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When Hayao Miyazaki, the most renowned animator currently alive, spoke to his longtime producer Toshio Suzuki in July 2016 about wanting to create another film, Suzuki was not supportive. He remembers saying, “No way. This is not a good idea.” Suzuki had valid concerns, stating, “I have witnessed numerous talented directors attempt to make one last amazing film and often times they have not succeeded. I did not want to see him go down that path.”
Additionally, it was believed that Miyazaki had already completed his last film. Three years prior, after the success of his acclaimed movie The Wind Rises, Miyazaki announced at a crowded press conference in Tokyo that he would be retiring from creating feature films. At the age of 72, he expressed that he was slowing down and did not have the energy to produce another feature. Miyazaki stated firmly, “I am truly serious this time. My time in the animation industry has come to an end.”
However, it was not the case. This year marks the release of Miyazaki’s 12th animated film, The Boy and the Heron. While Miyazaki’s reign is not yet over, he is now 82 years old and there are discussions about the future, particularly at Studio Ghibli, the company he and Suzuki co-founded in 1985 with fellow animator Isao Takahata. “Once we are no longer here, it is uncertain what will happen,” says Suzuki, who is 75 years old and seven years younger than Miyazaki. “It will be up to others to determine.”
Miyazaki is often compared to Walt Disney, a comparison that is both beneficial and detrimental. Similar to Disney, he has created a series of beloved and heavily-merchandised animated masterpieces, filled with vibrant colors and remarkable artistry. His films have achieved some of the highest box office numbers in Japan, and his characters are widely recognized, particularly Totoro, the endearing creature at the center of his 1988 hit My Neighbour Totoro. In Japan, Miyazaki is almost revered as a deity, and with his snow-white hair and beard and cheerful smile, he certainly fits the image – although, like Walt Disney, he is a dedicated smoker.
Miyazaki’s films have a vastly different content from Disney’s. They do not follow the typical storyline of good versus evil, but rather focus on restoring harmony and gaining deeper understanding. Their end goal is not to defeat a monster or save a princess, as seen in his 1997 masterpiece Princess Mononoke. In this film, the title character is a wild warrior who is first shown sucking the wound of her pet wolf and spitting out the blood. Like most of Miyazaki’s works, it is a complex and engaging story that explores themes such as ecological destruction, technological progress, women’s rights, and capitalism within a thrilling fantasy adventure.
Miyazaki’s creations have received widespread acclaim from a diverse audience, including families, animation enthusiasts, and film aficionados worldwide. His masterpiece, Spirited Away, solidified his reputation as a distinguished auteur, earning him the prestigious Golden Bear award at the Berlin film festival and the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animation. Esteemed Hollywood figures such as Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, and James Cameron (who credited Princess Mononoke as an influence on his Avatar series) have all expressed admiration for Miyazaki’s work, as well as a generation of Disney and Pixar animators.
Suzuki and Miyazaki crossed paths in the late 1970s. Initially, their interaction was not pleasant, as Suzuki, a reporter covering anime, attempted to interview Miyazaki while he was occupied with his first film project, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. Suzuki remembers that Miyazaki made a rude comment, stating he did not have time for the interview. However, Suzuki persisted and sat quietly beside Miyazaki until he was finished working, which ended up being early in the morning. Despite being ignored the next day, Suzuki returned and eventually Miyazaki started talking to him on the third day. Their communication has continued ever since.
We are currently conversing in the dining area of the esteemed Studio Ghibli headquarters, a picturesque three-story building adorned with ivy and a rooftop garden, situated in a tranquil Tokyo neighborhood. A large wooden Totoro statue welcomes us in the lobby, alongside a vintage telephone booth. Framed hand-drawn tributes from the employees of other animation studios such as Pixar and Aardman (known for their works like Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run) can be seen on the staircase. The space is impeccably clean but eerily quiet. According to a staff member, after wrapping up their latest project, The Boy and the Heron, all the animators have either gone on extended breaks or found jobs elsewhere. Takahata, who also directed numerous Ghibli films, including the anti-war masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies, passed away in 2018. Miyazaki is reportedly working in his personal studio nearby, but is not present at the moment. There are no upcoming Ghibli productions in the works. Everyone seems to be well aware, yet hesitant to admit, that without Miyazaki’s decision to create another film, the studio has no ongoing projects.
Miyazaki stands out from other animation directors, such as Takahata and Walt Disney, because he personally handles a large portion of the animation process. He follows traditional methods and is responsible for conceptualizing and sketching characters, as well as reviewing and sometimes redoing the key frames created by other animators. This is a time-consuming task, as a single movie can require over 170,000 images. Suzuki initially had doubts about Miyazaki being able to handle this workload at his age, but brought in a younger lead animator, Takeshi Honda, to assist.
According to Honda, Miyazaki contacted him just as he was about to begin a new project. Honda states that when someone as prominent as Miyazaki asks for your help, and also mentions that this may be his final film due to time constraints, it is difficult to decline.
Honda also had the opportunity to witness a skilled expert in action. This individual follows a consistent routine, waking up at six in the morning, taking care of trash in the neighborhood, and chopping firewood before arriving at the studio at 10. While working, he tends to mumble and talk, which was unexpected for me. He would often engage in conversation with me and always appeared to be enjoying himself.
Similar to many of Miyazaki’s stories, The Boy and the Heron centers around a troubled young boy named Mahito. After the death of his mother (inspired by Miyazaki’s own experience with his mother’s illness), Mahito is transported into a fantastical realm. This world is filled with strange creatures and breathtaking landscapes, including adorable creatures and aggressive, human-sized parakeets. One of the most memorable characters is a weary, white-haired wizard who holds great importance in this world. He asks Mahito to be his successor, stating that only someone from his bloodline can continue his work.
