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p-s-bmc-3012-haruni · 2 years ago

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Assignment 1 - Industry Model - Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist.

Over the years, he has created extraordinary, magical and whimsical worlds for both children and adults to lose themselves within.

Miyazaki is a genius, and his films succeed on many levels – technical, emotional, intellectual, philosophical, artistic, and political.

He is a co-founder of one of the biggest animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli,

Miyazaki has directed masterpieces like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke which have earned him critical acclaim as well as immense popularity on a global scale.

In 2003, Miyazaki won the best-animated film Oscar, for the spooky and surreal Spirited Away.

Early years

Hayao Miyazaki was born on 5th of January, 1941, in Bunkyo, Tokyo.

He is the 2nd Oldest of 4 brothers.

Father was director of his uncle's factory, Miyazaki Airplane, which made rudders for fighter planes, during WW2

He constantly liked to draw, especially planes.

His childhood dream was to become a manga artist.

During his 3rd year in High School, Miyazaki's interest in animation was sparked by “Panda and the Magic Serpent (1958)”, Japan's first feature-length animated film in color.

Miyazaki attended University in the department of political economy, majoring in Japanese Industrial Theory.

He joined the "Children's Literature Research Club", as it was the "closest thing back then to a comics club".

Around this time, he also drew manga; he never completed any stories but accumulated thousands of pages of the beginnings of stories.

Early Work

These are the studios he worked in;

In 1963, he began his career, working in television at Toei Animation as an in-between artist.

The first large-scale animation studio in Japan, between 1963 and 1971.

Following are some examples of his animation in early work;

1963 Watchdog Bow Wow

1971 Lupin III - Series

1984 Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind

He became chief secretary of Toei's labor union in 1964.

Miyazaki later worked as chief animator, concept artist, and scene designer on The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968).

Miyazaki’s first trip abroad was an important source of inspiration, and his great love for the European landscapes were integrated into these shows.

Following are some examples of his Manga in early work;

1969 Puss in Boots

1972 Animal Treasure Island

1998-1999 Tigers Covered With Mud

Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli was founded with Miyazaki’s friends and colleagues Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki in 1985.

Ghibli halted production in 2014 when Miyazaki announced his retirement, but reopened in 2017 when he decided to go back to work on How Do You Live?, which is currently some three years away from completion.

Miyazaki’s career as a feature-film director at Studio Ghibli:

Castle in the Sky (1986),

My Neighbor Totoro (1988),

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989),

Porco Rosso (1992),

and later works Princess Mononoke (1997),

Spirited Away (2001),

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004),

Ponyo (2008)

and The Wind Rises (2013).

All of Miyazaki’s films are aimed at children or young teenagers. But he makes his films resonate with adults as well as children by keeping the emotions authentic.

Miyazaki does not underestimate the intelligence of children, or their powers of understanding. Characters in his films, they experience loss and sadness as well as joy, despair as well as hope, in a way that is relatable for both children and adults.

Miyazaki draws heavily on Japanese landscapes and culture, although the humanism of his films means they can be appreciated by international viewers. He loves the country’s woodlands (which he says contain more bugs than those of Europe), and he and his team made field trips to forests to research films like My Neighbour Totoro.

Themes and approach

Miyazaki tends to focus on female heroines, and his work has a feminist angle.

Miyazaki says he likes to create female characters because, he does not want his films to reflect only his own experiences.

Heroines that are powerful women in control of their own fates, and the destinies of whole cities and countries.

Flying is an activity which Miyazaki loves to animate, and it is a big theme of his films. Miyazaki’s father designed planes, and Ghibli shares its name with an Italian aircraft manufacturer.

Miyazaki likes the connection between creative design and engineering that goes into aeroplane design, and thinks it is similar to the process of making animated films.

Miyazaki’s approach to animation is based on Japanese anime, but is uniquely his own. Each of his films looks different, and each uses a unique colour scheme and library of shapes. His skill at depicting human movement has played a big part in his success.

Instead of writing the scripts and then adding the animation later – the modern Hollywood way, he focuses on the visual storyboards and then constructs the stories around the images he creates. Miyazaki’s focus on visual storytelling has allowed his imagination free reign.

References

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friendofsomestars · 2 years ago

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Finally an excuse to bring up which Studio Ghibli film each of them would enjoy!

I feel like Hunter would enjoy Howl's moving castle or Princess Mononoke cause there both straightforward with a good mix of action & entertainment especially with the designs and music.

Wrecker's favorites would be Ponyo & Laputa castle in the sky, with Ponyo this man would get so hyped when Ponyo rides the giant see fish when trying to get so Sosuke & would love the pirates in Laputa & how they keep calling the Captain mom.

Echo would adore Kiki's delivery service or Howl's moving castle cause it has a good enough mix of fantasy while still being set in a modern time. Also the action of Kiki going through it I think Echo would relate to and would enjoy seeing her rekindle her passion.

Tech would enjoy Porco Rosso or Spirited Away because of the mechanics in Porco & the mythology behind Spirited Away.

I think Crosshair would love Princess Mononoke & The Wind Rises with the romantic elements being so beautifully done as well as they progress through the story.

Omega would probably love Spirited Away, Arriety & Kiki's delivery service loving the storylines of each with a certain wonder and awe. She'd especially love watching any iwth her brothers.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk have a nice day :D

Movie Night!

Movie night with the bad batch!!!

Honestly I’ve been having so much fun writing these little drabbles. If you have any suggestions let me know. If the writing is a little rough feel free to leave comments - if it’s grammar oriented sorry I’m not changing I’ve always been bad at it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Summary: it’s movie night with the batch!

Pairings: hunter/reader, wrecker/reader, tech/reader, echo/reader, crosshair/reader, bad batch group/reader

Warnings: none! Mostly fluff, mentions of wine and kissing. Implications of spicy time but nothing explicitly mentioned

Reader is gender neutral

Thanks for reading!!!! 🥰

Hunter:

~ After a long day of finalizing intel for the next mission you and Hunter decide to have a low key movie night before you have to be away for the next few rotations. You ready your living room with a cozy blanket and some comfy pillows and get ready to settle in

~ Hunter is a movie theater butter popcorn kinda guy. It’s a classic and you can’t go wrong. Occasionally he likes to sprinkle chocolate candies in with the popcorn for a salty/sweet combination.

~ Hunter likes movies where he doesn’t have to think too hard, something that’s entertaining but also doesn’t involve a lot of brain power. Poor man is exhausted from having to be the sole impulse control of the batch 87.3 percent of the time. Tbh he absolutely would go for a movie like Jumanji - any of the renditions. Perfect amount of comedy, action and adventure

~ He tries real hard but he dozes off during the middle of the movie quietly snoring on your shoulder. You smirk as you gently nudge him and he gives you the old adage “I was just resting my eyes, I know exactly what’s going on”. You roll your eyes and gently kiss the top of his head as he quickly dozed back off.

Wrecker:

~ Wrecker is an action comedy kinda man. Occasionally action romance if he’s feeling extra spicy with you 🤭 Tonight in particular he’s feeling a good laugh. You and him spent the day training so he’s extra hungry. You aim for takeout as your movie snack. You’ve got the family entre and sides and you’re both devouring it!

~ The movie tonight is Bullet Train because you’ve seen good reviews and it is RIGHT up Wrecker’s alley! He is belly laughing through the whole movie and doesn’t tease you when you snuggle into his shoulder when it gets just a bit too gruesome. “Don’t worry babe! I’ll tell you when it’s safe to look again!” He says as you hide your face in his shoulder for the 5th time.

