Week 4: Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

This was the week I have been most excited about since seeing the syllabus. I am a huge Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli fan. Like most people my age, the first Ghibli movie I saw was Spirited Away when it premiered on cartoon network. The first time I saw it was randomly at my friends house when I was around 8 or 9 while my friend was asleep. I remember it so vividly. I was glued to the tv but was also completely afraid of the movie. I was mesmerized but terrified. I had no idea what I had just watched but I knew that I loved it. The second time I saw Spirited Away was when I was home sick from school about a year later and it once again randomly came on. This time I was able to process more of what I was watching and what exactly it was. From that point on, I started to consume Japanese media like crazy but it wasn't years and years later that I finally made the connection to Studio Ghibli.

Through the years I have watched every Ghibli movie and still my favorite to this day is Whisper of the Heart. In my opinion, it's also the most underrated Ghibli film. When people think of Ghibli they mostly think of fantastical magic adventures but I think where the studio really shines is their more mundane slice of life films. Whisper of the Heart is so amazing because of the characterization of Shizuku. She is so easily relatable to any young person who is a dreamer and I really resonate with her. Honestly not much really happens in the film but it's how they handle the little things of life that makes the film so amazing. It's just such a warm film that will always be at the top of my list.

Also this week I read some of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. I have seen the movie a few times and I really do enjoy it, specifically for its environmental and anti-war themes. I know those are central themes in Ghibli films but I believe it's the most present in this film and Princess Mononoke. I honestly didn't know that it started as a manga and that it was completely illustrated by Miyazaki. The only art I had seem prior from Miyazaki were his concept watercolor work for his films so I had no idea he was capable of illustrating manga so beautifully detailed. I always thought of him as more of just a great director and writer than an artist but this manga proved me wrong. He is a master at everything he does. It also seemed the manga followed pretty closely to the film which makes sense since it was adapted by him. Reading this almost made me wish he produced more manga because I felt his storytelling and worldbuilding really shined through in this manga.