishi on the soundtrack from early in production; Hisaishi wrote an "image album" of pieces inspired by the story, which were reworked as production continued.[238]
Upon its premiere on July 12, 1997,[250]Princess Mononoke was critically acclaimed, becoming the first animated film nominated for theJapan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year, which it won.[251] The film was also commercially successful; it was watched by twelve million people by November, grossingUS$160 million,[252] and became thehighest-grossing film in Japan for several months.[253][note 8] Itshome video release sold over two million copies within three weeks,[note 9] and over four million by December 1998.[240] For the North American release, Miramax sought to make some cuts to obtain a lower rating thanPG-13, but Studio Ghibli refused.[254]Neil Gaiman wrote the English-language script; Miyazaki met him in September 1999 when he traveled to the United States for the film's release and expressed his pleasure at Gaiman's work.[255][256] While it was largely unsuccessful at the American box office, grossing aboutUS$2.3 million,[257] it was seen as the introduction of Studio Ghibli to global markets.[237]
Spirited Away and international acclaim (1997–2001)
Miyazaki opened his own personal office in 1998, named Buta-ya ("pig house").[151]
In 1997, Miyazaki contributed toVisionaire, an arthouse magazine.[258] Tokuma Shoten merged with Studio Ghibli in June 1997.[224] Within walking distance of Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki designed his private office, which he named Buta-ya (meaning "pig house").[259][151] It was intended as his retirement office for personal projects;[260] he held his farewell party there in January 1998,[259] having left Studio Ghibli on January 14 to be succeeded by Kondō. However, Kondō's death on January 21 impacted Miyazaki, and within days it was announced he would return to Studio Ghibli to direct a new film.[212][259] A manga by Miyazaki,Doromamire no Tora, was published inModel Graphix in December 1998, based on a book by German tank commanderOtto Carius.[261] Miyazaki officially returned to Studio Ghibli as its leader on January 16, 1999, taking an active role in employee organization.[260][212]
From 1998, Miyazaki worked on designs for theGhibli Museum, dedicated to showcasing the studio's works, including several exclusive short films, for which production began in July 1999. Construction for the museum began in March 2000, and it officially opened on October 1, 2001, featuring the short filmKujiratori. Miyazaki served as its executive director.[262] In 1999, a Japanese theme park engaged Studio Ghibli to create a 20-minute short film about cats; Miyazaki agreed on the condition that it featured returning characters fromWhisper of the Heart.Aoi Hiiragi wrote a manga based on the concept, titledBaron: The Cat Returns. When the theme park withdrew, Miyazaki expanded the idea into a 45-minute film and, wanting to foster new talent at the studio, assigned it to first-time directorHiroyuki Morita.[263][264] The film was released asThe Cat Returns in 2002.[265]
Miyazaki's next film was conceived while on vacation at a mountain cabin with his family and five young girls who were family friends. Miyazaki realized he had not created a film for 10-year-old girls and set out to do so. He readshōjō manga magazines likeNakayoshi andRibon for inspiration but felt they only offered subjects on "crushes and romance", which is not what the girls "held dear in their hearts"; he decided to produce the film about a female heroine whom they could look up to,[266] based on two of the girls he had met.[267] Production of the film, titledSpirited Away, commenced in 2000 on a budget of ¥1.9 billion (US$15 million). As withPrincess Mononoke, the staff experimented with computer animation, but kept the technology at a level to enhance the story, not to "steal the show".[268]Spirited Away deals with symbols of human greed, symbolizing the 1980sJapanese asset price bubble,[269] and aliminal journey through the realm of spirits.[270][note 10] The film was released on July 20, 2001; it received critical acclaim, winning the Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year.[271][272] The film was commercially successful, selling a record-breaking 21.4 million tickets and earning ¥30.4 billion (US$289.1 million) at the box office.[273][274] It became the highest-grossing film in Japan, a record it maintained for almost 20 years,[275][note 11] and was the first Japanese film to earnUS$200 million internationally, prior to its American release.[273]