~ Wrecker likes to talk through movies so you’re often pausing so you can both get your thoughts and theories out. You don’t mind you like to hear what he has to say. The best part is talking about your theories of who’s behind the plot sometimes you’re right and then you’re wrong then right again. You’re both laughing and giggling the whole time.

~when the movie is over though you two snuggle on the couch and talk about your favorite parts, what scenes looked the coolest and who was the best actor. You stay that way well into the night until you’ve both passed out.

Tech:

~ this man COMMITS to movie night. He comes fully prepared with snacks, and sets up with a whole charcuterie board for the both of you with a paired wine. He also commits to being as comfy as possible. He pulls the gray sweatpants look because he knows you like it. It’s a treat for after the movie. You two cuddle up in the softest blanket he bought for you from a local trader

~ tonight’s movie is Glass Onion because Tech loves a mystery. He loves to see if he can figure out the mystery before the end of the movie. Like wrecker he is a chatter during the movie but mainly to himself. Muttering and mumbling his observations aloud. You find it cute. Tech also, very briefly imitates Benoit Blanc in a line that he found extra amusing. “Dear this movie is how do I say,” he pauses to find the right accent “brilliant!”

~ tech always watches a movie with rapt attention but as you cozy up to him he will gently and mindlessly rub your back or card his fingers through your hair. When the movie ends however he gently litters your face with soft kisses as you talk about your favorite parts of the movie. He loves listening to you and watching your eyes sparkle with amusement as you chatter on.

Echo:

~ Echo is a closet fantasy lover. He’s also a comfort movie watcher. So when he gets the chance he’s watching Lord of the Rings with you. And it. Is. A. Marathon. He doesn’t get a lot of days off with the batch but by gods is he making this a whole day. He helps you prep all of your favorite snacks the day before so you have them ready. When you wake up that morning the living room is set to a cozy level of 11/10.

~ Echo loves to cuddle while watching a movie, he was worried at first you might find him uncomfortable with some of his cybernetics but it really doesn’t bother you. You love to sit between his legs and lean your back up against his chest so he can rest his chin atop your head.

~ occasionally he sneaks some of the snacks designated for you even though he’s a firm believer in the tradition of his snacks. You don’t say anything of course so you can encourage him trying new foods.

~ yes, Echo of course points out the scene where Aragorn breaks his toe when he kicks the helmet so his scream is real.

~ by the end though Echo has gotten side tracked, he’s seen these movies a bunch of times and is absolutely raptured by your beauty so he takes pause breaks to be…devoted to you should you wish it 😏

Crosshair:

~ Man is a HOPELESS ROMANTIC AT HEART. You are absolutely watching a rom com or Bridgerton or SOMETHING of the sort. He loves when you get to see the soft side of him because only you get to see it.

~ He’s always rooting for the couple and if you are watching Bridgerton he likes to see you get a little hot and bothered and starts whispering sweet nothings in your ear as he plays with your hair.

~ movie night for you two is much less about the movie and more about quality time with noise in the background. If food is included it’s the sensual foods, ones that you can jokingly feed to each other.

~ the one time you did make popcorn on your first movie night you tried to see how many you could toss into each others mouths. You were cleaning up kernels for a month after

Group:

~ Omega picks the movie of course. She goes for a solid movie that all of her brothers and her might like. She chooses Kung Fu Panda because she suspects all of her brothers will find something to enjoy about it.

~ Omega and Wrecker giggle the entire time. Hunter is shushing Tech who keeps pondering about a Pandas ability to actually do kung fu - Echo relates hard to master shifu and crosshair is enjoying seeing his baby sister enjoy a movie so much that he even cracks a small smile.

~ it’s a classic family movie night complete with pizza and homemade milkshakes and popcorn and earlier that day you and Omega set up a blanket fort for all of you to snuggle into.

~ By the time you’ve made it to Kung Fu Panda 3 only you and Omega are awake, all the boys are fast asleep. Omega is curled up with her head in your lap fighting sleep because she so desperately wants to finish the movie but by the end, she too is fast asleep.

~you softly chuckle at the cuddle puddle around you and cover up omega with a blanket and you turn off the TV and allow yourself to drift off - content and happy with your boys around you.

#the bad batch #the bad batch has movie night #the bad batch fanfiction #bad batch fluff

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mrslittletall · 2 years ago

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Now that I finished my Ghibli watch (so many movies), let's give a mini review of how I liked each one:

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind -> Amazing! Loved it. World building and characters were stellar. Just the 80ies sounds were a bit jarring. But all the time I watched at the movie and was going "Caelid?! Malenia?!"

Yeah, someone at FromSoft got inspired by this movie.

Castle in the Sky -> I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I liked the magical elements, the robots and the pirates. Also how the children decided in the end to give up on Laputa because there is already life up there. Beautiful.

Grave of the Fireflies -> Netflix didn't have it! So I have to watch it elsewhere! I want to, I heard the film fucks you up.

My Neighbour Totoro -> Cute and wholesome! Also realistic toddler character with Mei ^^ I loved it and I want to touch the cat bus.

Kiki's Delivery Service -> I would have loved to have 30 minutes more for the movie. It felt like it was over too soon. The moment Kiki was in the town, it felt like it was over again. I wish we could have spent more time with her.

Only Yesterday -> It was fine, but I felt myself more attached to Taeko's childhood flashbacks instead of her adult life.

Porco Rosso -> Felt a bit like it was going nowhere. Would have loved to see the romance between Porco and the opera lady explored more.

Ocean Waves -> Oh god, don't let me go on a Rikako rant. I HATE HER! Yeah, the movie was boring and the ending downright frustrating. I need to watch the scene of Taku bitchslapping Rikako to feel inner peace.

Pom Poko -> I watched this one ages ago on free TV, but remember enough. It was enjoyable, but without knowlegde of the japanese tanuki myth this movie must come over as WEIRD.

Whisper of the Heart -> Ocean Waves wanted to be this, but failed. I loved this one. Especially the scene where Country Roads was sung. A good coming of age story for a girl who doesn't know where she stands in life yet.

Princess Mononoke -> Classic. Watched it ages ago. Can't rewatch and it is a bummer. Why do there have to be TWO blood vomiting scenes in this movie which scare me? A LOT?! Maybe I rewatch and just look elsewhere during the scenes where San accompanies the hurt boar…

My Neighbours the Yamadas -> Didn't watch. Feels like it was based on a Showa era manga. Showa era humour is just cringe to me.

Spirited Away -> First Ghibli movie ever. Saw in the cinema. Rewatched a few times. A classic. Deserved the Oscar. Noface is best.

The Cat Returns -> A bit short. But a cute adventure with cats. Reuses the baron of Whispers of the Heart. I liketo think that was the book that the protag of this movie actually published ^^

Howl's Moving Castle -> Howl is a drama queen and we love him for it. Loved this movie. Fantastic. Loved Howl's monster form and that Sophie is a monsterfucker.

Just was annoyed by dub voice for young Sophie. Sounded horrible.

Tales from Earthsee -> Someone tried to condense a huge fantasy novel into a two hour movie. Didn't work. The characters barely could shine.

Hilarious accidental trans character in the dub. The villain wizard was clearly male, was called he/him and called lord, but had a female dub voice. I couldn't help but headcanon him as trans masc thanks to it.

Ponyo ->Cuuuute. Ponyo and Sosuke are so cute. Ponyo's fish face weirded me out though.

Arietty -> Probably one of the best borrower adaptations out there. Just disliked the ending. I really wanted them to move into the dollhouse.

From Up on Poppy Hill -> Boring. Barely remember the movie.Main character was flaaat.

