This could have been an ideal farewell – acknowledgement at the Academy Awards of the skill of Japan’s unmatched animator Hayao Miyazaki.
Japan had the opportunity to reflect on Miyazaki’s sweeping influence and consider if the 83-year-old is indeed done creating movies when The Boy and the Heron won the award for best animated feature in Los Angeles last weekend.
Studio Ghibli, the place where Miyazaki has been creating his magic since the 1980s, had just won its second Oscar when discussions about his future began. He did not attend the 2003 ceremony in protest of the war in Iraq, but his recent absence may be attributed to his age and reluctance to travel.
Miyazaki’s deeply intimate portrayal of the devastating effects of war in The Boy and the Heron led to its triumph at the Oscars. This achievement also made him the oldest filmmaker to be nominated for best animated feature, while also being only the second hand-drawn animated film to win in the category. The first, as most are aware, was Spirited Away in 2003, which marked Miyazaki’s debut Oscar win.
Both Miyazaki and his longtime friend and producer at Studio Ghibli, Toshio Suzuki, were not in attendance at the event. In a Tokyo press conference, Suzuki expressed his great joy. Though his partner was not there, Suzuki shared a reserved comment from the acclaimed director, who simply stated that the award was “good”.
The idea of stepping away completely from the company he helped establish in 1985 is just as unappealing to him as it is to his numerous fans in Japan. A survey of people aged 16-69 in Japan revealed that 95% of them have seen at least one of his films.
Miyazaki has proclaimed his retirement on multiple occasions, but subsequently changed his mind once he recuperated from the physically and mentally taxing process of creating and drawing most of the frames for a full-length film by himself.
There are whispers that he may resume his job once more, potentially for a brief animated project. Susan Napier, a Japanese studies professor at Tufts University in the United States and the writer of Miyazakiworld: a Life in Art, stated, “I believe he will only retire when he is physically unable to hold a pencil. Retirement is not in his nature. His work is his top priority in life.”
Japan stands to suffer greatly when Miyazaki’s advancing age eventually catches up to him. In the midst of the global popularity of South Korean cultural phenomena, Japan would have faced difficulty in showcasing its own cultural gems without Ghibli’s contributions. According to Napier, “Miyazaki is not only a valuable treasure to Japan, but also to the world. He is a true master of his craft, and his creations are incomparable and truly one-of-a-kind, making him irreplaceable.”
He will be remembered for creating 2D adventures in imaginative lands filled with curious creatures and breathtaking scenery, and his perspective shaped by his personal encounters with war and the aftermath of austerity. Similar to others of his age in Japan, Miyazaki is a believer in peace and strongly opposes conservative actions to amend the nation’s constitution, which renounces war. An instance of this can be seen in his film “The Boy and the Heron,” which starts with the main character, 12-year-old Mahito Maki, losing his mother during the bombing of Tokyo in March 1945, resulting in an estimated death toll of 100,000 people.
The genuine affection Miyazaki and his output inspire overseas is not always reflected at home, where he has drawn criticism for his leftwing politics. In 2015, supporters of the then prime minister, Shinzo Abe, were angered by Miyazaki’s response to a speech in which the conservative politician said Japan should not have to continue apologising for its wartime conduct in Asia. The netto uyoku – online far-right activists – came out in force to disparage his 2013 anti-war film The Wind Rises as “anti-Japanese”.
According to Roland Kelts, the writer of Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the US, Miyazaki’s pursuit of perfection and strong work ethic will drive him to pick up his pencil again.
Kelts states that Miyazaki is Japan’s top representative for anime among international audiences who are not typically interested in Japan. He is known for being incredibly skilled at the one thing he does, with no knowledge or interest in anything else. While he may not admit it, the recognition and success of his films hold great importance to Miyazaki. He is a highly competitive person, which is why Studio Ghibli has been unable or unwilling to groom a successor for him.
Kelts stated that Miyazaki was motivated by a determination to outshine his competitors, particularly after the accomplishments of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name. He noted that Miyazaki is making a strong comeback.
In 2013, Miyazaki announced that he would stop creating full-length movies due to the challenge of meeting his own remarkably high expectations. This declaration was compared by one American reviewer to a surprising obituary. However, four years later, Ghibli declared that their co-founder was returning from retirement to produce what would likely be his last film, taking into account his age.
The outcome was The Boy and the Heron, serving as a testament to Miyazaki’s impact as Japan’s ambassador of soft power. Frederik L Schodt, a writer and translator involved in Miyazaki’s interviews and essays, believes that the renowned filmmaker and Studio Ghibli have greatly contributed to Japan’s favorable global image.
There may be other artists who come to prominence, but currently there is no one who can fill his role. For some reason, he has been unable to cultivate a genuine successor.
In a recently broadcasted documentary on NHK, Miyazaki displayed none of the thoughts of someone concerned about their own professional end. He seemed to be deeply impacted by the passing of his Ghibli co-founder, Isao Takahata, in 2018. He stated, “The reality of life is not glamorous or morally correct. It encompasses all aspects, including the unpleasant. It’s time for me to create something by delving into the depths of my soul.”
Miyazaki’s film “The Boy and the Heron” may be seen as his final full-length work, but he doesn’t seem ready to retire from his suburban studio in Tokyo just yet. As he often talks himself out of retirement, the beloved animator himself may be the most relieved.
Source: theguardian.com
