I’ve seen a lot of criticism for Howls Moving Castle saying the War gets in the way of the story, which really confuses me because I thought that was the point. What should have been a love story about two people bringing the best out of each other is interrupted and made messy by a pointless war. It’s what war does, it comes in and destroys lives and interrupts everything for everyone. But despite all the chaos Sophie and Howl break each other’s curses and get to live happily ever after.
it seems the point if you watched the film first. the Book (written by an English author with European fairy tale themes) is *EXTREMELY* different from the movie. they are like two different stories using similar characters and the same story prompt.
@@benjipixel1438 I’ve read the book and you are right, it’s completely different from Miyazaki’s version, but that doesn’t mean Miyazaki’s version is bad. What’s actually really interesting is that each version reflects the creators experience with war. In Diane Wayne Jones version the war is a far off threat which reflects how she was a little girl living in Wales during WWII. Miyazaki on the other hand obviously grew up in Japan where his life was greatly affected by WWII (which this video obviously talks about). As you said they are stories with a similar setting and characters just told differently by each artist. It’s just sad that many critics and viewers didn’t understand or appreciate the story Miyazaki was trying to tell.
Miyazaki, like all men, enjoys stories that are epic, like Saving Private Ryan. The woman, Dianna Wynn Jones, who wrote Howl's Moving Castle, enjoys stories about human relationships, like Pride and Prejudice. The reason Miyazaki put the war into Dianna Wynn Jones' world is because he wanted to draw it. He was working on this film for years, afterall. He thought the relationships between Sophie, the witch, and howl, were boring on their own. What he accomplished was a film that occupies the middle ground between masculinity and femeninity, so, both young men and women can find different parts of it to latch onto. In some way, this film is about "meeting in the middle", and the discomfort for both sides that that entails. (This is my opinion and you don't have to agree with me)
@@dmitrysamoilov5989 it's one thing to have an opinion on miyazaki's work, but making broad statements about his character (enjoying epic stories like saving private ryan(?), finding human relationships "boring") aren't merely an opinion. so when i say i disagree with you, it's not your opinion i disagree with, rather the claims you're trying to make about miyazaki as an individual. i'm curious as to how you drew the conclusions you did here. his works are considered by many to be anti-war so i find it a bit difficult to believe that yet another US-made propaganda war film like saving private ryan would appeal to him, and his interest in finding the beauty in mundane, every-day life is pretty apparent throughout his entire career so i don't think he'd think that relationships between characters boring. in fact something many appreciate about his films is the ability he has to write characters and the complex relationships they have with each other. his gifts are especially impressive because of how much of a self-admitted misanthrope miyazaki is. he's not fond of the way the world has become and in his opinion (one i happen to agree with) it's only getting worse, but that's exactly what inspires him to make the kind of films he does. he wants children to know that life can be different, and it can be better, if only we reach out to each other with strength and compassion. "I wanted to convey the message that life is worth living, and I don't think that's changed." - miyzaki, on howl's moving castle lastly, while jones's original themes focused on classism and gender roles, miyazaki decided to make his film adaptation focus on *love* (between sophie and howl), the destruction that war inflicts, and personal allegiance.
@@tharakir1328 How are we not animals? We are fairly unique as a species, I will agree, but most of the traits that make us human can be found in isolation among many different species. But it is the specific combination of them that make us human. We are not really removed from being animals, we are a species of animal
“nature exists as an incredible force, as something huge, far exceeding our own little good and evil ways” By resorting to good and bad you fell yet again into the trap of anthropomorphizing nature. There is no good and bad in the world. We may take comfort in classifying ourselves as such but that has nothing to do with the world.
One thing I love about princess Mononoke is how it doesn’t necessarily demonize industrialization. Most of the iron town citizens are genuinely nice people and the fact that they’re mostly outcasts paints lady Eboshi in a morally gray light. It even clarifies (not justifies) why they’ve advanced into the spirits territory. With that said, it does put a limit on How much one should take, demonstrated as Eboshi loses an arm after decapitating the Forest spirit. One reason I thought the spirit doesn’t side with the gods is because it knows humanity is a part of nature, albeit in a predatory/parasitic way.
YES!! I also loved he showed her in that grey light. Yes, she’s selfish and destructive, but she also cares about the women in her care. I remember deeply empathizing with her while also strongly disliking her impact on other characters
No. It doesn’t demonize people. It does demonize industrialization, literally. Industrialization leads directly to the rise of demons. Turning what was once non-demonic into such.
I always took it the forest spirit knew their time as being gods of nature was over and humans would be the new dominant species. The gods weren’t invincible and could be killed.
True its far more nuanced than just Evil greedy humans But there is great video titled lady iboshi is wrong. In the end everything she does no matter the reason does more harm than good because the fact remains we humans need the Environment to live not the other way around
I don't know Miyazaki but the fact that he's 81 and he's making his possibly last animated movie to leave behind for his grandson feels like losing a grandfather all over again. Unrelated, but this vid made me cry several times in several points of the vid.
@@youcanthandlethetruth8873 I was about to comment this. How Ironic is it that he made so many children around the world happy with his stories and art but couldn't make his own son happy as a father? From what I heard he was a complete jerk to his son.
Well Totoro is my 5 year old daughter’s favorite movie. She has watched it multiple times. And she also loves to go outside during good weather to look for Totoro’s tree and find acorns. She also loves to pick up trash that people throw on the ground and puts it in the garbage where it goes. She really loves going camping and stuff. You’d think she had won the lottery whenever we mention going camping. And we do the real camping with a tent. And she probably wouldn’t get so happy about nature and stuff if it wasn’t for Miyazaki and the Studio Ghibli library of films.
I like Miyazaki's work but had never really looked into his own views very deeply. I really relate to many of his thoughts, especially about being torn between deep cynicism and the yearning for optimism and concerns about the role of art in a consumerist society.
me too, never did I counsider looking into the human you wrote the sotries. I want to try and change and be more.. idk a human who focuses more on life than things
This work should be consider as an official documentary to show in Animation institution/Academy purely for the purpose of education and get to understand the ideas/visions behind the work of a specific director as well as an act of inspiration. Thank you for putting so much work in this lengthly but worthy video. Cheers, from Vietnam :)
This was such a thoughtful exploration of Miyazaki’s work. I feel like I just came out of a therapy session… feeling so introspective about the world and my place in it lol
Spot on! Also because you realize that you're far from alone with these questions and inner conflicts. Between wanting to be optimistic and feeling like being intellectually realistic always leads to pessimism and misanthropy, I personally am never sure where I'm leaning. Therefore, everything discussed here deeply resonates with me, especially because throughout all of the quotes and obviously through his work, Miyasaki is so much more clear, reflected, experienced and to the point about these themes than I (maybe ever, but certainly currently) could. It's at the same time validating and comforting because we all have these struggles, but it's also sad - if such a great mind can't crack these issues, how could I ever hope to, you know?
This is also feel like a therapy session for me, I've been struggling with my loss of optimism in seeing the world as I get older. I used to have like this childlike way of seeing the world seeing the beauty in it, and it was something that I'm very proud of. It is something that feel like the essence of my existence. But as I grow older I've became more and more pessimistic about people, the world, the future, corrupted by the toxicity of media in general and social media. And I wonder if I lost that childlike spark, then who am I now. But seeing that both pessimism and optimism can coexist in a person, that we should embrace both. That seeing a world in solely the romanticized version of it not only untrue but also betrays the essence of the world itself is so liberating. If Miyazaki could actively pursue and chose optimism in his work, in his world view, so can I. And seeing that a lot of people having the same struggle as me, makes me less lonely and makes me way more accepting towards my change.
@@Ninaloasana Yes, I think you nailed it there - it's about the balance. You can retain the childlike wonder for all the beauty and positive things in the world and in people, without being blind to the destruction and suffering. And yeah, I also think it is an active choice to focus on the positive for one's own endeavors. Something along the lines of "leave the world a bit better than it was when you entered it".
I finished watching Princess Mononoke and and just sat there thinking "now what?" For a while. Because I understood that my actions had to be different.
@@andreja9425 And if you can't change your diet, buying locally is also much more sustainable, both environmentally because it cuts back on transportation costs and food waste, and economically because it puts money back into your community
@@misteryA555 basically forcing our govt to stop the food wastage. Logistics of food is one of the biggest reason of food wastage and we can actually feed the whole world. We need govt to work together so that no food is wasted
@@andreja9425 I understand going vegetarian, since some of the nicest people I know are that. On the other hand, vegans are privileged as HELL, most of the vegans I met are too entitled and/or white, allocishet, neurotypical, able-bodied, and rich women.
As an academic, thinking about the amount of research you'd have had to do for this video makes me appreciate it even more. Probably one of my all time favorite directors. Great job on this video!
It's really interesting how Miyazaki changes the plot of Howl's Moving Castle without changing the overall meaning very much. In the book, Sofie grows from a quiet, insecure girl resigned to what she believes is her fate as an eldest child, to a power witch who puts her lived ones first, so much so that she tries to save a woman she dislikes because she believes Howl loves her. The books have a lot more characters and plot but Miyazaki used it's themes perfectly.
I’ve always had an especially soft spot for The Wind Rises, perhaps because it is never among the most regarded Ghibli films my peers bring up. From the first time I watched it, it felt like a love letter to the passion of devoted artists and to the tragedy of how creation is weaponized. The criticisms cited in this video fall flat for me, because it’s impossible to accuse Miyazaki of apologism or feigned ignorance of the consequences of fascist warmongering given his personal history with those consequences. I think it was necessary for the film not to visually dwell on the aftermath of the War, because the audience knows perfectly well what came of it. The Wind Rises is heartwrenchingly bittersweet, even more so on repeated viewings. The protagonist is swept up in the demands of a nation and world that has lost its way, and in the end even his own dreams cannot remain free of the senseless destruction of war. The human story in it, however dramatized or fictionalized, is a reminder of the perseverance of beauty in the world.
If you want to blame anyone how about you blame yourselves and the American government for allowing Japan to be able to deny war crimes by giving so many of the true monsters like Unit 731 immunity to get their hands on their their biochem experiments and silencing or discrediting other sources who sought to bring these atrocities to light? Funny how so many conveniently forget or ignore that.😑 It is slowly, but surely changing. Many of the younger generation are coming around and denouncing Imperial Japan's war crimes and wanting them to publicly take responsibility. It is still going to take a long time with a large aging population who refuses to see their role in WW2 as an aggressor and a government that values the elderly a lot more than their youth.
I feel like a lot of the criticism about not showing the consequences of war may be negated with the consequence of throwing one's self into their work to the point that you push aside loved ones. Based on my skim read of The Wind Has Risen, Hori Tatsuo seems to struggle with this too (the wife with tuberculosis is based on his wife and the Mc writer chara is based on himself). The Wind Rises seems to be a combination of Miyazaki's feelings of both of his parents by taking the aspects of Jirou's life and his planes representing his father and Hori's semi autobiographical story based on the time he and his wife spent at a sanitarium both dealing with tuberculosis which represents his mother. People seem to severely understate the influence The Wind Has Risen Has on the film even tho the bare bones plot of The Wind Rises is basically taken from The Wind Has Risen.
