Sanchez, Rotchel T. 2019

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FACES OF GREED: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS IN
THE WORKS OF HAYAO MIYAZAKI
An Undergraduate Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of the English Department
College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Mindanao State University
General Santos City
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Arts in English
ROTCHEL TONGCALING SANCHEZ
June 2019
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Republic of the Philippines
MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Social Sciences and Humanities
General Santos City
APPROVAL SHEET
The undergraduate thesis entitled “FACES OF GREED: A CRITICAL

ANALYSIS IN THE WORKS OF HAYAO MIYAZAKI” prepared and
submitted by ROTCHEL TONCALING SANCHEZ in partial fulfillment for the
degree BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH has been examined and is
recommended for oral examination.
WILVENA R. PERNIA, M.I.E/ M.A.

Adviser
______________________________________________________________
PANEL OF EXAMINERS
Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination
REGIE P. AMAMIO, M.A.E.L.

Chairman
JULIET B. BOGADOR, M.I.E WILVENA R. PERNIA, M.I.E/ M.A.

Member Member
______________________________________________________________
Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH.
Recommended by: Approved by:
LORENZO L. LAROCO, M.A.T. MAULAWI L. CALIMBA,

M.A.
Chairperson Dean
_________________________ _______________________
Date Date
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Sanchez, Rotchel T. “Faces of Greed: A Critical Analysis in the Works of
Hayao Miyazaki.” Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, Bachelor of Arts in
English, Mindanao State University, College of Social Sciences and
Humanities, English Department, General Santos City. June 2019.
Abstract
This qualitative study used Hayao Miyazaki’s three chosen films, namely,
Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away to determine the
characters that manifest greed and differently illustrate the characters’
portrayal of greed through dialogue and narration, symbols. Also, the
established concept of greed of Hayao Miyazaki. The study utilized
Formalistic Approach, Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics, and Biographical
Approach. The result showed that pattern of greed shows the chief feature to
self-destruction which is greed and it shows that greed is driven by a
fundamental sense of deprivation. The portrayal of greed are differently
presented, through the utilized theories, the researcher allows to find out that
greediness triggers the words of mouth of the characters as well as the
underlying signs in every films where the author denoted symbolical figures
that emphasizes the greediness of the characters. As such, Hayao Miyazaki’s
concept of greed established through his culture, beliefs, perspectives, and
life experiences that is applied in his several works. Moreover, Hayao
Miyazaki’s selected films use figurative images, symbols, signs, discourse as
well as incorporating Japanese beliefs in his works. Thus, there are recurring
themes that he presents to the viewers. Similar themes that are present in his
work is about greediness but he succeeds to give a new faces of greediness
in his every movie.
Keywords: Greed, Concept of Greed, Hayao Miyazaki, Signs, Dialogue,

Theme
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Acknowledgment
First and foremost, I would like to thank God Almighty for giving me the
strength, knowledge, ability and opportunity to undertake this research study and to
persevere and complete it satisfactorily. Without his blessings, this achievement
would not have been possible.
I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to my thesis adviser
Professor Wilvena R. Pernia, for providing me invaluable guidance throughout this
research. She has taught me to carry out the research and to present the research
work as clearly as possible. It was an honor to work my study under her guidance.
I would also like to express sincerest thanks and gratitude to the rest of my
thesis committee: Professor Regie P. Amamio for the suggestions in my quest for
knowledge and for her patience, motivation and enthusiasm. And to Professor Juliet
B. Bogador for the encouragement, insightful comments, and questions for the
betterment of my study.
I have great pleasure in thanking my gratitude to my friends: Eve, Daryl,
and Irish. This study would not be successful without the help of these precious
beans in my life for cheering me up in times of struggles and whenever frustrations is
consuming me. Thank you so much for the beautiful shared moments and
encouragement may it be emotionally or morally. To Lloyd, whom I always
appreciate for the efforts and unconditional support, whom I can always count
whenever things are not falling into places especially for the provision of the things
I’m lacking and tried his best to bring out the best in me and made sure not to be in
my worst. Thank you so much! I’m truly grateful.
I would also like to acknowledge myself for surviving countless sleepless
nights and the emotional, physical, and financial struggles that I have been through.
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This study would not be successful without pushing myself to strive and to find my
motivations.
My acknowledgement would be incomplete without thanking the biggest
source of my strength, my family. I am extremely grateful to my parents for their love,
prayers, and sacrifices for educating and preparing me for my future. This would not
have been possible without their unwavering and unselfish love and support given to
me at all times.
Rotchel Tongcaling Sanchez
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title Page i
Approval Sheet ii
Thesis Abstract iii
Acknowledgment iv
Table of Contents vi
List of Appendices viii
List of Illustrations ix
Chapter I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 1
Introduction 1
Statement of the Problem 4
Scope and Delimitation 4
Significance of the Study 5
Definition of Terms 5
Chapter II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8
Concept of Greed 8
Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese Animation Sensei 15
Portrayal of Human Nature in Hayao Miyazaki’s
17
Films
Formalistic Approach 19
Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics 23
Biographical Approach 26
Related Studies 28
Chapter III: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 35
Research Design 35
Data Gathering Techniques 36
Data Analysis 37
vi
Chapter IV: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND
INTERPRETATION OF DATA 39
Castle in the Sky: Delineation of Greedy Characters 39

Portrayal of Greediness in Princess Mononoke 48
The Emblem and Manifestation of Cupidity in the 59
Mystical World of Spirited Away
Biographical Approach: Seeing Interpretation 76
through the Author’s Lens
Chapter V: SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 86
Summary 86
Findings 87
Conclusions 89
Recommendations 89
REFERENCES 90
CURRICULUM VITAE 107
vii
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix Page
A Summary of the Castle in the Sky 95
B Summary of the Princess Mononoke 100
C Summary of the Spirited Away 103
viii
MSU-GSC CSSH ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure Page
1.1 Dominant Pattern of Greed 11
1.2 Dominant Pattern of Greed and Gluttony 13
1.3 Saussurean Semiotic Model 23
1.4 Muska proclaiming he is the new ruler of Laputa 40
1.5 Pirates capture and interrogate Pazu about the location of Sheeta 42
1.6 The Levitation Stone 46
1.7 Nago running away from the burning forest 49
1.8 Lady Eboshi and her people burn down the forest 50
1.9 Lady Eboshi talking to Ashitaka 51
1.10 Beheading of the Deer God 57
1.11 Yubaba scrutinizing her gems and jewelries 60
1.12 Chihiro and her parents 61
1.13 Chihiro’s parents transform into pig 62
1.14 Kaonashi (No Face) swallows two bath house workers 63
1.15 No Face offers gold to Chihiro 64
1.16 The Pigs 69
1.17 Yubaba’s enormous head 70
1.18 The Mouth of Kaonashi (No Face) 71

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Chapter I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
This chapter consists of five parts, namely: 1) Introduction to the study,
which presents an overview and purpose of the study; 2) Statement of the
problem, which states the general and specific problems of the study; 3)
Scope and Delimitation, which specifies the coverage and the limitation of the
study; 4) Significance of the Study, which tackles the benefits that may be
developed from the outcome of the study and enumerate the persons who
would benefit from them; and 5) Definition of Terms, which provides the
conceptual and operational definitions of important terms used in the study.
Introduction
“Typical, Selfish, You think like a human; everybody wants everything.
That's the way the world is.”
- Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke
One can be unsatisfied and limitless to everything he wants, to the
extent that not all he desires can be attained which may lead to longingness.
Once longingness and the thought of excessive needs unachieved, these will
end up to self-deprivation which triggers the greed of a person. As Nikelly
(2006) claims that the lure to greed also endangers the mental health of a
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person who experience needless suffering and neglect from being deprived of
their needs.
One can have the potential for greedy tendencies, but in people with a
strong fear of lack or deprivation, greed can become a dominant pattern. One
visceral, fundamental, and universal tenant of life is self-sufficient. The need
to survive and prosper inherently leads to an individual’s notion of needs and
desires, however, because humans are species that satisfaction and
contentment thrives no limit; basic needs and desires often end up
excessively.
Human greed is arguably the fundamental reason of many problems.
Indeed, one can encounter instances of greediness on a daily basis and in his
immediate surroundings because of discontentment or when someone knows
no bounds for his desires and drives him to do something harmful. Self-
interests and selfishness of human can be defined as greed where someone
will eagerly do anything to fulfill his political will and ambition for his own sake.
Furthermore, although one can encounter greed on a daily basis.
There are also some factors that trigger the greed of a person such as
longingness, excessive needs, and self-deprivation which are the major factor
that contributed the greediness of a person. As Klafter (2015) also claims that
greed is the feeling of wanting more, needing more, craving more, and most
importantly, having the sense that no one in the world is going to provide what
is lacking or needed. The greedy individual feels, ‘I will need to take this for
myself.’ In terms of the cause of greed, it is clear that all human beings, during
their infancies, experienced a sense of hunger and deprivation, of feeling cold

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without being warmed and swaddled quickly enough, of distressing
aloneness, and of not being responded to soon enough in the face of our
demands. However, when exposure to suffering of these sorts is frequent and
overwhelming, the ordinary hunger for contact and affection turns ferocious
and organizes the person’s representational world.
In parallel with this, the three chosen films of Hayao Miyazaki—Castle
in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away are eminent works not just
for its plot but it also asserts to be an amalgam of various eminent
components such as the fundamental human flaws or tragic flaws of human
beings including greed that is evidently portrayed in the chosen films. As
(Barsam, 2010 ) indicated in one of the reviews about the said films, the most
blatant example of this can be seen through the battle scenes in which men
are pitted against each other based on their personal interests and greed.”
The said films have the themes that resembles identity, greed and corruption,
and the discord to environment which crafted and reflected the bizarre
compromise of modernity and the sensitivity of the human condition in terms
of personal interests.
This study catches the interest of the researcher, which, in this paper a
detailed analysis of the chosen films with its value and metaphorical
significance will be presented and explored to confirm the claims and findings,
particularly, the depiction of greed through Hayao Miyazaki’s selected films.

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Statement of the Problem
This study analyzed the portrayal of greediness of the characters in
some of Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films as well as his concept of greed.
Specifically, it answered the following questions:
1. Who are the characters that manifest greed and how are they
differently illustrated through:
a. Dialogue
b. Signs
c. Theme
2. How does Hayao Miyazaki establish his concept of greed?
Scope and Delimitation
The study entitled Faces of Greed: A Critical Analysis in the Works of
Hayao Miyazaki analyzed the various animated films of Hayao Miyazaki,
namely, Castle in the Sky (1985), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited
Away (2002). These animated films were chosen because of the same
themes which some of the characters evidently portrayed greediness.
Furthermore, these were the masterpieces of Miyazaki where creativity and
the idea of greed in the three chosen animated films are perceptible.
The study was delimited only to the portrayal of greed in the chosen
films Hayao Miyazaki particularly, to his characters’ manifestation of greed.

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Significance of the Study
This study, Faces of Greed: A Critical Analysis in the Works of Hayao
Miyazaki may be significant to the following:
To the English Department, this study can be used as an instrument
in better understanding literature. Specially, in comprehending the concept of
greed and the notion of greediness as human nature or part of
consciousness.
To the readers, this study may help the readers to gain a better
understanding about how human nature over human’s psyche (vice versa)
can be incorporate to the greediness of a person. The point is, after the
reader scanned and internalized the study; it will help them to widen their
perspective in life specially, to understand their own nature as well as to their
fellows.
And to the researcher, this study may strengthen the researcher’s
understanding of human’s psyche and human nature particularly, the
character of a person. This will also help the researcher to apply her new
insights about how the portrayal of the characters in the study can possibly be
reflected in the reality.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined conceptually and operationally for
better understanding of this study.

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Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative
work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular
moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the
persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it (Abrams, 1999).
Operationally, it referred to the fictional persons in the chosen films,
Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away who manifested
greed.
Dialogue means spoken exchanges between characters in a dramatic
or literary work, usually between two or more speakers (Mikics, 2007).
Operationally, it referred to the exchange of conversation of the
characters in the three chosen films that were used to distinguish the portrayal
of greediness.
Formalistic Approach is a critical approach that examines a literary
text or artwork through its aesthetic composition such as form, language,
technique and style (Taafe, 1967).
Operationally, it referred to the approach and elements used in the
chosen films such as theme, dialogue, and characterization that would
present the characterization of the characters.
Greed is an inordinate or insatiable longing for material gain, be it food,
money, status, or power which exhausts the person in an endless effort to
satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction (Seuntjens, 2016).
Operationally, it referred to the portrayal of the limitless and excessive
desires of the characters in the chosen films.

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Semiotics is the field of study that is concerned with signs and/or
signification and the process of creating meaning (Culler, 2002).
Operationally, it referred to Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotics that
was used to determine the underlying signs in Hayao’s animated films.
Signs is an object or element incorporated into a narrative to represent
another concept or concern. Broadly, representing one thing with another.
Signs typically recur throughout a narrative and offer critical, though often
overlooked, information about events, characters, and the author’s primary
concerns in telling the story (Taafe, 1967).
Operationally, it referred to the underlying hidden meaning of the
structured representational patterns that were found in the films.
Theme is defined as a message or abstract idea that emerges from a
literary work’s treatment of its subject matter. (Baldick, 2001).
Operationally, it referred to the idea that Hayao Miyazaki employed in
his three chosen works.

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Chapter II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with related literatures relevant to the present study.
It has six parts, namely: 1) Greed as a Concept in Literature, which discusses
the definition of greed in literature and its characteristics. 2) Hayao Miyazaki,
Japanese Animation Sensei, which discusses his animation techniques,
depiction or portrayal of human nature in his films, greed as a human nature
in his films, and his greedy characters. 3) Formalistic Approach, which
discusses different elements under Formalistic Approach that would present
the characteristics of greed; 4) Structural Approach, which discusses
semantic features that depict greed in the character, character dialogues and
narrative, and different applied theories under Structural Approach 5)
Biographical Approach, which discusses its characteristics and the theory
applied under Biographical Approach that would present the concept of greed
of Hayao Miyazaki, and the 6) Related Studies, which contains the relevant
studies that discusses similar points in this study.
Concept of Greed
The roots of irrepressible and unbridled greed may rest in the nature of
human beings (Robertson, 2001). Our instincts for self-preservation may have
contributed to the emergence of greed and fueled its widespread existence.
Thus, the everyday person is also not exempt: almost everyone feels greed at
one time or another (sometimes often), inherently satisfying desires and

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needs, having inordinate desires, needs and wants beyond what is
needed for basic survival and comfort is defined as greed. When greedy
action continues without bounds, embodying a relentless, unstoppable craving
for more, it is seen as truly reprehensible in almost every culture and society.
Moreover, Hume (1941) also claims that there are two types of greed: avarice
and miserliness. In other words, a greedy person can be someone who wants
to acquire as much as possible, or a greedy person can be stingy and does
not want to lose what he already has.
According to Adams (2016) Human greed and rapacious self-interest
are deleterious influences not only on the individual, but to society and the
environment as a whole. The influence human greed and its consequences
have on both self and society has been a topic of philosophical, sociological,
and political debate since antiquity. Classical arguments, as well as tenets of
the Judeo-Christian tradition, point to aggressive pursuit of cupid nouswants
and materialistic self-interest as both an underlying cause of human suffering
and an impediment to a truly flourishing society throughout recorded history.
Newhauser (2000) also claims that Avarice was frequently in lists of such evils
in early literature—both in descriptive catalogues and in those with a parenetic
function—or at least understood the aegis of Deadly Sin. It is the first
intellectual context in which the sin is found in literature.
Also, McGuinness (2009) stated that greed is one of seven basic
character flaws or “dark” personality traits and is the tendency to selfish
craving, grasping and hoarding. It is defined as:

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A selfish or excessive desire for more than is needed or

deserved, especially of money, wealth, food, or other
possessions.
Other names for greed include avarice, covetousness and cupidity.
Selfish and excessive desire is widely considered immoral, a violation of
natural or divine law. For example, “avarice” is one of the seven deadly sins in
Catholicism (avarice: pleasing oneself with material acquisitions and
possessions instead of pleasing God). And according to Buddhism, “craving”
is a fundamental hindrance to enlightenment (craving: compulsively seeking
happiness through acquiring material things). As with the opposite chief
feature of self-destruction, greed stems from a basic fear of life. To be exact,
greed is driven by a fundamental sense of deprivation, a need for something
that is lacking or unavailable.
When this feeling of lack is particularly strong, a person can become
utterly fixated on seeking what they “need”, always trying to get hold of the
one thing that will finally eliminate the deep-rooted feeling of not having
enough. That one thing could be money, power, sex, food, attention,
knowledge—only about anything. It could be something concrete or abstract,
real or symbolic. But it will be something very specific on which the entire
need-greed complex becomes fixated. Once that happens, life becomes a
quest to acquire as much of it as possible.

