Hayao Miyazaki is an internationally renowned Japanese animator. The vibrant colors, poignant themes,endearing characters, and rich fantasy worlds of films such as Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away have earned Miyazaki the reputation of both anime pioneer and master. All of Miyazaki's films are created meticulously through hand-painted cell animation. Each frame is a work of art.
Born in Tokyo in 1941, Miyazaki began his career as an animator at the studio Toei Douga in 1963. In addition to being a key animator in this studio, he also produced Manga (comics). He began collaboration with animator, Isao Takahata, in 1971 and worked mostly on TV series for the next eight years. He directed his first feature film in 1979. The success of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) led to the establishment of Studio Ghibli, where Miyazaki has directed, written and produced many critally acclaimed films in collaboration with Isao Takahata. Recently, Disney Animation Studios has agreed to release English language versions of these films so that the rest of the world can appreciate their breathtaking beauty.
Hayao Miyazaki is not just a master of the art of animation, but a meticulous craftsman who sees his work as a medium for shaping the humanistic and environmental concerns of our times. Although his story lines explore big themes (our ties to nature, the price of war, the spirit world, the inner strength of children), his films have a child-like, magical quality. Always, his films contain messages of hope, resilience and rebirth.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) would be a good movie to start
with if you have never seen a Miyazaki film before. It contains most of
the elements of his later films (fantasy world, warring factions,
woodland spirits, strong female character), yet it has less of the mysticism
of his later films, making it easier for someone new to this genre to follow.
Here is what one reviewer for Amazon.com had to say about Castle in
the Sky:
"Inspired by 'Gulliver's Travels,' the fantasy-adventure Castle in the
Sky (1986) was Miyazaki's third feature, and helped to establish his
reputation as a visionary in both Japan and America. The orphan Sheeta
inherited a mysterious crystal that links her to the legendary sky-kingdom
of Laputa. With the help of resourceful Pazu and a rollicking band of sky
pirates, she makes her way to the ruins of the once-great civilization.
Sheeta and Pazu must outwit the evil Muska, who plans to use Laputa's
science to make himself ruler of the world. Castle echoes elements in
Myazaki's earlier Nausicaä, and anticipates imagery in his later films,
from My Neighbor Totoro to Spirited Away... The exciting flying sequences,
appealing characters, and fantastic vision of a steam-powered future Jules
Verne might have imagined make Castle in the Sky a must-have for fans of
Japanese and Western animation." --Charles Solomon
To learn more about Hayao Miyazaki and his films, visit
The Hayao MIYAZAKI Web
where you can find news updates about Miyazaki film releases, as well as
images, film synopses and lyrics from Miyazaki films. This site
also includes a nicely illustrated
time line
of Miyazaki films produced by Studio Ghibli (as well as pre-Ghibli Miyazaki
films and TV series), with links to each film for more information.
Here are some other sites you might be interested in, as well: