Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

Animation through the Work of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

By Nicholas Baker

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

Contents Page
Introduction: Main Essay: Conclusion: Bibliography: Page 3 Page 4-6 Page 6 Page 7

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

Introduction
This written assignment will investigate the work and success that Hayao Miyazaki has brought to the world with his feature length animated films and has become one of the most astounding animators and directors of our time with such films as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke with their originality and impression they leave on the audience from the traditional animation and computer animation we say today. Sources that will evidence this agreement firstly will be; Matsutani article on Japans greatest film directors (2005) will evidence the argument on why and how his films have become so successful to our society. Secondly Feldmans Hayao Miyazaki Biography, Revision 2 will evidence the point on the comparison of Studio Ghibli against Disney. And finally Days post on Hayao Miyazakis: Studio Ghibli films Spirited Away to the Big Screen post will help express Miyazakis wisdom on the work he has created which helped inspire him and so many.

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

Main Essay
Animation has been a major part of the film industry for nearly a century now with Walt Disney being one of the founders and legends of feature length animation films that have inspired and touched so many people making society feel and love these characters. With Disney still being one of the lead animation companies to this day. Another has risen from the shadow of Disney and changed and used animation in a different way to affect our culture in a way that Disney can and some cases more so. Hayao Miyazaki one of the cofounders of Studio Ghibli has envisioned and created many feature length animated films that have astonished people with original stories, characters and fantasy like worlds. Matsutani states: Most praise his works. Haruhiko Kamijima, a novelist who authored a book about Miyazaki's movies, said no Japanese director including Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu or Takeshi Kitano has had a bigger impact on the worldwide movie industry than Miyazaki. (Matsutani, 2008). Miyazakis now moving up in the chain of the film industry hitting a more international audience has put his work beside the ranks of Disneys, some even stating that Hayao Miyazaki is the Walt Disney of today and his work will always be known.

Figure 1 - Sootballs At Work - Spirited Away (2001)

The film Spirited Away is a blend of computer generated and traditional animation with the company still drawing each character hand drawn and other features computer animated like the pieces of coal in the film still above. The combination of traditional and computer

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

generated has started a new era of animation with Spirited Away not being the first but one of the biggest names to do so.

Many would think of a rivalry between Disney and Studio Ghibli from there ever growing companies and their work, east against west per say. But with a majority of the world speaking English it could Disney will always be on top compared to Studio Ghibli. Feldman states that: Disney offered a deal that would relieve Tokuma of its financial burdens in exchange for the distribution rights worldwidesave in Southeast Asiafor motion pictures produced by Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki's approval was required to complete the deal; he gave it. (Feldman, 1994). With this deal Disney would own the rights to any profit that Studio Ghiblis films would make worldwide but would transcribe the Japanese to English but with that aside Miyazaki work is still becoming so popular even in the hands of Disney when coming to the rest of the world, aiding Miyazaki with more success internationally then just in Japan.

Figure 2 - Studio Ghibli Logo

The illustration above is the logo for Studio Ghibli with animation being such a strong subject and influence in Japan mainly around anime and manga, many companies and animators would have to think long and hard to create such a masterpiece like Miyazakis creations that he has envisioned getting the Studio Ghibli were it is at today. Day adds: I once asked Miyazaki-san if all that effort put into a shot that goes by in a split-second was really worth it, He told me, You may not think you see it, but you feel it. (Day, 2012). The way Miyazaki animates is what got him to where he is now, live experiences have helped widen and strengthen his imagination to think of such crazy and weird fantasy like places and beings that he has incorporated within each of his work a piece of his life being put into
5

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

his work, so giving the viewers more than just a animation film but more of a heart felt story to have feelings for the characters and doing what Disney has done to get to where they are but in a different style and meaning throughout the animations. Having a passion for being an animator/director has had more of impact then thinking of it as a career which has helped boost Studio Ghibli to the top and have made itself notorious within Japan.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Hayao Miyazaki has helped change the way we see animation with the popular use of anime and manga to influence his ideas to so we perceive them through his films with emotion and feeling for these characters and fantasies. Disney has helped spread Studio Ghiblis films to a more worldwide audience having an effect to not just a child and teenage audience with the use of Disneys and Studio Ghiblis resources. Studio Ghibli has become very successful throughout the years as Miyazaki has had a strong influence to the animation company being one of the most heard directors to these animation using his life experiences and his imagination to help vision what would suit best for their films for the audience to enjoy and know of his and the companies name making it one of the highest well known animation companies to this date. Overall Hayao Miyazaki seems like he has earned the privilege to be called the Walt Disney of our time.

Unit 5 Written Assignment

CGAA

26/07/2012

Bibliography
Sources: Day, P, K, (2012) Hayao Miyazakis: Studio Ghibli films Spirited Away to the Big Screen On: herocomplex-latimes.com http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/01/25/hayao-miyazaki-studio-ghibli-filmsspirited-away-to-the-big-screen/#/0 (Accessed on 20/03/2012) Feldman, S. (1994) Hayao Miyazaki Biography, Revision 2 On: referenceforbusiness.com http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/MR/Miyazaki-Hayao-1941.html (Accessed on 20/03/2012) Matsutani, M. (2008) Japans Greatest Film Directors On: japantimes.co.jp http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20080930i1.html (Accessed on 20/03/2012) Illustrations: Fig 1: Soot balls At Work. (2001) From: Spirited Away. On Fanpop http://www.fanpop.com/spots/spirited-away/images/400838/title/spirited-awaywallpaper-wallpaper (Accessed on 26/04/12) Fig 2: Studio Ghibli Logo. (1985) From: Nausica Of The Valley Of The Wind. On studioghiblidvd http://www.studioghiblidvd.co.uk/ (Accessed on: 26/03/2012)