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Figure 1.1 Dominant Pattern of Greed
Moreover, several elements of greed in action illustrates how it works
and how it feels when greediness of a particular person occurs.
Compelling need
Greed is a compelling “need” to constantly acquire, consume or
possess more of something than is actually necessary or justifiable. One
would experience this subjectively as an all-consuming lust, hunger or craving
for something (money, sex, food, power, fame, etc.) This might be triggered
by suddenly seeing the object of a particular desire, or an opportunity to go
after it. Underlying the desire, however, is a terrible insecurity, a primal fear of
lack or deprivation, though this is likely to be more unconscious than
conscious. On the surface there is just the compulsion to satisfy the need.
Risky commitment
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When the “need” is being strongly felt, one can be compelled to commit
a great deal of time and energy to seeking and acquiring your thing, setting all
else aside. The only clear course of action, it seems, is to try and satisfy this
longing because, after all, it promises to give that long-lost sense of security.
Others might question a peculiar commitment and determination, given
that the willingness to risk everything over this personal obsession is
perceptible. But it can always find a way to argue the case: “This is important
to me. It will make me happy. It will make you happy too. And if I do happen to
end up with more than I need, I’ll just give some away… Everybody will thank
me for it!”
Harsh realities
One may then experience frustration at the transience of such
pleasure, especially given the investment of time and energy. (“Was it really
worth it?”). A person may experience shame and guilt over the damaging
effects of your actions upon your relationships, reputation, financial security,
etc. (“What was I thinking?” “I’m hurting the very people I love.” “I’m ruining
my life when it’s all been going so well.” or may feel overwhelming anxiety
over the uncertain future (“I’m on a slippery slope to hell”). All of this has the
effect of evoking fear and insecurity, and a compelling need to fill that hole,
and so the cycle begins again. A person might experience all these at some
level at once, or have different ones in your foreground at different times. Still,
it is very comparable to a cycle of addiction, in that the desire becomes harder
and harder to satisfy, so the target level of a “win” or a “fix” keeps going up,
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which in turn requires more and more investment of time, energy and money.
There is also a greater cost to self-esteem and becoming more and more
“enslaved” to the need. And of course, a greater cost to one’s other
commitments, such as career and relationships, which compete for the same
time and energy.
On the other hand, in the case of greed. The positive pole is a state
which may be referred to as desire, egoism or appetite, while the negative
pole is one of voracity or gluttony.
DESIRE/ EGOISM /
APPETITE
GREED
- VORACITY /
GLUTTONY-
-
Figure 1.2 Dominant Pattern of Greed and Gluttony
Egoism (not to be confused with egotism) is state of self-centred
acquisitiveness: I will have what I want and need. It is the opposite of altruism.
Why is this a positive pole? Because in moderation, satisfying one’s own
needs and desires is part of what life is about and not as to be self-sacrificing
saints. Most of the choices will be driven by one’s own needs and desires.
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There is nothing intrinsically wrong with having a “healthy appetite”. In fact, it
is healthier to be driven by one’s desires rather than one’s fears. Voracity or
gluttony is a state of excessive egoism, unjustified acquisitiveness. Not only
does it cause one to acquire more than is ever going to be necessary, it can
also lead to others being deprived of the same thing. Moreover, once the
negative pole of greed takes control of the personality, it does not care who it
hurts in the process of getting what it “needs”. All things are secondary to the
fear of lack. This is why, of all the chief features, greed is the hardest on
others in one’s life.
As Klafter (2015) also claims that greed is the feeling of wanting more,
needing more, craving more, and most importantly, having the sense that no
one in the world is going to provide what is lacking or needed. The greedy
individual feels, ‘I will need to take this for myself.’ In terms of the cause of
greed, it is clear that all human beings, during their infancies, experienced a
sense of hunger and deprivation, of feeling cold without being warmed and
swaddled quickly enough, of distressing aloneness, and of not being
responded to soon enough in the face of our demands. However, when
exposure to suffering of these sorts is frequent and overwhelming, the
ordinary hunger for contact and affection turns ferocious and organizes the
person’s representational world. The technical handling of individuals thus
afflicted requires both affirmative and holding measures related to the legacy
of deprivation and conflicts over unmet dependencies, as well as the
interpretative deconstruction of the sadomasochistic dimensions of their
transferences. Ultimately, a persom with inordinate greed are suffering

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significantly in various aspects of their lives due to their inability to achieve a
sense of peace or satisfaction.
Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese Animation Sensei
According to Singh (2016). Hayao Miyazaki is not a typical animator,
not just because of his dexterity and creativity that have dazzled far-reaching
audiences through his feature-length animations. Besides, Naskar (2017) also
said that Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most notable pioneers in the Anime
industry, and the Otaku culture not just for his innocent plot, aesthetical
enchantment, and spectacular animation, but it also asserts an amalgam of
various eminent components. Which includes the vibrant feminism, individual
transformation, economical evaluation, societal hierarchy, critical portrayal of
modern society and family, the interrelationship with nature, the fundamental
vice and flaws of human beings including greed and lust etc.
In Miyazaki’s animated worlds, all things possess human traits—he is
able to capture the nature of people so well because, above all else, he
understands people. Miyazaki studies people (Fu, 2014). Moreover, while
most animation movies pay emphasis on the character arc of its primary
protagonist, Miyazaki's characters begin flawed and remain so until the end of
the film (Wright, 2005).
According to Singh (2016) Hayao Miyazaki is not a typical animator,
not just because of his dexterity and creativity that have dazzled far-reaching
audiences through his feature-length animations. Besides, Naskar (2017) also
said that Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most notable pioneers in the Anime
__________________________________________________________________________
industry, and the Otaku culture not just for his innocent plot, aesthetical
enchantment, and spectacular animation, but it also asserts an amalgam of
various eminent components. Which includes the vibrant feminism, individual
transformation, economical evaluation, societal hierarchy, critical portrayal of
modern society and family, the interrelationship with nature, the fundamental
vice and flaws of human beings including greed and lust etc.
As such, Miyazaki’s animated worlds, all things possess human traits—
he is able to capture the nature of people so well because, above all else, he
understands people. Miyazaki studies people (Fu, 2014). Moreover, while
most animation movies pay emphasis on the character arc of its primary
protagonist, Miyazaki's characters begin flawed and remain so until the end of
the film (Wright, 2005).
According to Brown (2006), Japanese anime is one of the most
explosive forms of visual culture to emerge at the crossroads of transnational
cultural production. The best known anime films beyond Japan are
represented by the works of Hayao Miyazaki, which his naturalistic style has
shaped the genre of animation both in Japan and around the world (Jenkins,
1992). Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was considered to be one of the
world's greatest animators and was branded as “Walt Disney of the East” as
well.
Rickett (2014) also added that Miyazaki’s films are usually made for
children but they are never patronizing. Besides the fact that they are wildly
imaginative, deeply kind, and hugely immersive, his child character’s moral
compasses will hold them to a true path whereas adults are usually distracted
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by some form of greed portrayed in his several films. Indeed, Miyazaki did a
fascinating animated films that would capture the attention of the young ones
as well as the adults, however, to give the viewers the liberty to indulge in his
movies, he always leaves an open ending. In one of his interview with Steve
Daly of Entertainment Weekly, Miyazaki said, “I don't provide unnecessary
explanations. If you want that, you're not going to like my movie. That's just
the way it is.” Many of Miyazaki's films, although made for and enjoyed by
children, have matched narrative complexity with intricate visual detail.
Depiction or Portrayal of Human Nature in Hayao Miyazaki’s Films
According to Schellhase (2014), on the artistic level, Mr. Miyazaki’s
tales take place in gorgeously imagined settings. Sometimes the view lingers
on a scene just to take in its beauty. Often his films’ environments feature
nature and humanity in harmony, whether in agricultural landscapes, towns,
or even cities. People, for Mr. Miyazaki, are meant to live in nature. Human
culture is integrated with nature and is meant to inhabit it. In addition,
Miyazaki has also asserted that the most important characteristic
distinguishing the animation of Studio Ghibli is its depiction of nature that
integrates human relationship. As he explains,
“We do not subordinate the natural setting to the characters…

That is because we feel that the world is beautiful. That is why
we make efforts to incorporate them as much as possible in our
work.”
Also, Nakamura (2013) also said that although Hayao Miyazaki is
known as a master animator and storyteller, I believe he uses these fora as a

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means for a grander purpose. With the same clarity with which he tells a
fable, he is aware of the tremendous power his medium and position give him.
Ultimately, he seems to understand the threats of current human affairs and
strives to turn our heads toward a more inward looking approach to life. With
that he hopes that we, global citizens, work toward a cleaner ecosystem,
become closer to our peers and remember our ancient principles, in order to –
in the long run- succeed in preserving the balance of our existence. For years
he has sought to bring a message of hope and provide that ever-elusive
promise of potential betterment for humanity through his wonderful vision and
keen eye for human potential. Greed, ignorance, egocentrism and division
ought to be replaced by love, spirituality, oneness and selflessness, his opus
screams.
As (Barsam, 2010 ) indicated in one of the reviews about the said films,
“the idea of man and nature as juxtaposed forces is far from new, however,
Miyazaki took an innovative approach to the concept. Nature composes itself
as a force to be reckoned, but an aging force; while the human side is
beginning to industrialize and is growing into their power which creates a
sense of discord and harmony among the human groups; it also adds a new
facet to the lens in which we can watch this film through the most blatant
example of this can be seen through the battle scenes in which men are pitted
against each other based on their personal interests and greed.”
To successfully express his character’s action, Miyazaki often
incorporates nature in his films to portray the notion that the behavior of
human can be the effect of human nature as seen in his several films.
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Formalistic Approach
A formalist approach to literature seeks out meaning from a work by
giving attention to the form or structure of a work and literary devices
operating in it. It may be called a necessary first step in any study of literature.
Formalism involves the reader in the narrative, presenting the reader with
symbolic objects, characters, events in the story and focuses on the formal
features found in literature—features that readers must notice and name if
they are to describe the form and function of how stories work. Formalism has
several aesthetic assumptions that pertain to imaginative, poetic works and
that also apply to non-fictional or rhetorical works: 1.) Literature’s purpose is
mostly aesthetic: “art for art’s sake.” 2.) Literary works should be appreciated
as self-contained works of art. 3.) Literature’s “content = form” in an organic
unity. 4.) Authorial intention is generally unavailable for textual analysis. 5.)
Reader-response is relatively unimportant for textual analysis. 6.) Socio-
historical context is less important than focusing on “the text itself.”
Also, Taafe (1967) further adds that a formalistic approach to literature,
once called New Criticism, involves a close reading of the text. Formalistic
critics believe that all information essential to the interpretation of a work must
be found within the work itself; there is no need to bring in outside information
about the history, politics, or society of the time, or about the author's life.
Formalistic critics (presumably) do not view works through the lens of
feminism, psychology, mythology, or any other such standpoint, and they are
not interested in the work's effect on the reader. Formalistic critics spend
much time analyzing irony, paradox, imagery, and metaphor. They are also
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interested in the work's setting, characters, symbols, and point of view. Also,
in this approach the critic mainly focuses on the elements of the work. For
example, in fiction, the critic must pay attention to the characters, plot, setting
and point of view. Critics don’t just examine one element at a time but on how
to these elements work together in a text to provide a specific effect. (Abrams,
1999).
Characters and Characterization
According to Abrams (1999), characters are “the persons represented
in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader or viewers
as being endowed with particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities
by inferences from what the person says and their distinctive way of saying it-
the dialogue- and from what they do- the action.
Characters are what makes the story, without them, there is no story to
tell. They are used to help teach a lesson, to entertain, to educate, depending
on the author’s goal for the story line. They can neither be realistic or
unrealistic but sometimes, the audience can get too attached to these
characters as if they are real and would relate to those who have faced similar
situations.
Characterization on the other hand, is the act of creating and
describing characters in literature which includes both description of a
characters’ physical attributes as well as their personality. Also, the manner of
their acting, thinking and speaking is included in the characterization. A broad
distinction is frequently made between alternative methods for characterizing
(i.e establishing the distinctive characters of) the persons in a narrative

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showing and telling occurs when the author does not only show the
characters external speech and actions but also their inner thoughts, feelings
and responsiveness to events; for a highly developed mode of such inner
showing for the readers to infer the character’s motives and dispositions that
lies behind what they and do. In telling, the author intervenes authoritatively in
order to describe and often to evaluate the motives and dispositions qualities
of the characters. As he cited E. M Forster, in Aspects of the Novel (1972) has
introduced the terms for distinguishing flat and round characters. According to
him, flat characters are two dimensional and are built upon a “a single idea or
quality” and are presented without much development and described in a
single phrase or sentence. Meanwhile, a round character is complex in nature
particularly in their temperaments and motivations and are presented with a
subtle particularity. Their personality or traits tends to be developed
throughout the story. (Abrams, 1999).
Theme
Theme is the meaning contained by a story. But there are many
meanings conceived and offered by the story (the novel), then the problem is
a special meaning which can be expressed as the theme. Themes distilled
from the motifs contained in the relevant work that determines the presence of
events, conflicts and situations. It became the basis of development of the
whole story, so is animating the whole story. A common theme has a
generalization, wider, and abstract. Principal themes as the meaning of a
work of fiction is not deliberately hidden because precisely this that is offered
to the reader. However, the overall theme is the meaning of which supported
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his story by itself would be hidden behind a story that supports it. Theme is
the main idea that the writer expresses and can also be defined as the
underlying meaning of the story. Also, it is another prime element of literature,
which contains the central idea of all literary forms such as a novel, drama
and short story. It reflects innocence, experience, live, death, reality, fate,
madness, sanity, love, society, individual, etc. (Abrams, 1999).
The terms used in new criticism are the following: (1) Tension is the
integral unity of the poem which results from the resolution of opposites, often
in irony of paradox. (2) Intentional fallacy is the belief that the meaning or
value of a work may be determined by the author's intention. (3) Affective
fallacy is the belief that the meaning or value of a work may be determined by
its affect on the theory reader. (4) External form is rhyme scheme, meter,
stanza form, etc. objective correlative. These terms refer to a collection of
objects, situations, or events that instantly evoke a particular emotion.
However, the terms used in criticism have also advantages and
disadvantages. This approach can be performed without much research, and
it emphasizes the value of literature apart from its context (in effect makes
literature timeless). Virtually all critical approaches must begin here. On the
other hand, the disadvantages of these terms is that the text is seen in
isolation. Formalism ignores the context of the work. It cannot account for
allusions. It tends to reduce literature to little more than a collection of
rhetorical devices.
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Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics
Ferdinand de Saussure is the father of modern linguistics, the man who
re-organized the systematic study of language and languages in such a way
as to make possible the achievements of the twentieth-century linguistics. He
focused his attention on linguistics and provided some fundamental concepts
of linguistics on which European linguistics was based and developed in the
course of time. According to Saussure every human language is a wonderful
combination of the relations obtaining across linguistic signs at different levels
of language organization. A ‘sign’ in Saussurean exposition, is not a single
entity. It is a relation between the signifier (the form that the sign takes) and
the signified (the concept to which it refers) and such a relation is purely
conventional and therefore, arbitrary. He designated this relational aspect
between a signifier and a signified as signification.
Signifier Signified
(Form) (Concept)
Figure 1.3 Saussurean Semiotic Model
Thus Saussure laid the foundation for Structuralism which has become
a highly productive methodology for language as well as literary studies. The
ideas, central to his linguistic conception, lead to linguistics considering

