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.
I've only seen Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. What I really liked about Spirited Away is that the main character is a realistic child. She's not some perfect hero, nor is she just an adult in a child's body. She makes selfish decisions and learns from her mistakes.
In Princess Mononoke, there are so many story elements, creating a diverse and endearing story. We start with Ashitaka and his village and at the end, we're with Irontown and the almost political and environmentalist messages. Miyazaki knows how to create layered movies that are not only visually appealing, but intellectually stimulating.
I must admit I am no fan of anime but I did find Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away very compelling. I agree with your interpretation about the blend between child an adult. It is really fascinating to observe such complex themes of spirituality and death alongside childlike and even humorous imagination. Although I would also have to argue that if one is to examine the history of fairy tales...or even Walt Disney for that matter...he or she would find that few children's tales are pure or innocent. Most actually are quite gruesome! I think what appeals to me the most about these films are the ingenious variety of bizarre creatures and contraptions that arise. True, seeing them doesn't elicit any profound thinking, but it does get your creative juices flowing!
Although I have not seen any of Hayou Miyazaki's works YET, I have heard of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro, and am aware of their success. I was visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco this summer, and they were screening My Neighbor Totoro for an event. It's unfortunate that I did not have the time to watch the entire film. I like your explanations on what makes Miyazaki's films appealing, and it makes me want to watch them. It's interesting to enter a world that's completely unfamiliar to us, but we can feel the same way the characters do because we are sharing their experiences simultaneously and see things from their perspective. We can connect with the characters because their thoughts and actions are very much like our own: neither completely perfect nor completely flawed. I like your point about how uncertain we may be about whether some of the choices the characters make are right or wrong because it parallels the real world. We can never know for sure whether the choices we make in life will be right or wrong in the end because life is meant to be uncertain and there is never a clear distinction between black and white in this world.
Sorry to take so long to reply. I do like animation, although I'm certainly not an expert. Disney, cartoons, children oriented movies, and some anime pretty much make up my viewing experience.
Of Miyazaki's films, I have seen My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Some I liked better than others. I grew up with Totoro and though I have not watched it recently, I do not share your opinion of it; rather than finding it boring, I delighted in the visual storytelling elements in my young age, which I believe is the magic of Miyazaki's animation. He does blur the line between childhood and adulthood, reality and fantasy; he blends colorful worlds that could never exist with spirits and demons that are purely fantastical, yet somehow develops and drops in characters that the viewer ends up caring about despite the imaginative pretense of all his plots.
My neighbor Senna got a tattoo on her forearm of the blue "Totoro" carrying a bag of acorns.
I find 
6 comments:
great first post. i have been meaning to see his films. i love the fantasy of them and who doesn't like anime. are you into animation as well?
I've only seen Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. What I really liked about Spirited Away is that the main character is a realistic child. She's not some perfect hero, nor is she just an adult in a child's body. She makes selfish decisions and learns from her mistakes.
In Princess Mononoke, there are so many story elements, creating a diverse and endearing story. We start with Ashitaka and his village and at the end, we're with Irontown and the almost political and environmentalist messages. Miyazaki knows how to create layered movies that are not only visually appealing, but intellectually stimulating.
I must admit I am no fan of anime but I did find Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away very compelling. I agree with your interpretation about the blend between child an adult. It is really fascinating to observe such complex themes of spirituality and death alongside childlike and even humorous imagination. Although I would also have to argue that if one is to examine the history of fairy tales...or even Walt Disney for that matter...he or she would find that few children's tales are pure or innocent. Most actually are quite gruesome! I think what appeals to me the most about these films are the ingenious variety of bizarre creatures and contraptions that arise. True, seeing them doesn't elicit any profound thinking, but it does get your creative juices flowing!
Although I have not seen any of Hayou Miyazaki's works YET, I have heard of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro, and am aware of their success. I was visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco this summer, and they were screening My Neighbor Totoro for an event. It's unfortunate that I did not have the time to watch the entire film. I like your explanations on what makes Miyazaki's films appealing, and it makes me want to watch them. It's interesting to enter a world that's completely unfamiliar to us, but we can feel the same way the characters do because we are sharing their experiences simultaneously and see things from their perspective. We can connect with the characters because their thoughts and actions are very much like our own: neither completely perfect nor completely flawed. I like your point about how uncertain we may be about whether some of the choices the characters make are right or wrong because it parallels the real world. We can never know for sure whether the choices we make in life will be right or wrong in the end because life is meant to be uncertain and there is never a clear distinction between black and white in this world.
Sorry to take so long to reply. I do like animation, although I'm certainly not an expert. Disney, cartoons, children oriented movies, and some anime pretty much make up my viewing experience.
Of Miyazaki's films, I have seen My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Some I liked better than others. I grew up with Totoro and though I have not watched it recently, I do not share your opinion of it; rather than finding it boring, I delighted in the visual storytelling elements in my young age, which I believe is the magic of Miyazaki's animation. He does blur the line between childhood and adulthood, reality and fantasy; he blends colorful worlds that could never exist with spirits and demons that are purely fantastical, yet somehow develops and drops in characters that the viewer ends up caring about despite the imaginative pretense of all his plots.
My neighbor Senna got a tattoo on her forearm of the blue "Totoro" carrying a bag of acorns.
Post a Comment