Hayao Miyazaki Based One of His Best Movies in Japan Despite ‘Although I Still Hate Japan’ Sentiment for a Good Reason

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most renowned storytellers of this generation, establishing Studio Ghibli, which is the hub to some of the greatest titles like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron, and so many more. Each project would not only showcase his creative genius but also move one into tears while appreciating the beauty of the film.

However, each one of his works would feature an important message that would make the audience ponder the complex themes featured in a respective film. While fans appreciate Miyazaki-Sensei’s storytelling skills, the animation studio’s ability to create jaw-dropping scenery will leave the fans awestruck.

One such film is My Neighbor Totoro, which happens to be a beautiful blend of narration and bewitching scenery. Interestingly, the storyteller detests the country for its past, but at the same time has a good enough reason to feature the beauty of The Land of the Rising Sun.

Hayao Miyazaki and His Love-Hate Relationship with Japan

Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli have been often considered to be the greatest duo in the anime industry. The mangaka would feature stirring themes of modernization, industrialization, empathy for others, and many more, and at the same time, the studio would keep the viewers hooked by featuring top-tier animation.

Despite being such an influential name in Japan, he has often been criticized by its citizens for his loathing for the country. In 2013, Miyazaki-Sensei gave an interview with Neppu via GameRant, where he shared that “I came to truly hate Japan, thinking I was born in a country that did stupid things.”

However, when fans watch My Neighbor Totoro, they will not get any preconceived notion of how the Spirited Away creator detested the country. Well, the film was heart-touching, featuring serene views of the country.

Back in the day, Studio Ghibli published a book titled Totoro no Umareta Tokoro, which featured a number of interviews with the esteemed filmmaker.

In one of the interviews via Anime News Network, the director gets candid on the tranquil setting of the film, where he shared that the film is set in the city of Tokorozawa, where he used to live back during the 1960s with his wife. Although specific locations are not used in the flick, it is based on the vague memories he has of the place.

Later, in the interview, the Princess Mononoke director stated that while working on Heidi, Girl of the Alps, he decided to create a movie that would show the beauty of rural Japan. He clarified that he went to Switzerland to learn how to draw the flora and fauna. It was during this session that he thought, “The greenery in Japan is better,” before adding, “Although I still hate Japan.”

The project showcases the director’s modest acknowledgement of the country, where he was born. Moreover, the subtle appreciation of certain parts of Japan that have been lost with time resonated among the viewers. Hence, the film has risen to an evergreen film that fans would often return to.

My Neighbor Totoro Charms Hayao Miyazaki and Company

In the same interview, Toshio Suzuki, the producer of Studio Ghibli, shared that it would be a sin to say that Totoro’s spirit has “left” Tokorozawa. The book further claimed how Miyazaki-Sensei took the producer around Tokorozawa, mainly to show him Hachikokuyama Park, “the place where Totoro was born.”

The park was a forested area that left Suzuki-San in awe before he remarked, “This is where the gods dwell.” Miyazaki further claimed that in today’s market, it would be next to impossible to recapture what the 1988 film did. Hence, this made it so special, especially because of the characters featured during the entirety of the film.

However, these characters can’t be defined, primarily because the author of the work did not delve much into explanations. Miyazaki-Sensei believed being too conscious about something like commercialization would directly affect Studio Ghibli because it would “subconsciously affect the way you draw it,” which, again, would evoke different feelings in his fans.

My Neighbor Totoro can be streamed on Max.