This past December, filmgoers around the world flocked to local theaters to watch legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki鈥檚 first film in 10 years. Miyazaki, co-founder of Japanese animation collective Studio Ghibli, had announced his retirement after the 2013 release of 鈥淭he Wind Rises,鈥� which he directed.
His newest film, 鈥淭he Boy and The Heron,鈥� released in theaters with little prior announcement and promotion. Now that the director, 83, has produced another structurally complex and visually striking film 鈥� in March, it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature 鈥� avid fans and critics alike are reflecting on the transformative impacts he has left during his long, celebrated career.
Animated film far precedes Miyazaki: By the time he entered its complex world, the medium had found global success, especially thanks to animation giant Disney. Moreover, in his native Japan, animated content (commonly referred to as anime) was a beloved alternative to traditional live-action cinema, and its films and television series were 鈥� and often still are 鈥� adaptations of popular manga, or Japanese comics.
While Miyazaki may not have pioneered animated film, he has still influenced its course greatly. Beginning with Studio Ghibli鈥檚 first film, 鈥淣ausica盲 of the Valley of the Wind鈥� (1984), Miyazaki established one of his signature storylines: following young protagonists faced with quests highlighting family, adolescence, environmentalism, war and mortality.
While 鈥淣ausica盲鈥� is considered to be fairly graphic and violent, other Miyazaki works such as 鈥淢y Neighbor Totoro鈥� (1988) and 鈥淧onyo鈥� (2008) follow his classic storyline through a more lighthearted, family-friendly lens. Art of Visual Storytelling teacher Terence Kitada noted the underlying themes in Miyazaki鈥檚 works.
鈥淕hibli movies are not about saving an entire world or kingdom,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ure, some are more action-oriented, but they are still stories about family, community or friendship.鈥�
According to Japanese teacher Matt Hall, the visual aesthetics of Miyazaki鈥檚 films are integral to his success.
鈥淚n fact, a lot of people would argue that Miyazaki is not interested in the story,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 interested in the images and aesthetics he creates.鈥�
Miyazaki鈥檚 cultivation of a traditional hand-drawn anime style has found incredible success at home and abroad. Many of his earlier films gained acclaim in Japan, and American and other Western audiences soon became familiarized with Miyazaki after 鈥淧rincess Mononoke鈥� (1997) and 鈥淪pirited Away鈥� (2001). In 2002, the latter even became the first foreign entry to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
鈥�(Miyazaki鈥檚 style) doesn鈥檛 differ much from the other Japanese animation studios, but he was the first to really nail it,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been in this industry for longer than anyone else.鈥�
Today, Western audiences enjoy anime beyond Miyazaki and Ghibli works. Series such as 鈥淥ne Piece鈥� (1999) and 鈥淢y Hero Academia鈥� (2016) have reached widespread success. Additionally, the release of Ghibli鈥檚 blockbusters like 鈥淪pirited Away鈥� and 鈥淧rincess Mononoke鈥� converged with the introduction of franchises like Yu-Gi-Oh and Hello Kitty, creating what Hall refers to as a major 鈥�2000s wave鈥� in Japanese pop-culture popularity. Miyazaki鈥檚 works introduced Western viewers to Japanese and Asian cultural values, Kitada said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this one five-minute scene in Ghibli鈥檚 鈥楶onyo鈥� where the characters make ramen together, and it鈥檚 so purposeful,鈥� Kitada said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very logical to bring childhood memories to Japanese audiences, but I don鈥檛 know if you鈥檇 see the same thing being done in an American movie like 鈥楩rozen.鈥� In that sense, Ghibli movies expose people to Japanese values and different ways of looking at the world.鈥�
All in all, while the popularity of anime far preceded Miyazaki鈥檚 iconic tenure with Studio Ghibli, the influence of his work is undeniable for audiences and the industry alike.
鈥淕o around and find the best anime creators around the world and go, 鈥榃ho is your number-one influence?鈥欌�� Hall said. 鈥淚 guarantee you the name that will come out is Miyazaki.鈥�
