Hayao Miyazaki

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by tuigirl

My eldest LOVES anime (books as well) and has tried on several occasions to get me to see this movie (to no avail) and I have to say it's extremely hard to get used to the style of animation, esp when you've grown up with the Hanna/Barbara ones all thru childhood. Also, I do find the anime plots ( mostly about good and evil, being a bit well...boring.. and almost annoying sometimes...Some of the anime can be quite violent/sexual as already pointed out and that dosn't grip me either, but having said that, she enjoys them immensely and they've even helped her improve her art!

Again, I would hardly describe Miyazaki's movies as "anime," though I don't know the strict definition. The ones I've seen are not at all sexual and, aside from Princess Mononoke, are not violent. And Mononoke's violence is pretty fleeting. The characters are all complex, so that even the "bad guys" have likeable qualities. It's not black and white, good and bad. Really. This guy is in a class all his own.

I'm not certain which movie it is your daughter has been trying to get you to see, but yes, the animation style is what it is.

I would say, if you've got it in you, to start with Spirited Away. I think it's the most accessable and arguably his best.

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I love Miyasaki, and did get to see him in Seattle in a film fest. The backround paintings in his movies are incredible!
My favorites are: Laputa: "Castle in the Sky" and "Spirited Away". My son has been enjoying "My Neighbor Totoro" recently. I also like "Kiki's Delivery Service" just because I like anything with witches in it.


I am dying to go to this Studio Ghibli museum:http://www.tautoz.com/ghiblimuseum/photos/

Very cool! I swear when we first got "Totoro" my daughter watched it at least once a day! We have Kiki too, which is very cute and such a sweet story, but for some reason it doesn't always like to play on my DVD player. And Phil Hartman as the cat is just so cute (kinda sad too)!

And yeah, you just can't escape the unmitigated beauty in the scenes. Any of the Nightwalker scenes in Mononoke, Totoro's scene in the forest in the rain, the walk to Zeniba's in Spirited Away...I think I'm gonna go find some pretty scenes and post them...

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by David

Everybody--& I mean everybody--talks about Miyazaki on my movie forum, but I have never, sorry to say, seen a Miyazaki. In fact, I have never seen any anime all the way through. The few patches I've seen remind me of the animation style of the old Speed Racer, so I never got interested.

One of these days, I will give Spirited Away a try.

Well color me shocked.

Really you should give it a shot. It can take a little bit of effort to get into the story lines sometimes and the prevalence of Shinto gods in many of his movies can really make it seem even more "foreign," though I hardly believe that to be a barrier for you.

I would say Spirited Away or, if you find that one too soft, Princess Mononoke for you. The Disney dub of Mononoke also has a really strong cast: Minnie Driver, Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, Gillian Anderson, Jada Pinkett Smith, and even Billy Bob Thorton, which admittedly is a little strange as a little Japanese guy!

[Sugar]

From Spirited Away:

[Sugar]

Multiple scenes from Spirited Away:

[Sugar]

From Howl's Moving Castle:

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by Sugar

Again, I would hardly describe Miyazaki's movies as "anime," though I don't know the strict definition. The ones I've seen are not at all sexual and, aside from Princess Mononoke, are not violent. And Mononoke's violence is pretty fleeting. The characters are all complex, so that even the "bad guys" have likeable qualities. It's not black and white, good and bad. Really. This guy is in a class all his own.

I'm not certain which movie it is your daughter has been trying to get you to see, but yes, the animation style is what it is.

I would say, if you've got it in you, to start with Spirited Away. I think it's the most accessable and arguably his best.

Anime covers avery kind of Japanese animation, and as the term movie includes many genres, like manga. Miyazaki is definitely the best of his generation, but in Japanese tradition many others great animators and manga creators haven't been violent or used explicit sexual themes, starting with Osamu Tezuka, the first real anime creator, after the WWII, who was considered ther Japanese Walt Disney. Among his creations there were classics like "Astro Boy" and the beautiful "Kimba the White Lion". If you see them you could see how influential he was on Miyazaki.

David, to start with Miyazaki, I suggest you Porco Rosso, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104652/is set in Italy in the Thirties and the leading character is an antifascit pilot. I think you could like it, also for the hystoric background, is very well done, and the planes are spectacular.

Romy

[ragandbone]

I love Miyazaki so much that I spelled his name incorrectly - out of great love and respect for his humble nature .
You have quoted me, and no editing can fix my error. sigh.

Originally Posted by Sugar

Very cool! I swear when we first got "Totoro" my daughter watched it at least once a day! We have Kiki too, which is very cute and such a sweet story, but for some reason it doesn't always like to play on my DVD player. And Phil Hartman as the cat is just so cute (kinda sad too)!

Phil Hartman was such a talented voice...when I recognized his voice as the cat, I was sad too.

Originally Posted by Sugar

And yeah, you just can't escape the unmitigated beauty in the scenes. Any of the Nightwalker scenes in Mononoke, Totoro's scene in the forest in the rain, the walk to Zeniba's in Spirited Away...I think I'm gonna go find some pretty scenes and post them...

