Hayao Miyazaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hayao Miyazaki
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| 宮崎 駿 | |||||
Miyazaki in 2009
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| Born | January 5, 1941 |
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| Alma mater | Gakushuin University | ||||
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| Years active | 1963–present | ||||
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| Title | Honorary chairman | ||||
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Akemi Ōta
(m. 1965) |
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| Children | 2, including Goro | ||||
| Relatives | Daisuke Tsutsumi (nephew-in-law) | ||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 宮崎 駿 | ||||
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Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿 or 宮﨑 駿, Miyazaki Hayao, [mijaꜜzaki hajao]; born January 5, 1941) is a famous Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He is known for co-founding Studio Ghibli, a very popular animation studio. Many people see him as one of the best filmmakers in the history of animation.
Miyazaki was born in Tokyo City and loved manga and animation from a young age. He started working at Toei Animation in 1963, drawing frames for movies. Later, he helped direct the TV series Lupin the Third Part I (1971–1972). He then directed his first full-length movie, The Castle of Cagliostro (1979). He also created the popular manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982–1994) and directed its movie version in 1984.
In 1985, Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli. There, he wrote and directed many beloved films like Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992). His movie Princess Mononoke (1997) was the first animated film to win a major Japanese film award. Spirited Away (2001) became Japan's most successful movie for a long time and won an Oscar for Best Animated Movie. His later films, Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013), were also very successful. He announced his retirement from feature films in 2013 but returned to make The Boy and the Heron (2023), which also won an Oscar.
Miyazaki's films often explore themes like how people interact with nature and technology, the importance of art, and finding peace in a difficult world. His main characters are often strong girls or young women. He has received many awards for his work, including an Academy Honorary Award in 2014 for his huge impact on animation.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Growing Up in Tokyo
Hayao Miyazaki was born on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo, Japan. He was the second of four sons. His father's company made parts for fighter planes during World War II. This meant his family was well-off during his childhood. Miyazaki later felt a bit guilty about his family making money from the war.
Some of Miyazaki's first memories are of cities that had been bombed. When he was three, his family moved away from Tokyo for safety. The bombings left a strong impression on him. As a child, he had health problems and felt like an outsider. His mother, Yoshiko, was sick for many years with spinal tuberculosis. She was a strong, smart woman who influenced him greatly. Characters in his films, like Captain Dola from Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Yasuko from My Neighbor Totoro, were inspired by her.
Discovering Art and Animation
Miyazaki started school in 1947. He wanted to be a manga artist, but found it hard to draw people. Instead, he drew planes, tanks, and battleships for years. He was influenced by famous manga artists like Osamu Tezuka. He often destroyed his early drawings because he didn't want to just copy others.
His interest in animation grew after watching Panda and the Magic Serpent (1958), Japan's first full-length color animated film. He loved the movie and it made him want to create his own stories. He went to Gakushuin University to study political economy, but he spent most of his time on art. He joined a "Children's Literature Research Club" and drew thousands of pages of manga ideas.
Building a Career in Animation
Starting at Toei Doga
In 1963, Miyazaki started working at Toei Doga, an animation studio. He began as an "inbetween artist," drawing the frames that go between the main drawings to make movement smooth. He quickly became a leader in the studio's labor union. This is where he met Isao Takahata, who would become a lifelong friend and collaborator.
Miyazaki moved from drawing inbetween frames to being a "key animator," drawing the most important frames. He worked on films like The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968), where he helped design scenes. This film was praised but didn't do well at the box office.
New Studios and First Directing Roles
Miyazaki left Toei Animation in 1971 because he wanted more creative freedom. He joined A-Pro, where he co-directed 17 episodes of Lupin the Third Part I. This was his first time directing. He and Takahata also tried to make a series based on Pippi Longstocking, but they couldn't get permission. Instead, they made two short films called Panda! Go, Panda! (1972 and 1973).
In 1973, Miyazaki and Takahata moved to Zuiyō Eizō (later Nippon Animation). They worked on the World Masterpiece Theater series, including Heidi, Girl of the Alps. Miyazaki traveled to Switzerland to research for Heidi. In 1977, he directed his first animated TV series, Future Boy Conan. This series showed many ideas that would appear in his later films, like warplanes and environmental themes.
Directing First Feature Films
In 1979, Miyazaki joined Tokyo Movie Shinsha to direct his first full-length animated movie, The Castle of Cagliostro. This film was part of the Lupin III series. It was very popular and inspired many other filmmakers.
He also worked on the TV series Sherlock Hound in 1981. Around this time, he started creating the manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. This manga ran from 1982 to 1994 and sold millions of copies. Its main character, Nausicaä, was inspired by a character from Homer's Odyssey and a Japanese folk tale. The world of the story was based on Miyazaki's readings about science and history.