@@youcanthandlethetruth8873 In war, no matter what country, they misunderstand that they are righteous, and as a last resort they become violent. The Japanese fought for their mothers and families against the liberation of colonial slaves in Asia by Western countries. Some Japanese have saved Southeast Asia by fighting racism, they justify.
31:40 this right here. If nature doesn’t matter to you, and if only your survival does, then think of this. We are only destroying ourselves permanently by harming nature. Nature will live on in some shape or form, with or without us. We as a species are insignificant to this force and should appreciate it more, for its beauty and its uncaring ruthlessness. I love nature. I love hiking, backpacking, swimming, exploring and growing my own plants. I love observing the animals around me. I can’t fathom how anyone can’t see what I see. We are a part of nature, we are animals, and we harm ourselves by trying to separate ourselves from it.
I actually disagree with the point that we’re destroying nature or separating ourselves to it. Since we are part of nature then what we do are simply the natural state of the world should be. It’s actually arrogant to think that we can preserve the “nature” for it to be always optimized for human beings. Just like 200 million years ago the environment was suitable for dinosaurs but not human. And the nature back then was not the nature we know now. Since right now we’re thriving we should capitalize and made the most out of it. And someday the earth will be back to a state that’s not suitable for human race to live. The universe simply doesn’t care for our survival and the nature will go on to do its thing.
@@thesubculturegeek There is certainly a valid point in that nature can't be static, it's constantly changing, affected by many thing, including its ecosystem. At some point in Earth's history there was not much oxygen in atmosphere, then the oxygen (as a byproduct) producing bacteria appeared and nearly ended all life, as oxygen was poisonous to other existing lifeforms, and high levels of oxygen in the atmosphere cooled it down to become almost completely covered in ice. IIRC it's estimated that more than 98% of living organisms died back then. But yet, here we are. Life, um, finds a way... On the other hand, we shouldn't just shit in our figurative backyard, if we as humankind want to persist in the future.
Try over a thousand years of Christian ideology, which states that man has the right to exploit nature as he sees fit. Followed by capitalist ideology which, for its very survival, must ensure people are divorced from their environment and their own nature. Capitalism requires unlimited, unquestioned exploitation of natural resources and a docile, conforming society of workers who won't challenge the destruction on their natural environment. This is achieved through schooling, social pressure applied through the media and finally exclusion, criminalisation and empoverishment of those who refuse to comply. That's why we have allowed our natural world to be 90% destroyed.
I highly recommend watching some of the World Masterpiece Theater animes, like Heidi on the Alps or Akage no Anne. Both Takahata and Miyazaki worked on it and you can definitely tell from the art style. You'll even notice stuff that was later used in ghibli.
I don't imagine anyone's gonna read this but the criticism about the Wind Rises I think is probably missing the point - the film is based on Jiro Horikoshi but at no point does it ever purport to be a straightforward bilography of his life (generally, biographical films rarely are and almost always take degrees of liberty with their subject matter, the person's actual life - Tolkein is a great example why you should pick up a book if you want to know about his life). When you sat down to watch a Miyazaki film featuring Jiro Horikoshi, if you expected a lesson in his life as it was lived then that's on you. What Miyazaki does, as far as I'm concerned, is use Jiro's life as a jumping off point - the general thrust of the narrative is loosely accurate, but the main idea is of course the contrast between this "beautiful dream" of aviation - which is lavishly depicted in the scenes of planes in flight and literal dream sequences - and the harsh reality of the world we live in in which those dreams are co-opted by modern society and humankind's inability to just live in harmony. If the film had tried to make this a vehicle of criticism about how Jiro "profited" off the war, it would not only serve virtually no purpose or use to anyone but would also obscure the the deeper issue that Miyazaki is trying to shed light on: all our dreams of progress and invention, even those that come from the best possible places, are ultimately tainted so long as we as a species remain the same. A relevant case in point of precisely this issue would of course be Einstein and the nuclear bomb which was the direct result of his research and something he devoted a great part of his life to campaigning against. It's quite clear that to make this point, he also needs to depict the main character's tenderness towards his dying wife, and draw him as a man torn between his love of planes and an instinctive dislike of conflict. In many ways, the Jiro in the film is more like Miyazaki than Horikoshi himself. Anyway, the main point of the film (and an idea familiar to anyone whose made it far enough in One Piece) is that the planes and the technology behind them is neither intrinsically good or evil - what serves in times of peace as a vehicle for opening up and connecting the world in times of war serves to close down large parts of the world through aerial bombing missions. It's up to humanity to do with it what they will, and that's the double-edged dilemma that the film presents us with. Also worth mentioning is the influence of Antoine de Saint Exupery on Miyazaki - like Miyazaki, Saint Exupery was an avid aviation enthusiast and he wrote very passionately about the joy that comes with flight and seeing the land unfold under your little plane as it sits alone in the sky. Exupery loved aviation so much he ultimately died in flight serving as a pilot in the Free French Air Force. Something of an irony of course is that, for Western readers, that would make him something of a tragic hero. However this probably isn't the time to get into whether we should be celebrating or vilifying participants in war...
Great post. I might argue that planes, and perhaps all technology, cannot be 'neither good nor bad', but rather contains inherent biases in the way the usage of that technology frames the world - as an asset to be utilized. The fact that planes shrink the world - that quality of theirs that could be seen as beneficial - is the exact same quality that makes them effective weapons. Just so, a car cannot exist without paving the landscape, cutting up cities, and segregating humans.
I'm glad you mentioned the train scene from Spirited Away. I was unsure about the film when I saw it for the first time but when that scene happened, I really felt the weight of the moment and got what the movie was about.
I know this is an old comment but the youtuber Big Joel has a really interesting video on studio ghibli and the obsolete in which he discusses that scene in detail. It's a great compliment to this reading.
The amount of emotion Miyazaki films make me feel is always overwhelming. Just always such a deep communication of the human condition in a way that often doesn’t even need the dialogue to get through .
I'm 40 mins from the end but I just want to say this was an amazing watch so far. I've been learning a lot and have a new appreciation and perspective for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
On topic of conflicting ideals, it would've been nice if the video delved into his experiences as a labor union leader in the animation industry (which is plain impossible in today's conveyor belt of an industry spewing out seasonal shows), his fallout with his Marxist beliefs to his more well-known animist and environmental beliefs (which was touched upon), his nightmare scenario of him ending up becoming one of the drivers of consumerism (ala Evangelion *becoming the ironic rallying cry for modern otaku culture) which was touched on briefly, and his life as a father: his shortcomings and eventual warming up to Goro - to juxtapose his own experiences with his father.
@@QualityCulture This video was great. Probably one of the best documentaries I've seen exploring Miyazaki. I think this other video compliments yours well, and it specifically explores Miyazaki's politics and his relationship with the labor movement, and how that relates to his relationship with himself. th-cam.com/video/UMXN6B-tqZM/w-d-xo.html
Ghibli movies has become an entire set of movie genre of its own. What was supposed to be children's films, older generation, especially the time of young adults, have viewed ghibli as comfort films. That amidst out uncertain lives of emotional and mental instability, take a breather, sit on a friday night with the lights off, a few snacks nearby and get immersed in any ghibli film and feel assured and cleansed from the negativity of our reality. they just have this certian magical feel to them that just do that to you. And this I believe is the reason why, decades after, ghibli films will till remain relevant and unforgettable to future generations.
Miyazaki is a very important figure to me. Im an artist that attempted to become an animator and couldnt because of money. I recently changed from being Christian to being an 'animist' as it were. Its wonderful to get a deeper look into the things he struggled with internally because alot of those same struggles reside inside me. My hope is that I can reclaim the ability to explore my art and in doing so become more secure in my place in the world. The more I learn about him the more I learn about my own spiritual and artistic journey. PS - Me and Miyazaki also have the same birthday! Jan 5th
Edit: If you enjoyed this video, you might also wanna watch our new video about Isao Takahata's films: th-cam.com/video/KMI83IF1m6Q/w-d-xo.html _____ This video is long overdue (we’re way past 100k at this point lol) but we hope you enjoy our exploration of Miyazaki’s work! This was our most ambitious endeavor yet and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our subs and kind patrons. It was a lot of work but it was fun for both of us to finally collab and make such a comprehensive video. Thanks again for watching! Much love 😊 - Stef & Terrence
@@Sunaki1000 Although Pom Poko is a Studio Ghibli creation, it isn't a Miyazaki creation. Pom Poko was written and directed by Isao Takahata, the other great at Ghibli, who also brought us Grave of the Fireflies.
Miyazaki made masterpieces no other film industry could achieve (yes even Disney)... He made movies that had deep messages for all ages such as environmentalism, the consequences of war, caring for family and friends, be kind to each other. Also his movies have well written female characters, relatable overcoming the stereotypes of the typical damsel in distress trope portrayed in Hollywood movies, but showing that women are just as capable as men. He does this with an amazing storyline, art and music because he deeply wanted us to know that life even with all the hardships, it's worth living for. ❤
Terribly sorry for comparing, but while Disney went under flak for their past disney princesses for ongoing 'damsel in distress' trope, Ghibli already going forward with progressive heroine with clear character development since day 1
@@kamearisyndrome why apologize, you are right about disney! When I was younger watching these movies I think only Mulan had like a message about strong female characters. While portraying soft feminine characters like Belle or Cinderella is not wrong it felt they got overshadowed being saved by their love interests. While Miyazaki portrayed more relatable characters with his saying quote: “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.”
This is possibly the most holistic and mature video essay on Miyazaki's artistic career that exists on the internet, at least that I know of. There's so much ground covered here with good discussion/coverage given to each concept without getting mired in the weeds of a tangent. Enjoyed every minute, 10/10.
Nausicaa is and has been a deep part of how I want to be and is one of my top favorite movies. One of my favorite takeaways from watching the "Kingdom of Dreams and Madness" documentary was the method of "visuals, then dialogue" he uses. They state at some point he makes sure his scenes can convey his message purely through visuals, enhanced by music, and should be able to clearly show what he wants said without words. That's something I strive to do in my own projects (none of which have become reality 🥲). I have a lot of respect for Hayao Miyazaki
I'm pretty sure the Nausicaä movie and manga got me over fearing insects as silly as it sounds. I used to kill bugs in my house, but now I always catch and release. When I go to take the trash out at night I check up on the little neighborhood of spiderwebs in my yard to see how they're doing.
This is absolutely the best interpretation of a lot of Miazaki's films, especially Howl's moving castle. A lot of critics focused on the twisted personality of Howl and the lack of confidence of Sophie while ignoring the big environment that caused all these characteristic issues. I love this video! (actually there's a Chinese video site that serves similar purpose as TH-cam, do you mind if I post this video there with clear references? Thank you soooo much! 😘
The environment really doesn’t have that influence on them because the novel’s environment is completely different and the characters are the same. HM really has very little to do with how good the story is. The novel had all of this to begin with.