The Wind Rises -> Strange. Half of the movie felt like a dream. Excellent animation on the earthquake though.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya -> EXCELLENT! Animation and style is BEAUTIFUL! I love the music, I loved the retelling of the fairy tail. This movie is nothing short but art.

When Marnie was there -> This movie is a tearjerker. A BIG one, but I have an issue with it. It had very sapphic feelings and then they reveal that Marnie was Anna's grandmother all along?! Dude, then why the queerbait?!

Earwig and the Witch -> Didn't watch. Didn't want to watch movie which was 3D animated. I wanted to watch all the 2D animated ones. If you think I should give the movie a chance, I will watch it.

#little watches stuff #ghibli watch

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treethymes · 4 years ago

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ranking of hayao miyazaki movies 2020

11. nausicaa of the valley of the wind to see the beauty of this world is to feel its pain. humanity, wanting safety and power, seeks to conquer and eradicate all that is foreign, including each other, including the earth, inviting death and decay. at the flash of a gun, nature retaliates. the cycle intensifies, until it is broken, and every thing can see itself in every other.

nausicaa is alone. nausicaa alone possesses enough kindness to martyr herself for peace. nonviolence only works if your opponent has a conscience. miyazaki imagines that the earth has one; so perhaps man could too. the giant warrior disintegrates. look at nausicaa and maybe we too could be forgiven. and resurrected.

in service of nausicaa, all the other characters and their stories feel flattened. nausicaa is alone. and the film is a wasteland.

10. castle in the sky the children must shed their false consciousness, renounce power, and correctly identify that 1) the enemy is the military and the depraved oligarchy that wields it; and 2) pirates are cool, thievery (in contrast to pillaging by the state) is cool. a tree floats beyond the horizon and tonight the skies are clear and warm.

9. howl's moving castle why does sophie love howl? because he's never home? why does howl love sophie? because she's secretly pretty and washes his ass for him? sophie seeks the freedom of self-determination. how does she gain it? howl wins his girl by virtue of being a martyr. their relationship, much like the plot of the film, much like the moving castle itself, is held together by fraying threads.

in the end, the root of the war was one insufficiently loved human. which rings true. though it teeters on facetious.

8. kiki's delivery service gradually, her insecurities, unresolved, eat at the ground beneath her feet, until, suddenly, she falls. she flies again only after learning to recognize herself in her reflection and heeding the urgency of this life. [x]

7. the castle of cagliostro there are treasures greed cannot grasp. this one's just a lot of fun. like a kid playing with a lego set.

6. porco rosso a good man, one of the best men in the world in fact, feels terrible for not being an even better man. he is rewarded for this with the affection and admiration of the hottest woman in his area and a teenage girl who represents the liveliness of youth. it is when he thinks to respect them and accept their love that his curse is lifted.

the film in fact is much like gina's little island, a sanctuary isolated from the rest of the world. it is a dream suspended in a bubble. its romance and comedy cut from the silver of nostalgia. its references to war and fascism appear as but echoes from a waking life. a dogfight dissolves into slapstick fisticuffs. a wish is cast for the world as for the self.

5. ponyo a plea for love to cut across all difference to the heart of this world in all its death and disaster. sosuke is so cute!

4. my neighbor totoro the film makes a friend of the unknown, both without and within. the natural world as deep and as volatile as mei and satsuki's emotions. in the end, mei wasn't in the water and their mom only had a cold. when it feels as if life could only ever be at its best or its worst, totoro offers other possibilities and reminds us of life's flexibility. kindly, the film pulls us into the open.

3. princess mononoke princess nausicaa is reincarnated as prince ashitaka, as much of a savior than ever. and especially the development of san's character suffers for it. but rather than flying above the people, ashitaka walks among them---and they come alive, vicious in ingenuity and compassion.

2. the wind rises maybe the most beautiful of miyazaki's films (visually and in the elegance of its storytelling) and certainly the most honest. the film is, of course, to miyazaki what the zero plane is to jiro: a sleek and perfect obsession whose beauty distracts, though not completely, from the deeply unsettling reality it is entangled in. there's a sense of resignation: to be trapped in the grind of history, to see senseless violence continue on its course and know how little can change in a lifetime. too tired for anger or for fighting anymore, an old man relaxes his judgment to capture his view in all of the contradictions and limitations he could not overcome. [x]

1. spirited away the whole film, especially in the beginning, is really just miyazaki shouting at kids to get off their phones. but it's as if after princess mononoke in which he seemed to overstretch to get a message across in the most massive manner possible, miyazaki went into spirited away less tense; the floodgates open; every theme, every image he'd ever been concerned with culminating in a movie that manages to be his most alive and thoroughly engaging.

---

in summary: nausicaa feeling the sand run through her fingers < dola eavesdropping on pazu and sheeta < howl's room < kiki's walk to tombo's < lupin and jigen eating spaghetti < sosuke eating ice cream < porco's cruise across the adriatic < mei crying when she goes to see satsuki at school < eboshi slipping out her knife to fight san < the kids refusing to take jiro's cake < the glint of chihiro's new hair tie

#hayao miyazaki #the castle of cagliostro #nausicaa of the valley of the wind #laputa castle in the sky #my neighbor totoro #kiki's delivery service #porco rosso #princess mononoke #spirited away #howl's moving castle #ponyo #the wind rises

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queen-of-my-goofball-army · 4 years ago

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An Ode To Miyazaki:

Hi everyone! So for my final paper for film, we had to pick our own director of our choosing and talk about them extensively between the attributes that make them special. Our course focused on the narrative and technical styles of directors. For my final project, I have chosen my biggest hero in the world of animation and somebody that drastically changed my life as a young child, Hayao Miyazaki. Learning about him for this project gave me so much insight into not just his films but who he is as a person. I hope that my paper is as interesting for you to read as it was for me to do research for!

1. Hayao Miyazaki, often referred to as the Japanese Walt Disney is the front runner of his animation studio Studio Ghibli. I picked him because I already have sufficient knowledge and love of his films. One of the first memories that my parents love to remind me of is my first time watching Totoro and laughing at the introduction characters. Miyazaki himself stands out for a number of reasons. Over the years, Miyazaki has made a humongous name out of himself, one of his most famous movies Spirited Away became the most popular film to ever be released in Japan and also won the academy award for the best-animated film that year. His most “popular” films (I say popular in air quotes because it is nearly impossible for people to agree on a favorite) remain the aforementioned Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. Beginning his career as a simple animator for Toei animation, he worked as an in-between artist. It was here that he met his future collaborator at Ghibli, Isao Takahata. His first big directorial debut in film before founding Ghibli was a team effort without Takahata was Lupin The Third, The Castle Of Cagliostro. His first successful movie was one that was based upon his own manga Nausicaa of the Valley Of The Wind. The first official Miyazaki movie that was made with Ghibli was one of my personal all-time favorites that had ever been created, Castle In The Sky. For many children, especially ones with parents who are lovers of a film like mine, Miyazaki was one of the first animators that I was introduced to. His films have become classics for every fan of animation, being referenced in culture, specifically back when Disney owned Studio in Toy Story 3, Bonnie has a Totoro.

2. So, this brings up the question, how does one recognize a film by Miyazaki? You can always expect for him to be critically acclaimed, for there to be some element of magic and whimsy in the way that he animates, for there to be something to do with flight (whether it be dealing with airplanes like in Porco Rosso, the idea of flight in Howl’s Moving Castle, or a floating castle up in the sky in Castle In The Sky.), his heroines are always strong-minded and live by their own rules never bowing down to anybody, his love stories are dynamic and fulfilled, a sweeping score by Joe Hizashi, and they have a meaning about nature somewhere, mostly about why it needs to be protected.

Let’s start by breaking him down narratively. The thing that is always in every Miyazaki film no matter which one you decide upon watching, is that his female characters are always strong-willed no matter what. In many ways, I think that he writes women better than Disney does. He has gone on record saying “Many of my movies have strong female leads—brave, self-sufficient girls that don't think twice about fighting for what they believe with all their heart. They'll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.” Sometimes, this will cause them to come across as reckless, or stupid, but in my opinion, I have always looked up to his female characters and the way that they are portrayed. My personal favorite female character that he has ever brought to life through the screen is Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle. She is strong-minded, not willing to put up with any of Howl’s dramatics, kind, an incredible adult figure for Markal, endlessly sympathetic to her friend’s plights (namely Howl and Calcifer), and somebody that I can always look up to. I spent most of my childhood looking up to characters like Kiki in Kiki’s Delivery Service, Chihiro in Spirited Away, or one of my personal favorite underrated girls, Fio in Porco Rosso. All of these female characters are independent and never let themselves be taken advantage of by anybody.

Another trait that can always be found narratively in his films is that Miyazaki is an airplane/ air travel fanatic. He absolutely loves airplanes, even to the point where his latest film, The Wind Rises was based upon the life of one of the first airplane manufacturers in WWII. Almost all of his films will involve something about flying in the air. Even with the ones that he didn’t direct and he just simply wrote. His obsession with flight is something that stemmed from his childhood and he never saw them as a thing to be used for war “airplanes are not tools for war. They are not for making money. Airplanes are beautiful dreams. Engineers turn dreams into reality.” My personal favorite of all of his flight animation is used in Howl’s Moving Castle when Howl and Sophie “fly” over the heads of all the people below them.

Narratively also one of the biggest things that set apart his films from any others is his focus on nature. The idea of protecting the beauty of nature is something that he has always stood by. A lot of the time, America tries to prove that it can make films about nature as well to usually varying results. I think that nobody can sell an environmental message quite like my biggest hero for Japanese animation. One of the main movies that focus on his will to protect nature above all else is Princess Mononoke. He always manages to animate nature in such a beautiful and majestic way no matter where the film is set.

I also think that a narrative trait of his that often gets overlooked is how beautiful the romance in his films can be. He never has a romance between two characters that feels stale or boring. I love the fact that you can pick any number of his films and the chance of there being a romance that you’ll get sucked into is a very large one. Everybody has their personal favorites, I love Howl and Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle but my best friend loves Sousuke and Ponyo from Ponyo. He has on record saying that “I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live - if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.” Writing romance between two characters can be a very tricky thing which is why it’s always amazing when he can continually pull it off despite everything and how many films that he has made over the years. The beauty of having both a strong and independent male and the female character is that they can both lean on one another for love and support. Probably the biggest supporter of this is Whisper Of The Heart, a film that he wrote instead of directing. The romance is what makes up the entire film. It’s a beautiful love story about how two young teenagers fall in love with each other. The romance is something that continually keeps me coming back for more every time.

Technical style Miyazaki can always be assured to deliver breathtakingly stunning animation. There is a reason why so many people leave his films starving because the food that he draws always looks so good. For me though, it’s the backgrounds that stand out above all else. It’s nearly impossible to have one favorite shot in one of his films but I as a matter of fact do have one. The most breathtaking animation in any Miyazaki film is the scene where Howl takes Sophie to see his secret garden. Everything about this scene never fails to make my breath catch. It’s such a profoundly beautiful moment and how it is animated is something that I haven’t forgotten since my first initial viewing of the film when I was seven.

Another iconic technical trait is that Disney did a fantastic job dubbing the films from their original Japanese language into English. Back when Ghibli films first started to become popular, they needed a way for an American audience to see them. So Pixar’s CFO at the time, John Lassater made a deal with Ghibli that they would dub all the films from their original language for a brand new audience. Growing up, this was how I watched all of Miyazaki’s films. I fell in love with the way that they sounded in English. To this very day, I have yet to see one of his films in any other language. I don’t think that anybody could have dubbed them better. Ever since Ghibli and Disney went their separate ways and they went to GKids the dubs haven’t been the same.

Finally, the last technical trait is that a Miyazaki film will always have a score done by his longtime collaborator Joe Hizashi. The score is such a big part of what makes Miyazaki’s films his own. They are what get you sucked in through their whimsical and magical tones; they always fit the vibes that he’s going through at that moment. There is also the element of sound. Every Miyazaki film has a distinct sound effect that will set it apart from the one before it.

3. The first film that I want to look at is my personal favorite of all his films that he has made so far if you were to force me to pick just one Howl’s Moving Castle. Released in 2004, it was the 9th film that the director came out with. It has an 8.2 out of 10 on IMDB and an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. The storyline for the movie follows a young woman named Sophie. She gets a curse set upon her by the Witch of the Waste and when she leaves home she finds the infamous Howl’s Moving Castle. This is the second Ghibli movie voiced by a Batman live action actor. Christian Bale voiced Howl Pendragon after Michael Keaton played the titular Porco Rosso.

Narratively this is definitely a Miyazaki film. From how strong of a female character Sophie is I spent most of my childhood looking up to her as a character. Strong female characters are everywhere in his films and in my opinion, Sophie is one of the strongest. Another strong factor is that flight plays a major part in this film. One of Howl’s main powers is that he has the ability to fly around. This leads to my favorite scene of flight in any Miyazaki film when Howl takes Sophie’s hand and they “fly” over the tops of the city down below them. All of his early films up until the last few were set in someplace other than Japan. This one is set in Europe, and he takes a lot of time while in the cities to show off all the different types of buildings while Sophie tours around the city.

Technically speaking this is also a Miyazaki film and holds all the titular traits of being so. The animation is utterly for lack of a better word, magical and spellbinding. It takes my breath away every time that I rewatch it. The food looks incredible, one scene that most of Miyazaki’s fans always think of when this movie is brought up is Calcifer making the food for Howl, Sophie, and Markal to eat. The dub for this film is also one of Disney’s best dubs for Miyazaki films. It even brings actors to the table that I usually would not like to see in other films like Christian Bale. I haven’t loved him in any other films than this one. Billy Crystal is a stand-out as well as my favorite fire demon Calcifer. The score is done by Joe Hizashi as well. My favorite part of the score is the main theme which has Howl and Sophie floating above the people below. The sound effect that follows throughout this film is the steady creaking of the castle itself.

Princess Mononoke was the first time that Miyazaki ever “retired”. Most of the time, whenever he tries to retire, he always comes back. A lot of his colleague's joke that it’s because he physically can’t stop working. He animated most of this movie by himself. Before Spirited Away it was Japan’s most famous film to date. The story about a young man who is just trying to erase the curse that was set upon him by an angry boar and it leads him to a place called Iron Town is something that never fails to amaze me. While in Iron Town, Ashitaka meets a young woman named San who was taken in by wolves and he finds himself caught between a war involving humans and the gods of the forest.

Narratively this is definitely a Miyazaki film. It has a strong female lead, focusing most of its screen time on how important it is to protect and preserve nature as a whole. The idea of protecting nature is such a moving part of the film, as we see what it does when man takes over the forest. We see how distraught it makes the Gods of this world and how they wish that the humans would just go away. However, you also see it from the point of view of the villain of the film Lady Eboshi, who also regularly helps lepers and people who would often never get work outside of her offering them a home and a family. I have regularly gotten into a debate with my mom over which side is “right” and which side “wrong” over the course of the last few years of me being a massive fan of this movie. She takes the side of the forest while I see Ashitaka’s side that everybody should just get along and interact in peace and harmony. Miyazaki never shoves the idea of nature down your throat. That is not what this film is. It’s instead about the beauty of what we have and learning to appreciate it.

