Hayao Miyazaki

Flowers sprouted out of tall, grassy fields, and the earthy tones and bright colors created a beautiful spring season scene, complete with the sweet, kind characters Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei. But the subtle yet clear melancholy theme of pollution and environmentalism was still present in this landmark movie, "My Neighbor Totoro," created by filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and his company Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki has become known as one of the greatest filmmakers of our time due to his masterful artistry and animation, his themes and messages, and his ability to open up his audience’s imagination with every viewing that they take of his movies. Through his films, Miyazaki has created a whole world for people who choose to believe, where there are only dreams and possibilities present. But Miyazaki didn’t just become one of the world’s most influential filmmakers overnight. His consistent hard work and determination that he used throughout his life became one of the reasons that he is now known by millions of people worldwide. The experiences that he faced and the lessons that he learned throughout his life were essential for him to be as successful as he is now. Miyazaki’s life story not only is the reason why he is one of the most masterful directors in the film industry, but it’s also the reason why many are inspired by him and aspire to be like him.

Hayao Miyazaki.Wikimedia CommonsHayao Miyazaki was born on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo, Japan, to his father, who manufactured parts for fighter airplanes, and his mother, who was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was bed-stricken for most of Miyazaki’s childhood, though she was still loving and supportive when she was ill (“Hayao Miyazaki”). Because of his father’s career, Miyazaki grew up with a love and passion for aviation that grew to last well into his older years. Miyazaki grew up in the chaotic midst of World War II; one of his first memories was a bombing that he witnessed when he was just four-and-a-half years old. He woke up that night with his city in flames, and as he was fleeing the scene, he felt “unafraid because the light from the burning buildings meant that the sky was as bright as morning” (Collin). After the war, Japanese comic books and animation started to emerge and grow in popularity, known in Japan as manga and anime. After seeing the works from creators of popular manga and anime, Miyazaki, who at the time was attending Gakushuin University, decided to become an animator (“Hayao Miyazaki”). He graduated from the university in 1963, which was the same year that he started animating at Toei Animation. Miyazaki, as well as his coworker Isao Takahata, left Toei Animation in 1971, and more than a decade later, in 1985, they opened up their own company called Studio Ghibli (“Hayao Miyazaki”). Hayao Miyazaki is an accomplished filmmaker who utilized hard work and perseverance to overcome obstacles and influence his audience; therefore, his life story is significant because he stands as an inspiration for us to touch the hearts of others.

Moving on from Toei Animation in order to create his own company proved to be successful, as the accolades that Hayao Miyazaki won in his life afterwards, such as an Academy Award and a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award, inspires us to touch the hearts of others like he did. Miyazaki has won an abundance of prestigious awards for his work, one being an Academy Award for best animated feature in 2003 for his film "Spirited Away," beating out other popular blockbuster films and becaming the first anime to win Hollywood’s most coveted film recognition (Marcovitz 41). An Oscar award is arguably the most esteemed prize in the film industry, so for Miyazaki to win for a film he directed is already a huge accomplishment, but because his animation was the first anime to win, and beat out other successful films, Miyazaki securely established himself as an accomplished filmmaker. Winning an Oscar award is significant because it proves to everyone that Miyazaki is certainly a powerful force to be reckoned with within the industry. Miyazaki specifically touched the lives and the hearts of others through his film, so much that it won a prestigious award, and through his huge accomplishment, he inspires us to influence others through our own platforms. Not only did Miyazaki win precious awards for his films, but he was recognized for his role in the film industry, as “in 2005, Miyazaki was honored a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Venice Film Festival” (“Hayao Miyazaki”). This award is only given to those who have made an important contribution to the cinematic industry, which proves that Miyazaki is one who has diligently achieved great milestones and marks through his animations. He inspires us to positively impact others like he did with the film industry, in hopes that we might be able to make a similar effect and achieve similar accomplishments that he had. Because Miyazaki won prestigious awards such as an Oscar and a Golden Lion, he proves to us that he is an accomplished filmmaker, and his memorable acts that happened in his life thus far inspires us to create a positive effect on people’s lives.