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language as an object of study which needs to be studied in itself. He
proposes that language is a system. It is an arbitrary system of signs.
Language is a system of signs that express ideas, and is therefore
comparable to a system of writing, the alphabet of deaf-mutes, symbolic rites,
polite formulas, military signals, etc. But it is the most important of all these
systems. There is no inherent relationship between the object and the sound
image. For instance, there is no inherent relationship between the object ‘dog’
and the word used for it i.e. the sound image ‘dog’ because the sound image
does not reflect the doginess of the ‘dog’. He proposed the dyadic model of
‘linguistic sign’ consisting of ‘signifier’ and ‘signified’. He points out the
arbitrariness of language in regard to the signifier and the signified.
Saussure introduces the two major concepts – langue and parole.
‘Langue’ is an underlying system which is common in speech or utterance. He
observes: It is not to be confused with human speech [language], of which it is
only a definite part, though certainly an essential one. It is both a social
product of the faculty of speech and a collection of necessary conventions
that have been adopted by a social body to permit individuals to exercise that
faculty. Taken as a whole, speech is many-sided and heterogeneous;
straddling several areas simultaneously –physical, physiological, and
psychological- it belongs both to the individual and to society; we cannot put it
into any category of human facts, for we cannot discover its unity.
Saussure does not neglect the social aspect of ‘signs’ at the same
time. He calls language homogeneous and speech heterogeneous. ‘Parole’ is
an individual’s speech and has complete or partial social acceptability. Neither

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is the psychological part of the circuit wholly responsible: the executive side is
missing, for execution is never carried out by the collectivity. Execution is
always individual, and the individual is always its master: I shall call the
executive side speaking [parole]. Saussure argues that ‘signs’ have
syntagmatic and paradigmatic relationship, In other words, the signs are
horizontally and vertically bound to one another. His notion of ‘sign’ is the
object of study. Any sign, according to Saussure, consists of two components,
signifier and signified. These two components are combined in such a way
that they cannot be separated.
Sign = Signifier + Signified or
Sign/word = sound image + concept/object/meaning
Also, Culler (1976) added in Saussure, that the first principle of
Saussure’s theory of language concerns the essential quality of the sign. The
linguistic sign is arbitrary. A particular combination of signifier and signified is
an arbitrary. A particular combination of signifier and signified is an arbitrary
entity. This is a central fact of language and linguistic method. ’No One’, he
writes:
Contests the principle of the arbitrary nature

of the sign, but it is often easier to discover
a truth that to assign it its rightful place. The
above principle dominates the whole of
linguistic analysis of a language. Its
consequences are innumerable, though
they are not all, it is true, equally evident
straight away. It is after many detours that
one discovers them, and with the
fundamental importance of this principle.
To further comprehend Saussure’s Theory and the meaning by the
arbitrary nature of the sign, in one sense the answer is quite simple. There is
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no natural or inevitable link between the signifier and the signified. Culler
further adds that, since I speak I may use the signifier represented by dog to
talk about an animal of a particular species, but this sequence of sounds is no
better suited to that purpose than another sequence. Lod, tet, or bloop would
serve equally well if they were accepted by members of my speech
community. There is no intrinsic reason why one of these signifiers rather than
another should be linked with the concept of a ‘dog’. There are two ways in
which linguistic signs may be motivated, that is to say, made less arbitrary.
First, there are cases of onomatopoeia, where the sound of the signifier
seems in some way mimetic or imitative, as in the English bow-wow or arf-arf
(cf, French ovâ-ovâ, German wau-wau, Italian bau-bau).
Biographical Approach
According to Benson (1989), biographical approach considers a work’s
first-order context – the author’s life – and recognizes literary study as being
an art not a science. He places it at odds with New Criticism, so a work takes
on a different meaning when viewed through the lens of an author’s life. One
of the primary functions of literary criticism is to illuminate a reader’s
understanding of a text and, in turn, attempt to improve a reader’s
understanding of the world. Great writers have the ability to observe and
render the world in ways that many readers at first cannot fully understand,
while great critics serve readers by giving them a language in which they may
explicate meaning in a text. This “language” usually manifest itself in the form
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of a certain literary concept or theory through which a reader may be able to
view the text in a new light or from a new perspective.
One method of interpretation which has long been under debate is the
method of biographical reading. Biographical Criticism. As determined by
Frank H. Ellis involves the “relation between a written work and the
biographical experiences of the writer” (Ellis 971). However, one of the
common arguments in the past century amongst modern critics and readers
alike is that a truly great work must be able to stand alone from the
experiences of the author who created it. In essence, biographical knowledge
of the author is not necessary to the genuine understanding of a great work.
What first must be acknowledged are two fundamental hermeneutic
methods to which modern literary criticism abides - intrinsic and extrinsic
methods of interpretation. Intrinsic models, like those common to the schools
of New Criticism and Formalism, assert that through methods such “close
reading” and strictly textual interpretation, all textual meaning can be
explicated. They believed that meaning could be found independent of
authorial intent, reader response, or historical circumstance. Russian
Formalist Manfred Kridl argues, “A literary work transcends individual
psychology. In the process of objectification the artifact becomes 2 separated
from its creator, acquires life of its own” (Kridl 102). This approach had rapidly
gained popularity during the early 20th century and by the middle of the
century had become “doctrine” for modern literary criticism. They believed that
if context or any other form of external information were required by a reader,
it would suggest that either the work was not “good” enough or the reader’s
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hermeneutic abilities were deficient. As a result, contextual interpretation
became viewed by the new critics as “heresy”.
Aesthetics similarly argue this philosophy demanding that beauty itself
be the sole function of art and poetics. Aestheticism urges that as little
evidence as possible of the author’s pen or artist’s brush should be found in a
great work, and that art and poetry should neither implicitly nor explicitly
embody any spiritual, ethical, political, social, or religious meaning. Here, by
attempting to eliminate authorial and artistic intent, Aestheticism attempts to
eliminate the necessity for context.
Related Studies
This part contains different studies that were relevant to the current
study. These studies also provided sufficient details needed in the said study:
In Anime Landscapes as a Tool for Analyzing the Human–Environment
Relationship: Hayao Miyazaki Films, Mumcu and Yilmaz (2018) analyzed how
Miyazaki depicts human as an inseparable part of nature as reflected in his
films. Being inspired by different communities and their relationship to nature
in Miyazaki’s films, the researcher used anime as a means of analyzing the
human–environment relationship and explored how communities shape their
physical environment based on how they socially construct nature and the
resulting landscapes. Thus, through apocalyptic landscapes, the bitter results
of exploiting nature were depicted. Wilderness landscapes reflect the bias
humanity has about nature as wild and hostile. Responsible landscapes were
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introduced as way of understanding the unbreakable bond between humans
and the environment.
In parallel, this study gave emphasis that nature contributed to the
humanity and shaped their physical environment which was similar to the
current study that would support the argument whether nature shapes the
human’s behavior or not.
In Theory of Signs: Looking at the Narratives of Japanese Animated
Advertisement Through Barthe’s Eye, Diaz (2018) analyzed the narratives in
the Japanese Animated ads, it utilized Semiotics, The Barthe’s Signs and
Codes which was presented in the Japanese Advertisements and it focused
on the hidden meaning of the formed symbolic patterns. As Barthes’ hastened
in literary and cultural studies engaged with processes of signification.
Cultural Studies then was used in this study which result showed that
animated Japanese advertisements used storylines that could create and
elevate emotions based on a real life scenario that would easily capture the
attention of its entire viewers.
This study is relevant to the present study since the researcher used
Barthes’ Semiotics Theory, the discussion of this study will serve as guide to
the current which will support to decode the underlying hidden meaning of the
structured representational patterns of the animated films.
In Spirited Away: A Study of the Symbolical Significances in Hayao
Miyazaki’s Surreal Masterpiece, Naskar (2017) explores Spirited Away as an
unprecedented not just for it innocent plot, aesthetical enchantment, and
spectacular animation, but also asserts to be an amalgam of various eminent

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components. Which includes the vibrant feminism, individual transformation,
economical evaluation, societal hierarchy, critical portrayal of modern society
and family, the interrelationship with nature, the fundamental vice and flaws of
human beings including greed and lust etc. In this paper a detailed analysis of
the film with its value and metaphorical significance will be presented.
This study is relevant to the present study since it also used the same
materials as well as the notion of decoding underlying hidden message. This
dissertation helped the researcher to comprehend effectively how to scrutinize
every detail of the works of Hayao Miyazaki.
In Psychology of Greed, Seuntjens (2016) explored the definitional
issues of greed as well as its conceptual work that also elaborated on the
philosophical, economic, and religious aspects. In this dissertation, the focus
lies on how to define and conceptualize greed, and how individual differences
in the motivation to be greedy shape people’s behavior.
Since Seuntjens’ study focused on the notion of the conceptual work of
greed, this study is relevant to the current study because it offered
hypothetical framework that will help the researcher to discern the different
motivation and influence of the character’s greediness.
Lack’s (2014) study, Seeing With Eyes Unclouded: Representations of
Creativity in the Works of Hayao Miyazaki explored how Miyazaki represented
creativity in relation to fundamental aspects of the human condition through
close analysis of three of these films: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Whisper
of the Heart (1995, Dir. Yoshifumi Kondo, written by Hayao Miyazaki), and
The Wind Rises (2013). With the theories he utilized, it helped examined how
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Miyazaki intertwined creative and artistic expression with the trials of
adolescence and the harsh realities of adulthood while it also focused on the
Political, Social, and Philosophical implications of how these works
represented the creative spirit.
Likewise, this study focused on the animated films come from Studio
Ghibli and creative works of Hayao Miyazaki which was some way similar to
the present study in exploring his style and techniques in animation. The
discussion in this study will serve as a guidelines in terms of deeper
understanding of Hayao Miyazaki’s ambiguous and creative works.
In Ang’s (2013) study entitled Hayao Miyazaki as Auteur: Techniques,
Technology and Aesthetics in Animation. The researcher explored two
different timeframe productions of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s
animation; hand drawn cel animation and digital development methods, by
studying the effects of animations and by looking into motions and depths via
the eye of techniques and technology development. This dissertation
suggested, Hayao Miyazaki as an Auteur, it is in order to explore how the
technology development brings to the animation techniques and how the
development indeed affecting his authorship alongside with the studio.
This study is relevant to the current study in terms of exploring the
different ways and style in animation of Hayao Miyazaki—from traditional cel
animation to the technological development which helped the researcher to
clearly interpret the structure of his works.
In Greed, Desire, and Theology, Jung (2011) aims to contribute to the
discussion of the “greed line” from a theological viewpoint by analyzing the

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foundational myth of capitalist modernity, the modern misappropriation of the
notion of the incarnation of God, which has given rise to the idea that human
beings have no limits and has contributed to their spirituality of consumption.
Likewise, this study focused on the concept of greed in different
viewpoint and aspect which was similar to the current study. The discussion in
this dissertation served as a basis for the researcher to clearly comprehend
the boundaries of greed and served as guidelines when applied in the
theoretical framework.
In Lapointe’s (2009) study, Coping with Capitalism: Monsters and the
Spectre of Excess in Spirited Away, Onmyoji, and Tokyo Babylon intended to
illustrate that monsters, as beings made of pure culture, embody social
anxieties and can be deployed as a means of protest. Therefore, the
researcher examines monsters in Japanese anime, manga, and film that
embody the excesses of capitalism. It examines Spirited Away and how
capitalism’s excesses create monsters such as over consumption, greed, and
loss of identity through the disintegration of social relationships.
In connection, this study is parallel to the current study because it
employed the creatures and characters in the story as something monsters
with negative attributes such as: over consumption and greed which was in
some way similar to the current study. This paper helped the researcher to
widen her understanding about character’s embodying negative traits, this
also served as guide to help the researcher shaping the characters.
Barnard’s (2006) study entitled Nature, Human Nature and Value This
study was an attempt to link a theory of nature, a theory of human nature and
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a theory of value. The first problem was set forward in where a definition of
nature is explored—The complexity of the task leads to a brief history of the
concept of nature whereby two opposing explanations of nature and human
nature are revealed: teleological and non-teleological. The problem of values
was discussed with particular emphasis on moral values. An argument for
objective values based on objective knowledge was put forward as well as a
theory of human nature which led to the conclusion that teleological
explanations link a theory of nature, a theory of human nature and a theory of
value more satisfactorily than the non-teleological explanations of Ultra-
Darwinism and postmodernism. As a result, the researcher came up with a
notion that over a period of time, nature shapes the nature of human.
This study is relevant to the current study since it focused on the
concept of human nature and it explains that environment contributes to the
attribute of human being specifically, the nature of human as being greedy.
Lamarre’s (2002) study, From Animation to Anime: Drawing
Movements and Moving Drawings analyzed two kinds of movement common
in cel animation: ‘drawing movements’ which drawing movements are
common in traditional cel animations that strives for full animation. Whereas,
‘moving drawings’ becomes pronounced in techniques of limited animation,
common in anime. Also, this study dealt on how drawing movements entails a
decoding of live-action cinema, which is intensified in the techniques of
moving drawings that are prevalent in anime. As a result, the researcher
suggested that exploring the different ways of technique and movements in

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animation have an impact on narrative, genre and spectatorship as well as,
generates and exploits potentials such as flatness, jitter and weightlessness.
This study is relevant to the present since the researcher also focused on the
technique and movements in animation. This study served as a basis and
guidelines to the present study in exploring the style and technique in
animation of Hayao Miyazaki.