On a technical level, this film is fantastic as well. It blows my mind that Miyazaki-san animated most of it all by himself. The backgrounds are sweeping and utterly gorgeous showing off the time period of the film. The fight sequences which make up the bulk of the film’s running time are engaging, thrilling, and fabulously animated. Mononoke’s score was done by Joe Hizashi as well. Its score is beautiful and I always find myself getting sucked into it, especially for the more dynamic scenes with Ashitaka and San. The sound effect for this film uses nature as a backdrop for brutality. Ashitaka’s arrows don’t just come out of his bow, they screech through the air.

Finally, my last film that we will be focusing on, Kiki’s Delivery Service was made in 1989 a year after his cult phenomena My Neighbor Totoro and was his fifth animated feature. Kiki is a young girl that is hoping to become a young witch in training. However, to do so she has to train a year away from home. She and her cat Jiji find a town by the sea where she learns her true strength and what she can really do to help others. Hayao Miyazaki didn't want to bore the audience during the film's end credits by using just the names. He set it up to be like a mini-sequel so that the audience would leave the theatre feeling happy.

Narratively this has all the traits that one should be familiar with and associate with a Miyazaki film. It has a strong-minded female character at the source of it that young girls can look up to and admire. As a kid, Kiki was my favorite female character of his because I loved her strength and her dedication to what she was good at. She knew that she was still young and had a lot to learn but even though she gets depressed she doesn’t let that stop her in the long run and will still save her love interest Tombo. The romance in this film is by far one of the sweetest. I love the interactions between the characters and the way that they both inspire one another to be better than they are. The idea of flight is basically the focal point of everything. Kiki finds that her best trait is that she flies incredibly well and decides to create her own flying delivery service.

Technically this also has a lot of traits that Miyazaki made a name for himself in doing. The animation is spectacular, especially for Kiki’s flying. I could watch her fly around all day and that was the idea that he was going for while making the film. The sweeping score by Joe Hizashi, especially in my favorite song A Town With An Ocean View, is something that I’ll often listen to outside of the film itself. The sound effects for the film are meant to be calming. From the first sound that you hear of the wind rolling through the reeds while Kiki lies against the grass to the waves when she finally finds a home.

4. Miyazaki as a director has inspired me since I was way too young to even remember. When I was a kid I would pretend to run around my apartment building's front yard imagining that I lived in a big house in front of a camper tree like the one in Totoro. His movies are perfect for children that “suffer” from having an overactive imagination. His movies are everything that is bright and beautiful in the world. The animation never fails to take my breath away, the characters and stories are unforgettable, the soundtracks sweep me away and tell stories themselves. His movies are something that even my parents, who are not anime fans, can watch over and over again. I think that speaks for itself. Miyazaki makes films that are art, not just animated films.

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headlesshorsemanxiii · 5 years ago

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It makes a pleasant change that us Limeys get something that our colonial cousins do not, especially when it comes to streaming platforms such as Netflix, but there it is.

Here's the schedule for Netflix's forthcoming Ghibli releases:-

1st February - Laputa: Castle In The Sky, My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Ocean Waves, and Tales From Earthsea.

1st March - Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbours The Yamadas, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Arrietty, and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya.

1st April - Pom Poko, Whisper Of The Heart, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, From Up On Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises, and When Marnie Was There.

#studio ghibli #netflix uk #hayao miyazaki #classic anime

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rex101111 · 7 years ago

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Family movie night for 1-A, Ghibli movie marathon

(working on the belief that MHA takes a few centuries into the future, based on the opening narration)

* Gran Torino suggested it, well kinda. He actually owns every single Ghibli film ever made, including Nausicaä, and they’re all physical copies too, and felt like Izuku should watch them so he could be exposed to some “culture.” So he just put them all in a big ol’ bag and gave it to him one time when he was visiting.

* Izuku felt like watching all these movies by himself would be a bit boring. So he invited the rest of class 1-A for a marathon. They all brought snacks and drinks, Tsuyu made popcorn, and sat down for a watch.

* They even invited some of the teachers, but they were all too busy, promising to do it next time. Izuku invited Toshinori himself, but the man was also busy, and insisted that he and Izuku would watch them all together another time.

* A few of them, like Tokoyami and Sero, are slight movie buffs to they have watched a few of the films before, though not all of them. The others have heard of Ghibli, obviously, but haven’t actually watched any of the films, so it’s fresh for pretty much everyone.

* They wanted to invite Eri, but Torino wanted Izuku about a few of the films, especially Grave of Fireflies and Mononoke, so while they did invite her and she watched a lot of the films with the class, they only played those movies once she went to bed.

* Torino didn’t warn them about Pom Poko though. They stopped the movie because Izuku and Ochako kept Eri’s eyes covered…and Mineta and Kaminari couldn’t stop laughing at the Tanukis.

* Tsuyu fell in love with Ponyo, asking to borrow the film after they finished so she could watch it with her brother and sister.

* All the guys got a kick out of Porco Rosso. All the dog fights and the main character really hit it off with them.The girls just thought it was okay, Ochako loved it though.

* Howl’s Moving Castle was more of a hit with the girls, mostly because of Sophie. Mina thinks that Howl is pretty hot, “…at least when he isn’t y’know… so dramatic.”

* Eri’s favorites are My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service, obviously. She asked for a Cat-bus plush from Momo and is thinking of asking Mei for a flying broom. When she mentioned the latter to Ochako and Izuku they turned white as a sheet.

* The entire class was glued to their seats during both Spirited Away and Mononoke. Even Bakugou had to mutter a, “Holy Shit” during the battle scene in Irontown as well as the whole ending of Mononoke. The ending of Spirited away had a fair share of the girls, and Kirishima, in tears. Also, Noh Face creeps everyone out.

* They actually watched Grave of the Fireflies last. Not a dry eye in the room by the time the credits rolled. After everyone wiped their faces, Tsuyu spoke up, “…Anyone for watching Ponyo again?” The entire class raised their hands.

Bonus: Gran Torino actually got all these film from Nana. Apparently her husband was a big movie buff who made a point of watching all the movies with her whenever their anniversary came up, but after he died she kinda didn’t want to even look at them anymore, so she gave them all to Torino.

“Watch them, toss them, either way just…please, get them away from me.”

Torino could see what this was, a way to not deal with all the pain losing her husband caused her, but what else could he do? He hung on to all of them in case she changed her mind and wanted to watch them again.

She died before she could.

After she died, Torino marathoned every single one of them, over and over, until he could recite the scripts in his sleep. And on the anniversary of her death Toshinori joins him. Even after his injury.

During their latest session, Toshinori spoke up, “I think Midoriya would enjoy these…”

Gran Torino grunted, “Humph, yeah, he just might.”

The next day, Torino calls Izuku and says he has a gift for him.

#answers #chapelseed #my hero academia #Class 1-A #studio ghibli #eri (bnha)

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rivermoose-vlogs · 7 years ago

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I wasn’t tagged – and what is it with me and doing things I wasn’t tagged for vs. things I was? – but Icebreaker694 – who’s blog is AMAZING and you should go check it out – did this tag and tagged anyone who wanted to do it, so here I am.

I LOVE Ghibli movies. I’ve been watching them for YEARS. Like, I watch them in Japanese when I am too impatient to wait for the english dub to come out. So I wanted to do this okay?!

Bonus from Icebreaker: PlayBuzz quiz to see what Ghibli Heroine you are: Link if you want to play – I got Nausicaa from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind!

