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Miyazaki HayaoOne of the greatest directors in anime history
Date of Birth: 05.01.1941
Country:  Japan |
Content:
- Early Life and Influences
- The Birth of a Passion
- A Rising Star
- Political Activism and Labor Disputes
- Continued Work and New Beginnings
- First Solo Directorial Projects
- A Triumphant Return to TMS
- Birth of a Masterpiece and Studio Ghibli
- The Legacy of Studio Ghibli
- Retirement and Return
- Other Ventures and Influences
Early Life and Influences
Hayao Miyazaki was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1941. His father owned a small factory that manufactured parts for the famous A6M series of fighter planes (known in the U.S. as the "Zero") for the Mitsubishi Corporation. As a result, Miyazaki grew up with a fascination for aviation and loved everything that flew. With the war effort booming, the Miyazaki family enjoyed a prosperous lifestyle in contrast to many of their neighbors and fellow countrymen. A sense of guilt over this circumstance later led Miyazaki to socialist ideals.
The Birth of a Passion
In 1958, Miyazaki witnessed the release of the first Japanese feature-length anime film, "The Legend of the White Serpent" (Hakujaden), which had a profound impact on his life. The young artist, who had already shown a talent for drawing, became consumed by the world of animation. He also tried his hand at creating manga, but his early attempts were unsatisfactory.
In 1963, Miyazaki joined Toei Douga as an animator. His first film as an in-betweener was the feature-length "Dog of Flanders" (Wan Wan Chuushingura) (1963), an "animalized" adaptation of the classic tale of the 47 samurai who avenged their master. The film was directed by Daisaku Shirakawa.
A Rising Star
Miyazaki's true talent emerged in the film "Gulliver's Space Travels" (Gulliver no Uchuu Ryokou) (1965), directed by Masao Kuroda. Although still an in-betweener, Miyazaki suggested several changes to the film's script and spearheaded the animation of the scenes he altered. His talent caught the attention of his superiors, who began to assign him increasingly responsible tasks.
Notably, renowned animator and artist Yasuji Mori, a mentor to a generation of Toei Douga's young talent, played a significant role in Miyazaki's education and advancement.
Political Activism and Labor Disputes
During his time at Toei Douga, Miyazaki met and befriended Isao Takahata. Together, they established and led (Miyazaki as chairman, Takahata as vice-chairman) the Toei Douga Young Animators' Union, advocating for higher salaries and various social benefits. Miyazaki embraced many Marxist ideas during this period, although he never became a communist.
Political and union activism brought Miyazaki and Takahata their share of troubles. Their first joint feature-length film, "Horus, Prince of the Sun" (Taiyo no Ouji Horus no Daibouken) (1968), directed by Takahata, with Miyazaki as the main storyboard artist and Mori as the leading character designer, was pulled from theaters by Toei Douga management just ten days after its release. Afterward, Takahata was demoted and, along with Miyazaki and their colleagues, subjected to unbearable working conditions.
Continued Work and New Beginnings
Despite the setbacks, Miyazaki persevered. He participated as a storyboard artist in the feature-length films "Puss in Boots" (Nagagutsu wo Haita Neko) (1969) by Kimiyo Yabuki and "The Phantom Ship" (Sora Tobu Yureisen) (1969) and "Animal Treasure Island" (Doubutsu Takarajima) (1971) by Hiroshi Ikeda. Miyazaki's signature touch and designs are evident in the best sequences of these films.
In 1969, under the pseudonym Akitsu Saburo, Miyazaki published his first manga, "People of the Desert" (Sabaku no Tami), in the "Shounen Shoujo Shinbun" newspaper. However, his manga experiments did not continue during that period.
In 1971, Miyazaki, Takahata, and colleague Yoichi Otabe founded their own animation studio, A Pro. They dreamed of adapting Astrid Lindgren's classic novel "Pippi Longstocking," but the project never materialized due to the rights holders not granting permission for an anime adaptation. Eventually, the fledgling "businessmen" joined TMS Entertainment and began working on the TV series "Lupin III" (1971-1972), directed by Takahata and Miyazaki. While working on the series, they met future friend and colleague Yoshifumi Kondo.
First Solo Directorial Projects
In 1972, Miyazaki wrote the screenplay for the short film "Panda! Go Panda!" (Pandakopanda), directed by Takahata. This short but highly popular film rode the wave of "panda mania" in early 1970s Japan, sparked by the arrival of two pandas in the Tokyo Zoo as special gifts from China.
In 1973, Miyazaki and Takahata moved to Zuiyo Enterprise, later renamed Nippon Animation. There, they contributed to several TV series as animators, adapting American and European children's classics. Their first significant work on their new studio was the TV series "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" (Alps no Shoujo Heidi) (1974), with Takahata as the director and Miyazaki as the lead character designer.
In 1978, Miyazaki finally got the chance to make his mark as an independent director at Nippon Animation. He wrote and directed his first TV series, "Future Boy Conan" (Mirai Shonen Conan) (1978), based on elements of Alexander Key's novel "The Incredible Tide." However, he only retained the general world of the book and several characters, reworking the plot completely.
A Triumphant Return to TMS
In 1979, Miyazaki returned to TMS to helm his first feature-length theatrical release, "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro" (Lupin III: Cagliostro no Shiro), for many years considered the greatest anime film in Japanese history.
Birth of a Masterpiece and Studio Ghibli
After these accomplishments, Miyazaki revisited his long-held dream of becoming a mangaka. In 1982, the magazine "Animage" began serializing Miyazaki's manga "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" (Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa) (1982-1994).
The publisher of "Animage," Tokuma Shoten, approached Miyazaki with the offer to adapt "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" into an anime film. Agreeing to the proposal, Miyazaki enlisted Takahata as a producer and hired Studio Topcraft, which had previously worked as a subcontractor for the American studio Rankin-Bass.
Released in 1984, the film became a sensation in the world of anime. The success inspired Miyazaki, and in 1985, he and Takahata co-founded Studio Ghibli to create their next cinematic venture.
The Legacy of Studio Ghibli
During his tenure at Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki directed the following feature-length films as a director: "Castle in the Sky" (Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa) (1986), "My Neighbor Totoro" (Tonari no Totoro) (1988), "Kiki's Delivery Service" (Majo no Takkyubin) (1989), "Porco Rosso" (Kurenai no Buta) (1992), and "On Your Mark" (1995), a music video for the J-POP group Chage&Aska.
Retirement and Return
In 1997, after the release of another masterpiece, "Princess Mononoke" (Mononoke Hime), Miyazaki announced his retirement from commercial animation and Studio Ghibli. He stated that he intended to focus on experimental non-commercial animation projects.
However, commercial animation proved too potent a "drug" to forsake entirely. In 2001, Miyazaki released a new feature-length film, "Spirited Away" (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi). The director has since repeatedly stated his intentions to retire from major anime productions once again. However, few believe him at this point. ^_^
Other Ventures and Influences
Simultaneously with his work at Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki continued his career as a mangaka. His manga "The Age of Flying Boats" (Hikoutei Jidai) (1990) formed the basis of the screenplay for "Porco Rosso."
Miyazaki is an artist of the "1960s generation" but also a director of family films. Thus, his work is characterized by humanistic and universal ideas, including concepts of ecology. Miyazaki, however, has the skill to avoid trivializing these ideas or reducing them to trite pronouncements or his anime to mere recitals of them. He excels at crafting gripping stories that are often loosely tied to Japanese culture, making them appealing not only in Japan but worldwide.