The success of the Nausicaä manga led to a feature film adaptation in 1984. Miyazaki directed it, and Takahata produced it. The film explored themes of nature and pollution, inspired by real-life environmental issues. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a big success and made Miyazaki a well-known animator.
Studio Ghibli: A New Chapter
Founding Studio Ghibli
After the success of Nausicaä, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata founded their own animation company, Studio Ghibli, on June 15, 1985. The name "Ghibli" comes from an Italian word for a "hot wind that blows in the desert," also the nickname for an Italian aircraft. Toshio Suzuki joined as a producer, playing a key role in the studio's success. Many animators who had worked with Miyazaki before joined the new studio.
Early Ghibli Masterpieces
Miyazaki's first film with Studio Ghibli was Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986). He was inspired by mining towns in Wales and the idea of a floating island from Gulliver's Travels. The film did okay financially, but Miyazaki and Suzuki hoped for more.
Next came My Neighbor Totoro (1988), a film based on ideas Miyazaki had as a child. It tells the story of two sisters who meet magical forest spirits. The film explores the connection between nature and people. It also subtly references Miyazaki's mother's illness. While not a huge box office hit at first, Totoro became a beloved classic, and its merchandise helped support Studio Ghibli for years.
In 1989, Miyazaki directed Kiki's Delivery Service, based on a novel about a young witch starting her own delivery service. Miyazaki felt the story reflected young girls wanting to live independently. He and his team traveled to Sweden to get ideas for the film's city setting. It was a big critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film in Japan that year.
Miyazaki's next film was Porco Rosso (1992), about a pilot who has been turned into a pig. The film was originally a shorter project for an airline. The Yugoslav Wars happening at the time influenced the film's more serious tone. Miyazaki loved planes, and the film features many unique aircraft designs. It was a commercial success and explored anti-war themes.
Global Recognition and New Challenges
In 1997, Miyazaki released Princess Mononoke. He had been thinking about this story since the late 1970s. Set in ancient Japan, it explores the conflict between humans and nature. Miyazaki used some computer animation for the first time in this film to enhance the hand-drawn animation. Princess Mononoke was a huge success, winning major awards and becoming the highest-grossing film in Japan for a while. Its release in the Western world helped Studio Ghibli become famous worldwide.
After Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki said he would retire from directing feature films. However, the sudden death of a promising director at Studio Ghibli, Yoshifumi Kondō, led Miyazaki to return. He also started working on designs for the Ghibli Museum, which opened in 2001 and features short films exclusive to the museum.
Miyazaki's next big film was Spirited Away (2001). He wanted to make a film for 10-year-old girls, inspired by friends' children. The story is about a young girl who enters a spirit world. The film deals with themes of greed and a journey through a magical realm. Spirited Away was a massive success, becoming Japan's highest-grossing film for nearly 20 years and winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It is often considered one of the greatest films of the 21st century.
Later Films and Continued Impact
More Acclaimed Works
In 2004, Studio Ghibli released Howl's Moving Castle, based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones. Miyazaki was inspired by the idea of a moving castle. The film used some computer animation for the castle's movements. The war shown in the film was influenced by the real-world Iraq War, which made Miyazaki very upset. The film was highly praised and nominated for an Oscar.
Miyazaki received a special award for his lifetime achievements at the Venice Film Festival in 2005. He continued to make short films for the Ghibli Museum.
His next feature film was Ponyo (2008), which was inspired by "The Little Mermaid" story. Miyazaki wanted the film to celebrate the joy of a child's world. He drew many of the sea and wave animations himself. Ponyo was a big commercial success and won awards in Japan.
Miyazaki also helped produce other films for Studio Ghibli, like Arrietty (2010) and From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), which was directed by his son, Goro Miyazaki.
Retirement and Return to Filmmaking
In 2012, Miyazaki began working on The Wind Rises, a film based on a manga he had written about Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane. The film explores Horikoshi's life and dreams, and also touches on Miyazaki's own life and his feelings about war. It was the first of his own films to make him cry. The Wind Rises was released in 2013 and was a critical and commercial success, winning awards and being nominated for an Oscar.
In September 2013, Miyazaki announced he was retiring from making feature films, though he wanted to continue working on the Ghibli Museum. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014 for his huge impact on animation.
However, Miyazaki later returned to direct another feature film, The Boy and the Heron. He started animating it in 2016 without official approval. The film was released in Japan on July 14, 2023, with very little marketing. Despite claims it would be his last film, Studio Ghibli announced in September 2023 that Miyazaki continues to plan his next project. The Boy and the Heron won Miyazaki his second Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2024, making him the oldest director to win this award.