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Chapter III
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three parts, namely: (1) Research Design,
which presents the research design and the approaches used in the study; (2)
Data Gathering Techniques, which presents the procedures in gathering the
data for the study; and (3) Data Analysis, which presents the process of
analysis used in the study.
Research Design
This study is a qualitative research. According to Mason (2002)
qualitative research should be systematically and rigorously conducted.
Furthermore, qualitative research should be accountable for its quality and its
claims. In other words, it should not attempt to position itself beyond
judgement, and should provide its audience with material upon which they can
judge it. In addition, Shank (2002) defines qualitative research as “a form of
systematic empirical inquiry into meaning” By systematic he means “planned,
ordered and public”, following rules agreed upon by members of the
qualitative research community. By empirical, he means that this type of
inquiry is grounded in the world of experience. Inquiry into meaning says
researchers try to understand how others make sense of their experience.
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) claim that qualitative research involves an
interpretive and naturalistic approach: “This means that qualitative

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researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense
of, or to interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them”
Also, this study will utilize content analysis which Krippendorff (2003)
defined as “a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences
from texts (or other meaningful matter) to the contexts of their use.” This
definition is not intended to restrict content analysis to written materials, the
phrase “or other meaningful matter” is included in parentheses to indicate that
in content analysis works of art, images, maps, sounds, signs, symbols, and
even numerical records may be included as data. In addition, Krippendorff
(2003) also claims that content analysis involves specialized procedures and
provides new insights, increases a researcher’s understanding of particular
phenomena, or informs practical actions.
Data Gathering and Technique
As for references and other related literature, the researcher collected
data and information from physical books in the library and online books that
were available in the internet.
As for the materials to be analyzed, the researcher first gathered
different animated films which was created and written by Hayao Miyazaki,
examining the similarities of the animated movies and their themes.
Out of the materials collected, with similar themes depicting greediness
of the characters as the basis of selecting the study, the researcher finally
picked three materials namely: Castle in the Sky (1985), Princess Mononoke
(1997), and Spirited Away (2002). These materials were chosen by the
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researcher since the greediness of the characters in the said three movies
were evidently portrayed.
Data Analysis
The researcher watched the materials several times to understand the
films and their underlying signs. Then, she presented a comprehensive
analysis on Hayao Miyazaki’s style and techniques particularly, on the
portrayal of greediness in some of his animated characters. The researcher
read and familiarized the different theories in literary criticism especially,
Structural Approach and its theories as well as Formalistic Approach and
Biographical Approach that were used in the study.
To address Sub-problem 1, the researcher utilized Formalistic
approach to examine and discuss the portrayal of the characters of Hayao
Miyazaki who manifested greed in his selected animated films. In here, she
explored the different elements in the films that presented the characteristics
of greed. Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics and Formalistic Approach were
used to decode the meaning of the signs that underlies on the selected
animated films, the dialogue and narration in the story was used to discern the
portrayal of greediness of the characters to help answering the question.
Concepts of Structural Approach were utilized to show and discuss the
different illustration of greed in the characters. Then, Formalistic Approach
was applied to establish the theme that the filmmaker employed.
To address Sub-problem 2, the researcher used Biographical
Approach to establish the concept of greed of Hayao Miyazaki that was

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reflected in his several works. The researcher then utilized the methods under
Biographical Approach which supported answering the question and identified
in what way Hayao Miyazaki establish his concept of greed.

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Chapter IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
This chapter contains the presentation and analysis of the Hayao
Miyazaki’s animated films. This consists of the following parts, namely: (1)
Castle in the Sky: Delineation of Greedy Characters; (2) Portrayal of
Greediness in Princess Mononoke; (3) The Emblem and Manifestation of
Cupidity in the Mystical World of Spirited Away; (4) Biographical Approach:
Seeing Interpretation through the Author’s Lens. Which examines and
identifies the faces of greediness presents in some of Hayao Miyazaki’s
characters, the signs and symbols present in the movies, and discusses
Hayao Miyazaki’s concept of greed.
Castle in the Sky: Delineation of Greedy Characters
Castle in the Sky is a story revolves around the namesake mythical
kingdom of a lost civilization abandoned by its settlers called Laputa located
floating in the sky which is believe by humans that is a place filled with
treasures and has an advance technology. Muska is the leader of the secret
agents hired by the foreign government to investigate and search for Sheeta
as the true heiress of Laputan throne. However, little did they know that along
with the search for Laputa is a hidden plan of Muska to enthrone the power of
the kingdom in his hand as the pristine ruler. On the other hand, Dola and the
pirates are after with Sheeta’s amulet that would help to locate Laputa’s
clandestine treasures, yet, the keenness of human after seeing the hall of the
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legendary kingdom teemed with riches is perceptible when the characters
end up finding a way to the skyward kingdom. Nevertheless, Sheeta is
determined to decide that it's best to destroy Laputa by reciting a "Spell of
Destruction" which causes the castle to disintegrate, causing Muska to fall to
his death. Then the island stops descending, it is only the large levitation
stone at the bottom that detaches itself from the island while the rest of it
floats higher up into the sky: it will only be found again when humans are able
to use technology with no intent to harm for materialism and self-interest.
As shown in this film, it highlighted two greedy characters who are
Muska and Dola gang that both signify similar ominous qualities. Muska, is an
antagonist and a man who has an excessive desire in the anime movie. He
is completely enthusiastic in his endeavor for the search of Laputa to the
extent that he is able to guarantee that no one gets in his way about his ill
intentions. In the beginning of the movie, the vile plan of Muska isn’t apparent
yet, but eventually, several instances where his actions are noticeable that
even his comrades got suspicious, his eagerness and strong-willed to pursue
the search for Laputa is one of the evidence that his excessive desire is
discernable. As presented in this scene:
Figure 1.4 Muska proclaiming he is the new ruler of Laputa

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In this particular scene (01:45:52–01:46:00) Figure 1.4, is a clear
manifestation of character’s greediness where in this setting, Muska tries to
talk to his general and comrades in an arrogant way as he is close to success
for his motives and he intent to harm the armies as well as the general. The
character slowly uncovering his motives to enthrone Laputa. Primarily, he
uses the investigation of Laputa as an outlet to effortlessly locate it as
included in his plans. However, on the later part of the story after they found
the mythical kingdom, his suspicious action is noticeable as he tries to allure
his comrades with the treasures of Laputa to secretly operate his plans by
using Sheeta. As McGuinness (2009) indicated, one can be compelled to
commit a great deal of time and energy to seeking and acquiring a thing,
setting all else aside which is a risky commitment when the “need” is being
strongly felt.
As observed in the movie, Muska is driven by his excessive desires;
the feeling of need and duty that Muska feels turned him to do things that are
against. Also, he invested time and efforts to be part of the investigation of
Laputa only to fulfill the strong feeling of wanting the levitation stone to rule
the kingdom. This kind of action is a deprivation of need that turns into
greediness, when longingness of one thing isn’t given to Muska for a long
time pushes him to take unnecessary actions even it means setting all aside.
The only clear course of action, it seems, is to try and satisfy this longing
because, after all, he believes that acquiring the power of Laputa can give him
authority and security for it holds the key to humanity’s progress, the
promising feeling of long-lost sense of security that he wanted for a long time.
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On the other hand, Dola and his sons are pirates and characterized as
plunderers and burglars, as seen in the movie, the Dola gang have
encompassing traits like the usual Pirates also have; they are after for the
blue crystalized amulet to locate the treasure for their own consumptions. As
presented in this image:
Figure 1.5
Pirates capture and interrogate Pazu about the location of Sheeta
Dola gang tied Pazu as they tries to interrogate him if where the little girl
is for they are after also with the amulet to find the location of Laputa that is
said to have a bounty of treasures. Dola is at the peak of her elderly that has
a hot tempered and rowdy characteristics. As they are presented in the movie,
the pirates especially Dola also called as Mama are dynamic characters. Dola
gang are exuberant sky-pirates and her clumsy yet endearing trio of sons
chase after Sheeta, for they too want the crystal she possesses. Unlike the
government, however, Dola has no interest in power or supremacy. Like the

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greedy rascal she is, she wants the golden treasures of Laputa and nothing
more.
Although Dola appears to have a domineering and overbearing
attitude nonetheless is a soft hearted old woman. Undeniably, on the later part
when the tables turn and Sheeta together with Pazu team up with the pirates
to find Laputa—Dola clearly builds a motherly love for the children and
privately appreciates their friendly affection for each other.
On the contrary, characters that are mentioned above both embodies
the menacing qualities. To put emphasis on this, through dialogue and
narration is another essential element to analyze thoroughly their
characteristics. In scene (01:45:52-01:46:00) this is the introductory scene
where Muska unveils his true intention regarding the search of Laputa. In
here, General Muoro gets suspicious by the actions of Muska and so he
commanded his subordinate to deploy any explosive weapons on the
extraordinary metallic chamber where Muska enters but it seems the chamber
is indestructible that even a single crack is not visible while Muska is already
standing beside in somewhat metallic pulpit together with Sheeta proclaiming
that he is the new ruler of Laputa. Below is the statement of Muska saying:
Watch your tongue. You are in the presence of

Laputa’s King… let us celebrate Laputa’s return
with a demonstration of its power.
The excessive desire that Muska feels when he supposed that he is
one step closer to his plan is slowly consuming him. Also, in scene (01:46:42-
01:47:21) it is proven that Muska’s extreme desire leads to his ill-intention to
the extent that he harms his comrades. He is corrupted by the notion that as
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the new king of Laputa, he can do whatever he desire under his control which
he later appears to be detrimental. As proven in the following lines:
The world shall bow down before Laputa once

more! (01:46:42)
I grow tired of your stupid face, Die! (01:47:21)
Moreover, after Sheeta sees the villainous act of Muska—burns down
the airships which killed the rest of the army and turns the fighting robots back
to life, she finds a way to steal the amulet away from Muska and handed it to
Pazu. This triggers the greedy characteristic of Muska that he even shoot
Pazu and warns him to take back the amulet as an exchange for the life of
Sheeta. This evidently shows that he is gradually corrupted by greed as
proven in this line:
Hold onto that stone.

I will trade her life for it.
In addition, when he chases Sheeta and finally meet a dead-end he
nonchalantly says that it is the end and Laputa will be their kingdom but
Sheeta tries to persuade him that everything is useless and Laputa will never
be revive anymore if it will only be use as a consumption for one’s political
ambition but Muska is far from realizing it that his heart is unrelenting. As
presented in this line:
Laputa will not die. It will rise again.

Its power is the stuff of humanity’s dreams.
As what Sheeta said in scene (02:04:33), “What is a King when his
country lies ruined?” The idea of Laputa as a mystical kingom teems with
treasure and made of advanced technology contributes to reveal the

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character of Muska. His primary goal to revive Laputa has exceeded
wrongfully that it turns to be one’s excessive desire and political ambition.
Another character that portrays greediness is the Dola Gang. In scene
(47:57-48:01) as they try to capture and interrogate Pazu about Sheeta’s
location, unlike Muska, Dola only want the treasures of Laputa as she says to
Pazu: “But of course, we are pirates. Pirates hunt for treasures.” In here, Dola
confirms that as the nature of Pirates, they are after only for Sheeta because
of the crystalized amulet that would help to locate the hidden treasures of
Laputa as supported in this statement by one of the sons of Dola (Mama)
saying “We want the crystal, not the girl.” However, through their dialogue and
discourses clearly proves a menacing characteristics that can be incorporate
to greediness. Also, another instance is when Mama (Dola) encourages her
sons and co-pirates to be enthusiastic of finding Laputa. As proven in this
statement:
Ten gold pieces to whoever spots Laputa first

(01:08:45)
Whatever we find, I’m sure Laputa has riches
enough for any pirate gang! (01:08:55)
Dola gang’s nature as pirates is perceptible through their conversations—
who are after for treasures as their manner of speech conveys their motives
about the hunt for treasures of Laputa even Dola lifts up the spirit of his co-
pirates just to be enthusiastic. Also, their response to what Dola’s
announcement; the cheerful murmurs and cheery tone connotes that they are
also interested.
To establish the concept of greed in the movie, several signs and
symbols are explored. These signs and symbols are further discussed using
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the semiotic model of De Saussure as presented below. Thus, in Castle in the
Sky, there are corresponding signs and symbols that can be an essential
element to reveal the portrayal of cupidity of the characters.
Levitation Stone
The sign ‘Levitation stone’ signifies as the desire for power. When
Muska, Dola Gang and the Government tries to capture Sheeta to locate the
Laputa kingdom. The image below shows how it is shown in the movie:
Figure 1.6
Sign
Destruction
Levitation Desire for

Stone Power
Signifier Signified
As shown in Figure 1.6, the levitation stone means as the signifier
while it signifies as a desire for power. With the two elements come up with a
meaning of destruction. Clearly, the story divides characters into two

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classifications: those who wish to stop the villains from holding power and to
help people in trouble (Sheeta, Pazu, the family of Pazu’s boss, and Uncle
Pom), and those who pursue the levitation stone and the power of Laputa (the
Dola family, Muska, and the government). The former class is consistent with
‘cooperation for peace’, whereas the latter is influenced by ‘desire for power’.
In particular, the principal villain, Muska, shows his desire for political power
by betraying his colleagues and possessing the levitation stone, whereas the
Dola family purely pursue Sheeta’s levitation stone and the treasure of the
legendary castle for economic power. Therefore, levitation stone is an object
and is use as a vehicle to unleash character’s greediness where their
enthusiasm is perceptible.
As for Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the theme that is present is “A man
who has always achieved great possessions and yet ultimately desires
for more faces the judgment of nature.” This movie exemplifies the
portrayal of the best and worst of what a man can do. Laputa is
technologically advanced and is able to coexist peacefully with nature until
time flies and the utopian kingdom is forgotten due to unnamed catastrophic
incident and becomes a myth in people’s eyes. Under the control of the
villainous Muska, they caused once again a catastrophic amount of damage
due to obsession to possessed power. The theme is reflected in the
characters’ role as well as in the response of nature. A society that is not yet
able to coexist peacefully with nature—Laputa is not dead, however, the
coexisting nature, advanced technology, and human is seemingly impossible
for mean time. It ascends further into the sky, seemingly unreachable, which
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can be reminiscent of the idea that Laputa is an ideal that it should be strive to
achieve someday. Furthermore, the theme embodies the struggles, conflicts,
as well as the solution that the movie perceives. Thus, in some of Hayao
Miyazaki’s films, there are repetitive themes that he presents to the audience.
However, given the similarities, Hayao Miyazaki still attempts and succeeds to
present themes with a new and fresh faces. Most common themes that
Miyazaki instill in his works are about: greed, environmentalism, technology
and etc. yet he is able to put variety of flavors in one genre.
Portrayal of Greediness in Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke, is a story about a human girl who is raised by the
forest wolves and carries a vow to avenge Mother Nature by the destruction it
went through that once a safe haven of wild animals but because of the
misdoings of humans, it turns into a fallen paradise. Particularly, in the deep
mountains of the West, Lady Eboshi and her men wants to destroy the forest
to build Iron Forging Town as a thriving economic settlement—they cut trees
for charcoal and dig the earth for iron sands which enraged the forest gods
that protects the mountains, most notably Moro the Wolf God and Princess
Mononoke, a human girl raised by Moro who seek vengeance as a way to
compensate the distraught that aroused. Later, the wrath of nature and the
avarice of humans precipitate the engaged fierce battle for survival.
Also, this film introduces Lady Eboshi as the antagonist of the story
where she is characterized as ambitious. As the leader of Iron Town, Lady

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Eboshi puts emphasis on her plans to widen her territory even it would mean
to destroy the forest and disrupt the habitat of wild animals. As presented in
this picture:
Figure 1.7
Nago running away from the burning forest
Primarily, In scene (01:37:23-01:38:41) Lady Eboshi tries to burn down
the forest to drive away the wild animals which enraged the forest gods
especially the boar god, Nago, who protects the forest and his tribe. This
image serves an interpretation of how Lady Eboshi and his men persecute the
animals that resides in the forest and how they invaded their territory.
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Figure 1.8
Lady Eboshi and her people burn down the forest
On the other hand, Figure 1.8 shows Lady Eboshi standing in front of
the forest fire as she watches the flames consume every bit of the mountain.
After they successfully forces the animals to leave. Lady Eboshi and his men
are contently watching the fire burns down the forest. The ambitious Lady
Eboshi and her loyal clan use their guns against the gods of the forest and a
brave young woman, Princess Mononoke, who was raised by a wolf-god.
Ashitaka sees the good in both sides and tries to stem the flood of blood.
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Figure 1.9
Lady Eboshi talking to Ashitaka
In addition, in scene (41:41 - 42:51) Figure 1.9, it is evident that Lady
Eboshi manifests greed by presenting Ashitaka the newly invented gun, she
fires it toward the direction of the monkeys who always come at night to plant
trees and take back the mountains. Afterwards, Lady Eboshi asks Ashitaka for
his allegiance and about her plans on destroying the forest life in order to
expand her town and turns it into a land of riches. Lady Eboshi also confirms
to Ashitaka that she and her men will capture the Deer god if there is an
opportunity. This connotes that Lady Eboshi is willing to set aside the moral
standards only to pursue her ambition for power and materialism. This
represents a quality that is never about a protagonist winning but rather a
human pragmatism and ideology of ruthlessly imposed that a world is not built
to provide satisfaction of one’s need, instead, human thrives harder to obtain
one’s desire with no bound which oftentimes ends up excessively.

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As McGuinness (2009) indicated, a person might achieve success in
getting what he seek. And in those moments when the elusive object of a
desire is actually there you experience truly intoxicating feelings of triumph
and relief. However, these gratifying moments are all too brief. The feeling
that the “win” was just not enough. In fact, there is no such thing as enough.
Despite all the best efforts, and despite every success, an abiding
sense of security or fulfilment is never reached. The overwhelming desire is
literally insatiable so long as the underlying fear is never addressed. In the
case of Lady Eboshi, she may have good intention to help her people but the
way she ordered things are wrongdoings. Lady Eboshi builds a powerful town
which is known to their neighboring town, but her desire to have a progressive
town never stops until crosses the line and destroys the forest. According to
McGuinness, a person’s could be something concrete or abstract, real or
symbolic. But it will be something very specific on which the entire need-greed
complex becomes fixated.
Another fundamental elements that reveal the evidences of the
character’s greediness is through dialogue and discourses as well as the
other characters’ dialogue pertaining the portrayal of the character’s ominous
traits. In scene (01:37:23-01:38:41) when the iron workers start to narrate to
Ashitaka about the encounter of Lady Eboshi and the boar god, Nago, who is
enraged because humans invade and disrupt the forest. Below is the
statement of one of the iron worker regarding the fight of Nago and Lady
Eboshi. He said:
You should’ve seen her fighting Nago! A huge

boar god. He ruled the forest around here so we
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could not go into the mountains. All we could do

was look up at them… we used up the iron in
the sand by the lake, to get sand, we have to
clear the trees. Nago went wild then Lady
Eboshi came along with her muskets.
In here, Lady Eboshi shows her antagonistic quality as she burns down
the forest together with her men in order to increase the amount of resources
in forging iron, also, it also reveals that she is not afraid to defy the laws of
nature neither the curses of forest gods as she tries to drive away Nago using
her muskets and ammunitions, the boar god is later cursed and dies
afterwards with full of hatred in humanity. After hearing the story, Ashitaka
goes straight to Lady Eboshi to have some private talks regarding Nago, but
on the contrary, she takes him to a secret garden instead and shows him the
newly invented weapons which will be used to strengthen their defense
against creatures and rivals to whoever wants to conquer Iron Town as
proven in this line when she said:
This is the musket these people have designed.

This will kill monsters and pierce samurai armor.
After hearing her, Ashitaka suddenly gets furious about what she has
just said. He cannot fathom the idea that despite of all the destruction she
have caused, still, her villainous means prevail. Ashitaka tries to persuade her
angrily that her plan might elicit another misery and distress both to
humankind and wildlife. As presented in this line:
You stole the boar’s woods and made a

monster of him! Will you breed new hatred and
evil with those weapons?
Although Lady Eboshi apologizes for the suffering he is facing
especially the curse that is put on him because of Nago’s wrath but she does
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not feel sorry for the destruction she has done. According to her, everything
that happens is according to her plan, she even asks him for allegiance while
she tries to fire the newly invented musket towards the devastated mountain
where the monkeys plant trees. Below is the statement of Lady Eboshi saying:
They are back, they come at night to plant trees

and take back the mountains. Ashitaka, will you
stay and work with me?
However, instead of answering, Ashitaka asks Lady Eboshi in return if
she would seize even the deer god. The deer god is the god of all gods in the
forest who heals harmed animals; there are also hearsays that the divine deer
can also cure any diseases, thus, humans keep an eye to capture the said
animal especially Lady Eboshi who wants to seize the deer’s head and
present it to the Emperor in order to be recognized. In spite of this, her
primary objective on eliminating every animal gods who protect the forest is to
expand her Iron Town and makes it as powerful as possible. Her ambition to
have human civilization is the result of her excessive desire that is evidently
shown as she replies to Ashitaka, saying:
Without the ancient gods, the wild ones are

mere beasts—with the forest and wolves gone,
this will be a land of riches.
To fulfill her desire, Lady Eboshi destroys the forest—making the lives
of the animals in despair. Another instance is when the Samurai people attack
the Iron Town after hearing that Lady Eboshi goes to the deep mountains for
the search of the deer god, leaving the women in her town to fight alone with
their rival. Ashitaka tries to follow her from the deep mountains to bring the
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news but even after she learns about the sudden dilemma her town is
currently facing, she tries to convince her comrades that capturing the deer
god is their top priority as she state this line saying, “The women can hold
their own. They have weapons and supplies.” She decides without hesitation
that she will continue to find the deer god no matter what. This scene is
another portrayal of her excessive desire without thinking the sake of others,
as they continue their expedition they finally see the deer god on the later
part. And Lady Eboshi as eager as she is tries to lecture her men on how to
aim using the musket as presented in this line:
Watch closely all of you! This is how you kill a

god and this is also the death of god.
Then she aims for the head resulting the deer’s head detached from its
body. Suddenly, everything around becomes soggy and sodden, little did they
know that the forest god signifies itself as the forest, everything is
interconnected that when the deer god dies, the forest will be automatically
deteriorate as well including the creatures in it. In here, Lady Eboshi’s
principal goal is to accomplish her ambitious plans which exceeded too much.
The manner of her speaking does not only shows her external actions and
speech but also exposing her inner thoughts and motives. In here, Lady
Eboshi does not only consumes by her greediness but also blinded by the fact
that she is disregarding the rational idea that she exchanges the welfare of
human kind as well as the nature just to fulfill her excessive desire.
Another fundamental element that further strengthen the evidence that
reveals the underlying greediness of the character is through signs and

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symbols. In Princess Mononoke, several instances that Lady Eboshi
unleashes her avariciousness. As presented below:
Beheading of the Deer God
Beheading of the deer god as sign, is presented as the dissonance
between humans and nature. The figure below shows how it is shown in the
movie:
Figure 1.10
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Sign
Destruction
Beheading of the Dissonance

between humans
deer god
and nature
Signifier Signified
In Figure 1.10 shows the beheading of the deer god as the signifier
where it represents the dissonance between humans and nature. With the two
elements comes with a meaning of destruction driven by the excessive desire
which represent the boundary and the impossibility of coexisting between
humanity and nature. In the specific scene where Lady Eboshi shoots the
head of the dear god making his head detached from his body; is a clear
representation of disharmonious relationship between the opposite sides,
thus, Lady Eboshi represents the greedy and ambitious in humanity while the
deer god represents as forest itself. In Japanese Shintoism beliefs, it focused
on rituals and practices designed to bring humans close and more aware of
nature than it is focused on beliefs/faith in higher powers. One of the beliefs in

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Shinto is "Kami" that could forcibly translates to "nature spirits". Since
Princess Mononoke is obviously filled with these "Kami"; the talking wolves,
boars, apes, the Kodamas (little white forest guardians), and of course the
forest spirit itself since the deer god represents the forest. When the
beheading is done and so is the forest due to the excessive desire and
political ambition of Lady Eboshi.
With the dilemmas caused by humans such as deforestation, global
warming, and pollution negatively impacting the environment. Therefore, the
impact of humanity’s greed on the environment is visible. In Princess
Mononoke, the theme that is present is, “Continuous destruction and
technological takeover will eventually elicit another catastrophe to both
environment and human kind.”
It offers an idea that humanity and nature are interconnected. As
shown in the movie, due to excessive consumptions of material goods of Lady
Eboshi and the rest of the Iron Town people, the destruction of the
environment caused by extreme desire also affects their way of living. As
presented in the movie, together with the fall of the forest life is the fall of the
Iron Town as well.
The Emblem and Manifestation of Cupidity in the Mystical World of
Spirited Away
A reoccurring and notable theme in Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away”
(2001) is the destructive nature of greed—it is a story which involves a little
girl named Chihiro who is stuck in a magical world of spirits. Chihiro, together
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with her parents are supposed to move to their new home in a remote area
when they accidentally pass to a peculiar place. Out of curiosity, Chihiro’s
parents wander around until they arrived to a bizarre yet interesting small
village, food is in every store but no one is there. And as her parents think that
it is fine to eat the food of the spirits uninvited because they have cash and
card to pay for them, eventually turned into pigs as a punishment. Conversely,
Yu Baba, the owner of the bath house rules her establishment like a greedy
capitalists and when Chihiro asks for a job with the help of Haku, she changed
her name into Sen in order to take her identity and take it as it hers like what
she did to everyone else.
Yubaba is the antagonist in the story and characterized as greedy
capitalist, she is a sorceress who owns the bath house for spirit guests and
manipulates her workers by taking away their true identity and changes it. She
is scrupulous with her wealth especially to the little details of her gems and
jewelries. Yubaba is perfectly groomed and heavily bejeweled, and her head
is huge in proportion to her body. As befits her station in life, she lives in
opulent rooms at the top of the bathhouse. Nevertheless, a form of literal
representation of traits is also exhibited by the physical appearance of the
character, as presented in this image:

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Figure 1.11
Yubaba scrutinizing her gems and jewelries
In Figure 1.11, the enlargement of bodies can be seen in the character
of Yubaba, whose head is severely enormous, putting forth a literal
representation of her ‘big head’ or egocentric alongside her immense wealth
and greed for more. Her age is never stated but Yubaba is very wrinkly, most
likely ancient. She has dark brown eyes accentuated with lavender eye
shadow as well as a prominent crooked nose which is identical to her twin
sister, Zeniba, who also carries these physical traits but unlike her, Zeniba is
“the complete opposite” of her. As the main antagonist of the film, Yubaba has
an extremely overbearing and intimidating personality. Like many other
workers of her infamous bathhouse, Yubaba obsesses greedily over gold and
is shown to be willing to view gold as a priority over her own family. She is
quite selfish and frugal (especially when it comes to her workers), having
given herself an opulent area with immeasurable amounts of unoccupied
space whereas her many workers stays in a single cramped room as living
space.
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Chihiro’s Parents are characterized as gluttonous, in the beginning of
the film, Chihiro’s parents discover a food stall with a buffet of food. No one is
at the stall to give them permission to eat the food, nor to accept payment for
the food. As presented in this image:
Figure 1.12
Chihiro and her parents
In the scene (09:26-09:28), Figure 1.12 shows that without any
hesitation, Chihiro’s parents begin to stuff their faces in large portions,
claiming that they will pay the bill later, however, Chihiro refuses the food as
she fears that they will get in “trouble” even though Chihiro’s father tells her to
not worry because he has credit cards and cash.

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Figure 1.13
Chihiro’s parents transform into pig
Afterwards, in Figure 1.13 shows Chihiro returns from her strange
encounter with Haku and she discovers her parents have been transformed
into pigs. In the movie, No-Face is characterized as a helpless lonely spirit
that has no place in the spirit world for he has no verified personal identity
who comes to help Chihiro when the manager of the bathhouse refuses to
give her a token. When No-Face takes the token and gives it to Chihiro, she
expresses her gratitude toward No-Face. Once the token has been used for
the stink spirit, No-Face presents Chihiro with a handful of bath tokens, which
she refuses to take. No-Face assumes that the only way to gain Chihiro’s
friendship is through material gifts. As presented in this picture:

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Figure 1.14
No Face swallows two bath house workers
In Figure 1.14, Kaonashi (No Face) tries to eat the two bath house
workers as the greediness slowly corrupting him. This instance is the portrayal
of greed as Kaonashi eats everything in a limitless appetite.

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Figure 1.15
No Face offers gold to Chihiro
In Figures 1.14 and 1.15 both shows that after No-Face lures the frog
in with gold, he eats him and takes on part of the frog’s personality. This is a
clear evidence that the new No-Face is corrupted with greed. The rest of the
bathhouse learns that No-Face can produce gold from his hands, so all the
bathhouse workers surround him and shower him with exotic foods in order to
a receive a hefty tip. The next time No-Face encounters Chihiro, he offers him
a handful of gold, which she refuses again. The gold in No-Face’s hands drop
to the floor and the greedy bathhouse workers all swarm to pick it up. No-
Face then eats some of the employees causing chaos in the bathhouse. No-
Face thinks that he can buy people’s attention with money and he quickly
learns that his emptiness isn’t being satisfied through the attention, false
friendship and lots of gifts that the bathhouse workers provide. He becomes
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attached to the idea of being loved and admired so he continues to consume
more and more.
The greediness of the characters are illustrated as well through their
conversation, this part consists of deciphering the character’s portrayal of
greediness which through dialogue and narration has an underlying meaning.
In Spirited Away, through the exchange of several conversations, characters
present various indications revealing the greediness in them. In scene (08:41-
09:05) where Chihiro’s parents wander around to the peculiar place which is
precisely the bathhouse rules by Yubaba, they are allure with the food in
every stall. As proven in this lines, “Don’t worry. We will pay them when they
show up.” Chihiro’s mother convinces them that it is fine to take food from the
stall without permission, besides they have money to pay. Furthermore,
Chihiro’s father also added that there is nothing to worry about because they
can pay. As proven in this line, “Don’t worry, your father is here. I’ve got credit
cards and cash.”
Their manner of speaking is clearly a quality of greediness which can
be an indirect statement that it is acceptable to invade someone’s property
because they can pay the bills and as far as money is concerned, it is a
powerful thing, including Chihiro’s parents possibly think that money can
control everything and everyone. Thus, the way they speak and the logical
meaning of their words clearly presents an embodiment of greediness lurking
inside them where the characters think that stuffing their faces with food
without the consent of the owner because they have cash to pay is
reasonable when in fact this clearly implies the opposite.