Kirk Wise directed the English-language version ofSpirited Away ;Pixar'sJohn Lasseter wanted Miyazaki to travel to the United States to work on the translated version, but Miyazaki trusted Lasseter to handle it.[276]Spirited Away's hopping lamp character is seen as an homage to Lasseter's characterLuxo Jr.[277] The film's successful American release through Buena Vista cemented Studio Ghibli's reputation in Western regions[278][279][280] and established Miyazaki's popularity in North America;[281] it was the first animated film to win theGolden Bear at theBerlin International Film Festival (tied withBloody Sunday)[276] and the first Japanese film to win theBest Animated Feature at theAcademy Awards,[278] alongside several other accolades.[282] It has been frequently ranked among the greatest films of the 21st century.[283][284][285] Upon completing the film, like withPrincess Mononoke, Miyazaki declared it his last.[286] He traveled to France in December 2001 and the United States in September 2002 to promote the film.[287] Following the death of Tokuma in September 2000, Miyazaki served as the head of his funeral committee.[255] Miyazaki wrote and directed more short films for the Ghibli Museum:Koro's Big Day Out, which screened from January 2002, andMei and the Kittenbus, which screened from October.[288] One of the short films,Imaginary Flying Machines, was later screened asin-flight entertainment by Japan Airlines alongsidePorco Rosso.[289]
Studio Ghibli announced the production ofHowl's Moving Castle in September 2001, based onthe novel byDiana Wynne Jones,[290] which Miyazaki had read in 1999.[291] Toei Animation'sMamoru Hosoda was originally selected to direct the film, but disagreements between Hosoda and Studio Ghibli executives led to the project's abandonment in 2002.[292][293] After six months, Studio Ghibli resurrected the project. Miyazaki was inspired to direct the film, struck by the image of a castle moving around the countryside; the novel does not explain how the castle moved, which led to Miyazaki's designs.[3] Some computer animation was used to animate the castle's movements,[294] though Miyazaki dictated it consist of no more than 10 percent of the film.[293] Miyazaki traveled toColmar andRiquewihr inAlsace, France, to study the architecture and the surroundings for the film's setting,[295] while additional inspiration came from the concepts of future technology inAlbert Robida's work.[296] The war featured in the film was thematically influenced bythe 2003 invasion and subsequentwar in Iraq, the events of which enraged Miyazaki.[297]
Howl's Moving Castle was released on November 20, 2004, and received widespread critical acclaim. The film received theGolden Osella for Technical Excellence at the61st Venice International Film Festival,[298] and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.[299] In Japan, the film sold more than 1.1 million tickets within two days[300] and grossed a recordUS$14.5 million in its first week.[3] It became Japan's third-highest-grossing film,[300] and remains among the top rankings with a worldwide gross of over ¥19.3 billion.[301] Miyazaki received the honorary Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award at the62nd Venice International Film Festival in 2005.[302] He visited the United States in June 2005 to promote the film.[303]
In March 2005, Studio Ghibli split from Tokuma Shoten,[304] and Miyazaki became corporate director.[303] AfterHowl's Moving Castle, Miyazaki created some short films for the Ghibli Museum, for which he returned solely to traditional animation techniques;[294] all three began screening in January 2006.[305] Studio Ghibli obtained the rights to produce an adaptation ofUrsula K. Le Guin'sEarthsea novels in 2003;[306] Miyazaki had contacted her in the 1980s expressing interest but she declined, unaware of his work. Upon watchingMy Neighbor Totoro several years later, she expressed approval to the concept and met with Suzuki in August 2005, who wanted Miyazaki's sonGoro to direct the film, as Miyazaki had wished to retire. Disappointed that Miyazaki was not directing but under the impression he would supervise his son's work, Le Guin approved of the film's production.[307] Miyazaki later publicly opposed and criticized Goro's appointment as director.[308] The film's designs were partly inspired by Miyazaki's mangaThe Journey of Shuna.[309] During a screening of the film, Miyazaki commented, "You shouldn't make a picture based on your emotions".[12] He later wrote a message for his son: "It was made honestly, so it was good".[310]
In February 2006, Miyazaki traveled to the United Kingdom to researchA Trip to Tynemouth (based onRobert Westall's "Blackham's Wimpy"), for which he designed the cover, created a short manga, and worked as editor;[311] it was released in October.[312] Miyazaki's next film,Ponyo, began production in May 2006.[313] It was initially inspired by "The Little Mermaid" byHans Christian Andersen, though began to take its own form as production continued.[314] Miyazaki aimed for the film to celebrate the innocence and cheerfulness of a child's universe.[313] He was intimately involved with the artwork, preferring to draw the sea and waves himself, as he enjoyed experimenting.[315] Two short films—Looking for a Home andWater Spider Monmon—were made for the Ghibli Museum shortly beforePonyo entered production as animation experiments for sea life.[316]
Ponyo features 170,000 frames—a record for Miyazaki.[317] Its seaside village was inspired byTomonoura, a town inSetonaikai National Park, where Miyazaki stayed in 2004.[318] The main character, Sōsuke, is based on Gorō.[319] Following its release on July 19, 2008,Ponyo was critically acclaimed, receiving Animation of the Year at the32nd Japan Academy Film Prize.[320] The film was also a commercial success, earning ¥10 billion (US$93.2 million) in its first month[319] and ¥15.5 billion by the end of 2008, placing it among the highest-grossing films in Japan;[321] its box office earnings outpaced its ¥3.4 billion budget fivefold.[322] In April 2008, Miyazaki founded Home of the Three Bears, a preschool for the children of Studio Ghibli employees for which he had worked on early architectural plans.[323]