I'm obsessed with Ghibli movies so this video is everything! I hope for one with more focus on Whisper of the Heart and From Up on Poppy Hill. I love those two so much.
I literally just started a Ghibli marathon yesterday, and I couldn’t help but reflect and analyze the complex dichotomy between the messages Miyazaki is saying in his films and Miyazaki himself as a director and human being. So to say that seeing the video uploaded only recently was beyond perfect timing! It was so beautifully done, I have to honestly and wholeheartedly say thank you for giving us such an in-depth perspective into the true spirit of Hayao Miyazakis films. It only reaffirmed to me that even at my age of 33, I have every reason to continue to love these movies for the masterpieces they are. So thank you for your hard work!
I hope that Miyazaki knows that for every kid who stayed inside to rewatch Totoro, there were likely kids like me who WERE inspired to go outside and explore and play, and that he finds comfort in that kind of knowledge. I distinctly recall playing the exact same way Mei did in Totoro, and even when i first watched the movie as a 5 year old, i still continued to go outside and play; but this time i imagined i too was playing with forest spirits and creatures. I think there were and maybe still are tons of others like me who felt that inspiration and decided to play with it outside in our imaginations, his goal in that way was partially met . His films inspired and nurtured me growing up, teaching me the lessons I needed when I needed them, and telling me the stories of those before me in a way that I could understand, and that is something i find invaluable, and hope to share with my own kids one day.
i've been in such an uninspired, dark place lately, this video cheered me up and gave me hope. thank you for making such an informative and inspiring video
This is absolutely brilliant. Tightly edited, beautifully paced, and extremely well-researched and though-provoking. I think it's criminal that this doesn't have at least a million views. I've seen a lot of videos tackling the subject of Miyazaki and his works, but this has got to be my favorite. Amazing job y'all. An instant subscribe from me!
Oh I'd love a video about The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, or just Takahata as a whole. There is a severe lack of those on the internet, and judging from this upload I'm sure It'd turn out amazing!
Taking me a while to get through this because it's packed with so much information that I keep going back and rewatching bits. But I wanted to say that halfway through this is already one of my favorite essays I've seen on youtube. Great job
My conservative nationalist ultra religious parents love Ghibli films and it constantly baffles me how they don't see the themes. They are so media illiterate that they always respond with, "It is just a story." Though I think Monoke was so blatant with themes that my parents always list it as their least favorite because it is "too preachy."
@@kid14346 oh ok. I would say though that most people are media illiterate. However, it doesn't surprise me that your parents like it. Miyazaki's themes can speak to people even if the viewer doesn't realize it.
Me, incited by the title: What is it about people that they can't reconcile more than one thing being true? Me, after actually watching this video: Finally, a love letter to one of the world's living masterpieces. Beautifully done, guys. Bravo!
I really appreciate how you all put together what I always thought and felt when I watched Ghibli movies. Could've not done this. I already shared it with a friend I always discuss films with because your analysis features so much that is featured in many more films. The overall concept of something. Well done!
Thank you both for this absolutely fantastic breakdown --one of the best (and my favorite) video essays I've ever seen! You're both stunning and get to a deep understanding of the material you're exploring. So again, thank you
Love this video and your channel. I’ve been finally checking out Miyazaki’s work, and more than any other director, he inspires me creatively. Whenever I watch a film of his, my brain starts getting ideas for my own stories I could tell. He’s probably the most creative director I’ve seen, and I don’t think any other director has really had THAT kind of impact on me
Fantastic video! I haven't seen anyone describe Miyazaki's themes quite like this. It really got me thinking about the similarities between his philosophy and that of Tolkien. Thanks again! You've inspired me to write an essay of my own.
I recommend you should read Nausicaa of the valley wind, Miyazaki's manga. It tackles all classic literature's conflicts like men vs nature, war and piece, life and death... A literature masterpiece.
I agree! The Nausicaa manga is by far the deepest and most complex story Miyazaki has written. It is a much more thorough exploration of the story's themes, and it greatly improves on Nausicaa as a heroine. Definitively worth a read!
@@gogongagis3395 First, if they are ESL then I helped them. Second, I’m not that irrational to make such a nonsensical comparison. Anarchists gotta be smart after all.
Thank you both for the amount of research, editing, voicework and time that must have gone into this. I really love this channel and can only show my love by snuggling in w some popcorn to watch this ♡
I'm not exaggerating when I say this was such a thorough and meaningful analysis of Ghibli/Miyazaki... Beautiful work! You helped me see how much more there is to the Ghibli films and why I intuitively was drawn to them. ❤
The segment around 1:17:00 reminds me of how Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky loves to have a lot of silent scenes in even his most action driven shows. He understands as well that having constant action (even in a series as brutal as Primal) can lessen the effect of the action. He lets his projects show off the world that they take place in more so the audience can appreciate and immerse themselves into it more.
This was an incredible exploration of Miyazaki’s art, and watching this stirred my emotions almost as much as the films. Thank you for your hard work and thoughtful analysis!!
watched this instead of studying for the law final i have tomorrow.. oops. i don't usually comment on these sorts of videos, but i feel compelled to just this once, bc by the end of it i was actually in tears, like legitimately crying. you guys did a wonderful job on this, not only was this educational but it also tugged on my heartstrings. kudos!!
Thank you so much for the love, care and massive amounts of research effort that went into making this! Everything you've discussed resonates very deeply with me on a personal level, it's almost funny considering Mr. Miyasaki is much older than me and lives on the literal opposite side of the planet. Maybe that says something about the core human experience, who knows. I think I now need to take several long walks through the woods in order to process everything that watching this has stirred up inside of me... Much love
I first watched Nausikaa when I was five years old. I am now an adult and there is not a day I haven't thought about that movie and its amazingly beautiful messages about Nihilism, Nature, and Surviving.
This video is absolutely astonishing. I am so glad I had the privilege to view it. I'm so used to essays being full of opinions or limited perspectives. It's clear this video went to great lengths to truly understand the material being talked about. I wish I could praise this video more.
Literally reading up and studying for an exam, writing notes about Gramsci and cultural hegemony, media semiology, wanted to play something in the background and this video pops up, citing Gramsci in the first few minutes! :D
i don’t normally comment or like youtube videos, but the care in this video essay is palpable. i really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos but this one especially, as it deepens my appreciation for his work and the philosophies that contribute to its creation. i grew up on ghibli films and it’s interesting being able to look back and see how these philosophies (especially regarding environmentalism) has contributed to my own, especially as an environmental science major. lovely and thoughtful work 💜
Just wanted to thank you both for all the care and goodness you poured into this video essay, its nothing short of brilliant and addresses Miyazaki's themes with the complexity and thoughtfulness it deserves. 🧡
When you mentioned that the english dub of nausicaä didn't translate certain terms very well, it reminded me of one of my psychology lessons. We were talking about confirmation bias and a group of researchers told a native american tale to a bunch of white people and asked them to memorise the most important aspects of the story. What they found was that their participants switched words to fit into their schema, their belief system (i.e. from canoe to boat). It can be said that the english dub reflects the values of the translators, who perhaps, may not value nature as much as the original writers did. Confirmation bias led them to distort the message of the film through these seemingly small changes It was nice to make that connection with something I learned from school. As always, I really enjoy the amount of effort that goes into these videos. You guys really inform my art process and allow me to digest themes from movies and TV in a really clear way. Thank you
If anyone here loved the Nausicaa movie please read the manga. It is SO good. Easily one of my favorite stories to date! “Our lives are like the wind. Or like sounds… We come into being, resonate with eachother… Then fade away.” -My favorite quote by Nausicaa
This was such a wonderful essay! Thank you for taking the time to do so much research and sharing your findings and the beautiful messages from these films. It’s great to know the context in which they were made although the magic for me is how these films make you feel vicariously through the emotions of the characters on display. I always thought there was more to them and found the links with spirituality quite interesting. I think the child’s perspective helps to see the creatures as mysterious without explanation needed. As adults we tend to rationalise everything so it is great to be reminded of that feeling and just experiencing things.
This video is the first one of yours that I found shortly after I made my own Miyazaki video and I am absolutely blown away. The breadth of research and the quality of research was astounding as well as the gargantuan length. Ya'll are super amazing.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TO CREATE THIS AWESOME VIDEO! I ENJOY AND LOVE IT SO MUCH😭💖 YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES I CRIED DURING CERTAIN PARTS OF THE VIDEO💖💖💖
the longing section really hit hard. This is such a thoughtful and well developed video. Thank you so much. And now I just want to go rewatch my favorites
Hayao.. Miyazaki, a true man of wisdom. He for which makes masterpieces in the artistry of film, to protrude to such deep message. Which apples on the fundamental world today, principles to look up to. To the understands the rights and wrongs of this very world, to keep the world balanced. Beautiful, cursed dreams wave across the monochrome hue. As the man of passion and intelligence, holds his pencil and his paper. Showing for how the world can be rough, but however how we can stop and deal with it. You can make life beautiful, it’s just perceiving. Miyazaki wants to show to all kids alike, how life can be living for. How everyone, how women can stand up for themselves. And have the courage, to strive on. To be called a hero, a world could be out of conflict or rage. But yet the world around you of people, aren’t necessarily bad. Just thought upon there strive and needs. Miyazaki teaches you the bad and how you can overcome it. The man to his artistry of his animation, sheds through his mind to benefit the world. THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING!!!! BE PROUD! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!!! Keep it up! You deserve way more support! 😊💖👍
Also I recently read an article that mushrooms have been shown to consume radiation and nuclear waste and it very much reminded me of the toxic forest and how when the forest broke down it was no longer toxic
Truly a beatiful and moving video. It really really puts into perspective just how much effort and passion goes into Miyazaki's work (with the help of all the super talented people at Studio Ghibli). It's amazing to see how he has grabbed his life experiences, both good and bad, and insert them into these magical films, for us all to enjoy and learn from. And even if you don't always agree with his perspective, it's important to note that one of the things that make art great is it's ability to live on it's own. That's why these films can resonate to so many people in so many different ways. In a sense, they really are alive, and I think they will be for a long, long time. Really guys, good job on this fantastic video. All the effort you put into it really shows. Also congrats on the 100k subs, with quality like this you deserve that and more!
This was absolutely brilliant, compelling, well written, edited and spoken throughout, thank you for such great insight! I would kill to see a video like this for Satoshi Kon from you guys
excellent video essay, thank you QC and thank you Miyazaki-sensei. I chose to become an animation film-maker and live by my art because of Miyazaki's work. And this was well before his world-wide success; I grew up watching Future Boy Conan dubbed in Arabic and it was a huge influence on my art-practice as well as my philosophy through life in general. I'm greatly endebted to Miyazaki's work.
"It's bittersweet, but moving, that a cynical, grumpy old man has dedicated his life to inspire young generations to have more hope and optimism for the world, than he ever did." I think that describes Ghibli movies perfectly. Seeing them as a child, you often won't be able to fully understand what exactly the message is about. Still, I remember how much more I appreciated the world around me after watching, despite being young.
the more i learn about writing and art, the more i realize just how narrow minded my brain is 🥲🥲 i can’t just think of many ways to present the same idea and i often struggle to show something through my art or writing. but i’ll keep trying, and i’ll keep learning how to master both. i love the way studio ghibli ijust makes so much sense in a way, as if the characters in the movies existed on their own somewhere, i wish i could make something close to what miyazaki managed to make, even if it’s just a fraction of it
This was an incredible essay, you say you can't believe you've hit 100k, I can't believe you dont have much much more!! Keep up the fantastic work, I really enjoyed this
Thank you so much for putting such amazing and profound work and thoughts into making this video, I ended up shedding a couple of tears with all of this beautiful reflections you guys did.
Miyazaki's change in his views about our relationship withnature can be seen in the final segment of the Nausicaa manga, which ended 3 years before Mononoke's release. That was also the period when he abandoned marxism. I would argue that Mononoke is not as extreme as Nausicaa (the manga) in its violence, and isn't nearly as bittersweet. I still consider it to be Miyazaki's best movie, alongside The Wind Rises
i myself watched alot of hayao miyazaki works when i was young probably more than anything else and i can honestly say it feels like the kind work i want to create in my life. The strange thing is that im surprised hes self-aware about his work and compares it to bambi's romantization or real life, because escaping into the world of imagination is alot easier when your younger because the world around you hasnt been skewed by conflict and discourse. Growing up can sometimes feel like taking a side, no matter what happens in this world or topic is brought up you have to be either this or that either your with san and the spirits or lady eboshi of iron town much like other conflicts like ponyo, spirited away and castle in the sky and alot of the time the line between good and bad is so blured and stretched that hayao miyazaki is forced to make the main characters conduits of indecisiveness like a single sailor on a row boat battling a rises storm and a volitile ocean. I always found it quiet warming to be given characters that dont really take aside they just become attatched emotionaly and dont wont to let go of the people or place theyve become attacthed too. this video perfectly explained everything ive thought my entire life and props to the editing it was sensational. I just hope that whatever or whoever hayao miyazaki inspires never forgets the ultimate lesson he bestowed to everyone who watched his work which is that its okay to not choose a side and that maybe good is bad and bad is good but ultimatly its love that is the driving force of humanity and though we are superiorly dominated by our flaws and addictions much like the bubble of japan in the 1990s, eventually we reform and become better selfs much like the 14th century of japan. thankyou quality culture and more importantly thankyou hayao miyazaki all the best.
This honestly feels like a documentary that more people need to watch if they're fans of animation and Miyazaki's work. It really shows how in all of his films there's always a part of him in it. If anyone knows the background music used in 2:38 - 4:05 I would greatly appreciate it!
I always knew Ghibli movies were different but I failed to recognize some of the themes and what he was trying to teach us. I was just an admirer of the art and I think relieved to see stories outside the normal good vs evil schtick so often fed to kids. However the way Miyazaki looks at the world resonates with me very deeply so maybe by being obsessed with these movies growing up I subconsciously got the message anyway. I think Totoro did actually inspire my sister and I to go out and explore the woods and look for spirits and sprites. Good times 😊
These movies have the best animation! The colors, the hand drawn art, the attention to detail...I could look at these movies all day! And the stories are incredible!
It seems I re-find this channel every time I have a heavy heart, which is something I feel like I’m facing a lot since I finished formal education about 5 years ago now and am still lost in life when I was promised that a diploma was the key to make things simpler-though that was not the beginning. This, the Matilda video, Notebook revisit, many. Your analyses make me long about the stories I haven’t written and things I’ve left unfinished because of “lacking time”, while simultaneously reminding me that those things aren’t lost as long as I still haven’t given up on wanting to make that time. The future is unknown, for worse and for better. You burden me with the gift of hope, so… thanks.
I don't think animation or media robs children of the "real experiences" Miyazaki speaks of. I think that it's a mixture of things ranging from growing up in suburban areas with nowhere to really explore to parents sheltering their children. It's more complicated than he seems to make it out to be
Almost all the Miyazaki quotes made me pause and think a bit, and at the end, there were tears in my eyes. That's pretty rare for me. Maybe I'm just having an emotional day haha, but he says such wise and interesting things, and has such a heart for helping others gain hope. That's very much what I want to do with my life and my artwork - give people hope.
Seeing the subtle expression on that mans face when he looks away after saying they dropped the bomb, that was heartbreaking. Put everything into perspective.
I feel this, him, love it so much, because I myself haveso many straight-up cynical views about how bad humans and the world can be that I really believe in, yet I also want to have optimism about these same problems with the world and I want to solve or be open to solving them so badly.
Same here, literally finished nino kuni today were the villain trys to destroy the world out of cynicism for humanity a comon trope but the fact the game was made in cooperation with Studio ghibli The hero saying there is good and bad in the world thats just what life is and we must always strive for Something better it feels meaningfull it feels Genuine and honestly believed
These “contradictions” belie the absolute genius of this man. His is a mind that is constantly changing, evolving, going over the past, learning new things, incorporating those things into his belief system, and trying to find perfection in his art. If he were given an unlimited budget, I imagine he would have already created mankind’s crowning work. Something akin to, but undoubtedly better than the works of Homer, Shakespeare, Poe, and Vonnegut combined.
The fact that you lump those specific writers together (Poe next to Shakespeare?), shows you dont have an understanding of their differing levels of import. I love miyazaki as much as anyone else but please try to take a nuanced view. Too much of youtube commentary is just endless uncritical praise. The very uncriticality that the video above is trying to correct
@@sgwinenoob2115 I threw out Shakespeare because, like Miyazaki and the rest of the artists at Ghibli, they all drew from older fables and historical events to tell “modern” epics. Modern to the artists, of course. I brought up Poe because Miyazaki also has an intense dislike of humans, but a love of humanity. Homer because of the epic scale of both of their works, but in particular I was thinking of “The Frog and Mouse war”, attributed to Homer. It reads like something Miyazaki might have very well made. Vonnegut for his humanism and compassion. Their bodies of work absolutely bleed aggressive pacifism. How does one calculate “levels of import”? Honest question, because I would personally put Vonnegut high above Shakespeare just because of his higher relevance to today’s world. His work speaks more to today’s generations much more than I feel Shakespeare’s does, who puts to sleep even the most diligent English student. I hope you see my views as appropriately nuanced now, teacher. But certainly you thought critically enough to see that the first go-around, right?
@@brandonchavez9924 Firstly id like to apologise as my tone was off in the initial reply. I would be happy to continue the thread if you are keen. Your response is valid. Those points you raise however, only exist wihtin the ambit of theme. There are many more facets of literature, or more broadly, art, to consider. Theme is only one of the things that shakepeare revolutionised. For the record, shakespeares plays agressively address all of the themes you put forth. Misanthropy and humanism in Hamlet, Nature and its relationship to humans in The Tempest, Condemnation of violence in Macbeth (think of the confronting and very needless slaying of mcduffs family in full view of the audience). Where Shakespeare differs is in the revolution of different spheres of literature as well. Form, style, and of course language (think of how many words the man invented that are now in common usage). Not to mention the pure aesthetics of his writing. I am genuinely curious if miyazaki has revolutionised his medium in the same way
the complex feelings while making his films and how he feels about them is what makes me like his films in the first place we never explored it into something like this.
I’ve seen a lot of criticism for Howls Moving Castle saying the War gets in the way of the story, which really confuses me because I thought that was the point. What should have been a love story about two people bringing the best out of each other is interrupted and made messy by a pointless war. It’s what war does, it comes in and destroys lives and interrupts everything for everyone. But despite all the chaos Sophie and Howl break each other’s curses and get to live happily ever after.
it seems the point if you watched the film first.
the Book (written by an English author with European fairy tale themes) is *EXTREMELY* different from the movie.
they are like two different stories using similar characters and the same story prompt.
@@benjipixel1438 I’ve read the book and you are right, it’s completely different from Miyazaki’s version, but that doesn’t mean Miyazaki’s version is bad. What’s actually really interesting is that each version reflects the creators experience with war. In Diane Wayne Jones version the war is a far off threat which reflects how she was a little girl living in Wales during WWII. Miyazaki on the other hand obviously grew up in Japan where his life was greatly affected by WWII (which this video obviously talks about). As you said they are stories with a similar setting and characters just told differently by each artist. It’s just sad that many critics and viewers didn’t understand or appreciate the story Miyazaki was trying to tell.
Wow you just made me curious. Now I have to watch it
Miyazaki, like all men, enjoys stories that are epic, like Saving Private Ryan. The woman, Dianna Wynn Jones, who wrote Howl's Moving Castle, enjoys stories about human relationships, like Pride and Prejudice.
The reason Miyazaki put the war into Dianna Wynn Jones' world is because he wanted to draw it. He was working on this film for years, afterall. He thought the relationships between Sophie, the witch, and howl, were boring on their own.
What he accomplished was a film that occupies the middle ground between masculinity and femeninity, so, both young men and women can find different parts of it to latch onto.
In some way, this film is about "meeting in the middle", and the discomfort for both sides that that entails.
(This is my opinion and you don't have to agree with me)
@@dmitrysamoilov5989 it's one thing to have an opinion on miyazaki's work, but making broad statements about his character (enjoying epic stories like saving private ryan(?), finding human relationships "boring") aren't merely an opinion. so when i say i disagree with you, it's not your opinion i disagree with, rather the claims you're trying to make about miyazaki as an individual.
i'm curious as to how you drew the conclusions you did here. his works are considered by many to be anti-war so i find it a bit difficult to believe that yet another US-made propaganda war film like saving private ryan would appeal to him, and his interest in finding the beauty in mundane, every-day life is pretty apparent throughout his entire career so i don't think he'd think that relationships between characters boring.
in fact something many appreciate about his films is the ability he has to write characters and the complex relationships they have with each other. his gifts are especially impressive because of how much of a self-admitted misanthrope miyazaki is. he's not fond of the way the world has become and in his opinion (one i happen to agree with) it's only getting worse, but that's exactly what inspires him to make the kind of films he does. he wants children to know that life can be different, and it can be better, if only we reach out to each other with strength and compassion.
"I wanted to convey the message that life is worth living, and I don't think that's changed." - miyzaki, on howl's moving castle
lastly, while jones's original themes focused on classism and gender roles, miyazaki decided to make his film adaptation focus on *love* (between sophie and howl), the destruction that war inflicts, and personal allegiance.
Miyazaki’s movies show you that there is both good and bad in the world, and everyone’s got a little of both. That what makes us human.
True.
It’s what makes us animals. Our moral code is not so different from many other animal species. We are connected and that is beautiful.
@@DracaliaRay we’re not animals.
@@tharakir1328 How are we not animals? We are fairly unique as a species, I will agree, but most of the traits that make us human can be found in isolation among many different species. But it is the specific combination of them that make us human. We are not really removed from being animals, we are a species of animal
“nature exists as an incredible force, as something huge, far exceeding our own little good and evil ways”
By resorting to good and bad you fell yet again into the trap of anthropomorphizing nature.
There is no good and bad in the world.
We may take comfort in classifying ourselves as such but that has nothing to do with the world.
One thing I love about princess Mononoke is how it doesn’t necessarily demonize industrialization. Most of the iron town citizens are genuinely nice people and the fact that they’re mostly outcasts paints lady Eboshi in a morally gray light. It even clarifies (not justifies) why they’ve advanced into the spirits territory. With that said, it does put a limit on How much one should take, demonstrated as Eboshi loses an arm after decapitating the Forest spirit. One reason I thought the spirit doesn’t side with the gods is because it knows humanity is a part of nature, albeit in a predatory/parasitic way.
YES!! I also loved he showed her in that grey light. Yes, she’s selfish and destructive, but she also cares about the women in her care. I remember deeply empathizing with her while also strongly disliking her impact on other characters
No.
It doesn’t demonize people.
It does demonize industrialization, literally.
Industrialization leads directly to the rise of demons.
Turning what was once non-demonic into such.
“The Japanese were not able to transcend the demon of rapid economic development”
I guess he ended up saying it explicitly.
I always took it the forest spirit knew their time as being gods of nature was over and humans would be the new dominant species. The gods weren’t invincible and could be killed.
True its far more nuanced than just
Evil greedy humans
But there is great video titled lady iboshi is wrong. In the end everything she does no matter the reason does more harm than good because the fact remains we humans need the Environment to live not the other way around
I don't know Miyazaki but the fact that he's 81 and he's making his possibly last animated movie to leave behind for his grandson feels like losing a grandfather all over again. Unrelated, but this vid made me cry several times in several points of the vid.
Watch spirited away
Nice that he does such things for his grandkids, but wasn't he a dreadful father to his son?
Good lord that’s one hell of a mood tbh. I don’t often cry over celebrity deaths, but I fear I may be despondent the day he passes.
same man same
@@youcanthandlethetruth8873 I was about to comment this. How Ironic is it that he made so many children around the world happy with his stories and art but couldn't make his own son happy as a father? From what I heard he was a complete jerk to his son.
Well Totoro is my 5 year old daughter’s favorite movie. She has watched it multiple times. And she also loves to go outside during good weather to look for Totoro’s tree and find acorns. She also loves to pick up trash that people throw on the ground and puts it in the garbage where it goes. She really loves going camping and stuff. You’d think she had won the lottery whenever we mention going camping. And we do the real camping with a tent. And she probably wouldn’t get so happy about nature and stuff if it wasn’t for Miyazaki and the Studio Ghibli library of films.
Best comment.
The fact that she goes out looking for Totoro is absolutely adorable lol
@@ImNotLuthien It really is.
@guilhermecipriano_ I’m glad. It’s still one of her favorites.
She's living the life that Ghibli is trying to teach children to live.
I like Miyazaki's work but had never really looked into his own views very deeply. I really relate to many of his thoughts, especially about being torn between deep cynicism and the yearning for optimism and concerns about the role of art in a consumerist society.
Same! I think this video essay has thereby helped me understand why I love the movies so much a fair bit better
me too, never did I counsider looking into the human you wrote the sotries.
I want to try and change and be more.. idk a human who focuses more on life than things
I relate to him man sigh
"I'd rather be a pig than a fascist" is my favorite line from a Miyazaki movie
So a Capitalist then?
@@pingpong5877 ?
@@pingpong5877 a literal pig, not a metaphorical "capitalist pig"
@@anmolt3840051 Often times people call capitalists "Capitalist Pigs"
Porco Rosso is my favorite
"I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful" is one of my favorite quotes because it is so absurd
Howl’s earnest, ridiculous melodrama in that scene never fails to make me laugh lol
As a redhead, it was kind of hard for me not to take that scene personally. 🤣
He's right, though. Imagine if you woke up disfigured. Sure, his situation wasnt that serious, but the quote still makes sense on its own.
@@Katya_LastochkaIt only makes sense if you spend half a day looking at yourself in the mirror.
@@Qlicky Hardly. Try being ugly. Try spending your entire adult life alone.
This work should be consider as an official documentary to show in Animation institution/Academy purely for the purpose of education and get to understand the ideas/visions behind the work of a specific director as well as an act of inspiration. Thank you for putting so much work in this lengthly but worthy video. Cheers, from Vietnam :)
Cám ơn bạn 🙏🏼
I totally agree!!
This was such a thoughtful exploration of Miyazaki’s work. I feel like I just came out of a therapy session… feeling so introspective about the world and my place in it lol
@Miguel Silva they usually do 🤣
Spot on! Also because you realize that you're far from alone with these questions and inner conflicts. Between wanting to be optimistic and feeling like being intellectually realistic always leads to pessimism and misanthropy, I personally am never sure where I'm leaning. Therefore, everything discussed here deeply resonates with me, especially because throughout all of the quotes and obviously through his work, Miyasaki is so much more clear, reflected, experienced and to the point about these themes than I (maybe ever, but certainly currently) could. It's at the same time validating and comforting because we all have these struggles, but it's also sad - if such a great mind can't crack these issues, how could I ever hope to, you know?
This is also feel like a therapy session for me, I've been struggling with my loss of optimism in seeing the world as I get older. I used to have like this childlike way of seeing the world seeing the beauty in it, and it was something that I'm very proud of. It is something that feel like the essence of my existence. But as I grow older I've became more and more pessimistic about people, the world, the future, corrupted by the toxicity of media in general and social media. And I wonder if I lost that childlike spark, then who am I now. But seeing that both pessimism and optimism can coexist in a person, that we should embrace both. That seeing a world in solely the romanticized version of it not only untrue but also betrays the essence of the world itself is so liberating. If Miyazaki could actively pursue and chose optimism in his work, in his world view, so can I. And seeing that a lot of people having the same struggle as me, makes me less lonely and makes me way more accepting towards my change.
@@Ninaloasana Yes, I think you nailed it there - it's about the balance. You can retain the childlike wonder for all the beauty and positive things in the world and in people, without being blind to the destruction and suffering. And yeah, I also think it is an active choice to focus on the positive for one's own endeavors. Something along the lines of "leave the world a bit better than it was when you entered it".
so true, i feel so knowledgeable and philosophical now lmao
I finished watching Princess Mononoke and and just sat there thinking "now what?" For a while. Because I understood that my actions had to be different.
going vegan or vegetarian is a start but these systems are so big that no singular personal actions can substantially fix things
@@andreja9425 And if you can't change your diet, buying locally is also much more sustainable, both environmentally because it cuts back on transportation costs and food waste, and economically because it puts money back into your community
@@misteryA555 basically forcing our govt to stop the food wastage. Logistics of food is one of the biggest reason of food wastage and we can actually feed the whole world. We need govt to work together so that no food is wasted
That this topic is discussed fills my heart with joy. We can do it better.
@@andreja9425 I understand going vegetarian, since some of the nicest people I know are that. On the other hand, vegans are privileged as HELL, most of the vegans I met are too entitled and/or white, allocishet, neurotypical, able-bodied, and rich women.
As an academic, thinking about the amount of research you'd have had to do for this video makes me appreciate it even more. Probably one of my all time favorite directors. Great job on this video!
It's really interesting how Miyazaki changes the plot of Howl's Moving Castle without changing the overall meaning very much. In the book, Sofie grows from a quiet, insecure girl resigned to what she believes is her fate as an eldest child, to a power witch who puts her lived ones first, so much so that she tries to save a woman she dislikes because she believes Howl loves her. The books have a lot more characters and plot but Miyazaki used it's themes perfectly.
So true! I have a soft spot on my heart for both, and this is part of why. I think it may be why the author, Dianna Wynne Jones, likes the movie.
I’ve always had an especially soft spot for The Wind Rises, perhaps because it is never among the most regarded Ghibli films my peers bring up. From the first time I watched it, it felt like a love letter to the passion of devoted artists and to the tragedy of how creation is weaponized. The criticisms cited in this video fall flat for me, because it’s impossible to accuse Miyazaki of apologism or feigned ignorance of the consequences of fascist warmongering given his personal history with those consequences. I think it was necessary for the film not to visually dwell on the aftermath of the War, because the audience knows perfectly well what came of it. The Wind Rises is heartwrenchingly bittersweet, even more so on repeated viewings. The protagonist is swept up in the demands of a nation and world that has lost its way, and in the end even his own dreams cannot remain free of the senseless destruction of war. The human story in it, however dramatized or fictionalized, is a reminder of the perseverance of beauty in the world.
the audience *does not* know what comes of it. denial of the japanese empire's war crimes isnt something fringe in japan.
I think it's mostly controversial because in Japan, people probably don't know that much about their own horrible war crimes.
If you want to blame anyone how about you blame yourselves and the American government for allowing Japan to be able to deny war crimes by giving so many of the true monsters like Unit 731 immunity to get their hands on their their biochem experiments and silencing or discrediting other sources who sought to bring these atrocities to light? Funny how so many conveniently forget or ignore that.😑
It is slowly, but surely changing. Many of the younger generation are coming around and denouncing Imperial Japan's war crimes and wanting them to publicly take responsibility. It is still going to take a long time with a large aging population who refuses to see their role in WW2 as an aggressor and a government that values the elderly a lot more than their youth.
I feel like a lot of the criticism about not showing the consequences of war may be negated with the consequence of throwing one's self into their work to the point that you push aside loved ones. Based on my skim read of The Wind Has Risen, Hori Tatsuo seems to struggle with this too (the wife with tuberculosis is based on his wife and the Mc writer chara is based on himself). The Wind Rises seems to be a combination of Miyazaki's feelings of both of his parents by taking the aspects of Jirou's life and his planes representing his father and Hori's semi autobiographical story based on the time he and his wife spent at a sanitarium both dealing with tuberculosis which represents his mother. People seem to severely understate the influence The Wind Has Risen Has on the film even tho the bare bones plot of The Wind Rises is basically taken from The Wind Has Risen.
@@youcanthandlethetruth8873
In war, no matter what country, they misunderstand that they are righteous, and as a last resort they become violent. The Japanese fought for their mothers and families against the liberation of colonial slaves in Asia by Western countries. Some Japanese have saved Southeast Asia by fighting racism, they justify.
31:40 this right here. If nature doesn’t matter to you, and if only your survival does, then think of this. We are only destroying ourselves permanently by harming nature. Nature will live on in some shape or form, with or without us. We as a species are insignificant to this force and should appreciate it more, for its beauty and its uncaring ruthlessness. I love nature. I love hiking, backpacking, swimming, exploring and growing my own plants. I love observing the animals around me. I can’t fathom how anyone can’t see what I see. We are a part of nature, we are animals, and we harm ourselves by trying to separate ourselves from it.
Nature is brutal. Wonder why humans want some kind of abstraction from it.
I actually disagree with the point that we’re destroying nature or separating ourselves to it. Since we are part of nature then what we do are simply the natural state of the world should be. It’s actually arrogant to think that we can preserve the “nature” for it to be always optimized for human beings. Just like 200 million years ago the environment was suitable for dinosaurs but not human. And the nature back then was not the nature we know now. Since right now we’re thriving we should capitalize and made the most out of it. And someday the earth will be back to a state that’s not suitable for human race to live. The universe simply doesn’t care for our survival and the nature will go on to do its thing.
@@thesubculturegeek There is certainly a valid point in that nature can't be static, it's constantly changing, affected by many thing, including its ecosystem. At some point in Earth's history there was not much oxygen in atmosphere, then the oxygen (as a byproduct) producing bacteria appeared and nearly ended all life, as oxygen was poisonous to other existing lifeforms, and high levels of oxygen in the atmosphere cooled it down to become almost completely covered in ice. IIRC it's estimated that more than 98% of living organisms died back then. But yet, here we are. Life, um, finds a way...
On the other hand, we shouldn't just shit in our figurative backyard, if we as humankind want to persist in the future.
@@alexxx4434Right?
Try over a thousand years of Christian ideology, which states that man has the right to exploit nature as he sees fit. Followed by capitalist ideology which, for its very survival, must ensure people are divorced from their environment and their own nature.
Capitalism requires unlimited, unquestioned exploitation of natural resources and a docile, conforming society of workers who won't challenge the destruction on their natural environment. This is achieved through schooling, social pressure applied through the media and finally exclusion, criminalisation and empoverishment of those who refuse to comply.
That's why we have allowed our natural world to be 90% destroyed.
As far as I'm concerned, Miyazaki's films are the absolute gold standard of anime 😊
And of screen writing in general. He doesn't create movies for a cash grab he makes them because he has something important to say
In cinema generally.
I highly recommend watching some of the World Masterpiece Theater animes, like Heidi on the Alps or Akage no Anne.
Both Takahata and Miyazaki worked on it and you can definitely tell from the art style.
You'll even notice stuff that was later used in ghibli.
@@notationmusical will do , thanks
I wouldn’t just say anime, but just animation
I don't imagine anyone's gonna read this but the criticism about the Wind Rises I think is probably missing the point - the film is based on Jiro Horikoshi but at no point does it ever purport to be a straightforward bilography of his life (generally, biographical films rarely are and almost always take degrees of liberty with their subject matter, the person's actual life - Tolkein is a great example why you should pick up a book if you want to know about his life). When you sat down to watch a Miyazaki film featuring Jiro Horikoshi, if you expected a lesson in his life as it was lived then that's on you.
What Miyazaki does, as far as I'm concerned, is use Jiro's life as a jumping off point - the general thrust of the narrative is loosely accurate, but the main idea is of course the contrast between this "beautiful dream" of aviation - which is lavishly depicted in the scenes of planes in flight and literal dream sequences - and the harsh reality of the world we live in in which those dreams are co-opted by modern society and humankind's inability to just live in harmony. If the film had tried to make this a vehicle of criticism about how Jiro "profited" off the war, it would not only serve virtually no purpose or use to anyone but would also obscure the the deeper issue that Miyazaki is trying to shed light on: all our dreams of progress and invention, even those that come from the best possible places, are ultimately tainted so long as we as a species remain the same.
A relevant case in point of precisely this issue would of course be Einstein and the nuclear bomb which was the direct result of his research and something he devoted a great part of his life to campaigning against. It's quite clear that to make this point, he also needs to depict the main character's tenderness towards his dying wife, and draw him as a man torn between his love of planes and an instinctive dislike of conflict. In many ways, the Jiro in the film is more like Miyazaki than Horikoshi himself. Anyway, the main point of the film (and an idea familiar to anyone whose made it far enough in One Piece) is that the planes and the technology behind them is neither intrinsically good or evil - what serves in times of peace as a vehicle for opening up and connecting the world in times of war serves to close down large parts of the world through aerial bombing missions. It's up to humanity to do with it what they will, and that's the double-edged dilemma that the film presents us with.
Also worth mentioning is the influence of Antoine de Saint Exupery on Miyazaki - like Miyazaki, Saint Exupery was an avid aviation enthusiast and he wrote very passionately about the joy that comes with flight and seeing the land unfold under your little plane as it sits alone in the sky. Exupery loved aviation so much he ultimately died in flight serving as a pilot in the Free French Air Force. Something of an irony of course is that, for Western readers, that would make him something of a tragic hero. However this probably isn't the time to get into whether we should be celebrating or vilifying participants in war...
I don't understand what part of what you wrote (except for the Saint Exupery part) was not addressed in this video.
thank you for your iteration:) that was quite nice to read through
Great post. I might argue that planes, and perhaps all technology, cannot be 'neither good nor bad', but rather contains inherent biases in the way the usage of that technology frames the world - as an asset to be utilized. The fact that planes shrink the world - that quality of theirs that could be seen as beneficial - is the exact same quality that makes them effective weapons. Just so, a car cannot exist without paving the landscape, cutting up cities, and segregating humans.
I'm glad you mentioned the train scene from Spirited Away. I was unsure about the film when I saw it for the first time but when that scene happened, I really felt the weight of the moment and got what the movie was about.
I know this is an old comment but the youtuber Big Joel has a really interesting video on studio ghibli and the obsolete in which he discusses that scene in detail. It's a great compliment to this reading.
The amount of emotion Miyazaki films make me feel is always overwhelming. Just always such a deep communication of the human condition in a way that often doesn’t even need the dialogue to get through .
I'm 40 mins from the end but I just want to say this was an amazing watch so far. I've been learning a lot and have a new appreciation and perspective for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
So glad to hear that, thank you!
On topic of conflicting ideals, it would've been nice if the video delved into his experiences as a labor union leader in the animation industry (which is plain impossible in today's conveyor belt of an industry spewing out seasonal shows), his fallout with his Marxist beliefs to his more well-known animist and environmental beliefs (which was touched upon), his nightmare scenario of him ending up becoming one of the drivers of consumerism (ala Evangelion *becoming the ironic rallying cry for modern otaku culture) which was touched on briefly, and his life as a father: his shortcomings and eventual warming up to Goro - to juxtapose his own experiences with his father.
Honestly would've loved to delve further into these topics but the video was so long already haha
@@QualityCulture This video was great. Probably one of the best documentaries I've seen exploring Miyazaki.
I think this other video compliments yours well, and it specifically explores Miyazaki's politics and his relationship with the labor movement, and how that relates to his relationship with himself.
th-cam.com/video/UMXN6B-tqZM/w-d-xo.html
Anno started union at his own studio
There's already a video on his fallout with Marxism called Miyazaki's Marxism
Ghibli movies has become an entire set of movie genre of its own. What was supposed to be children's films, older generation, especially the time of young adults, have viewed ghibli as comfort films. That amidst out uncertain lives of emotional and mental instability, take a breather, sit on a friday night with the lights off, a few snacks nearby and get immersed in any ghibli film and feel assured and cleansed from the negativity of our reality. they just have this certian magical feel to them that just do that to you. And this I believe is the reason why, decades after, ghibli films will till remain relevant and unforgettable to future generations.
_Hayao:_
“You must learn to fly on your own in your own way”
_Also hayao:_
“YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG”
@Miguel Silva exactly, and whats worse is that he makes movies about it. i feel really bad for his son who's just trying to make a movie hes proud of
Well, Hayao is correct when he's saying both, isn't it?
Well it’s quite obvious that miyazaki is a contradictory person
Basically how he treats his own son, Goro.
He's a perfectionist.
Miyazaki is a very important figure to me. Im an artist that attempted to become an animator and couldnt because of money. I recently changed from being Christian to being an 'animist' as it were. Its wonderful to get a deeper look into the things he struggled with internally because alot of those same struggles reside inside me. My hope is that I can reclaim the ability to explore my art and in doing so become more secure in my place in the world. The more I learn about him the more I learn about my own spiritual and artistic journey.
PS - Me and Miyazaki also have the same birthday! Jan 5th
Edit: If you enjoyed this video, you might also wanna watch our new video about Isao Takahata's films: th-cam.com/video/KMI83IF1m6Q/w-d-xo.html
_____
This video is long overdue (we’re way past 100k at this point lol) but we hope you enjoy our exploration of Miyazaki’s work! This was our most ambitious endeavor yet and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our subs and kind patrons. It was a lot of work but it was fun for both of us to finally collab and make such a comprehensive video. Thanks again for watching! Much love 😊 - Stef & Terrence
th-cam.com/users/shortsIK8nBg7DZJw?feature=share cute edit of howls moving castle
Quiet a nice Overview and Critic of his Work. Im a bit sad nothing was said about Pom Poko?
Thank you for this video literally a essay . Perfect TH-cam video
This is some truly impeccable review-work.
Bravo and thank you for creating this.
@@Sunaki1000 Although Pom Poko is a Studio Ghibli creation, it isn't a Miyazaki creation. Pom Poko was written and directed by Isao Takahata, the other great at Ghibli, who also brought us Grave of the Fireflies.
Miyazaki made masterpieces no other film industry could achieve (yes even Disney)... He made movies that had deep messages for all ages such as environmentalism, the consequences of war, caring for family and friends, be kind to each other. Also his movies have well written female characters, relatable overcoming the stereotypes of the typical damsel in distress trope portrayed in Hollywood movies, but showing that women are just as capable as men.
He does this with an amazing storyline, art and music because he deeply wanted us to know that life even with all the hardships, it's worth living for. ❤
Terribly sorry for comparing, but while Disney went under flak for their past disney princesses for ongoing 'damsel in distress' trope, Ghibli already going forward with progressive heroine with clear character development since day 1
@@kamearisyndrome why apologize, you are right about disney! When I was younger watching these movies I think only Mulan had like a message about strong female characters. While portraying soft feminine characters like Belle or Cinderella is not wrong it felt they got overshadowed being saved by their love interests. While Miyazaki portrayed more relatable characters with his saying quote: “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.”
This is possibly the most holistic and mature video essay on Miyazaki's artistic career that exists on the internet, at least that I know of. There's so much ground covered here with good discussion/coverage given to each concept without getting mired in the weeds of a tangent. Enjoyed every minute, 10/10.
Nausicaa is and has been a deep part of how I want to be and is one of my top favorite movies.
One of my favorite takeaways from watching the "Kingdom of Dreams and Madness" documentary was the method of "visuals, then dialogue" he uses. They state at some point he makes sure his scenes can convey his message purely through visuals, enhanced by music, and should be able to clearly show what he wants said without words. That's something I strive to do in my own projects (none of which have become reality 🥲).
I have a lot of respect for Hayao Miyazaki
I'm pretty sure the Nausicaä movie and manga got me over fearing insects as silly as it sounds. I used to kill bugs in my house, but now I always catch and release. When I go to take the trash out at night I check up on the little neighborhood of spiderwebs in my yard to see how they're doing.
This is absolutely the best interpretation of a lot of Miazaki's films, especially Howl's moving castle. A lot of critics focused on the twisted personality of Howl and the lack of confidence of Sophie while ignoring the big environment that caused all these characteristic issues. I love this video! (actually there's a Chinese video site that serves similar purpose as TH-cam, do you mind if I post this video there with clear references? Thank you soooo much! 😘
No
The environment really doesn’t have that influence on them because the novel’s environment is completely different and the characters are the same. HM really has very little to do with how good the story is. The novel had all of this to begin with.
@@dgjdtuvsth4051 Shut up
I'm obsessed with Ghibli movies so this video is everything! I hope for one with more focus on Whisper of the Heart and From Up on Poppy Hill. I love those two so much.
these two are also my favorites 😁
I literally just started a Ghibli marathon yesterday, and I couldn’t help but reflect and analyze the complex dichotomy between the messages Miyazaki is saying in his films and Miyazaki himself as a director and human being. So to say that seeing the video uploaded only recently was beyond perfect timing! It was so beautifully done, I have to honestly and wholeheartedly say thank you for giving us such an in-depth perspective into the true spirit of Hayao Miyazakis films. It only reaffirmed to me that even at my age of 33, I have every reason to continue to love these movies for the masterpieces they are. So thank you for your hard work!
Awesome deep dive! I particularly appreciate the parts about Miyazaki’s past giving a lot more context for why he made the films the way he did
I hope that Miyazaki knows that for every kid who stayed inside to rewatch Totoro, there were likely kids like me who WERE inspired to go outside and explore and play, and that he finds comfort in that kind of knowledge.
I distinctly recall playing the exact same way Mei did in Totoro, and even when i first watched the movie as a 5 year old, i still continued to go outside and play; but this time i imagined i too was playing with forest spirits and creatures. I think there were and maybe still are tons of others like me who felt that inspiration and decided to play with it outside in our imaginations, his goal in that way was partially met . His films inspired and nurtured me growing up, teaching me the lessons I needed when I needed them, and telling me the stories of those before me in a way that I could understand, and that is something i find invaluable, and hope to share with my own kids one day.
i've been in such an uninspired, dark place lately, this video cheered me up and gave me hope. thank you for making such an informative and inspiring video
This is absolutely brilliant. Tightly edited, beautifully paced, and extremely well-researched and though-provoking. I think it's criminal that this doesn't have at least a million views. I've seen a lot of videos tackling the subject of Miyazaki and his works, but this has got to be my favorite. Amazing job y'all. An instant subscribe from me!
Oh I'd love a video about The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, or just Takahata as a whole. There is a severe lack of those on the internet, and judging from this upload I'm sure It'd turn out amazing!
Taking me a while to get through this because it's packed with so much information that I keep going back and rewatching bits. But I wanted to say that halfway through this is already one of my favorite essays I've seen on youtube. Great job
Thank you 😊
My conservative nationalist ultra religious parents love Ghibli films and it constantly baffles me how they don't see the themes. They are so media illiterate that they always respond with, "It is just a story." Though I think Monoke was so blatant with themes that my parents always list it as their least favorite because it is "too preachy."
Why do you think they like it so much, even if it is subconscious?
@@hawkgurl1157 censorship? Prwtty art, music, and more chill stories than most abimated films
@@kid14346 what do you mean by censorship?
@@hawkgurl1157 i read subconscious as censorship sorry
@@kid14346 oh ok. I would say though that most people are media illiterate. However, it doesn't surprise me that your parents like it. Miyazaki's themes can speak to people even if the viewer doesn't realize it.
He's grumpy sure but he is also a complete mood of human being.
Me, incited by the title: What is it about people that they can't reconcile more than one thing being true?
Me, after actually watching this video: Finally, a love letter to one of the world's living masterpieces.
Beautifully done, guys. Bravo!
I really appreciate how you all put together what I always thought and felt when I watched Ghibli movies. Could've not done this. I already shared it with a friend I always discuss films with because your analysis features so much that is featured in many more films. The overall concept of something. Well done!
Thank you both for this absolutely fantastic breakdown --one of the best (and my favorite) video essays I've ever seen! You're both stunning and get to a deep understanding of the material you're exploring. So again, thank you
Thanks so much!
Love this video and your channel. I’ve been finally checking out Miyazaki’s work, and more than any other director, he inspires me creatively. Whenever I watch a film of his, my brain starts getting ideas for my own stories I could tell. He’s probably the most creative director I’ve seen, and I don’t think any other director has really had THAT kind of impact on me
Fantastic video! I haven't seen anyone describe Miyazaki's themes quite like this. It really got me thinking about the similarities between his philosophy and that of Tolkien. Thanks again! You've inspired me to write an essay of my own.
I recommend you should read Nausicaa of the valley wind, Miyazaki's manga. It tackles all classic literature's conflicts like men vs nature, war and piece, life and death... A literature masterpiece.
*man vs nature.
*war and peace.
I agree! The Nausicaa manga is by far the deepest and most complex story Miyazaki has written. It is a much more thorough exploration of the story's themes, and it greatly improves on Nausicaa as a heroine. Definitively worth a read!
@@n00bowser Spot on. Everytime i read the manga, it always blows my mind. Though it lacks romance, something beautiful from Miyazaki's films
@@Liliquan
For someone who calls themselves “neo anarchist” you sure correct someone’s perfectly understandable ESL like a cop.
@@gogongagis3395 First, if they are ESL then I helped them. Second, I’m not that irrational to make such a nonsensical comparison. Anarchists gotta be smart after all.
Thank you both for the amount of research, editing, voicework and time that must have gone into this. I really love this channel and can only show my love by snuggling in w some popcorn to watch this ♡
There's something intensely satisfying about seeing TH-cam's algorithm reward niche quality videos like this 😤✊
I'm not exaggerating when I say this was such a thorough and meaningful analysis of Ghibli/Miyazaki... Beautiful work! You helped me see how much more there is to the Ghibli films and why I intuitively was drawn to them. ❤
The segment around 1:17:00 reminds me of how Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky loves to have a lot of silent scenes in even his most action driven shows. He understands as well that having constant action (even in a series as brutal as Primal) can lessen the effect of the action. He lets his projects show off the world that they take place in more so the audience can appreciate and immerse themselves into it more.
This was an incredible exploration of Miyazaki’s art, and watching this stirred my emotions almost as much as the films. Thank you for your hard work and thoughtful analysis!!
Not every day that I watch a near 2-hour video essay. This was near 2 hours well spent.
I can't think of a better compliment to give.
Thank you, we appreciate it!
im so speechless. this video essay is so so so good and so well done. im surprised that this doesn't have more views!
watched this instead of studying for the law final i have tomorrow.. oops. i don't usually comment on these sorts of videos, but i feel compelled to just this once, bc by the end of it i was actually in tears, like legitimately crying. you guys did a wonderful job on this, not only was this educational but it also tugged on my heartstrings. kudos!!
Thank you so much for the love, care and massive amounts of research effort that went into making this! Everything you've discussed resonates very deeply with me on a personal level, it's almost funny considering Mr. Miyasaki is much older than me and lives on the literal opposite side of the planet. Maybe that says something about the core human experience, who knows. I think I now need to take several long walks through the woods in order to process everything that watching this has stirred up inside of me...
Much love
I first watched Nausikaa when I was five years old. I am now an adult and there is not a day I haven't thought about that movie and its amazingly beautiful messages about Nihilism, Nature, and Surviving.
This video is absolutely astonishing. I am so glad I had the privilege to view it. I'm so used to essays being full of opinions or limited perspectives. It's clear this video went to great lengths to truly understand the material being talked about. I wish I could praise this video more.
Literally reading up and studying for an exam, writing notes about Gramsci and cultural hegemony, media semiology, wanted to play something in the background and this video pops up, citing Gramsci in the first few minutes! :D
Haha love those little life coincidences. Good luck on your exam!
@@QualityCulture Thank you! Will definitely be referring to your video analysis.
I can’t put everything into words, so I’ll just say, this was very intuitive, bittersweet, and comforting.
i don’t normally comment or like youtube videos, but the care in this video essay is palpable. i really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos but this one especially, as it deepens my appreciation for his work and the philosophies that contribute to its creation. i grew up on ghibli films and it’s interesting being able to look back and see how these philosophies (especially regarding environmentalism) has contributed to my own, especially as an environmental science major. lovely and thoughtful work 💜
I had no idea Miyazaki refused to attend his own Oscar awards for spirited away in protest of the Iraq war , he’s truly a real one
Not my crying my eyes out with the last minutes. Thank you for making this!
Excellent analysis. Miyazaki has very interesting and unique views on life and they really show throughout his films
Just wanted to thank you both for all the care and goodness you poured into this video essay, its nothing short of brilliant and addresses Miyazaki's themes with the complexity and thoughtfulness it deserves. 🧡
When you mentioned that the english dub of nausicaä didn't translate certain terms very well, it reminded me of one of my psychology lessons. We were talking about confirmation bias and a group of researchers told a native american tale to a bunch of white people and asked them to memorise the most important aspects of the story. What they found was that their participants switched words to fit into their schema, their belief system (i.e. from canoe to boat). It can be said that the english dub reflects the values of the translators, who perhaps, may not value nature as much as the original writers did. Confirmation bias led them to distort the message of the film through these seemingly small changes
It was nice to make that connection with something I learned from school. As always, I really enjoy the amount of effort that goes into these videos. You guys really inform my art process and allow me to digest themes from movies and TV in a really clear way. Thank you
If anyone here loved the Nausicaa movie please read the manga. It is SO good. Easily one of my favorite stories to date!
“Our lives are like the wind.
Or like sounds…
We come into being, resonate with eachother…
Then fade away.”
-My favorite quote by Nausicaa
This was such a wonderful essay! Thank you for taking the time to do so much research and sharing your findings and the beautiful messages from these films. It’s great to know the context in which they were made although the magic for me is how these films make you feel vicariously through the emotions of the characters on display. I always thought there was more to them and found the links with spirituality quite interesting. I think the child’s perspective helps to see the creatures as mysterious without explanation needed. As adults we tend to rationalise everything so it is great to be reminded of that feeling and just experiencing things.
This video is the first one of yours that I found shortly after I made my own Miyazaki video and I am absolutely blown away. The breadth of research and the quality of research was astounding as well as the gargantuan length. Ya'll are super amazing.
Wow!!! The research in this *chefs kiss*
Never forget, _Grave of the Fireflies_ was released as a double feature with Totoro.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TO CREATE THIS AWESOME VIDEO! I ENJOY AND LOVE IT SO MUCH😭💖 YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES I CRIED DURING CERTAIN PARTS OF THE VIDEO💖💖💖
So glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
the train ride (while "the sixth station" plays) is one of my favorite movie scenes ever...
the longing section really hit hard. This is such a thoughtful and well developed video. Thank you so much. And now I just want to go rewatch my favorites
Hayao.. Miyazaki, a true man of wisdom. He for which makes masterpieces in the artistry of film, to protrude to such deep message. Which apples on the fundamental world today, principles to look up to. To the understands the rights and wrongs of this very world, to keep the world balanced. Beautiful, cursed dreams wave across the monochrome hue. As the man of passion and intelligence, holds his pencil and his paper. Showing for how the world can be rough, but however how we can stop and deal with it. You can make life beautiful, it’s just perceiving. Miyazaki wants to show to all kids alike, how life can be living for. How everyone, how women can stand up for themselves. And have the courage, to strive on. To be called a hero, a world could be out of conflict or rage. But yet the world around you of people, aren’t necessarily bad. Just thought upon there strive and needs. Miyazaki teaches you the bad and how you can overcome it. The man to his artistry of his animation, sheds through his mind to benefit the world.
THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING!!!! BE PROUD! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!!! Keep it up! You deserve way more support! 😊💖👍
Also I recently read an article that mushrooms have been shown to consume radiation and nuclear waste and it very much reminded me of the toxic forest and how when the forest broke down it was no longer toxic
Truly a beatiful and moving video. It really really puts into perspective just how much effort and passion goes into Miyazaki's work (with the help of all the super talented people at Studio Ghibli). It's amazing to see how he has grabbed his life experiences, both good and bad, and insert them into these magical films, for us all to enjoy and learn from. And even if you don't always agree with his perspective, it's important to note that one of the things that make art great is it's ability to live on it's own. That's why these films can resonate to so many people in so many different ways. In a sense, they really are alive, and I think they will be for a long, long time.
Really guys, good job on this fantastic video. All the effort you put into it really shows. Also congrats on the 100k subs, with quality like this you deserve that and more!
This was absolutely brilliant, compelling, well written, edited and spoken throughout, thank you for such great insight! I would kill to see a video like this for Satoshi Kon from you guys
excellent video essay, thank you QC and thank you Miyazaki-sensei. I chose to become an animation film-maker and live by my art because of Miyazaki's work. And this was well before his world-wide success; I grew up watching Future Boy Conan dubbed in Arabic and it was a huge influence on my art-practice as well as my philosophy through life in general. I'm greatly endebted to Miyazaki's work.
What an amazing video essay/documentary. Really eye-opening on Miyazaki and on the films he made.
"It's bittersweet, but moving, that a cynical, grumpy old man has dedicated his life to inspire young generations to have more hope and optimism for the world, than he ever did."
I think that describes Ghibli movies perfectly. Seeing them as a child, you often won't be able to fully understand what exactly the message is about. Still, I remember how much more I appreciated the world around me after watching, despite being young.
the more i learn about writing and art, the more i realize just how narrow minded my brain is 🥲🥲 i can’t just think of many ways to present the same idea and i often struggle to show something through my art or writing. but i’ll keep trying, and i’ll keep learning how to master both. i love the way studio ghibli ijust makes so much sense in a way, as if the characters in the movies existed on their own somewhere, i wish i could make something close to what miyazaki managed to make, even if it’s just a fraction of it
Wow. This left me in tears multiple time, for multiple reasons. So, so good.
This was an incredible essay, you say you can't believe you've hit 100k, I can't believe you dont have much much more!! Keep up the fantastic work, I really enjoyed this
Thank you Miyazaki 😭 Studio Ghibli literally comforted my whole childhood and life, I can't explain how I'm forever grateful to him ❤️
Thank you so much for putting such amazing and profound work and thoughts into making this video, I ended up shedding a couple of tears with all of this beautiful reflections you guys did.
I dont have enough words or brain cells to express how beautifully done this video essay was. Thank you!!
Miyazaki's change in his views about our relationship withnature can be seen in the final segment of the Nausicaa manga, which ended 3 years before Mononoke's release. That was also the period when he abandoned marxism. I would argue that Mononoke is not as extreme as Nausicaa (the manga) in its violence, and isn't nearly as bittersweet. I still consider it to be Miyazaki's best movie, alongside The Wind Rises
i myself watched alot of hayao miyazaki works when i was young probably more than anything else and i can honestly say it feels like the kind work i want to create in my life. The strange thing is that im surprised hes self-aware about his work and compares it to bambi's romantization or real life, because escaping into the world of imagination is alot easier when your younger because the world around you hasnt been skewed by conflict and discourse. Growing up can sometimes feel like taking a side, no matter what happens in this world or topic is brought up you have to be either this or that either your with san and the spirits or lady eboshi of iron town much like other conflicts like ponyo, spirited away and castle in the sky and alot of the time the line between good and bad is so blured and stretched that hayao miyazaki is forced to make the main characters conduits of indecisiveness like a single sailor on a row boat battling a rises storm and a volitile ocean. I always found it quiet warming to be given characters that dont really take aside they just become attatched emotionaly and dont wont to let go of the people or place theyve become attacthed too. this video perfectly explained everything ive thought my entire life and props to the editing it was sensational. I just hope that whatever or whoever hayao miyazaki inspires never forgets the ultimate lesson he bestowed to everyone who watched his work which is that its okay to not choose a side and that maybe good is bad and bad is good but ultimatly its love that is the driving force of humanity and though we are superiorly dominated by our flaws and addictions much like the bubble of japan in the 1990s, eventually we reform and become better selfs much like the 14th century of japan. thankyou quality culture and more importantly thankyou hayao miyazaki all the best.
This honestly feels like a documentary that more people need to watch if they're fans of animation and Miyazaki's work. It really shows how in all of his films there's always a part of him in it. If anyone knows the background music used in 2:38 - 4:05 I would greatly appreciate it!
I always knew Ghibli movies were different but I failed to recognize some of the themes and what he was trying to teach us. I was just an admirer of the art and I think relieved to see stories outside the normal good vs evil schtick so often fed to kids. However the way Miyazaki looks at the world resonates with me very deeply so maybe by being obsessed with these movies growing up I subconsciously got the message anyway. I think Totoro did actually inspire my sister and I to go out and explore the woods and look for spirits and sprites. Good times 😊
These movies have the best animation! The colors, the hand drawn art, the attention to detail...I could look at these movies all day! And the stories are incredible!
It seems I re-find this channel every time I have a heavy heart, which is something I feel like I’m facing a lot since I finished formal education about 5 years ago now and am still lost in life when I was promised that a diploma was the key to make things simpler-though that was not the beginning. This, the Matilda video, Notebook revisit, many. Your analyses make me long about the stories I haven’t written and things I’ve left unfinished because of “lacking time”, while simultaneously reminding me that those things aren’t lost as long as I still haven’t given up on wanting to make that time. The future is unknown, for worse and for better. You burden me with the gift of hope, so… thanks.
I don't think animation or media robs children of the "real experiences" Miyazaki speaks of. I think that it's a mixture of things ranging from growing up in suburban areas with nowhere to really explore to parents sheltering their children. It's more complicated than he seems to make it out to be
Anime, especially modern isekai definitely is about making people escape from the people around them
Almost all the Miyazaki quotes made me pause and think a bit, and at the end, there were tears in my eyes. That's pretty rare for me. Maybe I'm just having an emotional day haha, but he says such wise and interesting things, and has such a heart for helping others gain hope. That's very much what I want to do with my life and my artwork - give people hope.
Seeing the subtle expression on that mans face when he looks away after saying they dropped the bomb, that was heartbreaking. Put everything into perspective.
having this play in the background as i cleaned my house was so pleasant and thought-provoking. loved the experience! thank you quality culture
I feel this, him, love it so much, because I myself haveso many straight-up cynical views about how bad humans and the world can be that I really believe in, yet I also want to have optimism about these same problems with the world and I want to solve or be open to solving them so badly.
Same here, literally finished nino kuni today were the villain trys to destroy the world out of cynicism for humanity a comon trope but the fact the game was made in cooperation with Studio ghibli
The hero saying there is good and bad in the world thats just what life is and we must always strive for Something better it feels meaningfull it feels Genuine and honestly believed
These “contradictions” belie the absolute genius of this man. His is a mind that is constantly changing, evolving, going over the past, learning new things, incorporating those things into his belief system, and trying to find perfection in his art.
If he were given an unlimited budget, I imagine he would have already created mankind’s crowning work. Something akin to, but undoubtedly better than the works of Homer, Shakespeare, Poe, and Vonnegut combined.
The fact that you lump those specific writers together (Poe next to Shakespeare?), shows you dont have an understanding of their differing levels of import. I love miyazaki as much as anyone else but please try to take a nuanced view. Too much of youtube commentary is just endless uncritical praise. The very uncriticality that the video above is trying to correct
@@sgwinenoob2115 Don't be insufferable.
@@sgwinenoob2115
I threw out Shakespeare because, like Miyazaki and the rest of the artists at Ghibli, they all drew from older fables and historical events to tell “modern” epics. Modern to the artists, of course.
I brought up Poe because Miyazaki also has an intense dislike of humans, but a love of humanity.
Homer because of the epic scale of both of their works, but in particular I was thinking of “The Frog and Mouse war”, attributed to Homer. It reads like something Miyazaki might have very well made.
Vonnegut for his humanism and compassion. Their bodies of work absolutely bleed aggressive pacifism.
How does one calculate “levels of import”? Honest question, because I would personally put Vonnegut high above Shakespeare just because of his higher relevance to today’s world. His work speaks more to today’s generations much more than I feel Shakespeare’s does, who puts to sleep even the most diligent English student.
I hope you see my views as appropriately nuanced now, teacher. But certainly you thought critically enough to see that the first go-around, right?
@@brandonchavez9924 Firstly id like to apologise as my tone was off in the initial reply. I would be happy to continue the thread if you are keen. Your response is valid. Those points you raise however, only exist wihtin the ambit of theme. There are many more facets of literature, or more broadly, art, to consider. Theme is only one of the things that shakepeare revolutionised. For the record, shakespeares plays agressively address all of the themes you put forth. Misanthropy and humanism in Hamlet, Nature and its relationship to humans in The Tempest, Condemnation of violence in Macbeth (think of the confronting and very needless slaying of mcduffs family in full view of the audience). Where Shakespeare differs is in the revolution of different spheres of literature as well. Form, style, and of course language (think of how many words the man invented that are now in common usage). Not to mention the pure aesthetics of his writing. I am genuinely curious if miyazaki has revolutionised his medium in the same way
created a new private playlist inspired by this amazing breakdown. titled : god tier video essays
the complex feelings while making his films and how he feels about them is what makes me like his films in the first place we never explored it into something like this.
This man's a genius