Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿, Miyazaki Hayao, born January 5, 1941 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese director, animator and cartoonist. He adopted several aliases throughout his career, such as Saburo Akitsu (あきつ さぶろう), Tsutomu Teruki (照樹 務, working at ) and Miya Iwasaki. He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli and is the Chairman of the Tokuma Memorial animation Cultural Foundation and Mitaka Municipal Animation Museum of Art (Ghibli Museum). He's also an active member of the Totoro no Furusato Foundation.

Born in,. He studied Political Science and Economics at and later joined Toei Animation in 1963 as an animator. Following that, he became a freelancer, eventually producing Future Boy Conan and directed his first theatrical animated film The Castle of Cagliostro. In 1984, he, along with Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki and Yasuyoshi Tokuma co-founded Studio Ghibli. When Ghibli established its independence from Tokuma Shoten in 2005, he was appointed as Board of Directors.

Since then, he has directed numerous animated films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, The Wind Risesand Princess Mononoke and won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film for Spirited Away. In 2014, he became the second Japanese to win the Academy Honorary Award. He came out of retirement to work on How Do You Live?.

He lives in and is a known smoker. He is married to Akemi Miyazaki and two children, Goro Miyazaki and Keisuke Miyazaki. His blood type is O.

He announced his retirement after his last feature film, The Wind Rises. He came out of retirement to work on How Do You Live?

Early Life
Miyazaki was born in Tokyo, and is the second son of four brothers. His father was Katsuji Miyazaki and their family owned Miyazaki Airplane Mfg. Co., Ltd (宮崎航空機製作所, Miyazaki Kōkūki Seisakusho), and their factory was based in Tochigi Prefecture in Kanuma. When the Second World War began, their family was evacuated to Utsunomiya. It was here that Miyazaki stayed until his third grade of elementary school. He moved to Eifuku,, Tokyo where he studied until 4th grade of elementary school in 1950.

When he was a child, he described himself as weak and was not good at exercising. Despite his physical deficiencies, he excelled aat drawing. He was an avid reader and a big fan of mangakas like and. He also loved the pictures books of, particularly The Devil of the Savage. When he was in third year at Toyotama High School, he grew interested in animation and was greatly influenced by Toei Animation and their film Panda and the Magic Serpent (1958). He taught himself drawing at Fumio Sato's atelier and was influenced by Impressionist painters like.

Working as an Animator
He entered and joined the Children's Literature Circle (Children's Culture Study Group). While helping plan several puppet shows, he continued drawing manga with the goal of becoming a professional manga artist, but decided to move into the world of animation. After graduating from Gakushuin University, he joined Toei Animation as an animator. He struggled with the workmanlike atmosphere of Toei Animation, and never stopped his dream of being a cartoonist. He was greatly enamored by the Soviet-produced feature-length animated film Snow Queen (1957). That film, along with several others pushed Miyazaki to stick with working in animation.  (1965) also served as a strong inspiration for the budding young animator. He was promoted to general secretary for the Toei Animation Labor Union, and strove to improve the treatment of animators. In the fall of 1965, he married fellow Toei animator Akemi Ota at the age of 24, and later had two boys, Goro Miyazaki and Keisuke Miyazaki. He later teamed up with Isao Takahata, Yasuo Ōtsuka and Kouji Mori to work on The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun. This early masterpiece took three years (1965-1968) to complete.

In 1971, he left Toei Animation with Isao Takahata and Yoichi Kotabe and transferred to A Production to produce, Pippi Longstocking, but that project was abandoned after failing to obtain permission from the original author. Following that setback, Miyazaki and Takahata were invited by Yasuo Ōtsuka to adapt and direct Monkey Punch's Lupin the Third Part I (1971). Unfortuntely, the series suffered from a low audience viewership. Despite the broadcast ending after half a year, it served as the blueprint for subsequent spinoffs. Utilizing their experience from the failed Pippi project, Miyazaki, Takahata, Ōtsuka and Kotabe produced Panda! Go Panda and its sequel (1972, 1973). Miyazaki was in charge of screenplay, scene setting, art, original drawing, etc.

