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8/6/2019 The Life and Works of Hayao Miyazaki

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The Tip of the Miyazaki Iceberg

He is known as the Walt Disney of Japan, (quote), he is known for his futuristic

and at times violent movies; his movies have touched millions, and he is Hayao

Miyazaki. Just like many average kids in Japan Miyazaki loved mangas, which is a

common pass time even in America; are an addicting comic book for all ages ranging in

genres like action to sci-fi, romance, and even horror. Growing up on these books

Miyazakis career path was decided with his childhood filled with mangas turned

animations. All around the world the name Hayao Miyazaki is known especially in the

animation world. His accolades are a visual proof of his renowned short films, movies,

and the way he creates his works. Critics comment on his movies, a fair share of

outstanding to shoddy, not all animations are made for children Miyazaki says himself.

Hayao Miyazaki and team spend years perfecting his films through a long arduous

process. This is just the beginning of the life and works of Hayao Miyazaki.

From the Dreams of an Imaginative Child

1941, January 5 in Akebono-cho (town), Bunkyo-ku (district) Tokyo Japan Hayao

Miyazaki was born to Katsuji Miyazaki and mother who is unknown and mysterious. His

Father died during WWII; he was the Director of Miyazaki Airplane, which he co owned

with his brother. Their company made the rudders for the Zero fighter plans, this had

relatively effect on the young Hayao Miyazaki. His mother was known as a severe and

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highly intellectual mother. He is not an only child he grew up with 3 siblings one older

than him the other younger; he has said that being the second son really affected him


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while he was growing up. A few short years after his fathers death the Miyazaki family

was evacuated to Utsunomiya City on the outskirts of Tokyo Japan then later to Kanuma

City in the Tochigi district where the family business Miyazaki Airplanes factory was

located. Little Miyazaki went to 3 different elementary schools between 1947 and 1952.

For first through third grade Hayao Miyazaki went to school in Utsunomiya City. After

he moved on to Omiya Elementary School in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, this was when his

family moved back to Suginami-ku. He transitioned to the new branch of the Suginami-

ku School called Eifuku Elementary School for fifth grade.

Also while all this school jumping was happening the widowed Mrs. Miyazaki

was fighting with tuberculosis, she spent the first few years in a nearby hospital. His

mother was a strong influence on Hayao Miyazaki even his schooling was an influence,

since some of the schools in his days were very similar to American school giving him a

somewhat western raising. Miyazakis well-known film My Neighbor Totoro(picture) is

seen as a tribute to her while she was sick, some critics even say his movies is somewhat

of an autobiography of himself in the course of this time. From 1953-1958 Miyazaki

finished elementary school and Omiya Junior High School. He went to a public high

school called Toyotama High by this time he was showing a keen interest in art. In His

junior year he became interested in animation because of the first ever-Japanese feature

length color anime called Hakuja Den it was directed by Yabushita Taiji for the company

Toei Douga in 1958. Little did he know this interesting animation by the company Toei

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Douga is a place where hed work in his later years. It was then he decides he wants to

pursue becoming a mangaka also known as a comic artist in American Culture. The only


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problem was that he only drew planes and battleships because he cant draw people just

yet. He graduates from Toyotama Senior High School moving on to Gakushuin

University.

Putting aside his desire for drawing, his plan for his major in college was to help

Japan reconstruct their economy after the war helping them recover. This lead to his

degree in political science and economics; not losing his curiosity in art something new

came along too. He took notice to childrens stories he even became part of a childrens

literature research society that opened doors of knowledge of fables and tales globally. It

was basically a childrens comic club in college. He graduated in 1963, fun he didnt

pursue a job that went along with his degreeinstead he got a job as an in-betweener

that adds in drawings between to main drawings to make an action scene complete.

Rekindling his love of art and animation he left the world of going into politics or

industry without looking back. (Sited from the Colombia Encyclopedia People: sereach

Hayao Miyazaki)

In 1971 Miyazaki moved to another studio with a friend and fellow animator

named Isao Takahata whom he meet at Toei Cine. A couple of years later they moved to

Zuiyo Pictures, Hayao Miyazkis artwork began to perfect itself during his time spent

there. Some of his first assignments were Watchdog Bow Wow, and then being moved

back to Toei Cine he did their first TV series called Wolf Boy Ken. His first film that he

worked on as a writer and an animator was a short film called Panda! Go Panda! In the

following year there wasPanda and Child: Rainy Day Circus, and directed his first series

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in 1978 calledFuture Boy Conan;Hayao was on the fast track in his career and dream.


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His big shot came along when Tokyo Movie Shinsha hired him to direct a book turned

movie called The Castle of Cagliostro adopted from a comic book calledLupin III. It was

then, as a young adult Hayao Miyazaki wanted to make more films and grow bigger in

the animation world.