Miyazaki wanted his next film to be a sequel toPonyo, but Suzuki convinced him to instead adaptKaze Tachinu to film.[333] In November 2012, Studio Ghibli announced the production ofThe Wind Rises, based onKaze Tachinu, to be released as a double bill alongside Takahata'sThe Tale of the Princess Kaguya;[334] the latter was ultimately delayed.[335] Miyazaki was inspired to createThe Wind Rises after reading a quote from Horikoshi: "All I wanted to do was to make something beautiful".[324] Several scenes inThe Wind Rises were inspired byTatsuo Hori's novelThe Wind Has Risen (風立ちぬ), in which Hori wrote about his life experiences with his fiancée before she died from tuberculosis. The female lead character's name, Naoko Satomi, was borrowed from Hori's novelNaoko (菜穂子),[336] while the name of a German man, Hans Castorp, taken fromThomas Mann'sThe Magic Mountain.[337] Naoko's struggles with tuberculosis echo the illness of Miyazaki's mother, and Horikoshi's story of growing from a young boy dreaming of airplanes to an inspirational artist is reflective of Miyazaki's own life.[338]
The Wind Rises reflects Miyazaki's pacifist stance,[324] continuing the themes of his earlier works, despite stating that condemning war was not the intention of the film;[339] he felt that, despite his occupation, Horikoshi was not militant.[340] Miyazaki was moved by the film, the first of his own works to make him cry.[341] As Horikoshi, he castHideaki Anno, who had worked onNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and is known for creatingNeon Genesis Evangelion.[342] The film premiered on July 20, 2013,[324] It received critical acclaim for its animation, narrative, and characters, though some viewers were critical of the film's focus on Horikoshi due to the impacts of his inventions and others were disappointed by its lack of fantastical elements.[343] It was named Animation of the Year at the37th Japan Academy Film Prize[344] and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the86th Academy Awards.[345] It was commercially successful, grossing ¥11.6 billion (US$110 million) at the Japanese box office, becoming the highest-grossing film in Japan in 2013.[346] The film's production was documented in Mami Sunada'sThe Kingdom of Dreams and Madness.[342][347]
Retirement andThe Boy and the Heron (2013–present)
In September 2013, Miyazaki announced he was retiring from the production of feature films due to his age, but wished to continue working on the displays at the Ghibli Museum.[348][349] Miyazaki was awarded theAcademy Honorary Award at theGovernors Awards in November 2014.[350] He developedBoro the Caterpillar, an animated short film which was first discussed during pre-production forPrincess Mononoke.[351] It was screened exclusively at the Ghibli Museum in July 2017.[352] Around this time, Miyazaki was working on a manga titledTeppo Samurai.[353] In February 2019, a four-part documentary was broadcast on theNHK network titled10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki, documenting production of his films in his private studio.[354] In 2019, Miyazaki approved a musical adaptation ofNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, as it was performed by akabuki troupe.[355]
In August 2016, Miyazaki proposed a new feature-length film,Kimi-tachi wa Dō Ikiru ka (titledThe Boy and the Heron in English), on which he began animation work without receiving official approval.[352] The film opened in Japanese theaters on July 14, 2023.[356] It was preceded by a minimal marketing campaign, forgoing trailers, commercials, and advertisements, a response from Suzuki to his perceived oversaturation of marketing materials in mainstream films.[357] It was commercially successful, grossingUS$294.2 million worldwide,[358] making it one of the highest-grossing anime films in several countries and one of the highest-grossing Japanese films ever.[359][360][361] The film's production was documented in Kaku Arakawa'sHayao Miyazaki and the Heron.[362]
The Boy and the Heron won Miyazaki his second Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the96th Academy Awards,[363] becoming the oldest director to do so andthe first two-time Japanese winner in the category (and second overall); Miyazaki did not attend the show due to his advanced age.[364] Despite claims thatThe Boy and the Heron would be Miyazaki's final film, Studio Ghibli vice president Junichi Nishioka said in September 2023 that Miyazaki continued to attend the office daily to plan his next film.[365] Suzuki said he could no longer convince Miyazaki to retire.[366] Studio Ghibli became a subsidiary ofNippon Television Holdings in October 2023, with Miyazaki as its honorary chairman.[367]
"If you don't spend time watching real people, you can't do this, because you've never seen it. Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves. Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people... It's produced by humans who can't stand looking at other humans. And that's why the industry is full ofotaku !"