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After Chihiro seeing her parents turns into pig, she haste to escape as
she tries to scream “Mom! Dad!” repeatedly hoping that what she sees a while
ago is not the reality and is just a bad dream. When Haku finds him, he
immediately orders him to go to the sorceress and asks for a job so that she
will not be harmed, that’s when she meets Yubaba, the owner of the bath
house who also manifests greed. As proven in this line:
Chihiro, that is your name? Quite a fancy

name… but from now on your name is Sen.
Understand? Sen. Answer me, Sen!
In this particular scene (40:07-40:32), Yubaba takes Chihiro’s name as
part of her identity and takes it as it hers and gives a new name to completely
manipulates Chihiro like what she usually do to everyone else by way of
Yubaba’s strategy to easily monopolize her workers. This simply means that
there is deep meaning of her words more than the literal meaning. On top of
that, as for the new name of Chihiro which is ‘Sen’ has specific indication also.
In Japanese term, Sen means one thousand which is a term that denotes
money. To further strengthen the evidence, in scene (48:56) Haku also says
to Chihiro that, “Yubaba controls us by stealing our names.” Moreover, in
scene (1:24:08-1:42:18) Zeniba also speaks to Chihiro:
All dragons are kind. Kind and stupid. This boy

will do anything that greedy woman (Yubaba)
wants.
When the older twin sister of Yubaba caught Haku stealing her magical
seal, Chihiro tries to convince her not to punish him because of the fact that
he is just Yubaba’s apprentice and is just instructed to do it. As lines

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presented above, through the claims of Zeniba this confirms that she is
indeed a greedy woman as well as by the zealous and ruthless chasing of
Zeniba’s magical solid gold seal.
On the other hand, while everyone that is mentioned seems to have
clearly displayed greediness. There is one character that seems to be
unnoticeable yet undergoes with several emotions and profound changes, No
Face is a black soggy figure that has no distinct identity yet in the duration of
the movie, he is able to acquire both distinctiveness and personality. As
presented in this line:
Hey boss, I’m hungry… starved, in fact. There, I

will pay you now. I’m a costumer, I want a
bath…
In scene (01:09:30-01:09:42), No Face tries to lure the worker frog with
gold and eats him afterwards, as a result, he obtains the frog’s character and
tries to connect to it. As lines presented above, No Face copies this greedy
behavior including its manner of speaking. He eats the frog and transforms
into an exaggeration of his greed although No face tries to show kindness
towards Chihiro but the frog’s interest in him is only motivated by greed that it
is overpowering. Also, in scene (01:32:45) No Face already eaten three bath
house workers and becomes outrageous that Yubaba can’t control him
anymore because he only wants to see Chihiro and when the little girl
appears; as being greedy creature he turns out to be, keeps on asking Chihiro
on taking the golds. As presented in this line:
Want some gold? I have decided it’s just for

you. What do you want? You can tell me.
__________________________________________________________________________
However, he is confused when Chihiro refuses his gold even though
No Face keeps on insisting to give it to her and asks her if she wants anything
more aside from those. This lines indicate that because No Face is corrupted
by the greediness inside him, that he also thought Chihiro only wants to
possess the material things that he also desire.
Conversely, another significant element to further strengthen the
evidences of the characters’ avarice is through the underlying signs. In the
movie Spirited Away, several kinds of signs or symbols can be integrated in
the story and every signs or symbols may have one or more encompassing
meaning out of the object per se. These signs and symbols contributed to the
entirety of the movie as another essential element to reveal the nuances
portrayal of the characters’ avarice.
Pigs
The sign ‘pigs’ is presented as gluttonous where the said animal gorge
themselves with food in a disgusting way. The figure below shows how it is
shown in the movie:
Figure 1.16
__________________________________________________________________________
Sign
Sinful
Pigs Gluttonous
Signifier Signified
Figure 1.16 shows the pigs as the signifier or the object where it
signified as gluttonous. With the two elements compliment and come up with
the meaning that the pig, is presented as an over indulgence and their
limitless appetite for food as a form of punishment of Yubaba to Chihiro’s
parents by gobbling the food uninvited.
Yubaba’s enormous head
The sign ‘Yubaba’s enormous head’ is presented as egocentric. As
shown in the movie, her head is not proportioned to her body because it is
quite enormous compared to her normal body size. Her head actually depicts
her characteristics. The image below shows how it is shown in the movie:
__________________________________________________________________________
Figure 1.17
Sign
Greedy Capitalist,
Materialistic, and
Egocentric
Yubaba’s
Her actual
enormous
head traits
Signifier Signified
Figure 1.17 signifies as a denotative idea of Yubaba’s enormous head.
The signifier then signified as her actual characteristics. The two elements
compliment with a meaning which then formed a sign of an image and
presented as Greedy Capitalist, Materialistic, and Egocentric.
The Mouth of Kaonashi (No Face)

__________________________________________________________________________
As presented on the figure below, the sign ‘Mouth of Kaonashi (No
Face)’ is presented as the excessive consumptions of food and material
things. Kaonashi swallows two bath house workers which he later acquires
their personalities and greediness. As presented in this image:
Figure 1.18
Sign
Sinful
The mouth of Seeking to satisfy

Kaonashi (No hunger, attention,
Face) and material
things
Figure 1.18 shows the signifier, the mouth of Kaonashi now
combines with the signified seeking to satisfy hunger, attention, and material
things. The two elements then put together to form a new connotative sign of
__________________________________________________________________________
the image which is the concept of excessive consumption of food and material
things.
The signs and symbols that are illustrated above connotes the similar
idea of cupidity and greediness, however, each of the symbols also implied
different faces of greediness which later create and come up with a similar
meaning of the entirety of the narrative. The following symbols that are used
create an individual meaning such as gluttony, excessive desire for wealth
and physical things, and excessive consumption of basic needs.
For instance, the pigs signifies as gluttonous when Chihiro’s parents
are lured by the delicious food in a restaurant after they came to the spirit
town. Also, there are multiple references to the “Bubble economy” of the late
1990s and representations of the greed in Spirited Away that attributes to the
economic struggles (Jacobs, 2016). The very first of these occurs in the first
ten minutes of the film as Chihiro’s father explains that the boom was
responsible for the production of many of these theme parks – and the bust
responsible for their abandonment. Chihiro’s parents transforming into pigs is
a clear metaphor for greed, excessive consumption, and short-term pleasure
seeking, all of which are vices that accompany a bubble economy. They
engorge the food without the permission of the owner and are turned into pigs
because of their uncontrolled desire. The scene where Chihiro’s parents are
eating by hands, tearing meat like wild people with various well-prepared food
in front of them while Chihiro looks worried and suspicious, keeping a
distance from her parents, their inhumane mannerism of devouring the food,
bears striking resemblance of pigs. This scene is a projection of modern

__________________________________________________________________________
society. The food represents the desire of her parents who value money as
almighty because as long as they have enough money, they can satisfy all
their desire.
Her parents are portrayed as greedy and irresponsible in the symbol of
the “credit card wielding father turning into an overindulgent hog.” (Broderick,
2003). In literature, pigs or boars symbolizes abundance, fertility, and good
fortune. However, it is also regarded as most lazy animal because it doesn’t
work and just pursue more feeds—pigs are often thought to have voracious
appetite, to spend much of their time wallowing in mud or other filth and to
appear “boorish, coarse, [and] obstinate.” For all these reasons and others,
they can be symbolically (and literally) associated with the world and with
such worldly qualities as greed, gluttony, and laziness (O’Connor, 2011).
Avarice and cupidity is expressed further. As illustrated above,
Yubaba’s enormous head serves as the signifier while it signifies as her actual
traits, with the two elements compliment it forms an image of a sign which is
greedy, materialistic and egocentric. Yubaba is regarded as capitalist class
who are blind of materialism. The framing of the scene where Yubaba
constantly scrutinizes her jewelries, gems, and golds in several instances
emphasize an idea of being rapacious and obsessed to material possessions
to the extent that she chooses wealth over her family.
“Despite her motherly devotion to Boh, Yubaba as a mother could only
recognize her son solely by appearance, and that she prioritizes materialistic
profits over her family (Ngoc, 2015).” Her obsession with money and gold
again becomes apparent in the scene in which Haku asks her if she had
__________________________________________________________________________
noticed the important thing of her which has gone missing, she examines her
gold first, then averts her eyes to the fake Baby Boh. Yubaba's failure to
recognize her own baby reflects her lack of emotions, feelings and maternal
love, just to foil her affection towards gold and money. Also, as seen in the
movie, she lives an opulent life on the top floor of bath house while her
workers living in a cramped room at the bottom floor—this offers an image of
superiority and oppression as well as selfishness. Therefore, the
characteristic mentioned creates an overall image establishing that her
enormous head represents her negative traits.
Kaonashi (No Face), on the other hand, in the beginning is an
insignificant character yet mysterious which drives him to lure the workers,
seeking a satisfaction for his hunger, attention, and material things. In the
scene where he makes gold, he is given a warm reception and the workers
tend to have attention on him. It indicates that he already gain the attentions,
however, Kaonashi never gets satisfied with his need of hunger with food, so
he started to eat people in bath house and meant to express the greed he
acquires since he eats the bath house workers. The scene where the bath
house swarming with food signifies excessive consumption on what supposed
to be moderated—Kaonashi’s terrible appetite is counterproductive and self-
destructive, the more he feeds it, the more monstrous it becomes. Through
the two elements comes the meaning that the mouth of Kaonashi as it seeks
for satisfaction represents the excessive consumptions of food and material
possessions.
__________________________________________________________________________
Moreover, according to McGuinness (2009). Egoism (not to be
confused with egotism) is state of self-centred acquisitiveness: I will have
what I want and need. It is the opposite of altruism. As the author stated,
Egoism is in moderation since a person can have what he needs and wants
but in a limited amount, after all, satisfying one’s own needs and desires is
part of what life is about and not as to be self-sacrificing saints. On the other
hand, voracity or gluttony is a state of excessive egoism and unjustified
acquisitiveness. Not only does it cause one to acquire more than is ever going
to be necessary, it can also lead to others being deprived of the same thing.
In the case of Kaonashi and Chihiro’s parents, it is evident that both
characters mentioned are belong to the negative pole. The fact that these
characters gorged the food in overindulgence and in limitless appetite.
Moreover, once the negative pole of greed takes control of the personality, it
does not care who it hurts in the process of getting what it “needs”. As
presented in the film, both Chihiro’s parents and Kaonashi are consumed by
greed and takes over their personality to the extent that they are being
harmful particulary, the behaviour of Kaonashi as he tries to lure the workers
and eat some of them because of the feeling of unsatisfied. The unsatisfaction
feeling may not only cause trouble to the corrupted one but as well as in his
surrounding where his greediness might ends up a deprivation among the
rest.
As shown in the characters, Spirited Away also offers theme of another
faces of greed; Egocentricity, Materialism, Gluttony, and Excessive
consumption. Themes are one of the fundamental and often universal ideas
__________________________________________________________________________
explored in a literary work and for Spirited Away, the theme that occur is
“Sometimes, people’s endless desire will eventually turn them into
monsters.” Food, money, and material possessions play a vital role in the
movie, it illustrates how these things a powerful and essential tool that triggers
someone’s desire. The greediness of the characters unveil when using the
said powerful tools, from the parents of Chihiro, Yubaba, Kaonashi (No Face),
and even the bath house workers. The only person that isn’t tempted and
corrupted by greed is someone as innocent as Chihiro. While the first
mentioned characters consumed earthly things as desire, Chihiro only
consumes base on the amount of what she only needs, it becomes a
necessity rather than greediness. It implies that tempted by earthly
possession means losing one’s moral and identities.
Biographical Approach: Seeing Interpretation through the Author’s Lens
From a biographical perspective, Hayao Miyazaki constitutes the
theme of greed based on his life experiences, beliefs and perspectives. This
notion is perceptible in many of his movies since Miyazaki frequently makes
references to nature, ecology and pollution in his films. Also, in Miyazaki’s
animated worlds, all things possess human traits—he is able to capture the
nature of people so well because, above all else, he understands people.
Miyazaki studies people (Fu, 2014). Moreover, while most animation movies
pay emphasis on the character arc of its primary protagonist, Miyazaki's
characters begin flawed and remain so until the end of the film (Wright, 2005).
__________________________________________________________________________
Firstly, in the movie, Castle in the Sky is inspired by Miyazaki’s visit to
a Welsh mining town during the strikes of 1984. He became obsessed by
what he saw there; primarily by the effects of the decline in industry, stating
that he “admired the way they battled to save their way of life” as the
Japanese miners also did. Despite its fantastical elements, the film is
centered on one such town, where a little boy, Pazu, works in the mines in
order to survive. The monotony of his life is broken up by a girl named Sheeta
falling from the sky, and they embark on an adventure, racing against pirates
and foreign agents to find the legendary Laputa. The architecture of the town
is largely inspired by Welsh towns, with British-style buildings and clothing. On
top of this, Hayao Miyazaki emphasizes the relationship between humans and
environment, he has an idea that humans should harmonize with nature which
is closely linked to the Japanese Shintoism and Miyazaki successfully applied
his belief. However, in this chosen films, Miyazaki applied his beliefs toward
religion and perspective in an opposite manner in such a way that it results as
a distorted reality. He intentionally takes adult humans as unethical, greedy,
and selfish. His beliefs for Shintoism is quite perceptible in this film and
associates an ominous traits to the character which is likely prohibited in
Shintoism. As he said in one of his interview with Mes (2002) in regards of
associating Japanese traditions in his film:
“When I talk about traditions, I'm not talking about temples,

which we got from China anyway. There is an indigenous
Japan (Shintoism), and elements of that are what I'm trying
to capture in my work whether in the same way or the other
way around.”
__________________________________________________________________________
Laputa is both a paradise and a weapon of war, where benevolent
robots live harmoniously with the environment, but man still cannot. It has
become overrun with nature and learn that the Earth can only bloom where
man cannot touch it.
In the same way, Princess Mononoke is another portrayal of avarice
and greed. Elements of Japanese Shintoism, as defines previously, Shintoism
is a religion originating in Japan which serves to unite the paths of man and
gods/nature. Shintoism is more focused on rituals and practices designed to
bring humans close and more aware of nature, than it is focused on
beliefs/faith in higher powers which can be found in Princess Mononoke,
Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky. And in the same manner, Miyazaki
distorts reality and serves it in an opposite way where discord to environment
and dissonance between humanity and nature instead of the other way
around.
As Nakamura (2013) said that, I believe Hayao Miyazaki uses these
fora as a means for a grander purpose. With the same clarity with which he
tells a fable, he is aware of the tremendous power his medium and position
give him. Ultimately, he seems to understand the threats of current human
affairs and strives to turn our heads toward a more inward looking approach to
life. With that he hopes that we, global citizens, work toward a cleaner
ecosystem, become closer to our peers and remember our ancient principles,
in order to –in the long run- succeed in preserving the balance of our
existence. For years he has sought to bring a message of hope and provide
that ever-elusive promise of potential betterment for humanity through his

__________________________________________________________________________
wonderful vision and keen eye for human potential. Greed, ignorance,
egocentrism and division ought to be replaced by love, spirituality, oneness
and selflessness, his opus scream.
However, Miyazaki once again establishes a theme in his work which
is a total opposite on his Shintoism beliefs. As presented in the movie, it
opens with the death of a giant boar kami, having been cursed by a demon.
The main character, Prince Ashitaka, and leaders of the village he is a part of,
say prayers with the Boar as it does, and they also hold rituals following his
death to try and interpret the boar's actions. This conveys Ashitaka's
awareness and respect for nature and nature's spirituality.
Miyazaki introduces Lady Eboshi on the later part of the film as the
ambitious, forward-thinking leader of iron town. In distinct contrast to Ashitaka.
In one of the interview of Hayao Miyazaki, he reveals the characteristic of
Lady Eboshi and the concept of greed that he established using the said
character:
Judging from her attire, Eboshi looks like a

Shirabyoushi (prostitutes who danced in
men's attire)?
I also have that image (about her). I think that
she got there after going through considerable
hardships. So from Eboshi's standpoint, she
must feel that Ashitaka's karma is nothing.
– Hayao Miyazaki
So she did go through a lot of hardships?