While building his career Hayao was dating Akemi Ota, his future wife. They got

married in October 1968 and moved in together to Higashi-Murayama City, Tokyo. They

have two sons the first is named Akime Miyazaki and the other is named Keisuki

Miyazaki. Miyazaki says, Having children really changed his work. He said he had

always tried to make his anime to please his children while they were growing up. This

quote was taken from a video interview where he described the balance between work

and play. He is a hard workingman he aims for perfecting when working on his latest

film. In his bookThe Starting Pointthe cover shows a caricature of him studiously

working hard puffing on a cigarette.

When you see Hayao Miyazaki you think Wow he doesnt look that old,

truthfully he is only 70. He has aged gracefully amazingly with all the stressful things

youd think a man like him would be going through. Even in his early 70s he still has

goals to produce more movies and find better ways of making them.

Hes Internationally Known

With a global fan base and recognition it is clear to understand why he has been

nominated 55 time and 36 of those times he won the awards.

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His nominated and won awards are: 2006 Nominated Oscar Best Animated Feature Film

of the Year for: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). 2003 Won Oscar Best Animated Feature

for: Spirited Away (2001). Miyazaki was not present at the awards ceremony. Academy

of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA 2003 Nominated Saturn Award Best

Writing for: Spirited Away (2001). Shared with: Cindy Davis Hewitt (english version)

Donald H. Hewitt (english version) Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival 2003 Won Silver

Scream Award for: Spirited Away (2001). Annie Awards 2010 Nominated Annie

Directing in a Feature Production for: Ponyo (2008). 2006 Nominated Annie Best

Directing in an Animated Feature Production for: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Best

Writing in an Animated Feature Production for: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Shared

with: Donald H. Hewitt Cindy Davis Hewitt 2003 Won Annie Outstanding Directing in

an Animated Feature Production for: Spirited Away (2001). Outstanding Writing in an

Animated Feature Production for: Spirited Away (2001). 2000 Nominated Annie

Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production

for: Princess Mononoke (1997). For the english language version. 1998 Won Winsor

McCay Award Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards 2004 Nominated Silver

Condor Best Foreign Film (Mejor Pelcula Extranjera) for: Spirited Away (2001). Asian

Film Awards 2009 Nominated Asian Film Award Best Director for: Ponyo (2008).

Awards of the Japanese Academy 2002 Won Lifetime Achievement Award BAFTA

Awards 2004 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Film not in the English Language

for: Spirited Away (2001). Shared with: Toshio Suzuki .Berlin

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International Film Festival 2002 Won Golden Berlin Bear for: Spirited Away

(2001). Tied with Bloody Sunday (2002). Blue Ribbon Awards 2002 Won Blue Ribbon

Award Best Film for: Spirited Away (2001). 1998 Won Special Award for: Princess

Mononoke (1997). 1989 Won Special Award for: My Neighbor Totoro (1988).

Cambridge Film Festival 2003 Won Audience Award Best Film for: Spirited Away

(2001). Cinekid 2002 Won Cinekid Film Award for: Spirited Away (2001). Tied with

The Little Bird Boy (2002). Csar Awards, France 2003 Nominated Csar Best Foreign

Film (Meilleur film tranger) for: Spirited Away (2001). Japan. Durban International

Film Festival 2002 Won Best Film for: Spirited Away (2001). European Film Awards

2002 Nominated Screen International Award for: Spirited Away (2001). Japan.

Fantafestival 1985 Won Best Short Film for: Nausica of the Valley of the Wind (1984).

Hochi Film Awards 1997 Won Special Award for: Princess Mononoke (1997).

Hollywood Film Festival 2005 Won Hollywood Film Award Animation of the Year for:

Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists 2006

Nominated Silver Ribbon Best Director - Foreign Film (Regista del Miglior Film

Straniero) for: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Kinema Junpo Awards 2002 Won Readers'

Choice Award Best Film for: Spirited Away (2001). 1998 Won Readers' Choice Award

Best Film for: Princess Mononoke (1997). 1990 Won Readers' Choice Award Best

Japanese Film Director for: Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). 1989 Won Kinema Junpo

Award Best Film for: My Neighbor Totoro (1988). Readers' Choice Award Best

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Japanese Film for: My Neighbor Totoro (1988). 1985 Won Readers' Choice Award Best

Film for: Nausica of the Valley of the Wind (1984). Los Angeles Film Critics

Association Awards 2002 Won LAFCA Award Best Animation for: Spirited Away

(2001). Mainichi Film Concours 2005 Won Readers' Choice Award Best Film for:

Howl's Moving Castle (2004). 2002 Won Mainichi Film Concours Best Animated Film

for: Spirited Away (2001). Best Director for: Spirited Away (2001). Best Film for:

Spirited Away (2001). Ofuji Noburo Award for: Kujira tori (2001). Readers' Choice

Award Best Film for: Spirited Away (2001). 1998 Won Mainichi Film Concours Best

Animated Film for: Princess Mononoke (1997). Best Film for: Princess Mononoke

(1997). Readers' Choice Award Best Film for: Princess Mononoke (1997). 1993 Won

Mainichi Film Concours Best Animated Film for: Porco Rosso (1992). 1990 Won

Mainichi Film Concours Best Animated Film for: Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). 1989