Miyazaki's Views and Themes
Thoughts on Animation and Technology
Miyazaki has often shared his strong opinions about the animation industry. He believes some animators don't understand real life and don't focus enough on realism. He has criticized Japanese animation for being made by people who "can't stand looking at other humans." He also dislikes the term "otaku" (a fan with intense interests), especially when it refers to people obsessed with guns or fighter planes.
He has also spoken out against the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in animation. In 2016, after seeing an AI-generated zombie animation, he said he was "utterly disgusted" and called it "an insult to life itself." He has no plans to use AI at Studio Ghibli.
Political and Environmental Beliefs
Miyazaki considers himself a "leftist" in his beliefs, meaning he cares about social equality and justice. He has criticized both communism and capitalism for how they can exploit people. He also believes that a company should be shared by the people who work there.
His films often show strong environmental messages, highlighting the Earth's fragility. He dislikes modern technology and believes much of modern culture is "thin and shallow." He has expressed frustration about nature being destroyed for economic progress in Japan. Many of his films show characters who try to control nature, which ultimately harms both nature and people.
Miyazaki's films also frequently feature anti-war themes. For example, in Porco Rosso, the main character becomes a pig partly because he hates militarism. In Princess Mononoke, the hero, Ashitaka, seeks peace instead of revenge. Miyazaki believes that when characters in his films are forced to fight, it is shown as a very difficult and painful choice.
Strong Female Characters
Miyazaki is known for creating strong, independent female characters. He has said his female characters are "brave, self-sufficient girls that don't think twice about fighting for what they believe in." They might need friends or supporters, but "never a saviour." Critics have noted that his female characters are not treated as objects and have complex personalities. Many of his heroines also go through a "coming of age" journey, discovering their own strengths.
Love, Family, and Wonder
Miyazaki cares deeply about the sense of wonder in young people. He tries to include themes of love and family in his films. He worries that Japanese children are losing their sense of wonder due to too much consumption and focus on careers. While his films feature love and romance, they often focus more on how lonely people find connections and support each other.
How Miyazaki Creates His Films
Miyazaki doesn't use traditional screenplays. Instead, he develops the story as he draws the storyboards. He has said, "We never know where the story will go but we just keep working on the film as it develops." He uses traditional hand-drawn animation for all his films. While he uses some computer-generated imagery in his later works, he makes sure it only enhances the hand-drawn animation, not replaces it. He personally checks every single frame of his films. For character designs, he draws the first versions, which animators then use to create detailed drawings.
Miyazaki has been influenced by many Japanese artists, like Osamu Tezuka, and Western animators, like Frédéric Back. He has also been inspired by authors such as Lewis Carroll and Ursula K. Le Guin. When animating children, he often gets ideas from his friends' children and his own childhood memories.
Personal Life
Miyazaki's wife, Akemi Ōta, was also an animator. They met at Toei Animation in 1964 and married in 1965. They have two sons, Goro and Keisuke. Becoming a father changed Miyazaki, and he tried to make films that his children would enjoy.
Akemi Ōta stopped working in 1972 to raise their children, allowing Miyazaki to focus on his demanding career. Miyazaki has admitted that his dedication to work sometimes meant he wasn't always there for his children. His son Goro has said that his father "gets zero marks as a father, but full marks as a director of animated films."
Goro Miyazaki later became a director himself, working at the Ghibli Museum and directing films like Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. Keisuke Miyazaki is a wood artist.
Legacy and Influence
Hayao Miyazaki is often called the "godfather of animation in Japan." People praise his amazing craftsmanship, the deep themes in his films, and how he inspires younger artists. He has been compared to Walt Disney and Akira Kurosawa for his grand and sensitive storytelling. His work has not only shaped the future of animation but also filmmaking in general.
Miyazaki has inspired countless animators, directors, and writers around the world, including famous names like James Cameron, Pete Docter (from Pixar), and Steven Spielberg. Artists from Pixar and Aardman Studios even signed a tribute to him, saying, "You're our inspiration, Miyazaki-san!" His films have also influenced video games like The Legend of Zelda and TV series like Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Many books have been written about Miyazaki by scholars. Studio Ghibli has been looking for a successor to lead the studio for some time, but it has been difficult to find someone to follow in Miyazaki's footsteps.
Selected Filmography
- The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
- Ponyo (2008)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Awards and Nominations
Miyazaki has won many awards throughout his career. He won the Ōfuji Noburō Award for films like The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) and My Neighbor Totoro (1988). He also won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film for Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) and Spirited Away (2001).
Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron both won the Oscar for Best Animated Movie. Howl's Moving Castle (2004) and The Wind Rises (2013) were also nominated for Oscars.
In 2012, the Japanese government recognized him as a Person of Cultural Merit for his amazing contributions to culture. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2024. In 2024, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for using his art to show important things about human life. He has also won many other awards, including Annie Awards and Japan Academy Film Prizes.
See also
In Spanish: Hayao Miyazaki para niños
