Hayao Miyazaki: Impacting Worlds

Depending on how familiar you are with Japanese anime, you may or may not have heard of Hayao Miyazaki, a famous anime director whose films Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away both became the highest grossing films in Japanese history at the time of their release. Impressive, yes, and I’ve only seen a handful of his many successful and acclaimed films. Nevertheless, I’d like to share some thoughts on his work and recommend spending the couple hours it takes to watch one of his films.

I find Miyazaki interesting first for the fact that as both writer and director he possesses a great deal of control over the outcome of his films. And having seen Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle, I believe distinct patterns and an authorial voice emerge. His films seem to dance with one foot in the realm of childhood, the other in adulthood. In Princess Mononoke cute and harmless forest sprites mix with poisoned boar gods and decapitated soldiers. Morally ambiguous “villains” create interesting character dynamics and raise questions regarding characters’ choices and the “right” course of action. Kushana of Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind seeks (spoiler alert) to use the Giant Warrior to burn away the Sea of Decay, thereby saving humanity, but she and her men will do whatever it takes, including killing Nausicaa’s father and taking Nausicaa hostage, to accomplish their goal (end of spoiler). Complex characters and morals abound, yet their depictions feel clear and clean. And a pure desire for good seems to hop from one character or another, giving them a distinct feel I haven’t noticed elsewhere. Oh, and his worlds are fun and interesting to explore. Imagination and creativity abound, and a new, good, engaging world is one of my favorite things to find in a story. Just take any of the films I’ve mentioned and you’ll see what I mean.

In terms of story art, I generally look for art that encompasses and impacts me, whether by my emotions or in some other manner. Miyazaki’s films often do both to varying degrees. Princess Mononoke draws the viewer into an epic world capable of swallowing any number of viewers at once. Ashitaka’s departure from his village and subsequent discovery of the world allow the viewer to discover everything beside him and feel everything he feels. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind also takes place in a large world but failed to draw me in as completely. Instead I recall how clearly I felt the impact of violence in the film. The most powerful moment for me comes when Nausicaa launches herself off her glider at men hurting a baby ohmu, arms and legs eagle-spread in a gesture of peace. After one man refuses to shoot her the other shoves him aside and fires. In silence we hear Nausicaa cry out as the bullets hit her suddenly bloody shoulder and foot. She collides with the men, overturning their basket-like aircraft as her own glider veers off into the distance. The images have yet to leave me.

While none of Miyazaki’s films have ever made it onto my forever changing list of favorite films, I highly recommend him to anyone who’s unfamiliar with his work and is not turned off by animation. I find his creativity and vision truly marvelous and can’t think of any other filmmaker who’s created so many amazing worlds as Miyazaki.

*As a side note, the fifth Miyazaki film I’ve seen is My Neighbor Totoro, but that was years ago and it bored me as a child. I’ll watch it again someday. But maybe you’ll watch it first.