Miyazaki then transferred to Zuiyo Eizo (later Nippon Animation) with Takahata and Kotabe, where they produced Heidi, Girl of the Alps in 1974. He was in charge of scene setting and scene composition (layout) for several of the series' episodes. The series was a big hit and achieved an average audience rating of 26.9%. This was Miyazaki's first mainstream success.

Future Boy Conan
In 1978, Miyazaki directed Future Boy Conan for NHK. While he was not credited as director in the end credits, Miyazaki's responsibilities encompassed that of a director. In trying to keep with the strict weekly broadcasting schedule, Miyazaki was not only in charge of directing, but also in storyboarding, setting, character design and mechanical design. He drew most storyboards and layouts, and the script made by the staff. The storyboard, layout, and original drawings were all checked by Isao Takahata. The series received decent viewership at the time, and is considered a classic to this day.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
After the release of Future Boy Conan, Yasuo Ōtsuka approached Miyzaki to direct a new Lupin III movie for Telecom Animation Film (then known as Tokyo Movie Shinsha). Thus in 1979, The Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki's directorial debut, was born.

Miyazaki threw himself to complete the film in record time. He worked on the film for a brief four and a half months, describing the experience as where he learnt his limitations of his physical strength. Unfortunately, due to the stylistic difference between Lupin the Third Part II and the immense popularity of science fiction animation at the time, the film was a flop at the box office. Thankfully, the film found success after it was rebroadcast on television, and is now considered an animation classic.

Immediately after this, Miyazaki found himself working on script, storyboard, and director on a handful of episodes for the ongoing Lupin III series. He worked on the series finale, which notably featured designs that would later be seen in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. It was around this time when Miyazaki met Toshio Suzuki, who was currently working as deputy editor of Animage magazine.

With the release of the Lupin the Third Part I series, a third Lupin III movie was announced. Miyazaki was once again tapped as director, but he turned the offer down. Miyazaki instead recommended his friend Mamoru Oshii to direct.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Miyazaki, along with Yasuo Ōtsuka and Isao Takahata, were then involved in the US-Japan collaboration Little Nemo by Telecom Animation Film. The trio would fly back and forth to the United States, but shortly after producing a pilot film, Miyazaki and his friends decided to abandon the project. It was at this time when Miyazaki began developing concepts that would later become My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Castle in the Sky.

Toshio Suzuki, who fell in love with Miyazaki's talent, brought several of Miyazaki's proposal and image boards for what would be Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind to Tokuma Shoten (the publisher of Animage) in order to adapt it into a film. However, Yasuyoshi Tokuma (then presiden of Tokuma Shoten) and his fellow executives rejected this as they felt it was unviable as a film if didn't have an accompanying manga. Hideo Ogata, editor-in-chief of Tokuma Shoten's Animage, who had been a fan of Miyazaki since producing Future Boy Conan, decided to use the magazine to help publish Nausicaä  as a manga. On February 1982, the serialization of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind began, and eventually gained the support of many readers.

In addition, Ogata and Suzuki proposed a special short animated film to help promote Nausicaä. The project's scope gradually expanded, and thanks to Ogata's efforts, Yasuyoshi Tokuma became convinced as he was enthusiastic and dreamed of entering the movie business at the time. He decided to produce Nausicaä in an animated film, which was later released in 1984.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind proved to be a big hit, following the success of The Castle of Cagliostro as it was being broadcast on television. The film also helped spur the ecology boom at the time.

Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli was established in 1985 thanks to an investment from Tokuma Shoten. Subsequent film productions would also be funded by Tokuma. The initial disappointing box office returns of 1986 release of Castle in the Sky and 1988 My Neighbor Totoro were later offset thanks to the secondary merchandising sales and release on home video.

Additionally, in 1986, after Mamoru Oshii's Lupin III movie failed to get produced, Oshii was appointed as the director at Studio Ghibli. He then produced Anchor, which was written by Miyazaki. (Anchor would also fail to get produced)

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) was initially supposed to be directed by Sunao Katabuchi, but had to drop out after an issue with the sponsors. Miyazaki then took over directing duties. Kiki was Ghibli's first major box office hit, and thanks to its success, the studio was able to hire more talent and expand its operations.