The Rules:

Please pingback, rather than link to Kate@Melting Pots and Other Calamities. She will only know if you’ve done this tag if you pingback.

Tag as many people as you want. Ghibli movies aren’t as popular as Disney or Pixar, so be careful that those you tag are at least somewhat familiar with Ghibli.

You can use examples from books, movies, TV shows, anime/manga, and webcomics.

As this tag celebrates heroines, please name either a piece of fiction or a female character, if you’re able.

Have fun!

Questions!

Nausicaa, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: (Even though this isn’t technically Ghibli, it’s still marketed that way). Nausicaa is a princess in a post-disaster world. She is compassionate and brave, a daring explorer who is capable and selfless. Name a strong female leader.

Uhura from Star Trek. Seriously. She’s not the captain, but she’s an irreplaceable part of the Bridge Crew!

(Never seen this one…)

Sheeta, Castle in the Sky: Although Sheeta may have a quieter demeanour than other Ghibli heroines, she is not a damsel in distress. She’s royalty, but doesn’t stay on the sidelines; she is involved, kind, and despite a sad past, hopeful. Name an inspiring member of royalty.

Leia from Star Wars. As if any other answer is acceptable!

(Great movie – though not one of my favorites)

Satsuki and Mei, My Neighbour Totoro: Before Anna and Elsa, before Lilo and Nani, there was Satsuki and Mei. Satsuki was incredibly young when their mother was hospitalised, and with their father at work, she has to take care of Mei. And Mei is only four, with a big imagination. Name a pair of siblings (or two friends who act like siblings).

Katniss and Primrose from The Hunger Games. Katniss takes care of Prim the same way Satsuma takes care of Mei.

(Arguably my favorite Ghibli movie – Soot Sprites! The Totoro song that with forever be in my brain!)

Kiki, Kiki’s Delivery Service: Kiki has to go off on her own to live alone, as is the custom among witches. She goes through many things that newly independent young adults face, like money problems, finding a place to stay, job searching, and loneliness, before finding her way thanks to her special abilities. Name a female character who has supernatural gifts.

Jessica Jones – A kickass super-heroine with super strength. Does that count as supernatural? I’m going with it.

(I’m DYING to see this movie!)

Gina and Fio, Porco Rosso: Gina and Fio are both heroines in this film, and they couldn’t be less alike. Gina is a young woman who is very feminine, a singer and a restaurant owner. However, she is very resourceful and capable. Fio is a teenage mechanic who is independent, goes against the flow, and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. She may be one of the best mechanics of her time. Name two inspiring heroines; one who is unabashedly feminine, and another who is more of a tomboy.

Izzy from TMI – super feminine and super badass!

Lada from And I Darken – A serious tomboy, like that is 90% of her characterization.

Angel, On Your Mark: On Your Mark is a music video that Ghibli helped a music group with. It may not have much of a story, but it’s beautiful and interesting, and not may people are aware of its existence. Name an underrated heroine.

Maximum Ride! Not enough people seem to have read the books – and…well…winged humans.

(I didn’t know this video existed…)

Shizuku, Whisper of the Heart: Shizuku is an eighth-grade student who can’t quite focus on school as much as on her favourite books. However, through encounters with an ambitious boy who seems to have a likely chance at meeting his goals, a cat who rides trains, an antique shop owner, and a cat statue called The Baron, Shizuku is determined to meet her own goal and become a writer. Name your most relatable character.

Cath from Fangirl. She is literally me!

(I can’t remember if I’ve seen this movie…)

San, Princess Mononoke: San has been raised by wolves her whole life. When humans begin to invade her home forest to make towns and use the resources for themselves while killing the spirits and animals within, San refuses to let it be. She takes a stand and becomes the village’s greatest obstacle. She is such a force to be reckoned with that they even give her a name; The Princess Mononoke. Name a female character who is physically strong.

Kara Danvers (AKA Supergirl) – she’s literally an alien was super-strength – okay?

Chihiro, Spirited Away: At the beginning of Spirited Away, Chihiro starts off as a whiny, spoiled ten-year-old girl. However, during her time working at the spirit’s Bath House, she discovers parts of herself she didn’t know she had. The story is about her finding the strength she already had but was unaware of. Name a character who has an amazing character journey.

Tessa Gray from The Infernal Devices. A lot happens in a short frame of time for her – but she grows a lot as a character.

(I love this movie so much you don’t understand!)

Haru, The Cat Returns: Haru is a typical high school girl; kind, clumsy, and a little forgetful. But she soon finds herself involved in events that are out of her control. In a way, it is because of her normalcy that she can find her way out of her situation and become stronger because of it. Name a female character who may not have any supernatural abilities herself, but is memorable anyway.

Tohru from Fruits Basket! Even surrounded by guys who turn into animals she stands out!

(Haven’t seen this movie…)

Sophie, Howl’s Moving Castle: Sophie doesn’t think much of herself for a lot of the story. She doesn’t think she’s pretty or memorable, especially when compared to her younger sister, Lettie. It gets even worse when she’s cursed to look like an old woman. When she finds a new life that involves the mysterious wizard Howl, a fire demon, Howl’s apprentice, and many others, she is shown to be resilient and intuitive. Name an emotionally strong character.

Kaori from Your Lie In April – I won’t say too much as its spoiler-y. But, for real. Wow.

(I LOVE Howl’s Moving Castle – one of the best Ghibli movies for sure. Its the Ghibli version of Beauty and the Beast)

Ponyo, Ponyo: Ponyo is one of the youngest Ghibli heroines at only five years old. But she still gets a lot done, including becoming human, discovering things, finding a best friend, and saving the world. Name a hero who happens to be a child.

Chiyo from Azumanga Daioh (an anime I love). She’s a 10-year-old genius child who is skipped ahead to high school and faces all sorts of interesting obstacles because of her age.

(Ponyo is the one Ghibli movie most people know since since did the dub – its basically the Ghibli version of The Little Mermaid and its great)

Arrietty, The Secret World of Arrietty: Arrietty is a Borrower; she is tiny and survives by stealing small things that humans won’t miss. Yet she’s curious about the human world, and does braver things than most humans would be incapable of doing, despite her tiny size. Name an unlikely hero.

Skye / Daisy Johnson from Agents of SHIELD. Her entire character arc – especially in the first season – is how she doesn’t think she fits the bill of being a hero (and she so is).

(I love this movie – its also a really great book-to-movie adaptation!)

Nahoko, The Wind Rises: Nahoko has tuberculosis during World War 2. However, she doesn’t allow this to cripple her, and enjoys life to the fullest anyway, which includes painting and falling in love. Even being placed in a sanitarium doesn’t break her. Name an inspiring character with some sort of obstacle.

Naho from the anime Orange. She gets lets from her future self and has to try and fix things without really knowing what happened and I’d say she handles that obstacle better than I ever could.

(I haven’t actually seen The Wind Rises – though I want to!)

Kaguya, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya: in a time where women were expected to follow social norms such as blackening teeth, shaving eyebrows, and being forced into arranged marriages, Kaguya refuses to play along. She would much rather be outside, dance, and play with friends. Name a female character who challenges social norms.

Definitely Haruhi from Ouran High School Host Club. She ends up cross-dressing and pretending to be a boy in order to pay back her debts to her school’s host club and it is one of my favorite animes!

(Haven’t seen this Ghibli film either…)

There we go! That was the Ghibli Heroines Tag! I had a lot of fun! And now I want to go watch a Ghibli movie…

A little sad two of my favorites “From Up On Poppy Hill” and “When Marnie Was Here” weren’t here, but oh well!