Miyazaki has often criticized the state of the animation industry, stating that some animators lack a foundational understanding of their subjects and do not prioritize realism.[369] He is particularly critical of Japanese animation, saying that anime is "produced by humans who can't stand looking at other humans ... that's why the industry is full ofotaku !"[368] He has frequently criticizedotaku, including "fanatics" of guns and fighter aircraft, declaring it a "fetish" and refusing to identify himself as such.[370][371] He bemoaned the state ofDisney animated films in 1988, saying "they show nothing but contempt for the audience".[372]
Miyazaki has criticized the use ofartificial intelligence (AI) in animation. When shown an animatedzombie generated by artificial intelligence in 2016, Miyazaki was reminded of his friend with a disability and felt the animator "has no idea what pain is whatsoever"; he was "utterly disgusted" by the work, which he called "an insult to life itself", with no plans to use artificial intelligence at Studio Ghibli.[373][374] Miyazaki's comments resurfaced in March 2025 after thegenerative artificial intelligence modelChatGPT was updated to produce works strongly resembling artists' styles, including Studio Ghibli's. Many criticized the update, citing Miyazaki's comments;[375][376][377] actress and directorZelda Williams wrote "fuck AI", noting Miyazaki would "absolutely despise thetechnological piracy andnegative effects on our environment".[378]
Miyazaki considers himself "traditionally ... aleftist in terms of emotional affinity", emphasizing his commitment to his ideals despite changing political and economic landscapes.[379] He abandoned hisMarxist values while creatingNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as he felt Nausicaä's status in an elite class did not affect herclass consciousness, recognizing that "No matter what class people are born into, idiots are still idiots and good people are still good".[380] After the release ofThe Wind Rises in 2013, Miyazaki recognized leftist values in his movies, citing his influence bycommunism as defined byKarl Marx, but criticized real experiments ofsocialism in countries likethe Soviet Union.[381]
Miyazaki felt events likeJapan's ownership of theLiaodong Peninsula and itsinvasion of Manchuria led him to lack an affinity for his homeland, though in his thirties he examined that the land itself had "tremendous power".[382] In 2013, he criticizedJapanese Prime MinisterShinzo Abe's proposed Constitutional amendment that would allow Abe to revise the clause outlawing war as a means to settle international disputes.[note 12] Miyazaki felt Abe wished to "leave his name in history as a great man who revised the Constitution and its interpretation", describing it as "despicable"[384] and stating "People who don't think enough shouldn't meddle with the constitution".[385] In 2015, Miyazaki disapproved Abe's denial of Japan's military aggression, stating Japan "should clearly say that [they] inflicted enormous damage on China and express deep remorse over it".[384] He felt the government should give a "proper apology" to Koreancomfort women who were forced to service the Japanese army during World War II and suggested theSenkaku Islands be "split in half" or controlled by both China and Japan.[217] In 2024, Miyazaki acknowledged the "terrible things" Japan committed against the Philippinesduring the war.[386]
WhenSpirited Away was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003, Miyazaki refused to attend in protest of the United States's involvement in the Iraq War, and later said he "didn't want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq".[387] He did not publicly express this opinion at the request of his producer until 2009 when he lifted his boycott and attendedSan Diego Comic-Con as a favor to his friend John Lasseter.[387] Miyazaki also expressed his opinion aboutthe terrorist attack at the offices of the Frenchsatirical magazineCharlie Hebdo, criticizing the magazine's decision to publish the content cited as the catalyst for the incident; he felt caricatures should be made of politicians, not cultures.[388] In November 2016, Miyazaki believed "many of the people who voted forBrexit andTrump" were affected by the increase in unemployment due to companies "building cars in Mexico because of low wages and [selling] them in the US".[389] He did not think Donald Trump would beelected president, calling it "a terrible thing", but said Trump's political opponentHillary Clinton was "terrible as well".[389]