I love the train ride in Spirited Away - so eery and beautiful!

[amber]

^^^

Well, it's obvious you were thinking about Saki, which is a good thing.

I haven't seen all these. You have inspired me.

[ragandbone]

mmmmm saki! I really love that unfiltered saki, the kind they serve chilled. Oh, but I love the warm saki too. yummmmmm.

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by Serrart

Anime covers avery kind of Japanese animation, and as the term movie includes many genres, like manga.

I suspected that "anime" includes all Japanese animation, but the word conjures up basically what tuigirl described. I've only seen a couple of anime movies that are not Miyazaki...Vampire Hunter D which I remember liking without being able to remember much about, and a bloodfest called "Fist of the North Star" which just has a truly hysterical amount of blood in it. Somehow it seems like a disservice to lump Spirited Away in with Fist of the North Star!

Does manga refer to the Japanese-style of art in comic books, while anime is moving animation?

Originally Posted by Serrart

Miyazaki is definitely the best of his generation, but in Japanese tradition many others great animators and manga creators haven't been violent or used explicit sexual themes, starting with Osamu Tezuka, the first real anime creator, after the WWII, who was considered ther Japanese Walt Disney. Among his creations there were classics like "Astro Boy" and the beautiful "Kimba the White Lion". If you see them you could see how influential he was on Miyazaki.

Romy

I believe "Kimba" was on TV here in the States in the early 70's. I don't remember it, but my older sister does.

And thanks for the line on other animators to try. It was always my intention to branch out once I saw all the Miyazaki movies, with the possible exception of Grave of the Fireflies, which sounds just SO depressing. So far I've just been using Amazon to find others, via their "other movies people looked at" and then checking out the reviews. But I appreciate your perspective.

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I love Miyazaki so much that I spelled his name incorrectly - out of great love and respect for his humble nature .
You have quoted me, and no editing can fix my error. sigh.!

Does it make you feel better to know that I've been grabbing the DVD cases off my shelf to make sure I'm getting all the spellings right?

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I love the train ride in Spirited Away - so eery and beautiful!

It is, though I'm not sure why all the other commuters are mearly humanoid shadows. There must be some significance to that. Kind of like the medicine from the river god...why does San spit it out after she takes a bite of it while she's sitting on the balcony with that older-sister-type-character-whose-name-currently-escapes-me?

[ragandbone]

Originally Posted by Sugar

Does it make you feel better to know that I've been grabbing the DVD cases off my shelf to make sure I'm getting all the spellings right?




It is, though I'm not sure why all the other commuters are mearly humanoid shadows. There must be some significance to that. Kind of like the medicine from the river god...why does San spit it out after she takes a bite of it while she's sitting on the balcony with that older-sister-type-character-whose-name-currently-escapes-me?

Miyazaki films have so many bits of fairy and folktales in them, and San reminds me of a girl in fairy tales (though I can't recall which one, or even the country of origin) who is too smart to be tricked, and captured by, by fairies.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by Sugar

I suspected that "anime" includes all Japanese animation, but the word conjures up basically what tuigirl described. I've only seen a couple of anime movies that are not Miyazaki...Vampire Hunter D which I remember liking without being able to remember much about, and a bloodfest called "Fist of the North Star" which just has a truly hysterical amount of blood in it. Somehow it seems like a disservice to lump Spirited Away in with Fist of the North Star!

Does manga refer to the Japanese-style of art in comic books, while anime is moving animation?

Yes, exactly. Actually till mid seventies basically all the anime came out from a manga.

Originally Posted by Sugar

I believe "Kimba" was on TV where in the States in the early 70's. I don't remember it, but my older sister does.

It was so beautiful. Disney certainly knew it because they basically copied all of it to make The Lion King

Originally Posted by Sugar

And thanks for the line on other animators to try. It was always my intention to branch out once I saw all the Miyazaki movies, with the possible exception of Grave of the Fireflies, which sounds just SO depressing. So far I've just been using Amazon to find others, via their "other movies people looked at" and then checking out the reviews. But I appreciate your perspective.

Yes Grave of Fireflies is tough, even to think to it makes me emotional.

But there are some more very nice anime without violence in it. Probably you've already caught them on Amazon, but just in case here are three that I loved:
Pom Poko by Isao Takahata. It's directed by the other great artist of Ghibli studios. It treats most of Miyazaki's themes, ecology, respect for others and for the world we're living in, etc, but with a mellower perspective, still very witty and unique.
Angel's Egg by Mamoru Oshii Not sure this is available on dvd, I've watched in a festival. It's a real work of art: the plot hides a very deep and autobiographic path through faith.
Millennium Actress by Satoshi Kon - This one is really amazing. A documentary director tracks down his favourite actress, a legendary diva to make a film about her. What started as a doc becomes a fascinating voyage through her life and cinematic worlds.

Romy

[tuigirl]

It seems as though Kimba is still on here in the UK (sky satellite channel, forget which one, but I saw it just the other day!) I too used to love that programme in the 70's, fancy me watching anime at such a young age, now thats a turn up for the books!! My eldest would be proud..haha