Miyazaki Hayao

Miyazaki is one of the most celebrated animation artists of all time.  Some call him the Japanese Walt Disney, but I think he brings something completely different from a Disney film.  His animation style is simple, yet amazingly detailed.  The first Miyazaki movie I ever saw was Spirited Away in theatres.  I fell in love with the story and the animation, and quickly picked up more of his classics.  Mononoke Hime (or Princess Mononoke) has amazing works of animation.  The scene depicted in the first picture is one of the most amazing, and that's all in the first few minutes.








The storylines of these movies are deep enough that you can get into them if you're one of those people who think, "oh it's just a stupid animation movie.  I've had many people turn away from things like this because they think everything will be set for a much younger audience.  Miyazaki is a master storyteller and really draws you in with relatable characters.  His animation style is super unique and it is always easy to tell when it is a Miyazaki movie.  I just recently saw Ponyo when it was released on DVD about a week ago.  The main characters are supposed to be 5 years old, and the story doesn't have much dialogue, but it is super cute and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.  :D  Aren't the little girls cute?  hehe

The voice choices for the english dubs are always well done with well known actors and actresses, to probably get more of the American audience into it.  But I can't bring myself to watch it in English.  The intention is to be in Japanese, so I will watch it in Japanese.  Plus, it gives me practice since I can't take classes anymore.  I highly suggest a Miyazaki movie to any fan of cinema.  My favorites include,
Spirited Away, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Castle in the Sky.  The saddest one by far is "Grave of the Fireflies" which is a story about 2 young kids living on their own after the atomic bomb kills their mother.  I hope you guys find joy in Miyazaki's movies too, and I hope that these movies are an inspiration to you.  :)