M: Yes. I thought up a story that she was a wife
of a Wako boss (Japanese pirates/smugglers
who raided the Chinese and Korean coastlines),
or something like that. And what Eboshi is trying
to do is to build a paradise as she thinks of it.
__________________________________________________________________________
Hence, she is a person of the 20th century. She

has a clear ideal and can take action.
-- Hayao Miyazaki
And if she was interfered with?
She wouldn't hesitate to kill, sacrifice, or even
sacrifice herself.
-- Hayao Miyazaki
Based on his interview Tokuma (2001), what Miyazaki says is, he
describes Lady Eboshi as “a person of the 20 th century and has a clear ideal
and can take action”. Princess Mononoke takes place in the late Muromachi
period (approximately 1336 to 1573) while Lady Eboshi is a 20 th century
person. Given the time difference, Iron Town obviously sets in a period which
is far different from the advanced technology of 20 th century; it is clear that
Miyazaki wants to imply that Lady Eboshi looks forward for civilization and
industrialized society for the betterment and survival of her town and the
people living in it. However, her ambition does sometimes go beyond the line
between her love for the people of iron town and her own personal greed. She
plans to kill the forest spirit, the sacred deity of forest the film takes place in, in
order to stop the spread of nature. She wants to make it easier for her town to
conquer and prosper in the iron-rich grounds in the area. Miyazaki also
speaks about the curses given to the forest gods in one of his interview he
said:
About the idea of forests and trees cursing

the humans who destroyed them?
There are many stories about trees giving
curses (Tatari) in the Western part of Japan.
Such folklore, remains strongly in Japanese
culture. People on Yakushima Island didn't cut
the trees. They thought that cutting trees would
__________________________________________________________________________
bring about a curse. Trees are beings that make

us feel that way. I learned it when I went to
Yakushima. When they decided to cut and sell
trees because they were too poor to eat, there
was a monk who recommended cutting the
trees. It was not the case that they started
cutting trees because a certain person
happened to be on the island and said so, but
rather to do with the changes in the society
itself.
In this interview, Miyazaki reveals his notion about trees that can give
its curses to human when being cut or destroyed which was said to be a
folklore and sacred believed by the people dwells in the west part of Japan.
He further stated that when he went to Yakushima where the people he met
resides, they decided to cut trees because of their incapacity to find another
sources for food and basic needs, however, when they started to sell and cut
more trees, people tend to forget the folklore they believed and eventually
disregard the culture they once lived before and so Miyazaki also realizes that
cutting trees aren’t the only inevitable thing that has changed but also the
effect of those action that affects the society itself for a lifetime. His own belief
about nature that can give its judgement was evidently applied through his
various works especially in Princess Mononoke where the forest itself can
perished and punished the wrong doings of human. In addition, Miyazaki’s
perspective about cutting trees as sacred was also portrayed in Princess
Mononoke when people respected the rights of the forest long before they
learned to defy the order of nature and revered curses of gods because of
their thinking that humans will never co-exist peacefully with nature as well as
__________________________________________________________________________
having the mindset that living creatures were only a hindrance to civilized and
strived economy.
Which means?
In the past, humans hesitated when they took
lives, even non-human lives. But society had
changed, and they no longer felt that way. As
humans grew stronger, I think that we became
quite arrogant, losing the sorrow of "we have no
other choice." I think that in the essence of
human civilization, we have the desire to
become rich without limit, by taking the lives of
other creatures.
Miyazaki basically indicates that Princess Mononoke signifies the
Japanese Culture that once coexisted with nature, but also gone a long time
ago due to human civilization. Moreover, Miyazaki stated that because of
human civilization, the desire to become rich bounds no limit to the extent that
it can harm others. He further stated that:
The place where pure water is running in the

depth of the forest in the deep mountains,
where no human has ever set foot. I still have a
feeling that there is such a holy place with no
humans in the deep mountains, the source
where many things are born. I think that
Japanese gardens definitely try to create a holy,
pure world. Purity was the most important thing
for Japanese.
But we have lost it. I feel that we have lost our
core as the people who live in this island nation.
I think that it was the most important root for the
people who have been living on this island.
– Hayao Miyazaki
Although Miyazaki wanted to believe that there is still a place in the
deep mountains of Japan where purity remains as he said in the same
interview. However, he also contradicted his idea and said that human
__________________________________________________________________________
civilization is the worst yet beautiful change that happened in a society at the
same time as it drives people to progress but desire excessively for more and
tend disregard the lives of creatures and nature only to pursue one’s ambition.
Miyazaki’s notion was evidently applied to his work, Princess Mononoke.
When greedy action continues without bounds, embodying a relentless,
unstoppable craving for more, it is seen as truly reprehensible in almost every
culture and society. Moreover, Hume (1941) also claims that there are two
types of greed: avarice and miserliness. In other words, a greedy person can
be someone who wants to acquire as much as possible, or a greedy person
can be stingy and does not want to lose what he already has.
Lastly, in Spirited Away, the Japanese Shintoism is also visible in this
film but the major focal point of this movie is greed. In an interview, press asks
about the inspiration of the richness of imagery of the said movie. Miyazaki
often features a pig or an animal related to a pig in his films [gorging on food]
Sometimes shows a character or a group of characters gorging on a meal.
When Steven Horn interviews him about the images that are presented in his
works especially the images of pigs that are presented in several instances:
In both Spirited Away and Porco Rosso there

are people who are transformed into pigs.
Where does this fascination with pigs come
from?
My feeling is that we human beings are able to
exist on planet Earth and are also stuck here
because of gravity. Flight expresses a liberation
from that grounding. Pigs symbolize greed but
they are also quite likeable and you really can’t
bring yourself to hate them just the way I feel
about humans. On some of the themes in
Spirited Away. The relationship between Chihiro
__________________________________________________________________________
and her parents is very typical of most family

relationships in Japan.
-- Hayao Miyazaki
Based on what Miyazaki stated, Chihiro’s parents turns into pig is a
symbolism of greed, Miyazaki’s establishment of greed in Spirited Away
incorporates with a pig due to its characteristics and traits.
How do you feel about Chihiro?

In many instances, you must use your own
strength. But that's a matter of course, that's
living in the world. So, I am making the film with
the idea that it is the world, rather than bad guys
or good guys. The scary woman, Yu-baba, who
looks like a bad guy in this film, is actually the
manager of the bath house where the heroine
works. She's having a hard time managing the
bath house; she has many employees, a son,
and her own desires, and she is suffering
because of those things. So I don't intend to
portray her as a simple villain.
In the same manner, Miyazaki explains how he ended up in such
strange and extraordinary villain, Yubaba. In some of the interviews of
Miyazaki, he honestly tell everyone that when the work of Spirited Away is
ongoing, he definitely had no idea how to end the story and he tried to
compliment the characteristics of the characters to have a beautiful piece.
When he said in his interview that, “The scary woman, Yu-baba, who looks
like a bad guy in this film. She's having a hard time managing the bath house;
she has many employees, a son, and her own desires, and she is suffering
because of those things.” Means that Yubaba as an extraordinary villain,
struggles in her own flaws—her greediness is also her fall when she is unable
to identify between the purity of love and affection towards her son as well as
__________________________________________________________________________
her family compared to the desire she felt for material possessions. Miyazaki
tried to capture a quality of a character which tells everyone that being greedy
can also be anyone’s downfall once it consumed and corrupted the logical
reasoning which enable to weigh circumstances. Same goes with Kaonashi
(No Face) who transforms into a monstrous creatures.
In another interview of Toshio Suzuki, Producer of Studio Ghibli said
that even No Face, the spirit who tempts the bath workers’ greed that comes
from the real world, in fact, a character No Face is said to be autobiographical
In my experience, many of the characters

portray and contain positive elements of the
man Miyazaki-san. No Face is desperate to
enter somehow into the heart of others but
really doesn’t have the ways and means to
do so.
-- Toshio Suzuki, Producer
Hayao Miyazaki’s concept of greed is evidently portrayed in his
several films, however, as observed in his interviews and articles, he doesn’t
want to directly states to the audience what is the meaning of the symbolical
figures presented in his movies as well as the magnificent story itself.
Although he has concept in his mind on how his stories goes on, but he
makes his works as ambiguous as it is and let his viewers understand it the
way they want to think.
Chapter V
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SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter consists of four parts namely: (1) Summary, which
summarizes the purpose of the study and the research methodology; (2)
Findings, which presents the findings of the study; (3) Conclusions, which
presents the conclusions made after completing the study; and (4)
Recommendations, which offers recommendations in view of the results
drawn.
Summary
This study analyzed the characters’ portrayal of greediness in some of
Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films as well as his concept of greed. Specifically,
it will answer the following questions: Who are the characters that manifest
greed and how are they differently illustrated through: dialogue and narration,
symbols, and theme. How did Hayao Miyazaki establish his concept of greed?
This study is a qualitative research and content analysis and employed
Formalistic Approach, Ferdinand de Saussure’s Semiotics, and Biographical
Approach in analyzing the portrayal of greediness of the characters and in
answering the problems. The study had undergone procedures of analysis:
The researcher collected data and information from physical books in the
university library and online books that were available in the internet for the
references and other relate literature that is relevant to the study. As for
materials to be analyzed in the study, the researcher purposively choose
animated films with similar themes which were created and written by Hayao
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Miyazaki. Then, the researcher watched the materials several times and
proceeded to the analysis and presentation of data.
Formalistic approach was used to characterized the characters, identify
the portrayal of greediness through dialogue and narration, and the theme
that filmmaker employed. Biographical Approach was used to establish the
concept of greed of the filmmaker.
Findings
Based on the selected films of Hayao Miyazaki, the following are the
summary of findings:
In the three chosen films, characters are perceptibly manifest greed. In
Castle in the Sky, the two characters are classified as greedy. Muska’s
primary goal is to revive Laputa but has exceeded wrongfully that it turns out
to be his excessive desire and political ambition. While, Dola gang’s nature as
pirates is perceptible since they are only after for Laputa’s treasures. In
Princess Mononoke, one character is classified as greedy. Lady Eboshi’s
principal goal is to build human civilization and industrialized society in deep
mountains but ends up excessively because of going beyond the line when
she attempts to eliminate the forest life which indicates a boundary and the
impossibility of coexisting between humanity and nature. Lastly, in Spirited
Away, three characters are classified as greedy. First is Chihiro’s parents who
are gluttonous as they disgustingly gobble the food in excessive amount.
Second is Yubaba who is a greedy capitalist, frugal, and obsessed with
material possessions and wealth. Third is Kaonashi (No Face) who is also
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gluttonous and materialistic as he excessively consumes basic needs that is
supposed to be in moderate. This film shows that gluttony is the negative pole
of desire, it also gives emphasis about the things that are powerful and
essential tool that can triggers someone’s greediness; food, money, and
material possessions play a vital role in the movie for these can make
someone as monsters.
The portrayal of greed are differently presented, through the utilized
theories, the researcher allows to find out that greediness motivates the words
of mouth of the characters as well as the underlying symbols in every films
where the author denoted symbolical figures that emphasizes the greediness
of the characters. Also this presented another portrayal of greed where it
shows that the characters are utterly fixated on seeking one’s desire that the
counteraction is negative as pattern of greed shows the chief feature to self-
destruction which is greed and it shows that greed is driven by a fundamental
sense of deprivation. As Klafter (2015) also claims that greed is the feeling of
wanting more, needing more, craving more, and most importantly, having the
sense that no one in the world is going to provide what is lacking or needed.
The greedy individual feels, ‘I will need to take this for myself.’ The films
presented are different faces of greed where it indicates the deprivation and
eagerness to achieve something can lead to greediness.
As such, when analyzing Hayao Miyazaki’s concept of greed to the
theories of greed in literature; Miyazaki establishes his concept of greed
through his culture, beliefs, perspectives, and life experiences.
Conclusions
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The results of the present study entitled Faces of Greed: A Critical
Analysis in the Works of Hayao Miyazaki have led to a certain conclusions.
Miyazaki has always a concept in his mind on what the story means
and how his stories goes on, he does not want to give direct explanation
about the concepts in his films for he believes that every viewers has different
understanding.
Castle in the Sky is another face of greed where the human desire
and political ambition towards technology is perceptible. Whereas, Princess
Mononoke gives another flavor of greediness of the character about human
civilization and Shinto gods are incorporated in the film. While both Castle in
the Sky and Princess Mononoke embodies the chaos between human and
nature, Spirited Away, on the other hand presents greediness in a way of
losing one’s moral and identities once corrupted by greed.
Hayao Miyazaki’s selected films use figurative images, symbols,
signs, discourse as well as incorporating Japanese beliefs in his works.
Moreover, there are recurring themes that he presents to the viewers. Similar
themes that are present in his work is about greediness but he succeeds to
give a new faces of greediness in his every movies.
Recommendations
In the light of preceding findings, the following are recommended:
1. Study on greedy characters in other films of Hayao
2. Study on greedy characteristics in other animated films
REFERENCES
__________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________
APPENDICES
__________________________________________________________________________
Appendix A
Castle in the Sky
Hayao Miyazaki
Characters:
Sheeta - The first Protagonist of the story, a young girl who secretly holds a
mysterious amulet connected to the legendary city of Laputa.
Pazu - The second Protagonist of the story, a young boy working in a mining
town whose father died after a lifetime of fruitlessly seeking the legendary
flying city, Laputa.
Dola - The captain and mother of the sky-pirates; another of the people on the
hunt for Sheeta and her amulet, pursuing along with the military.
Dola Gang -
Colonel Muska - A colonel as a covert operative in the military; takes control
of the government's effort to discover Laputa. Who, later in the movie, reveals
to have own motives for finding Laputa.
General Moro - A general in the army who works with Muska only reluctantly,
suspicious of his covert operations.
Uncle Pom - An old man living in the caves beneath the city, possesses
knowledge of Laputa and its resources.

__________________________________________________________________________
Summary:
The film opens with a brief scene in which Sheeta, the heroine of the
story, falls from a giant airship during which the Legend of Laputa is told
through a series of short animations. Aboard a giant passenger airship, a
young girl guarded by sinister government agents is sitting in a room looking
out the window, when she sees an air pirate flying toward the ship. The ship
comes under attack from a group of pirates. Sheeta attempts to escape to
another room by climbing out the window and crawling along the outside of
the ship. The leader of the pirates, an elderly woman, says she must have the
"crystal" that the girl possesses. Suddenly, the girl loses her grip and falls
from the ship, but on her way to the ground, the pendant radiates a brilliant
blue light and allows the girl unconsciously descend gently to the ground.
Pazu, a young boy on his way to a witnesses the girl falling slowly from
the sky. He is just in time to catch her, and is amazed by her apparent
weightlessness. Soon after coming to rest in his arms, the pendant's light
fades and the girl returns to her normal weight, nearly causing Pazu to fall. He
sets her down safely and gets to work, then takes her back to his home when
he's done. The next morning, the rescued at the mine wakes up in his house.
Both children have a good laugh and prepare breakfast. Sheeta becomes
astonished with a photo of Laputa, the legendary flying city covered in clouds.
Pazu explains that his deceased father took the photo after being caught in a
violent storm, but unfortunately no one believed him even with the
photographic evidence. Pazu believes the city exists, however, and he
explains that he wants to find it someday himself.
Shortly after their escape, their path is blocked by a large government

armored train, and the agents inside attempt to capture Sheeta. Pazu and
Sheeta then escape off a side track, but are pursued once again by the
pirates, and between the pirates' car and a shot from the government train,
the rail trestle crumbles and causes the children to fall. They are saved,
however, when Sheeta's pendant activates once again, allowing them to float
__________________________________________________________________________
safely into an abandoned mine below the town. There they meet an old miner,
known as Uncle Pomme. He reveals to them that the mine contains large
deposits of "volucite" the crystal that was used to provide Laputa with power.
When he sees Sheeta's pendant, he says that it is one of the largest such
crystals in existence, and he directly links it to the existence of the ancient
city. Pomme advises Sheeta to remember that the crystal's power rightly
belongs to the earth, and that she should never use it to commit acts of
violence. Sheeta and Pazu emerge from the mine. Sheeta then confides in
Pazu that she has an ancient "secret name", passed down through her family.
Her true name is "Lusheeta Toel Ul Laputa" (Laputan for "Lusheeta, True
Ruler of Laputa"). As Pazu begins to realize what this means, government
agents suddenly land next to them and take them both into custody. They are
taken to a huge seaside fortress where they are separated. Muska shows her
that a winged symbol on the robot's casing is identical to the one inscribed
onto her crystal. He also intimates that unless she co-operates with him in
unlocking the crystal's secrets—which he believes can be used to physically
locate Laputa— Pazu is likely to come to harm. Seeking to protect her friend,
Sheeta confronts Pazu, telling him that she has agreed to co-operate with
Muska and the government, and asking him to return home and forget he ever
knew of her and Laputa. Muska pays him three gold coins to "reward" his
efforts in "protecting" Sheeta and returning her to him. Stung by this apparent
rejection, an angry and confused Pazu returns to his village, only to find
Dola's pirate family occupying his home, feasting.
Meanwhile, Sheeta recites a spell her grandmother taught her to use in

times of peril; promptly, the crystal emanates power in the form of light,
pointing the way to Laputa-- her ancestral refuge but her crystal pendant is
lost and recovered by Muska, who uses it to track Laputa.
After morning, they encounter a huge cloud mass - a "dragon's nest" -

and Pazu recognizes it from his father's descriptions as the place where
Laputa is hidden. The children awake to find the city devoid of human life, with
only a single robot among the massive ruins- similar to the one in the army
__________________________________________________________________________
fortress. The serenity of the place is rudely disturbed by the government

