STUDIO GHIBLI JAPAN’S UNIQUE ANIME STUDIO

JAPANESE ANIME IN GENERAL “Anime” to Americans means Japanese animation, with certain stylistics noted; “anime” to Japanese means any type of worldwide animation Anime bears a close relationship to Japanese manga, i.e., comic books…which, by the way, embrace all genres and are not just for children! Anime is viewed in Japan as a part of their art heritage, drawing on Japanese art forms over many centuries Japanese anime artists are held in high regard; some are quite famous in Japan Common thematic motifs are post-apocalyptic worlds, robots that blur the distinction between human and machine, and the great heroes and epic tales from Japanese history The drawing style tends to emphasize certain body features—e.g., large eyes, slender builds Studio Ghibli is unique among anime studios—a “kinder, gentler” approach

STUDIO GHIBLI Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, with funding from the publishing company by Tokuma Shoten. Co-principals Miyazaki and Takahata already had well-established careers in film and television animation “Ghibli” is Italian for the sirocco, Mediterranean wind; it was also the nickname of an Italian WWII fighter plane that Miyazaki admired NOTE that airplanes, and flying in general, have been a motif of Ghibli films, notably Miyazaki’s films The studio still relies primarily on hand-drawn animation, but began to incorporate some computer-generated elements with Princess Mononoke (1997) The studio itself is quite small…a “boutique” studio The Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, which opened in 2001, is a popular tourist destination

HAYAO MIYAZAKI Born in 1941, Tokyo; obviously, he grew up in a troubled post-war Japan He attended Gakushuin University, graduating with degrees in political science and economics; but he pursued manga art starting in high school Worked for a number of studios, including Toei Animation, before founding Ghibli He is the most famous and beloved animator in Japan When compared to Walt Disney, he objects, indicating that Disney was a (big) businessman, whereas he is a (humble) artist (interview on DVD??) He “bristles” at being called the Walt Disney of Japan“bristles” Indeed, Miyazaki is intimately involved in all his films—writing, directing, drawing…they are all his personal vision He has announced his retirement several times, but always comes back to work

Perhaps Miyazaki’s most iconic image…from My Neighbor Totoro

MOTIFS OF HAYAO MIYAZAKI Flying – airplanes, witched, human, castles, you name it Female protagonists – When asked why nearly all his films feature core, often powerful female protagonists, Miyazaki has said it’s because this is not the norm…it would not be “very interesting” to have adult male protagonists, because that has been done so often. Miyazaki is an intuitive feminist. The delicate balance between nature and technology The environmentalist message of Princess Mononoke In Spirited Away, even the spirit world has complex machinery Howl’s Moving Castle creates a mechanical world that transcends the real “Magical Unrealism”?? – Fantasy is used broadly, but metaphorically, with real- world implications Kiki’s Delivery Service – a witch in a realist European city Spirited Away – just beyond the edge of a realistic family outing lies an alternate reality filled with monsters and spirits

ISAO TAKAHATA Born in 1935; had some memories of WWII, which would color his works He graduates from the University of Tokyo with a degree in French literature Inspired by French animation, he sought employment as a director of anime, and landed at Toei Animation He is not an artist, unusual among anime directors Influenced by Italian Neorealism and French New Wave, his films are not based in fantasy, but rather are set in realistic environments (exception—Pom Poko) “I am so glad I can make so many people happy.”

ISAO TAKAHATA Grave of the Fireflies – The saddest movie Dr. N. has ever seen.

STUDIO GHIBLI The studio has released 20 feature anime films since 1985:

Feature films FilmRelease dateDirectorScreenwriter(s)Producer(s)Music Castle in the SkyAugust 2, 1986Hayao Miyazaki Isao TakahataJoe Hisaishi Grave of the Fireflies April 16, 1988 Isao Takahata Toru Hara Michio Mamiya My Neighbor Totoro Hayao Miyazaki Joe Hisaishi Kiki's Delivery ServiceJuly 29, 1989Hayao Miyazaki Only YesterdayJuly 20, 1991Isao Takahata Toshio Suzuki Katz Hoshi Porco RossoJuly 28, 1992Hayao Miyazaki Joe Hisaishi Pom PokoJuly 16, 1994Isao Takahata Kōryū, Manto Watanabe, Yōko Ino, Masaru Gotō & Ryōjirō Furusawa Whisper of the HeartJuly 15, 1995Yoshifumi Kondō Hayao Miyazaki Yuji Nomi Princess MononokeJuly 12, 1997Hayao MiyazakiJoe Hisaishi My Neighbors the YamadasJuly 17, 1999Isao Takahata Akiko Yano Spirited AwayJuly 27, 2001Hayao Miyazaki Joe Hisaishi The Cat ReturnsJuly 19, 2002Hiroyuki MoritaReiko Yoshida Nozomu Takahashi & Toshio Suzuki Yuji Nomi Howl's Moving CastleNovember 20, 2004Hayao Miyazaki Toshio Suzuki Joe Hisaishi Tales from EarthseaJuly 29, 2006Gorō Miyazaki Gorō Miyazaki & Keiko Niwa Tamiya Terashima PonyoJuly 19, 2008Hayao Miyazaki Joe Hisaishi ArriettyJuly 17, 2010Hiromasa Yonebayashi Hayao Miyazaki & Keiko Niwa Cécile Corbel From Up on Poppy HillJuly 16, 2011Gorō MiyazakiSatoshi Takebe The Wind Rises [21] July 20, 2013Hayao Miyazaki Joe Hisaishi The Tale of the Princess Kaguya [21] November 23, 2013Isao Takahata Isao Takahata & Riko Sakaguchi Yoshiaki Nishimura & Seiichiro Ujiie When Marnie Was There [22] July 19, 2014Hiromasa Yonebayashi Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Keiko Niwa & Masashi AndoMasashi Ando Yoshiaki Nishimura & Toshio Suzuki Takatsugu Muramatsu Television films Ocean WavesMay 5, 1993Tomomi MochizukiKaori Nakamura Toshio Suzuki, Nozomu Takahashi & Seiji Okuda Shigeru Nagata

MORE ON MIYAZAKI: Click for an interview with Hayao Miyazaki for BBC television (7 min.) Click for an interview with Hayao Miyazaki for BBC television Ironically, Disney Studios have been the American firm releasing Ghibli films in the U.S.! (See compilation of trailers of U.S. releases of Ghibli films) (13 min.)compilation of trailers Also see: Spirited Away DVD extra on making of...includes behind-the-scenes footage of Miyazaki at work animating,, cooking, ADRing, Foley, and music recording And note that there is a new documentary, Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, not yet available in U.S.!

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