Hayao Miyazaki.Wikimedia CommonsEven though Miyazaki has achieved much recognition for his career, he also had to overcome the obstacles that he faced, such as retirement and feelings of defeat, and through that, he influenced us that we should also conquer our challenges, so that we will be able to further inspire others. The award-winning director faced an abundance of struggles throughout his career. For example, after the huge success from around the world of his film "Princess Mononoke," Miyazaki was nearly 60 years old and started to be deprived of his eyesight, which caused him to consider retiring (“Hayao Miyazaki”). Growing old in age and losing his eyesight meant for Miyazaki that he physically might not be able to achieve the same level of high quality greatness with his films than when he was in better health. Yet Miyazaki did not retire, moving on to release four more major films in the span of 16 years and achieve many outstanding accolades, thus proving that he can overcome the obstacles posed before him. Miyazaki overcoming his obstacles inspires us to defeat our own trials, so that we will be able to encourage others to fight their battles. Not only did Miyazaki contemplate retiring just when his career was first reaching an all-time high, but he was also close to discontinuing the work of his most recent film, "The Wind Rises," which later went on to become another one of his widely successful films. "The Wind Rises" was originally created as a manga for an aviation magazine and nothing more; however, his long-term producer convinced him over the course of three whole months to turn it into a feature. During an interview, Miyazaki said, “I thought the suggestion was outrageous… People who are interested in aeroplanes are decreasing. Aeroplanes are objects of the 20th century. And both [of the main characters] are representative of a time before I was born. So, I said no” (Collin). Miyazaki was incredibly wary of the idea of turning his manga into a film because he thought that the main characters and subjects were too outdated, to the point where little to no people would be interested in watching it. This dilemma became an obstacle that he faced for three months until he finally decided to create a film out of his manga, which turned out to become one of his most influential and personal works. His experience with obstacles such as this one inspires us to persevere through the difficulties that we face so that we will also be able to later achieve success because of our struggles. Miyazaki’s ability to overpower his obstacles, some being the thought of retirement and the discontinuation of a film, allows us to be inspired to also succeed in our trials so that we will be able to accomplish excellence afterwards.

Even after experiencing trials, Hayao Miyazaki greatly influences his audience through the heroines in his features and the powerful themes that he carefully laces into his works, which gives us a desire to become more like the kind-hearted heroes in his movies. Miyazaki’s characters, although they may be young or somewhat ordinary, always prove themselves as heroic, which influences his audience, many of which are young children, to be like the heroes that they see on the big screen. In the book titled "Anime," it states: “Many of Ghibli’s films feature young girls as the central characters. Faced with overwhelming challenges as well as personal crises, Miyazaki’s heroines always find a means to prevail” (Marcowitz 40). To reiterate, Miyazaki’s young heroines are usually faced with difficult obstacles and crises, but they always achieve success in the end, which influences his audience, both young and old, to persevere through our difficulties and crises like the characters in his movies. In turn, Miyazaki influences his audience through the lives and experiences of the characters of Studio Ghibli, which causes Miyazaki to stand as an inspiration to become more kind-hearted towards others. Miyazaki also influences his audience in other ways, one being the compelling themes that he carefully ties into his movies, while still keeping the pureness and innocence that typically lies within animated films. An article titled "A Master of Childhood Dreams" states: “With his ability to pass so easily through the membrane between youth and adulthood, Mr. Miyazaki is also able to invest his fairy-tale scenarios with thematic weight. In his public life, he has spoken out on issues including pollution, the dangers of nuclear power, and Japan’s recent swing toward nationalism and militarism. His films, correspondingly, have sent messages — sometimes allegorical, but never unclear — in favor of environmentalism… and against war” (Hale). Miyazaki, being successfully able to weave in significant messages into his children-friendly films, influences his audience by exposing them to important themes, which inspires them to spread the messages around with others and take action on them. Therefore, the effect that Miyazaki’s themes have on his audience helps to inspire us to touch the hearts of others, similarly to how the themes of his films touch the hearts of his audience. In conclusion, Miyazaki influences his audience through the main heroes of his stories and the themes included in his films, which inspires us to positively affect others, just as the filmmaker’s characters and messages have.

The accomplished filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has overcome obstacles and influenced his audience throughout the course of his life thus far; therefore, his life inspires us to become more kind-hearted and impact others in a positive way. Miyazaki has gone through many ups and downs; he won multiple accolades throughout his career, but he also suffered through obstacles, such as the overwhelming thought of retirement and discouragement whilst in the film’s creation process. However, despite all of the roller coaster events he endured, he always positively influenced his audience through his award-winning films. But Miyazaki’s main focus in his career wasn’t just to make movies; it was to create a fantasy world of hope, dreams, and possibilities for his viewers. Hayao Miyazaki has played an immeasureable role in my life because through his complex characters, powerful themes, and beautiful animations, he has shaped me into the person that I am today. Seeing his films as a young girl, I was able to find myself within the heroines, and it inspired me to be more like them: a kind-hearted hero, who positively impacted everyone around them. Miyazaki’s movies didn’t just give me happiness as I watched them; they also gave me hope. And that’s why Studio Ghibli isn’t just an animation company to me and to all; it became a home for those who choose to believe in something more.

Collin, Robbie. “Hayao Miyazaki Interview: 'I Think the Peaceful Time That We Are Living in Is Coming to an End'.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 9 May 2014, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10816014/Hayao-Miyazaki-interview-I-think-the-peaceful-time-that-we-are-living-in-is-coming-to-an-end.html. Hale, Mike. “A Master of Childhood Dreams.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 2 Jan. 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/movies/awardsseason/miyazaki-wins-again-after-11-animated-features.html?searchResultPosition=1. "Hayao Miyazaki." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 28, Gale, 2008. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631009091/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=7d4d5d7a. Marcovitz, Hal. Anime. Gale, 2008. pp. 40–41.