Porco Rosso (1992) was originally planned as a 45 minute in-flight film for Japan Airlines, but the concept gradually expanded and it was released as a feature film. Due to the end of production on Takahata's Only Yesterday (1991), Miyazaki initially managed the production of Porco Rosso independently. The outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars in 1991 affected Miyazaki, prompting a more somber tone for the film.

For Whisper of the Heart (1995), Miyazaki was in charge of screenplay, production, executive producer, layout and original drawing.

Princess Mononoke ," which was released in 1997, was a record-breaking box office hit in Japan. Mononoke proved to be one of Ghibli's most expensive productions to date, and the stress of that work prompted Miyazaki to push for an early retirement. He returned to work shortly after.

Spirited Away was released in 2001, and was an even bigger hit in Japan and around the world. It set a new record with 23.5 million viewers, and achieved an astouding box office revenue of 30.8 billion yen. It received the highly coveted Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003. At the press conference following the completion of the film, Miyazaki once again declared his retirement saying, "It's impossible to make a feature-length anime movie anymore."

In 2004, Ghibli released Howl 's Moving Castle. It was originally supposed to be directed by Mamoru Hosoda, but Hosada dropped out due to creative differences. On its second day of release, the film counted 1.1 million viewers and the film earned 1.48 billion yen in the box office. Howl's set the second box office opening of all time in Japan. The film won the Osella Award at the Venice International Film Festival and Best Animation Award from the New York Film Critics Association. It was nominated again for an Academy Award that year. In 2005, Miyazaki received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Award for outstanding world-class filmmakers at the Venice International Film Festival. In 2006, he was selected for the Academy Awards selection committee. Miyazaki was selected twice before this, but declined because he wanted to concentrate on his creative activities.

Tales from Earthsea was released in 2006. Miyazaki worked on the original draft, layout, and original picture.

On July 19, 2008, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea was released. A month after its premiere, its Japanese box office record exceeded 10 billion yen. During the production of Ponyo, Miyazaki stated that this work would the last animated film he could work on physically. However, after the movie was released, Miyazaki was shocked to learn that Howl's Moving Castle had a number of viewers than Ponyo, and this motivated him to "make another movie".

There was a time when Miyazaki didn't like to appear in front of the media, but during the creation of Ponyo, he developed a close relationship with NHK, and was featured on their program, Professional Work Style. The documentary of his process was a big hit. In addition, Miyazaki was invited to the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Japan on November 20, 2008, and enthusiastically argued about the concerns in the animation industry. In 2012, he was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit.

In 2013, he released The Wind Rises. On September 1, the same year, Studio Ghibli president Koji Hoshino announced that Miyazaki would retire from the production of feature films. He has since come out of retirement to produce How Do You Live?.

On May 15, 2018, he attended Isao Takahata's funeral service and read the opening remarks.

Good & Evil
Most of Miyazaki's films feature some sort of struggle between good and evil. For example, in The Castle of Cagliostro, Clarisse d'Cagliostro struggling to save the European Grand Duchy of Gagliostro after it is invaded by the Count Cagliostro, and in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaä is struggling to save the Valley of the Wind after it is invaded by the Tolmekians. Also, in Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Pazu must save Sheeta after she is captured by Muska.

Environment
Several of Miyazaki's film go into man's concern for nature. Such as, in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaä spends a portion of the movie doing research to find a cure for the toxin plaguing their lands. And in Princess Mononoke, San, being raised by wolves, is very angry at men for destroying their forests.

Anti-War
Anti-War is a big theme in both Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and in Princess Mononoke. In both movies, the main characters are trying to stop all of the wars. Nausicaä wants to stop the animals from fighting, as well as the main battle against the Pejitans and the Ohmu. In Princess Mononoke, Ashitaka tries to end the conflict between Irontown and the forest.

Flight
Flight is a recurring theme in many of Miyazaki's films, with the exception of Princess Mononoke, in one form or another. In Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaa uses a glider to get to places. And there are many airships in the movie, as well. There are also airships in Castle in the Sky and Porco Rosso. Porco Rosso is an air delivery pilot. In Kiki's Delivery Service, Kiki regularly flies around on a broom and there is a blimp, as well as a homemade plane in the movie, too. In Spirited Away, Haku can turn into a dragon to fly around. In My Neighbor Totoro, Totoro flies around on a spinning top. And then, in Howl's Moving Castle, Howl can turn in a bird and fly around. Howl's Castle turns into a flying castle.