Miyazaki's works are characterized by the recurrence of themes such as feminism,[390][391][392]environmentalism,pacifism,[393][394][395] love, and family.[396][397][398] His narratives are also notable for not pitting a hero against an unsympathetic antagonist;[399][400][401] Miyazaki feltSpirited Away's Chihiro "manages not because she has destroyed the 'evil', but because she has acquired the ability to survive".[402]
Miyazaki's films often emphasize environmentalism and the Earth's fragility.[403]Margaret Talbot stated Miyazaki dislikes modern technology, and believes much of modern culture is "thin and shallow and fake"; he anticipates a time with "no more high-rises".[404] Miyazaki felt frustrated growing up in theShōwa period from 1955 to 1965 because "nature—the mountains and rivers—was being destroyed in the name of economic progress".[405] Peter Schellhase ofThe Imaginative Conservative identified that several antagonists of Miyazaki's films "attempt to dominate nature in pursuit of political domination, and are ultimately destructive to both nature and human civilization".[398] Miyazaki is critical of exploitation under both communism andcapitalism, as well asglobalization and its effects on modern life, believing "a company is common property of the people that work there".[406] Ram Prakash Dwivedi identified values ofMahatma Gandhi in the films of Miyazaki.[407]
Several of Miyazaki's films feature anti-war themes. Daisuke Akimoto ofAnimation Studies categorizedPorco Rosso as "anti-war propaganda" and felt the protagonist, Porco, transforms into a pig partly due to his extreme distaste of militarism.[note 13] Akimoto also argues thatThe Wind Rises reflects Miyazaki's "antiwar pacifism", despite Miyazaki stating that the film does not attempt to "denounce" war.[408] Schellhase also identifiesPrincess Mononoke as a pacifist film due to the protagonist, Ashitaka; instead of joining the campaign of revenge against humankind, as his ethnic history would lead him to do, Ashitaka strives for peace.[398] David Loy and Linda Goodhew argue bothNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind andPrincess Mononoke do not depict traditional evil, but theBuddhist roots of evil: greed, ill will, and delusion; according to Buddhism, the roots of evil must transform into "generosity, loving-kindness and wisdom" in order to overcome suffering, and both Nausicaä and Ashitaka accomplish this.[409] When characters in Miyazaki's films are forced to engage in violence, it is shown as being a difficult task; inHowl's Moving Castle, Howl is forced to fight an inescapable battle in defense of those he loves, and it almost destroys him, though he is ultimately saved by Sophie's love and bravery.[398]
Suzuki described Miyazaki as a feminist in reference to his attitude to female workers.[410] Miyazaki has described his female characters as "brave, self-sufficient girls that don't think twice about fighting for what they believe in with all their heart", stating they may "need a friend, or a supporter, but never a saviour" and "any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man".[411]Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was lauded for its positive portrayal of women, particularly protagonist Nausicaä.[144][146] Schellhase noted the female characters in Miyazaki's films are not objectified or sexualized, and possess complex and individual characteristics absent from Hollywood productions.[398] Schellhase also identified a "coming of age" element for the heroines in Miyazaki's films, as they each discover "individual personality and strengths".[398] Gabrielle Bellot ofThe Atlantic wrote that, in his films, Miyazaki "shows a keen understanding of the complexities of what it might mean to be a woman". In particular, Bellot citesNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, praising the film's challenging of gender expectations, and the strong and independent nature of Nausicaä. Bellot also notedPrincess Mononoke's San represents the "conflict between selfhood and expression".[412]
Miyazaki is concerned with the sense of wonder in young people, seeking to maintain themes of love and family in his films.[398] Michael Toscano ofCurator found Miyazaki "fears Japanese children are dimmed by a culture of overconsumption, overprotection, utilitarian education, careerism, techno-industrialism, and a secularism that is swallowing Japan's native animism".[413] Schellhase wrote that several of Miyazaki's works feature themes of love and romance, but felt emphasis is placed on "the way lonely and vulnerable individuals are integrated into relationships of mutual reliance and responsibility, which generally benefit everyone around them".[398] He also found many of the protagonists in Miyazaki's films present an idealized image of families, whereas others are dysfunctional.[398]
