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Hayao Miyazaki, the director responsible for many of our favorite anime films, is a one-of-a-kind visionary in the industry. His Studio Ghibli movies are in a league of their own with works like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbour Totoro, dominating the anime film genre. More recently, he directed The Boy and The Heron, a work inspired by his own life and the process of grieving his mother. His career is filled with great moments with little left to explore.
Hayao Miyazaki. [Credit: Oscars YouTube channel]Studio Ghibli was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or at the Grand Théâtre Lumière in May 2024. Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki, accepted the award on behalf of the studio as its creative development head and had a few words to say on the meaning behind winning this and the future of Studio Ghibli. He essentially expressed his father’s thoughts that winning this award meant the end of his career.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Long Career
Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]From an early age, Hayao Miyazaki had an interest in animation. His career began at Toei Animation with films like Gulliver’s Travels Beyond the Moon as a key animator and later co-directed Lupin the Third Part I at A-Pro. This set off his journey with several other studios until he created his own studio, Studio Ghibli. His first film with the esteemed studio was Castle in the Sky in 1986. Since then, his films have been iconic and a comfort to many.
His career spans across 50 years and after several announcements of his retirement, he always comes back with another masterpiece. This happened with The Boy and The Heron most recently. However, the director truly must believe his craft has an end to it and the animation industry is also leaving its golden age. Goro Miyazaki reveals via 20 Minutes, the French outlet:
Everything is really foggy regarding the future of the studio. And I don’t really know, but I think my father has ideas for a new feature film. It made him happy, but he believes the golden age of Japanese animation has passed and that there’s not much new left. He feels that this award symbolizes the end of his career.
Studio Ghibli’s momentum might be slowing down but the legacy it leaves behind will leave be lost on the people who truly treasured the movies. Hayao Miyazak’s career is a testament that animation can be timeless and doesn’t have to necessarily evolve to be brilliant.
Can Anyone Surpass Miyazaki’s Masterpieces?
Ponyo, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of Mobile Suit Gundam, challenged other professionals in the anime industry to surpass Hayao Miyazaki (and One Piece). He encourages them to work hard enough to “crush” the director. It’s also about dedicating themselves to the craft with the same gusto that Miyazaki held for animation. Is that truly achievable?
To have a legacy like Hayao Miyazaki’s will take decades. The director’s success was definitely a result of the hard work and principles he held. Miyazaki has a perspective on human nature that not many can replicate, something he has observed about the industry and criticized. However, considering how diverse animation is, it’s not impossible to be on equal grounds to Miyazaki.
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