Visual Devices
The use of visual devices is common in all of Miyazaki's film. He will pan away from the action for a few seconds to add a momentary lull to the movie. For instance, showing raindrops hitting a rock and darkening it has been used in several of his movies.

Politics
Miyazaki's early interest in Marxism is apparent in a few of his films, such as Porco Rosso. In Castle in the Sky, the working class is portrayed in idealized terms.

Influences
Miyazaki has cited several Japanese artists as his influences, including Sanpei Shirato, Osamu Tezuka, and Soji Yamakawa. A number of Western authors have also influenced his works, including Frédéric Back, Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, Jean Giraud, Paul Grimault, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Yuriy Norshteyn, as well as animation studio Aardman Animations.a.

Director

 * Future Boy Conan (1978 series)
 * The Castle of Cagliostro (1979 film)
 * Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984 film)
 * Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986 film)
 * My Neighbor Totoro (1988 film)
 * Kiki's Delivery Service (1989 film)
 * Porco Rosso (1992 film)
 * On Your Mark (1995 music video)
 * Princess Mononoke (1997 film)
 * Spirited Away (2001 film)
 * The Whale Hunt (2001 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Koro's Big Day Out (2001 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Mei and the Kittenbus (2002 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Howl's Moving Castle (2004 film)
 * Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea ( 2008 film )
 * The Wind Rises (2013 film)
 * How Do You Live? (Upcoming film)

Writer

 * Panda! Go, Panda! (1972 film)
 * Panda! Go, Panda! and the Rainy-Day Circus (1973 short film)
 * The Kusakabe's Sister (1974, short 35 minute film)
 * The Castle of Cagliostro (1979 film)
 * Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984 film) (Manga) (Screenplay)
 * Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986 film) (Story) (Screenplay)
 * My Neighbor Totoro (1988 film)
 * Kiki's Delivery Service (1989 film) (Screenplay)
 * Porco Rosso (1992 film) (Story) (Screenplay)
 * On Your Mark (1995 music video) (Writer)
 * Whisper of the Heart (1995 film) (Screenplay)
 * Princess Mononoke (1997 film) (Screenplay)
 * Spirited Away (2001 film) (Story) (Screenplay)
 * The Whale Hunt (2001 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Koro's Big Day Out (2001 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Mei and the Kittenbus (2002 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum)
 * Howl's Moving Castle (2004 film) (Screenplay)
 * Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea ( 2008 film ) (Idea) (Screenplay)
 * The Secret World of Arrietty (2010 film) (Screenplay)
 * From Up on Poppy Hill (2011 film) (Screenplay)

Producer

 * Kiki's Delivery Service (1989 film)

Art Department

 * Hols: Prince of the Sun (1968 film) (Scene Designer)
 * Future Boy Conan (1978 series) (Storyboard Artist)
 * My Neighbor Totoro (1988 film) (Storyboard Artist)
 * Whisper of the Heart (1995 film) (Storyboard Artist)

Animation Department

 * Hols: Prince of the Sun (1968 film) (Animator)
 * Future Boy Conan (1978 series) (Character Designer)
 * The Castle of Cagliostro (1979 film) (Character Designer)

Editor

 * Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986 film)
 * Porco Rosso (1992 film)
 * Princess Mononoke (1997 film)
 * Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008 film)

Soundtrack

 * Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008 film) (Writer: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea)
 * Princess Mononoke (1997 film) (Writer: Princess Mononoke Main Theme, Ashitaka and San)

Miscellaneous Crew

 * Panda! Go, Panda! (1972 film) (Screen Design)
 * Future Boy Conan (1984 series) (Director: Archive Footage)
 * Pom Poko (1994 film) (Planner)
 * The Cat Returns (2002 film) (Project Concept)

Actor

 * Mei and the Kittenbus (2002 short film exclusive to the Studio Ghibli Museum) - Neko Bachan

Self

 * The Art of "Spirited Away" (2003 video)
 * Princess Mononoke: Making of a Masterpiece (2004 video)