Won Mainichi Film Concours Best Film for: My Neighbor Totoro (1988). Ofuji Noburo

Award for: My Neighbor Totoro (1988). 1987-Won Ofuji Noburo Award for: Castle in

the Sky (1986). (Tokuma Shoten). For Hayao Miyazaki, his staff and the company

Tokuma Shoten.1985 Won Ofuji Noburo Award for: Nausica of the Valley of the Wind

(1984). 1980 Won Mainichi Film Concours Ofuji Noburo Award for: Lupin the Third:

The Castle of Cagliostro (1979). Nikkan Sports Film Awards 1997 Won Nikkan Sports

Film Award Best Director for: Princess Mononoke (1997). San Francisco International

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Film Festival 2002 Won Audience Award Best Narrative Feature for: Spirited Away

(2001). Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America 2007 Won Nebula Award Best

Script or: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Shared with Cindy Davis and Hewitt Donald H.

Hewitt 2004 Nominated Nebula Award Best Script for: Spirited Away (2001). Shared

with: Cindy Davis Hewitt and Donald H. Hewitt 2001 Nominated Nebula Award Best

Script for: Princess Mononoke (1997). Shared with: Neil Gaiman Sitges. Catalonian

International Film Festival 2004 Won Audience Award Best Feature Film for: Howl's

Moving Castle (2004). Got a a special Prize of the Jury for the all of his career.

Nominated Best Film for: Howl's Moving Castle (2004). 2002 Won Special Mention for:

Spirited Away (2001). Nominated Best Film for: Spirited Away (2001). Venice Film

Festival 2008 Won Future Film Festival Digital Award - Special Mention for: Ponyo

(2008). Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award for: Ponyo (2008). Nominated Golden Lion

for: Ponyo 2008, 2005 Won Career Golden Lion 2004 Nominated Golden Lion for:

Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films: 2004-Won

Lifetime Achievement Award. (Sited from

http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/films/filmography.html pg.1-5 by Team Ghiblink) In

this long list of awards shows proof he is renowned in Europe, Asia, North America, and

in some Latin countries.

The Start of a New Company

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 in Kichijoji of Musashino City, Japan. Hayao

Miyazaki started it with Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata. From there they created films

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http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/films/filmography.htmlhttp://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/films/filmography.html


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and shorts which have mostly been nominated for an award. Their company is still going

strong after 26 years of hard work and dedication. Miyazaki when asked about retiring

has he replied, His eyes aren't as good as they used to be, and his hands can no longer

move so quickly. And he felt that spending every day for more than two years working

on Mononoke Hime took too much out of him. Hence, he said that he wouldn't direct a

film in that way anymore. Funny that it was after he he made the film Princess

Mononoke Princess Mononoke was like Japans Titanic, it was and still is the highest

grossing movie in Japan-Critic (Sited from Book. McCarthy, Helen. Hayao Miyazaki

Master of Japanese Animation) since then hes made more than three films. The rumors

of Miyazaki retiring have some truth but in actuality he is just dropping back to the

shadows and will continue to over see the productions of Studio Ghibli.

All Good Things Must Come to and End

Miyazaki life has been extremely successful; hes made himself famous in the

film and animation world. His works and depth to his stories inspire people; even his

quirky attitude attracts people to him. To go along with that are his award to show his

productions over the years. His childhood even though bad at times gave him the strength

he needed to continue and push towards his dreams.

Concluding His Life


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Hayao Miyazaki in conclusion is just an awe-inspiring man in general; you can never just

watch one of his movies and be satisfied with just that. His hard work and dedication in

his life time shows great results. Fans are slowly becoming morose with his slow decline

to an end of an inspiring lifetime of entertaining films. Hopefully some one will follow in

his foot steps and make movies that exceed Hayao Miyazaki himself.

Reference:

1. Website: IMDb Biograrphy for Hayao Miyazaki

IMDb. 1990-2011

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594503/

Used for spouse and family, trivia, biography

2. Internet Video (Interview)

Yamafuki Hayao Miyazaki in U.S.A. August 5 2007

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JLBED-LoM81

On tour for award shows

3. Encyclopedia: People Hayao Miyazaki

Info on moving around when he was younger.

4. Book. McCarthy, Helen. Hayao Miyazaki Master of Japanese Animation

Berkeley CA: Stone Bridge Press, 1999

Info on his animation technique and insight to his movies

5. Book. Miyazaki, Hayao. The Starting Point

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http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594503/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JLBED-LoM81http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594503/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JLBED-LoM81


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Reprint Viz Media, 2009

Info on his career path and filmography

6. Website: Nausica.Net The Hayao Miyazaki Web

Nausic.Net 2004

http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/miyazaki/101.html

Info on life, interviews, and insight on Studio Ghibli.
http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/miyazaki/101.htmlhttp://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/miyazaki/101.html