Hayao Miyazaki

"In the field of theatrical animation, where talent abounds and everyone has his or her own style, the art and creativity of Hayao Miyazaki are unrivaled. For decades, he has arguably been Japan's leading cult figure to fans of manga (comic books) and anime (animated films) in a nation where those art forms are held in the highest regard,"Stan Lee ("Hayao Miyazaki"). Hayao Miyazaki is an animator and movie director, and I chose him to be my hero because he has made hundreds of amazing animated movies such as Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Totoro, Ponyo and many more. Hayao Miyazaki was born on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo Japan. He married a woman named Akemi Ota who is also an animator and they have had two sons. "Miyazaki's father worked at the family business, the Miyazaki Airplane, and since young Miyazaki was born during World War II, the war had quite an effect on him, especially since his family's company built fighter airplanes. His family was evacuated from Tokyo in 1944 and were unable to return until 1947" ("Hayao Miyazaki."). A hero in a creative anime film making world must be innovative. Innovation is crucial so the films are original and interesting. After creating many successful films an accomplished career will follow. Hayao Miyazaki possesses many artistic talents, he is both innovative and accomplished in the anime film industry which makes him a hero to me.

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most innovative anime artists in the world and has made hundreds of anime films and tv shows. Miyazaki has a huge fan base full of  many people who love his work and follow it closely. "In the 1990s he created the most successful films in the history of Japan, setting numerous box-office records. While his films were already popular among anime enthusiasts worldwide, a distribution deal with Disney Studios in 1996 brought several of Miyazaki's works to broader audiences; he had established himself as an innovator and artist at least equal in stature to Walt Disney himself" ("Hayao Miyazaki," Newsmakers). Miyazaki is one of the most famous anime artists in Japan and around the world. The first movie that I had ever watched by Miyazaki was "Totoro"  which was about two sisters and their mother was really sick  so they are left on a farm with their dad. They soon find out that their house is infested with spirits. Animation in Japan which began around 1910, is known as anime and is pronounced "ani-may". It is a specific form of animation in Japan which is also now very popular in the U.S. The major difference between anime in Japan and American cartoons is that, in America cartoons are usually watched by children, where anime is popular with Japanese adults.  Anime is directed to children, teens, and adults. Japanese comics are also known as manga. "In April 1963 Miyazaki became an animator for Toei Animation, which produced both theatrical motion pictures and television series. He was taught the basics of animation and began at the bottom of the artistic hierarchy, laboriously filling in the cel-by-cel movements of characters and objects; he found the work enjoyable and probably learned to accurately draw characters. He impressed many of his coworkers with his fertile imagination and proposed numerous story ideas to the studio; he quickly became a leader in the animators' union" ("Hayao Miyazaki." International Directory).

Miyazaki became fascinated with animated movies in 1958. He watched  the first color feature length anime movie called Hakujaden (Legend of the White Snake). This motion picture caught his imagination. From the beginning of his career which began in 1963, he gained a lot of attention with his incredible drawing ability and the endless flow of movie ideas he developed.

Hayao Miyazaki has his own unique style of art which has made him an innovator in the anime film industry.

For the past 54 years, Hayao Miyazaki has had a very successful and accomplished career. Miyazaki is a Japanese film maker, screenwriter, director, animator, author, and manga artist. Miyazaki has earned international attention as an expert storyteller and as a maker of anime feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli, an animation and film studio. "Somewhat inappropriately nicknamed the Walt Disney of Japan, Miyazaki has proven himself to be more of an animation virtuoso than a business entrepreneur. As Tim Morrison wrote in Time, "Miyazaki is Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, and Orson Welles combined, with a dash of Claude Monet in his sumptuous landscapes and more than a smidgen of Roald Dahl in his sly, sophisticated understanding of children" (" Hayao Miyazaki," Encyclopedia of World). Hayao Miyazaki's biggest movie is Ponyo which made over 15 million dollars in the theater. Miyazaki's second biggest movie is spirited away which made about 10 million dollars in the theater. Miyazaki has made hundreds of movies. "Miyazaki also employed a European setting for his next feature, Porco Rosso (1992), which he based on a manga of his own, titled The Age of the Flying Boat. Set in Italy between the two world wars, the story follows an anti-Fascist fighter pilot who happens to be a pig"  (" Hayao Miyazaki," Encyclopedia of World). He is famous and has a very large cult following. His movies are very unique. On January 14, 1998, Miyazaki had told the public that he would be leaving Studio Ghibli. He was slowly losing his eyesight, and he believed that he said he couldn't guarantee high quality of art in his motion pictures as he wanted to. Even after Miyazaki said he was losing his eyesight and he was leaving Studio Ghibli he still manages to make amazing films including Spirited away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo. Even after going through hard times like losing his eyesight, Miyazaki still makes movies for the people of the world.

Hayao Miyazaki is an inspiration to everyone in the anime film making industry. He has attracted the attention of people from not only Japan but a lot of other countries. "Princess Mononoke was a smash hit, surpassing the success of E.T. and setting a record in grossing over $150 million. The film was a major achievement by an artist and leader at the height of his powers--but in the making of the film Miyazaki may have already been losing his eyesight;" ("Hayao Miyazaki," Authors and Artists) When Princess Mononoke was released in 1999, it made Miyazaki one of the most popular anime film makers in Japan. Up to that time, his movies had attracted a large audience that consisted mostly of anime fans. With its 1997 release in Japan, the movie became the most popular film of all time in Japan. Miyazaki began his animation career in 1963 and has made many films. "Miyazaki first became famous in his own country, but his animated films are such works of art that they cross all international barriers, and he has become a sensation around the world" ("Hayao Miyazaki," Newsmakers). He is well known not just in japan, his films are shown around the world. I enjoy watching his films because they all have a lot of detail. Hayao Miyazaki has inspired me to become an animator for anime just like him.

Miyazaki has made hundreds of anime films that have a unique art style the many people love which makes him innovative and accomplished. Miyazaki is admired by many other artists including people like Stan Lee. Hayao Miyazaki inspires others with his unique style of art. From 1963 to now, Hayao Miyazaki has been making anime films that people around the world have fallen in love with. Movies including Princess Mononoke, Totoro, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away, and Ponyo.