If you like Ghibli, or you liked this tag, and you like video games, you should play Ni Nu Kuni: Wrath of The White Witch – its a JRPG animated by Ghibli and one of my favorite games EVER!

Let me know what you think of this tag!

What is your favorite Ghibli movie / which do you want to see?

Tag:

Like Icebreaker, I don’t know who would want to be tagged in this.

So I’m tagging anyone who wants to do this / likes Studio Ghibli!

The Ghibli Heroines Tag I wasn't tagged - and what is it with me and doing things I wasn't tagged for vs.

#anime #book blog #book blogging #book tag #books #heroines #movies #strong female characters #studio ghibli #tag #tv #ya books

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sweettsubaki · 8 years ago

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Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert : Music From The Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki World Premiere Celebration of 35 years of an amazing partnership. June 10th 2017

(I apologize for the low quality, this is a very old phone as my current one fell into the bathroom sink, I tried to take some videos by the end but the sound quality is so low it’s as if it was on mute) I actually wrote this when coming home after the concert but my computer shut down right as I was finishing writing so you won’t get my overly emotional rambling and have to deal with my already fading memories of 2-3 days later.

Where should I start ? Well the beginning obviously which is the “waiting” music, or as I like to call it : how to get your audience both excited for what’s to come and completely relaxed at the same time. It was a general mix of the piano version of various songs from his soundtracks accompanied by a slideshow of various pictures from Miayazaki’s movies (ofc), with the theme being “green”, so there were lots of nature shots (Totoro was adorable, as always).

Now I’ve got say this is the first time I’ve seen someone get a standing ovation just by coming onto the stage and what an ovation did Joe Hisaishi get (and by “an” I mean several, I honestly just stopped counting after 4 standing ovations).

The concert started with two of Miyazaki’s most famous movies, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke. It was sooo good, Mai Fujiwara, the singer for Nausicaä is the same who sang in the movie when she was very young (you know which part, “La la lala la la la. La la lalala. La La La lalala la la la lalalalalalala” :p). As for the Princess Mononoke, I don’t know if it was scripted or an actual improv but the singer for the Theme song was pretty amazing (and coming from me it means a lot because Princess mononoke isn’t just my favorite Miyazaki movie and doesn’t only have one of my favorite soundtracks ever, this Theme has been part of my basic vocal exercices for years until my depression hit back again and I couldn’t bring myself to sing anymore -I still hum it frequently though. I just...I love it okay and Hélène Benardy’s singing gave me chills).

Then came Kiki’s Delivery Service and The Wind Rises. Both were equally chill worthy, but I admit I haven’t seen Kik’s Delivery Service since I was like 12 (when it first came out in France, I think it was around 2004) and I have never seen The Wind Rises so there was less of an emotional impact but Kiki’s was especially moving (probably because of the scenes chosen to go with the music, were those directly related to her broom issues). Now the Wind Rises started with the quote from Paul Valéry that opens the movie “Le Vent se Lève ! ...Il faut tenter de vivre” (”The Wind Rises ! ...We must Try to Live”), and the music was....i don’t know how to explain this, it was very sweet like getting a hug ? I don’t know how to express this especially as, it is two days later and I’m now left mostly with impressions (also I haven’t done any real music analysis in about 10 years so I forgot how to do that...and I especially did not know how to do them in english...anyway I’m digressing). The point is, it was one of my least favorite suite of the concert but still so relaxing to listen to.

And now we’re getting to the one that was probably the highlight of this evening. Now I’ve never been a fan of Ponyo. I liked the movie and the Soundtrack was really really really good (then again I love joe Hisaishi so...) but here it was simply breathtaking, tear worthy. It was so vibrant, colorful, joyous, I can’t even describe it properly. It helps though that, Joe Hisaishi just looked so happy during the whole concert honestly, always smiling brightly (probably because as a composer for movie music he doesn’t get to share his composition that much, I mean a lot of composers don‘t get to but it’s especially true in the movie business, and considering the overwhelming approval he got -and I doubt it was just us as I don’t doubt the audiences before us were as appreciative- it must have been a pretty good feeling), but here ? He was positively beaming. It really made me want to rewatch the movie and listen to the soundtrack all over again (granted this concert did this for most movies....). Anyway it was just...plain magical. This concert was worth it if only for this part. It’s been two days and I just can’t get over it.

Castle in The Sky gets best mark for most surprising entrance. It was played only by a Brass Band and Joe Hisaishi at the piano, and the adult choir. The Brass being in the public made it feel very real, very vibrant yet soothing. I don’t really have much more to say about this since this kind of represents everything I’d want to say.

Porco Rosso. This one too was very soothing, I’ll admit I haven’t seen the movie yet (despite having been told many times by some friends of mine it’ll probably end up being one of my favorite Miyazaki movies). They only kept 6 people from the whole brass band, who came on stage and only for the Bygone Days. But it was such a beautiful piece.

Then we get on Howl’s Moving Castle which featured some of my favorite pieces from the OST. I think it’s safe to say that most of Joe Hisaishi’s compositions have a very soothing theme (/effect on me. I swear I chose any CD and there’s an 80% chance I’ll turn into a pile of goo), and this one doesn’t escape the rule. It’s not the most awe-worthy of the whole concert but it was still one of my favorite parts of it. And we reach the second to last, Spirited Away, about which I honestly don’t have much more to say than for HMC, except that it was mostly on the piano. I love the music of Spirited away, it has one of my favorite soundtracks but here it wasn’t as awe-inspiring as some of the others.

Finally, we “ended” on Totoro (well without the encore). Which was....plain magical, in a similar way to Ponyo (but less so). It was so happy and innocent. nooth soothing and energizing (though, again, it’s pretty much a Hisaishi trademark) and the choirs was so beautiful. I mean, they did an excellent job on all the movies but it was really an amazing finale. I just couldn’t stay still in my seat.

The Encore was two-fold, the first which I don’t recognize was probably from Porco Rosso or the Wind Rises (or the next movie ?), while the second was from Princess Mononoke (I had the title in my head saturday but I forgot to write it down, I think it was Ashitaka and San but I can’t swear it).

I know I didn’t mention them much but the Adult choir and the Children on honestly deserve recognition? Their parts were so often chill worthy. Like seriously it’s amazing and they were a big part of the impressions this concert left on me. I’m especially impressed with the young ones, though they’re mostly (pre-)teens, the ones I see (professional ones I mean) often have so control issues, which wasn’t the case here.

Did I also mention how impressive Joe Hisaishi is as a Maestro ? Because he is. Compositor aren’t always good at it so in some case t hey don’t do it (like Danny Elfman), but others try and the result can be mixed. This was so not the case here. Plus he sometimes just jumped from playing the piano to directing (and when I mean jump I mean jump, the piano is placed strategically to do just that). And this demands so much energy. And he kept doing it and smiling so much. And at the end of every suite when the audience applauded he just kept showing off all the musicians and singers with so much joy. It was like watching a puppy trying to say “Have you seen/heard that ? I’m good but they’re so good too RIGHT ? ! ! please applaud them too).

One thing sort of puzzled me was that their lyrics were in English (which I get is for the World Tour) while the Soloist were only in Japanese.

All in all I came back home feeling so happy (I was happy when I met @marcusto and I commissioned my Tim & Conner Detective AU last October at the Paris Comic Con, well it doesn’t even come close and Marcus To is one of my favourite comic book artists EVER). Happy doesn’t even cover it. I was elated. Still am. Even the bad new of politics haven’t stopped me from smiling (and I had to go vote yesterday and I was actually hopeful ? ? that’s how far gone I’ve been).

Small Bonuses :

My new T-shirt

A new poster for my living room.