Miyazaki forgoes traditional screenplays in his productions, instead developing the narrative as he designs the storyboards, stating "We never know where the story will go but we just keep working on the film as it develops".[414] Miyazaki has employed traditional animation methods in all of his films, drawing each frame by hand; computer-generated imagery has been employed in several of his later films, beginning withPrincess Mononoke, to "enrich the visual look",[415] though he ensures each film can "retain the right ratio between working by hand and computer ... and still be able to call my films 2D".[416] He oversees every frame of his films.[417] For character designs, Miyazaki draws original drafts used by animation directors to create reference sheets, which Miyazaki then corrects in his style.[418] He prioritizes logical plots even for child-friendly contents.[419]
Miyazaki's wife, Akemi Ōta (大田朱美), was born in 1938 and hired as an inbetween artist at Toei Animation in 1958, working onPanda and the Magic Serpent andAlakazam the Great (1960).[427] She and Miyazaki met at Toei in 1964,[427][3] and they married in October 1965.[37] At Toei, they worked together onThe Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun andThe Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots.[427] They have two sons: Goro, born in January 1967, and Keisuke, born in April 1969.[54] Becoming a father changed Miyazaki and he tried to produce work to please his children.[53]
Miyazaki initially fulfilled a promise to his wife that they would both continue to work after Goro's birth, dropping him off atpreschool for the day; however, upon seeing Goro's exhaustion walking home one day, Miyazaki decided they could not continue, and his wife quit in 1972 to stay at home and raise their children.[428][427] She was reluctant to do so but considered it necessary to allow Miyazaki to focus on his work.[427] Miyazaki's dedication to his work harmed his relationship with his children as he was often absent. Goro watched his father's works to "understand" him since the two rarely talked.[429] Miyazaki said he "tried to be a good father, but in the end [he] wasn't a very good parent",[428] and later said he felt he owed "that little boy an apology".[12] In 2006, Goro said his father "gets zero marks as a father, but full marks as a director of animated films".[429][note 15]
Goro worked at a landscape design firm before beginning to work at the Ghibli Museum;[3][428] he designed the garden on its rooftop and eventually became its curator.[3][53] Keisuke studied forestry atShinshu University and works as a wood artist;[3][428][430] he designed a woodcut print that appears inWhisper of the Heart.[430] Miyazaki's niece, Mei Okuyama, who was the inspiration behind the character Mei inMy Neighbor Totoro, is married to animation artistDaisuke Tsutsumi.[431]
Murals honoring Miyazaki's works inAguascalientes, Mexico (top), andLimoges, France (bottom)
Miyazaki was described as the "godfather of animation in Japan" byBBC's Tessa Wong in 2016, citing his craftsmanship and humanity, the themes of his films, and his inspiration to younger artists.[432] Courtney Lanning ofArkansas Democrat-Gazette named him one of the world's greatest animators, comparing him to Osamu Tezuka andWalt Disney;[433] Miyazaki has been called "the Disney of Japan", though Helen McCarthy considered comparison toAkira Kurosawa more appropriate due to the combination of grandeur and sensitivity in his work, dubbing him "the Kurosawa of animation".[434]
Swapnil Dhruv Bose ofFar Out Magazine wrote that Miyazaki's work "has shaped not only the future of animation but also filmmaking in general", and that it helped "generation after generation of young viewers to observe the magic that exists in the mundane".[435] Richard James Havis ofSouth China Morning Post called him a "genius ... who sets exacting standards for himself, his peers and studio staff".[436]Paste's Toussaint Egan described Miyazaki as "one of anime's great auteurs", whose "stories of such singular thematic vision and unmistakable aesthetic" captured viewers otherwise unfamiliar with anime.[437] Miyazaki became the subject of an exhibit at theAcademy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles in 2021, featuring over 400 objects from his films.[438]
