Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki! Miyazaki is a master storyteller and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, still crafting traditional cel animation. Miyazaki was chief animator and concept artist for Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968) directed by Isao Takahata. He co-directed with Isao Takahata Lupin The Third Part I (1971-1972), the animated series based on Monkey Punch’s gentleman thief. Then, directed the animated series Future Boy Conan (1978). He directed The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) which starred Lupin the Third. In 1982, he wrote and drew his sci fi ecological manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Then, Miyazaki directed the film of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in 1984.
Hayao Miyazaki exhibit at the Academy Museum, 2021, photo by the author.
He started his longtime collabration with the music of Joe Hisaishi with that film. In 1985, he founded Studio Ghibili with Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. He then directed Castle in the Sky (1986) and then the classic My Neighbor Totoro (1988). Another charming animated film was Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989). In 1992, was Porco Rosso (1992). Miyazaki-san wrote Starting Point (1979-1996) which is insightful in his creative processes. Highly recommended for anyone interested in animation and his work. In 1997, he wrote and directed Princess Mononoke, it’s English adaptation was written by Neil Gaiman. It won the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year. Miyazaki then worked on Spirited Away (2001) which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Also, in 2001, the Studio Ghibli Museum opened which featured many of the Studio Ghibli creations. Next, he wrote and directed Howl’s Moving Castle based on the Diana Wynne Jones fantasy novel. His next film was Ponyo in 2008. Miyazaki continued his writings on animation with Turning Point: 1997-2008. In 2009, Miyazaki wrote the manga Kaze Tachinu based on the story of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter. This was turned into the animated film The Wind Rises (2016) which was reported to be Miyazaki’s last film. He was aware the Person of Cultural Merit in 2012.
He has worked on short films and displays for the Studio Ghibli Museum. There was a documentary on Studio Ghibli in 2013, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness. A documentary, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki was released in December 2018. He was given the Academy Honorary Award in 2014 for his work in animation and cinema. On September 30, 2021, the Academy Museum opened the “Hayao Miyazaki“ exhibit with a film retrospective. Miyazaki is coming out of retirement to direct How Do You Live? based on Yoshino Genzaburo’s novel. Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki-san!
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