Since “Ponyo - On the Cliff By the Sea” is out in theatres now, I thought it would be nice to include my own list of my favorite Miyazaki films.  As well as more info on the man behind them.

Kiki’s Delivery Service, image from Wiki.

Hayao Miyazaki was born in Japan on January 5, 1941.  He is Japan’s most successful film-maker.  He is said to be more of a pessimist when it comes to the future of our world, but at the same time he wants to give children hope by saying that life is worth living and the world is worth living in.

I have to agree, even watching the films as an adult, the scenes are all memorable and brings me back to my happy childhood too.  The innocence and the wonder of everything around me.  And it makes me want to preserve what I had for future generations to come.

As for his view on hand-drawn cell animation being replaced, his answer was “If it is a dying craft we can’t do anything about it. Civilization moves on. Where are all the fresco painters now? Where are the landscape artists? What are they doing now? The world is changing. I have been very fortunate to be able to do the same job for 40 years. That’s rare in any era.”  But he admits he likes Toy Story because it opened the doors to a new breed of animation.  And he does use CGI in his own movies (but never more than 10% of the finished print). Miyazaki continues by saying, “Actually I think CGI has the potential to equal or even surpass what the human hand can do,” he says. “But it is far too late for me to try it.”

Scenes from Howl’s Moving Castle and Hayao Miyazaki at the Venice film festival in 2005. Photograph: Claudio Onorati/EPA.  Photo from the Guardian.co.uk.

I may be sad at illustrations being replaced by graphics or CGI, but I guess it is the sign of the times. At least it will still keep the themes I’ve come to love such as having a strong female lead character. As well as themes focusing on conserving our natural environment. It’s an important issue, if not for us, then at least for sake of our planet.

The first Miyazaki film I saw was “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” I fell in love with the beautiful scenery and story line right away. The notion of a little witch going off into training was very adventurous.

Here is Kiki and her nervous and funny cat flying above the beautiful city.  Image from Studio Ghibli.

And since then I’ve seen many more films by Miyazaki. There are many good ones to chose from, but some of my favorite is My Neighbor Totoro and Laputa: Castle in the Sky. I loved My Neighbor Totoro for the simple and beautiful scenes of the countryside.  The film also tackled sensitive issues such as dealing with an ill parent.

Here the children are enjoying life and simply being kids.  Image from the New York Times.

Another Miyazaki film with beautiful illustrations is Howl’s Moving Castle.  And two of my most memorable characters are Sophie and Calcifer. It features the voice of Billy Crystal as the hilarious fire demon and Lauren Bacall as the Witch of the Wastes.

Here is an eye catching scene from Howl’s Moving Castle, image from Sim’s Blog. Miyazaki rarely gives interview, but Xan Brooks of the British paper, The Guardian caught up with Miyazaki at the Venice film festival.

Miyazaki was there for the 2005 release of “Howl’s Moving Castle.”

Excerpts from the interview:

“There are too many people in the world, he says, and too many wrong turns along the way. At the age of 64, he gives the impression that the planet is doomed but he’ll soon be leaving it, and not a minute too soon. ” Personally I am very pessimistic,” Miyazaki says. “But when, for instance, one of my staff has a baby you can’t help but bless them for a good future.

Because I can’t tell that child, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have come into this life.’ And yet I know the world is heading in a bad direction. So with those conflicting thoughts in mind, I think about what kind of films I should be making.” Perhaps this is why he tells children’s stories. “Well, yes. I believe that children’s souls are the inheritors of historical memory from previous generations. It’s just that as they grow older and experience the everyday world that memory sinks lower and lower. I feel I need to make a film that reaches down to that level.

If I could do that I would die happy.” I ask if he feels he’s managed that already and he chuckles and shakes his head. Nor does he feel that film can be employed as a force for good. “Film doesn’t have that kind of power,” he says, gloomily. “It only exerts its influence when it stirs patriots up against other nations, or taps into aggressive, violent urges.” This is a black diagnosis indeed. But then, inexplicably, Miyazaki’s mood lightens.

Perhaps it’s the sunshine, or the cigarette, or the fact that the interview is almost over. “Of course,” he relents, “if, as artists, we try to tap into that soul level - if we say that life is worth living and the world is worth living in - then something good might come of it.” He shrugs. “Maybe that’s what these films are doing. They are my way of blessing the child.”  End of interview.

I’m sure he’s impacted my generation, if not many more to come with his films.  Thank you Mr. Miyazaki.

My Neighbour Totoro to ‘A Magic World’ by Eels on Youtube

Whisper of the Heart, of Shizuku singing Country Roads on Youtube.

Kiki’s Delivery Service - Japanese Theme on Youtube. Beginning credit song here.

Read my review of Ponyo here.