Several books have been written about Miyazaki by scholars such asRaz Greenberg, Helen McCarthy, andSusan J. Napier;[459] according to Jeff Lenburg, more papers have been written about Miyazaki than any other Japanese artist.[460] Studio Ghibli has searched for some time for Miyazaki and Suzuki's successor to lead the studio;[461] Kondō, the director ofWhisper of the Heart, was initially considered, but died from a sudden heart attack in 1998.[462] Some candidates were considered by 2023—including Miyazaki's son Goro, who declined—but the studio was not able to find a successor.[463]
^Miyazaki's brothers are Arata (born July 1939), Yutaka (born January 1944), and Shirou (born 1945).[1][4] Influenced by their father, Miyazaki's brothers went into business, which gave Miyazaki a "strong motivation to succeed at animation" according to his sonGoro.[3]
^Miyazaki admitted later in life that he felt guilty over his family's profiting from the war and their subsequent affluent lifestyle.[7]
^abMiyazaki based the character Captain Dola fromLaputa: Castle in the Sky on his mother, noting "My mom had four boys, but none of us dared oppose her".[17] Other characters inspired by Miyazaki's mother include: Yasuko fromMy Neighbor Totoro, who watches over her children while suffering from illness; Sophie fromHowl's Moving Castle, who is a strong-minded and kind woman;[18] and Toki fromPonyo.[12][19]
^During his three-month training period at Toei Doga, Miyazaki's salary was¥18,000.[37]
^Miyazaki and Giraud became friends,[124] andMonnaie de Paris held an exhibition of their work titledMiyazaki et Moebius: Deux Artistes Dont Les Dessins Prennent Vie (Two Artists's Drawings Taking on a Life of Their Own) from December 2004 to April 2005; both artists attended the opening of the exhibition.[125]
^Takahata refused to sign the paperwork to foundStudio Ghibli, feeling that an artist should not be involved in such business documents. Regardless, he and Miyazaki are considered the company's founders.[154][155]
^According to Suzuki, Studio Ghibli was the successor of the Tokuma Shoten subsidiary company Iraka Planning—creators ofTempyō no Iraka (1980)—from which it inherited¥36 million in outstanding debts.[156]
^According toScreen Digest, about 20% ofPrincess Mononoke's two million copies sold were to first-time buyers of home videos.[240]
^Protagonist Chihiro stands outside societal boundaries in the supernatural setting. The use of the wordkamikakushi (literally "hidden by gods") within the Japanese title reinforces this symbol.Reider (2005) states: "Kamikakushi is a verdict of 'social death' in this world, and coming back to this world fromKamikakushi meant 'social resurrection'."[270]
^Abe's party proposed the amendment toArticle 96 of theConstitution of Japan, a clause that stipulates procedures needed for revisions. Ultimately, this would allow Abe to reviseArticle 9 of the Constitution, which outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes.[383]
^Akimoto (2014) states: "Porco became a pig because he hates the following three factors: man (egoism), the state (nationalism) and war (militarism)."[218]
^An exhibit based upon Aardman Animations's works ran at the Ghibli Museum from 2006 to 2007.[422] Aardman Animations foundersPeter Lord andDavid Sproxton visited the exhibition in May 2006, where they met Miyazaki.[423]
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ナウシカの道 連載 1 宮崎駿・マンガの系譜 [The Road toNausicaä, episode 1, Hayao Miyazaki's Manga Genealogy].Animage (in Japanese) (61). Tokyo:Tokuma Shoten:172–173. June 10, 1983.
宮崎駿Xピーター・ロードXデイビッド・スプロスクトンat三鷹の森ジブリ美術館 [Hayao Miyazaki x Peter Lord x David Sprockett at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka].Animage (in Japanese) (338). Tokyo:Tokuma Shoten: 13. August 2006.
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Miyazaki, Hayao (May 22, 1988). Takeuchi, Masatoshi (ed.). "The Animation of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Studio Ghibli".Kinema Junpo (in Japanese) (1166). Tokyo: Kinema Junpo (published July 16, 1995):57–58.
Reider, Noriko T. (March 2005). "Spirited Away: Film of the Fantastic and Evolving Japanese Folk Symbols".Film Criticism.29 (3). Meadville:Michigan Publishing:4–27.
Saitani, Ryo (1995).少し前よりもナウシカの事少しわかるようになった [I UnderstandNausicaä a Bit More than I Did a Little While Ago].Comic Box (in Japanese) (98). Fusion Products:6–37.
Ghibli Museum Library (2007).映画『雪の女王』新訳版公式サイト - イントロダクション [Official website for the new translation of the movieSnow Queen] (in Japanese). Tokuma Memorial Cultural Foundation for Animation.Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. RetrievedDecember 28, 2020.
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