“In the past, humans hesitated when they took lives, even non-human lives. But society had changed, and they no longer felt that way. As humans grew stronger, I think that we became quite arrogant, losing the sorrow of 'we have no other choice.' I think that in the essence of human civilization, we have the desire to become rich without limit, by taking the lives of other creatures.” – Hayao Miyazaki
One of the most prominent figures in the expansion of animated cinema is Hayao Miyazaki of Japan. A legendary filmmaker, Miyazaki's animated films emerge in a unique style on many levels. Technical aspects, emotions, intellectual parameters, philosophy, art and politics - are one of the characteristics of creations of Miyazaki. Despite his animation style, his films are respected by the world's intellectual film community, including children and youths, as the emotions of the films appeal to adults as well. One of the characteristics of Miyazaki's films is his innovative style of reflecting Japanese culture as well as his social background and Japanese nature as a subject.
Founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli is a ground-breaking name in animation studios, the lifeline of Japanese animation cinema. For the past nearly four decades, Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have made outstanding contributions to the global animation movie industry. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013), directed by Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, the movies gave Japanese animation cinema a unique identity in the global context.
Miyazaki's films are rich in different elements. The human relationship with the environment and nature is one of the themes of his films. If Princess Mononoke explores the conflict between mankind's progress and nature, Nausicaa of the valley of the wind describes mankind's tendency to destroy the environment and how nature cleanses itself of our destructive tendencies. A complex view of our relationship with nature is the notable feature of Miyazaki’s cinema. In addition, feminism is a major element in Miyazaki's films. Most of the films feature stories with women as the protagonists. Hayao Miyazaki is a female sensitive person. His films portray women as self-reliant and strong. Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, etc. have featured female characters as a powerful portrayal. Regarding the major role of female characters in cinema, Miyazaki said, “I create women characters by watching the female staff at my studio. Half the staff are women”. Another characteristic of Hayao Miyazaki is the envision of anti-war themes. In Howl’s Moving Castle, the battle is evident. Another film is Nausicaa, which describes a military invasion of a peaceful country. These films reflect Miyazaki's powerful voice, which bitterly criticized 20th-century Japanese imperialism and the mentality behind it.
The animated film Spirited Away is considered to be the most popular and commercially successful film directed by Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. It’s a unique gift from Miyazaki. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards. The film was released in 2001 and had stunning aesthetics. Before the movie was animated, it was hand-drawn by Miyazaki.
Miyazaki's masterpiece 'My Neighbor Totoro'
At a time when animation films were far from technically advanced, Miyazaki's greatest gift to world cinema was My Neighbor Totoro, which is considered as one of the most popular animated films in the history of world cinema. My Neighbor Totoro, released in 1988, is known as a milestone in Japanese animation cinema. Miyazaki's films are much talked about for their simplicity, but not for their complexity. The plot and scenes of My Neighbor Totoro were so simple and rich that the film was more about the characteristics of the story rather than the character development.
It is the story of two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei. Set up in the 1950s, the story begins with a university professor and his father coming home with their two daughters in a car along a bumpy road. His father bought a house some distance from the city to facilitate his commute from the hospital where his wife was being treated. But the house is known as a ghost bungalow. Upon entering the new house, Satsuki and Mei see some small black objects moving around the dark rooms of the house. When she told her father, he tried to convince her that it was a ball of dust, but the grandmother who brought him home to work said it was Susuwatari, who likes to live in old empty houses but leaves when she hears people laughing, they walk away. (A Susuwatari is a disembodied physical fictional character that the director invented and used for the first time in his movie). That's what happened in practice. The Susuwatari leave the Satsuki's house. One day, while playing outside, Mei happens to meet a giant creature in the nearby forest, which she calls Totoro. His father and Satsuki arrive in search of Mei and find Mei asleep. Mai wonders if meeting Totoro was a dream or a reality, because she could not show her father and Satsuki the existence of Totoro. A few days later, while waiting in the evening at the bus stop to pick up their father, Satsuki and Mei meet Totoro again. Totoro's first meeting with Satsuki! She gives the umbrella she brought for her father to Totoro, who was waiting in the rain. Totoro happily takes the umbrella. A cat-driven vehicle stopped in front of him and Totoro got on the bus and left. Mei and Satsuki are overjoyed to meet Totoro. My Neighbor Totoro is all about about Mei, Satsuki and Totoro.
Full of calm and concentrated elements, the film is a masterpiece of Miyazaki's imaginative mind. Some of the scenes in Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro, created with watercolour coatings, are reminiscent of Fushigi no Kuni no Alice (1983 Japanese adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), although the two have different presentation styles. The scene of Mei and Satsuki waiting at the bus stop with their umbrella and the giant Totoro calmly holding a leaf on his head to protect himself from the rain is an iconic scene in the movie. My Neighbor Totoro without conflict is a film about situation and exploration. In order to present the close relationship between human and nature, Miyazaki creates some fictional characters that are not based on any Japanese fiction.
No distribution company initially showed interest in the movie produced by Hayao Miyazaki. However, Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro later became one of the greatest films of all time. The simple, peaceful emotions of the film and the presentation of a story rich in character experiences without any dramatic tension is a remarkable experience for Miyazaki to complete the film with immense success. It’s an un-mitigated triumph of cinematic language and possibly an unforgettable achievement of a lifetime for the director.
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