Various successors have taken over the Ghibli kingdom throughout the years, but none have remained. One of these successors was Yoshifumi Kondō, a talented director who helmed Ghibli’s popular film Whisper of the Heart in 1995. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 47 in 1998 due to an aneurysm, despite being predicted to have a bright future. Another potential successor, Mamoru Hosoda, was initially set to direct Howl’s Moving Castle but ultimately left due to creative differences. However, he went on to create his own successful movies, including the Oscar-nominated Mirai and last year’s metaverse fantasy Belle. Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who directed Ghibli films The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There, also left the studio after Miyazaki’s supposed retirement in 2013. Along with a group of animators, Yonebayashi formed Studio Ponoc and their fairytale movie Mary and the Witch’s Flower closely followed Ghibli’s style. Despite being a potential candidate for the successor role, Honda does not see himself filling Miyazaki’s shoes and believes it requires someone with equal power, energy, and passion.
Miyazaki’s 56-year-old son, Goro, initially chose to pursue a career as a landscape architect instead of following in his father’s footsteps. However, in the late 90s, the studio asked for his help in designing a new Ghibli museum in Tokyo. Later on, Suzuki convinced Goro to direct his own animated feature, Tales from Earthsea, based on Ursula K Le Guin’s fantasy novel. This decision did not sit well with Miyazaki senior, who believed that his son was not yet ready. Their relationship has always been strained, as evidenced by Goro’s 2006 blog post where he described his father as “never being home” during his upbringing and giving him “zero marks as a father, full marks as a director”. When Miyazaki senior attended a preview screening of Tales from Earthsea, he left after an hour to smoke a cigarette, stating that it felt like he had been there for three hours.
During our meeting at Studio Ghibli, Goro expresses that he has no interest in taking over his father’s role and it may be too late to find someone else to do so. Recently, it was announced that Nippon TV had gained a majority stake in Studio Ghibli. Goro believes this is due to his father’s interference, stating that whenever someone else attempts to direct a film, his father always intervenes and suggests alternative ideas. This can be detrimental as it can lead to losing the director’s original vision. Therefore, for directors who work at Studio Ghibli, the biggest obstacle is to resist listening to Hayao Miyazaki.
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Goro does not view The Boy and the Heron as a reflection of himself and his father. He believes that the character of the old wizard searching for a successor symbolizes the late Takahata, who passed away in 2018. According to Goro, the death of Takahata greatly impacted Hayao Miyazaki. The boy in the story, Mahito, is representative of Miyazaki himself. Goro also mentions that once Miyazaki stops making films, it will essentially mark the end of the studio.
Meanwhile, Goro has discovered a way to stay connected to Ghibli while also pursuing his passion. He is the brains behind Ghibli Park, located just outside of Nagoya and about three hours from Tokyo. Situated in a sprawling public park (previously the site of the 2005 World Expo), Ghibli Park is not your typical Disneyland – there are no rides and fewer visitors – but it is enchanting and delightful. Inside, there is a large Ghibli-themed area that was once an indoor swimming pool, featuring exhibitions, models, play areas, a movie theater, shops, and recreated sets from Ghibli movies where visitors can take photos and insert themselves into the scenes – such as sitting next to No-Face on the train from Spirited Away.
The park also features several areas inspired by Ghibli films. One of these is a faithful replica of the house from My Neighbor Totoro, complete with a traditional bath and clothes belonging to the little girls in the wardrobes. There is also a recreation of the house from Whisper of the Heart, and a new village based on Princess Mononoke that recently opened in November. The village includes a grass-roofed hall where visitors can make gohei-mochi rice cakes, a local specialty. According to Goro, the park was created to preserve the studio’s legacy and prevent it from disbanding without any tribute or homage through the museum or the park.
Perhaps this is the future of Studio Ghibli: a journey back in time to a cherished golden age. The Boy and the Heron was highly anticipated in Japan, with Ghibli choosing to do minimal promotion through a single poster. There were no advertisements, trailers, or interviews. Despite this, the film had Ghibli’s biggest opening yet. However, the market is now saturated with more teen-focused competitors such as anime directors Hosoda and Makoto Shinkai, and popular manga-based series like One Piece, Slam Dunk, and Detective Conan. Surprisingly, the highest-grossing film in Japan this year was the US-made Super Mario Brothers. It seems that Miyazaki’s reign as a top animator may have come to an end.
In 2013, upon his most recent retirement, Miyazaki expressed a sense of hopelessness regarding the future of Studio Ghibli. In an interview, he stated, “The outcome is certain, it will collapse. I can already foresee it.” He also seemed disheartened about his entire profession, asking, “How do we determine the value of movies? Upon deeper reflection, is it not merely a grand pastime? Perhaps there was a time when films held significance, but now? The majority of our world is comprised of garbage.”
After creating The Boy and the Heron, Miyazaki has not announced his retirement as he usually does. It is possible that he is aware nobody would believe him, or he may simply be content to continue pursuing his beloved hobby. Even if he no longer holds the belief that making films can have a significant impact on the world, they can still provide a means of escape from it.
Suzuki states that work brings joy to him and he is unstoppable. This suggests that Studio Ghibli may soon be bustling with activity once again. Suzuki mentions having a conversation with him earlier, where he asked for his thoughts on The Boy and the Heron and then swiftly shifted to discussing a new idea. He is always looking ahead and has a strong desire to create another film. However, Suzuki notes that this also means he will not be retiring anytime soon.
Can Suzuki permit it? He grins. “I won’t prevent him this time.”
The release date for The Boy and the Heron is on December 26th, also known as Boxing Day.
Source: theguardian.com