soldiers. The storm protecting Laputa has dissipated due to the presence of
Sheeta's pendant, and so the Goliath - and the wrecked Tiger Moth - was able
to land safely. The children witness the soldiers plundering the city of its vast
store of riches, while the Dola pirates have been captured and sit bound
nearby. While the children attempt to free the pirates, Sheeta witnesses
Muska and two of his men locating a hidden entrance to the black sphere that
surrounds the city's core. She is subsequently captured and taken inside.
Pazu manages to evade his alerted pursuers and frees the pirates. Since the
soldiers block the most direct route into the black sphere, Pazu tries to enter it
from the outside, and after many difficulties he manages to get in. A chamber
holding a gigantic hovering Volucite or Aetherium crystal that serves as the
city's power source. It is here that Muska reveals that he, like Sheeta, is an
heir to the throne of Laputa. Consulting a small book, Muska uses Sheeta's
pendant to take control of Laputa's formidable arsenal. Muska then sends the
general and his soldiers to their deaths by opening the bottom of the sphere,
causing them to fall toward the ocean. When the remaining soldiers attempt to
flee in the Goliath, he deploys Laputa's massive, hitherto immobile army of
robots and orders them to destroy it. However, during his assault on the
mammoth airship, Sheeta manages to get free and steal back the crystal. She
runs away through the Laputan ruins with Muska in close pursuit. Eventually,
she finds Pazu in another room and passes the crystal to him.
Finally, Sheeta is cornered by Muska in the city's throne room. She

confronts him and declares that they will both die in that room if they must.
Pazu arrives to defend Sheeta, then asks for a moment to talk to her, which
Muska grants. Together, the two children decide to use the Spell of
Destruction -- another incantation passed down by Sheeta's family, of which
she told Pazu on the previous night. With a single word, the core crystal
breaks out of its chamber and triggers the collapse of the city's core, causing
the lower portions of the city to crumble and the roots to stick out from the
bottom of the remaining parts. Muska, blinded by the pendant's energy burst,
__________________________________________________________________________
becomes trapped in the wreckage and falls to his doom. The Dola pirates
have also managed to survive Laputa's destruction, escaping on the Flaptors.
While their airship has been destroyed, they are all still alive, and Dola herself
seems to know what happened. The pirates reveal that they managed to take
some of the city's treasures in their escape. After reaching the next coastline,
the pirates and the children bid each other a cordial farewell and part ways.
Meanwhile, Laputa continues to rise, until it apparently establishes an orbit
high above the planet.
__________________________________________________________________________
Appendix B
Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki
Characters:
Ashitaka – The last prince of the Emishi tribe. Exiled from his home village
after being inflicted with a curse on his arm.
Princess Mononoke (San) – A young girl who was raised by the wolf gods of
the western mountains.
Lady Eboshi – The de-facto ruler of Tataraba (Iron Town).
Nago – A mighty boar god of the forest steppes. His clan were the first to
retaliate against Tataraba's lumber operations, blistered insides and the
memory of his slaughtered people, his odium turns him into an abomination.
Moro – A two-tailed giant wolf goddess and San's adopted mother. She's
protected the Forest Spirit's realm since time immemorial and is as wise as
she is fearsome.
The Great Forest Deer God – the Great Forest Spirit, is an ancient god who
watches over what is now Japan's Shirakami-Sanchi mountain woodland.
Yakul – Ashitaka's red elk. A mount and friend of considerable loyalty.
Jigo – A cynical yet buoyant Buddhist monk and mercenary who encounters
Ashitaka on his journey to the west.
Lord Asano – A samurai warlord who wants to seize Iron Town for its wealth.
__________________________________________________________________________
Summary:
The opens in Muromachi Japan, an Emishi village is attacked by a

demon. The last Emishi prince, Ashitaka, kills it before it reaches the village,
but its corruption curses his right arm. The curse gives him superhuman
strength, but will eventually spread through his body and kill him. The villagers
discover that the demon was a boar god, Nago, corrupted by an iron ball
lodged in his body. The village's wise woman tells Ashitaka that he may find a
cure in the western lands Nago came from, but he cannot return to his
homeland. Before Ashitaka leaves, his younger sister Kaya gives him her
crystal dagger so that he would not forget her.
Heading west, Ashitaka meets Jigo an opportunist Buddhist monk, who

tells Ashitaka he may find help from the Great Forest Spirit, a deer-like animal
god by day and a giant "nightwalker" by night. Nearby, men herd oxen to
Irontown ("Tataraba" in Japanese), led by Lady Eboshi, and repel an attack by
a wolf pack led by the wolf goddess Moro. Riding one of the wolves is San, a
human girl. Ashitaka discovers two injured Irontown men and carries them
through the forest, where he encounters many kodama and glimpses the
Forest Spirit. In Irontown, Ashitaka learns that Eboshi built the town by
clearcutting forests to claim ironsand and produce iron, leading to conflicts
with the forest gods and Asano, a local daimyō. Irontown is a refuge for social
outcasts, including lepers employed to manufacture firearms; it was one of
these guns that had wounded Nago. Eboshi also explains that San was raised
by the wolves as one of their own and resents humankind.
San infiltrates Irontown to kill Eboshi, but Ashitaka intervenes, knocking

them both unconscious. As he leaves, he is unintentionally shot by a villager,
but the curse gives him the strength to carry San out of the village. San
awakens and prepares to kill the weakened Ashitaka, but hesitates when he
tells her that she is beautiful. She takes him to the forest, and decides to trust
him after the Forest Spirit saves his life. A boar clan, led by the blind boar god
Okkoto, plans to attack Irontown to save the forest. Eboshi prepares for battle
and sets out to kill the Forest Spirit with Jigo, who is working for the
__________________________________________________________________________
government; she intends to give the god's head to the Emperor in return for
protection from Lord Asano. According to legend, the Forest Spirit's head
grants immortality.
Ashitaka recovers from his wound but remains cursed; he returns to

Irontown to find it besieged by samurai, and heads out to warn Eboshi. The
boar clan is annihilated in battle, and Okkoto is corrupted by his wounds.
Jigo's men disguise themselves in boar skins and trick the rampaging Okkoto
into leading them to the Forest Spirit. San tries to stop Okkoto, but is swept up
in his demonic corruption. Moro intervenes and Ashitaka dives into the
corruption, saving San. The Forest Spirit euthanizes Okkoto and Moro. As it
transforms into the nightwalker, Eboshi decapitates it. It bleeds ooze which
spreads over the land, killing anything it touches as the nightwalker searches
for its head, which Jigo steals. The forest and kodama begin to die; Moro's
head comes alive and bites off Eboshi's right arm, but she survives.
After the samurai flee and Irontown is evacuated, Ashitaka and San pursue
Jigo and retrieve the head, returning it to the Forest Spirit. The Spirit dies as
the sun rises, but its form washes over the land and heals it, and Ashitaka's
curse is lifted. Ashitaka stays to help rebuild Irontown, but promises San he
will visit her in the forest. Eboshi reunites with the townspeople and vows to
build a better town. The forest begins to regrow, and a kodama emerges from
the undergrowth.
__________________________________________________________________________
Appendix C
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki
Characters:
Chihiro or Sen – The protagonist of the movie, a young girl moving with her
parents to a new home and accidentally trapped in the spirit world.
Chihiro’s Parents – They transform into pigs in the movie.
Haku – Yubaba's apprentice and right hand man in the bathhouse, a spirit
who keeps order among the other workers as well as doing Yubaba's dirty
work. However, aids and protects Chihiro a great deal and the two form a
close bond.
Kamaji – The six-armed boiler man, he also helps Chihiro get around in the
bathhouse and is one of the more benevolent spirits.
Yubaba – he proprietor of the bathhouse, a greedy and malevolent witch who,
after turning Chihiro’s parents into pigs, eventually takes her on as a worker
and steals her name to keep her in her service.
Lin – A (weasel) spirit working in the bathhouse. After Chihiro is impressed
into Yubaba's service, she becomes a mentor figure teaching her how to
clean and become more efficient as a worker.
Kaonashi (No Face) – A lonely and faceless spirit whom Chihiro allows into
the bathhouse during a rainy night, growing an affinity for her as a result.
__________________________________________________________________________
Zeniba – Yubaba's twin sister, who shares her appearance but differs from
her in personality.
Boh – Yubaba's son. A gigantic baby who features more prominently in
Chihiro’s struggle through the spirit world during the film’s second half.
Summary:
The movie starts with Ten-year-old Chihiro and her parents are
traveling to their new home when her father takes a shortcut. They enter what
appears to be an abandoned amusement park that Chihiro's father insists on
exploring. Finding a seemingly empty restaurant stall stocked with food,
Chihiro's parents begin to devour the food greedily. While exploring, Chihiro
finds an exquisite bathhouse and meets a young boy named Haku who warns
her to return across the river before sunset. However, Chihiro discovers too
late that her parents have turned into pigs and she is unable to cross the
flooded river.
Haku finds Chihiro and has her ask for a job from the bathhouse's
boiler-man, Kamaji, who refuses to hire her and asks the worker Lin to send
Chihiro to the witch, Yubaba, who runs the bathhouse. Yubaba tries to
frighten Chihiro away but she persists so Yubaba gives Chihiro a contract to
work for her. Yubaba takes her name and renames her Sen (千). While
visiting her parents' pigpen, Sen finds a goodbye card addressed to Chihiro
and realizes that she has already forgotten her name. Haku warns her that
Yubaba controls people by taking their names and that if she forgets hers like
he has forgotten his, she will not be able to leave the spirit world.
Sen faces discrimination from the other workers because she is still a
human and not a spirit; only Haku and Lin show sympathy for her. While
working, she invites a silent masked creature named No-Face inside,
believing him to be a customer. A "stink spirit" arrives as Sen's first customer
and she discovers he is the spirit of a polluted river. In gratitude for cleaning
him, he gives Sen a magic emetic dumpling. Meanwhile, No-Face tempts a
__________________________________________________________________________
worker with gold, then swallows him. He demands food and begins tipping
extensively. As the staff swarms him, hoping to be tipped, he swallows two
more workers.
Sen discovers paper Shikigami attacking a Japanese dragon and
recognizes the dragon as Haku transformed. When a grievously injured Haku
crashes into Yubaba's penthouse, Sen follows him upstairs. A shikigami that
stowed away on her back transforms into Zeniba, Yubaba's twin sister. She
transforms Yubaba's baby son Boh into a mouse, creates a decoy baby and
turns Yubaba's harpy into a tiny, fly-like bird. Zeniba tells Sen that Haku has
stolen a magic golden seal from her, and warns Sen that it carries a deadly
curse. Haku falls into the boiler room with Sen and Boh on his back, where
Sen feeds him part of the dumpling with which she had intended to give her
parents, causing him to vomit both the seal and a black slug, which Sen
crushes with her foot.
With Haku unconscious, Sen resolves to return the seal and apologize
for Haku. Sen confronts No-Face, who is now massive, and feeds him the rest
of the dumpling. No-Face chases Sen out of the bathhouse, steadily
regurgitating everything he has eaten. Sen, No-Face, and Boh travel to see
Zeniba. Yubaba orders that Sen's parents be slaughtered, but Haku reveals
that Boh is missing and offers to retrieve him if Yubaba releases Sen and her
parents. Yubaba agrees, but only if Sen can pass a final test.
Sen, No-Face and Boh meet with Zeniba, who reveals that Sen's love
for Haku broke her curse and that Yubaba used the black slug to control
Haku. Haku appears at Zeniba's home in his dragon form and flies Sen and
Boh to the bathhouse. No-Face decides to stay behind and become Zeniba's
spinner. In mid-flight, Sen recalls falling in her youth into the Kohaku River
and being washed safely ashore, correctly guessing Haku's real identity as
the spirit of the Kohaku River. When they arrive at the bathhouse, Yubaba
forces Sen to identify her parents from among a group of pigs in order to
break their curse. After Sen answers that none of the pigs are her parents, her
contract combusts and she is given back her real name. Haku takes her to the
now dry riverbed and vows to meet her again. Chihiro crosses the riverbed to
__________________________________________________________________________
her restored parents, who do not remember anything. They quietly walk back
to their car, which is now covered in dust and leaves. Before getting in,
Chihiro takes a last look back.
__________________________________________________________________________
CURRICULUM VITAE
Personal Information
Name: Rotchel Tongcaling Sanchez
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: February 01, 1999
Age: 20
Civil Status: Single
Father: Mariano Caobe Sanchez, Jr.
Mother: Charmie Tongcaling Sanchez
Home Address: McArthur Highway, Flying-A Zone I, Digos City
Email Address: Sanchezrotchel13@gmail.com
Educational Attainment
Elementary: Digos City Central Elementary School

2005-2011
Secondary: Holy Cross Academy of Digos

2011-2015
Tertiary: Mindanao State University-General Santos City
Bachelor of arts in English; Literature and Linguistics

2015-2019

Sanchez, Rotchel T. 2019

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FACES OF GREED: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS IN

THE WORKS OF HAYAO MIYAZAKI

Presented to the Faculty of the English Department

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Mindanao State University

General Santos City

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Bachelor of Arts in English

ROTCHEL TONGCALING SANCHEZ

The undergraduate thesis entitled “FACES OF GREED: A CRITICAL

WILVENA R. PERNIA, M.I.E/ M.A.

REGIE P. AMAMIO, M.A.E.L.

JULIET B. BOGADOR, M.I.E WILVENA R. PERNIA, M.I.E/ M.A.

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Recommended by: Approved by:

LORENZO L. LAROCO, M.A.T. MAULAWI L. CALIMBA,

Keywords: Greed, Concept of Greed, Hayao Miyazaki, Signs, Dialogue,

persevere and complete it satisfactorily. Without his blessings, this achievement

would not have been possible.

I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to my thesis adviser

Professor Wilvena R. Pernia, for providing me invaluable guidance throughout this

I have great pleasure in thanking my gratitude to my friends: Eve, Daryl,

beans in my life for cheering me up in times of struggles and whenever frustrations is

encouragement may it be emotionally or morally. To Lloyd, whom I always

my worst. Thank you so much! I’m truly grateful.

I would also like to acknowledge myself for surviving countless sleepless

My acknowledgement would be incomplete without thanking the biggest

source of my strength, my family. I am extremely grateful to my parents for their love,

Rotchel Tongcaling Sanchez

Chapter I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 1

Chapter II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8

Chapter III: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 35

Castle in the Sky: Delineation of Greedy Characters 39

Chapter V: SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND

A Summary of the Castle in the Sky 95

B Summary of the Princess Mononoke 100

C Summary of the Spirited Away 103

1.1 Dominant Pattern of Greed 11

1.2 Dominant Pattern of Greed and Gluttony 13

1.3 Saussurean Semiotic Model 23

1.4 Muska proclaiming he is the new ruler of Laputa 40

1.6 The Levitation Stone 46

1.7 Nago running away from the burning forest 49

1.9 Lady Eboshi talking to Ashitaka 51

1.10 Beheading of the Deer God 57

1.11 Yubaba scrutinizing her gems and jewelries 60

1.12 Chihiro and her parents 61

1.13 Chihiro’s parents transform into pig 62

1.14 Kaonashi (No Face) swallows two bath house workers 63

1.15 No Face offers gold to Chihiro 64

1.16 The Pigs 69

1.17 Yubaba’s enormous head 70

1.18 The Mouth of Kaonashi (No Face) 71

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter consists of five parts, namely: 1) Introduction to the study,

which presents an overview and purpose of the study; 2) Statement of the

conceptual and operational definitions of important terms used in the study.

“Typical, Selfish, You think like a human; everybody wants everything.

That's the way the world is.”

- Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke

One can be unsatisfied and limitless to everything he wants, to the

end up to self-deprivation which triggers the greed of a person. As Nikelly