Here’s the promotional video for the concert that took place in Japan (hint it’s about twice the number of musicians than the one we got XD)

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Finally I’ll leave you on this note from Hayao Miyazaki

Mr Hisaishi, I’m counting on you for my very last movie. Hayao Miyazaki (now the question is, did he write this for his next movie or was it written for any of his past “last” movies)

#Joe Hisaishi #Hayao Miyazaki #Miyazaki Hayao #Studio Ghibli #upthebaguette #My Posts #Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert : Music From The Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki

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speedilyspeedytiger · 8 years ago

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In Which I Write About Miyazaki Movies

So, the Seattle Cinerama is going to show an anime festival. This triggered an email thread between the parents of several of my son’s friends about taking teen boys to see some of the movies. After a couple of parents expressed a desire to know more about the Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films on the program, I found myself pounding away at the keyboard. Here’s the email I sent:

Because absolutely nobody asked for a really, really long email, and because I’m waiting for more information before I can write the case studies I’m supposed to be writing, here’s my take on Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films. If, after reading this, anyone wants to borrow DVDs we might be able to make a deal.

I do think it’s possible to go wrong by just picking any one of his movies at random, especially for the adult and young adult viewer. Some of them are too lightweight and some of them are too dark and trippy. They’re all good, but if you started with the wrong one you might get the wrong impression and not go further.

Animation has a hard time with the mainstream American audience because it’s been mostly marketed as something for children here. But in Japan and other countries it is seen as a storytelling medium with its own strengths. I love Hayao Miyazaki movies like I love movies by directors like Hitchcock, Fellini, Ford, Welles, Kurosawa… They are just great storytelling and each bears the stamp of the director’s passions and personality.

Miyazaki’s great theme is reverence for the environment, and reconciling industrial human society with the need to protect our planet. This preoccupation is the essence of modern Japan, where Shinto’s old animist origins still persist alongside the country’s wholehearted embrace of technology and modernity. This theme comes through more in some of his films than others, but it informs all his stories to some degree.

His best-known stories are told from the points of view of young children, tapping into the liminal moments when we still experience many things as magic but are learning to apply logic and reasoning to the world we perceive. But that’s not the entirety of his work, and the cute factor shouldn’t be overstated.

So, here’s my recommendation for watching the ten Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films on the Cinerama program that I’ve seen in an order that I think adults and teen boys would get the most out of. This is not at all the order they are being shown, but maybe it can help people make a choice.

(There are five being shown that I haven’t seen — the extremely highly-regarded Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Pom Poko and The Red Turtle — I’ll touch on them after the ordered list.)

Spirited Away. A modern family stumbles into the spirit realm, where the young daughter must work for her keep while simultaneously learning how to save her parents from the consequences of their materialism. The sequence of a river spirit flying over the land is visually stunning.

Princess Mononoke. This one is dark and brooding, and very, very good. It’s set in medieval Japan, where the forest is being cleared to produce iron to make firearms to defend the humans from the forest gods who are angry about the destruction of the forest. The cycle seems an endless spiral of conflict between humans and nature, even though humans themselves are part of nature.

My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki’s most-loved work, but teen boys might misinterpret it as being ‘kiddie’ if they haven’t either grown up with it or seen other Miyazaki films first. In post-war Japan a father and his two young daughters move to a house in the country close to the hospital where the girls’ mother is recovering from an illness. Mei, the youngest daughter, meets a giant forest spirit who she names Totoro and he plays an important role as her childish innocence leads her into danger. (I sought out an older DVD with the original English dub. The Cinerama will show the later Disney dub with big name stars. It’s fine, but I like the first version better.)

Ponyo. This one is fantastic, but boy is it a trip. Ponyo is a little fish who is the daughter of an overly-protective sorcerer father who dresses like a ‘60s Peter Max concert poster and the spirit of the oceans. She encounters a small boy and decides that she wants to be human too. Her decision unbalances time, a magical tsunami floods the town, and much more. It’s awesome.

The Wind Rises. Miyazaki’s last film before retiring in 2013. An incredibly great film with a slow pace that might not hold the attention of a teen boy who isn’t already attuned to the medium. (We saw it at the Cinerama on first release and Asa loved it, but your mileage may vary.) It is the fictionalized story of the designer of the Mitsubishi Zero, Japan’s iconic WWII fighter plane. As you might imagine, this is problematic territory for a post-imperial filmmaker and the Koreans in particular took offense. But the tone is neither jingoistic, nor overtly anti-war, which I think is part of its brilliance as a story. This is the tale of a man who personally opposed the war but loved designing flying machines, and by humanizing him I feel Miyazaki asks us all to take a look inside ourselves and reconcile our own passions with the unintended consequences of their expression.

From Up on Poppy Hill. A sweet period piece, directed by Hayao’s son Gorō, but his dad co-wrote the script. High school students in early ‘60s Yokohama fight the head of their school who wishes to tear down the building housing student clubs and develop it as commercial property. The girl and boy at the heart of the struggle develop feelings for each other, but stumble across clues suggesting they may be connected in other ways as well. Is their love meant to be?

Kiki’s Delivery Service. A sympathetic allegory about the challenges teenaged girls face in establishing their own identities. Teen witch Kiki moves to a new town and discovers she can make a living as a broomstick-flying delivery driver. She meets a boy who likes her, but isn’t sure what to do about it. She becomes so depressed she can’t fly anymore. Will she regain her magic?

Castle in the Sky. A steampunky tale about a girl abducted by air pirates who falls from their airship and lands in a mining town. There she is befriended by a boy who helps her on her quest to find the city of Laputa, which floats high in the sky thanks to the power of special crystals. Fights and adventures ensue. It’s the first official Studio Ghibli film and is a lot of fun but in my opinion isn’t as focused and realized as their later work.

Howl’s Moving Castle. This is Miyazaki’s anti-Iraq War movie. It’s got all the right elements (primarily a magic steampunk castle with legs) and the right themes (pro-feminism, a critique of modernity, the importance of caring for each other), but didn’t click with me. I should try it again.

Arriety. This is an adaptation of the Borrowers books. I never read them, but I had friends who loved them. It’s a perfectly fine movie, but it is what it is. Best for younger kids, I’d say.

Of the ones I haven’t seen, the top of the list is Grave of the Fireflies, which is by Studio Ghibli but not directed by Miyazaki. Roger Ebert considered it one of the best war films ever made. It’s not light and fluffy. The story is about a brother and sister struggling to survive in the last months of WWII, dealing with starvation and American bombs. It’s supposed to be emotionally devastating, which is why I haven’t watched it yet. It might be best with a theater full of other people sharing the experience.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the last film Miyazaki made before founding Studio Ghibli on the strength of his work. It’s a fantasy film that deals with the human impact on the natural world. I really should have seen it already.

Porco Rosso is supposed to be a lot of fun, and combines Miyazaki’s love of airplanes and dirigibles with a talking pig pilot. I expect cuteness.

Pom Poko wasn’t directed by Miyazaki, and it has a reputation for being so steeped in Japanese culture that it’s hard for Americans to fully follow. On the other hand, there’s certainly amusement to be had in a movie about magic raccoon dogs with prominent testicles, right?

The Red Turtle is a Ghibli co-production with a Dutch company. It’s a shipwreck story told with no words and it lost the Animated Feature Oscar to Zootopia. It’s supposed to be really good.

If you made it to this sentence I applaud you for your stamina. I did mention earlier that I’m a bit of a fanboy, right? I also used to get paid to write about entertainment and pop culture topics, and can go on and on about them, as you can plainly see.

#hayao miyazaki #studio ghibli #cinerama

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