References

Filmography

Pom Poko (1994) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Spirited Away (2001) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Tales From Earthsea (2006) directed by Goro Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Howls Moving Castle (2004) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Porco Rosso (1992) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [Video:DVD]

Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Wall-E (2008) directed by Andrew Stanton. USA, Pixar Films [DVD:Blu Ray]

Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1992) directed by Bill Kroyer. USA, 20th Centure Fox [video:DVD]

My Neighbours The Yamadas (1999) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Ocean Waves (1993) directed by Tomomi Mochizuki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Only Yesterday (1991) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Ponyo (2008) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD: Blu Ray

Whisper Of The Heart (1995) directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Online References

Animator Hiyao Miyazaki Worries About Childrens Future [Internet], Japan Today. Available from: http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment-arts/view/animator-hayao-miyazaki-worries-about-childrens-future [accessed 8, May, 2010]

Interview To Hiyao Miyazaki [Internet], Youtube. Available from:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJLBED-6M8I [accessed 8, May, 2010]

Moist, K. M. (2007) When Pigs Fly: Anime, Auteurism, and Miyazaki's Porco Rosso [Internet], Sage Journals. available from: http://anm.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/1/27 [accessed 19, May, 2010]

Printed References

Sarris, A. (1962) "Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962," in The Film Artist, P.563,564 Adams Sitney, ed. New York: Cooper Square Press,

Kael, P. (1963) Circles And Squares, Film Quarterly, vol. 16, No. 3 ed. University of California Press

Truffaut, F. (1957) Cahiers Du Cinema, France.

Conclusion

My aim for this blog was to analyse Miyazaki as an Auteur and his creation of Studio Ghibli as a studio which creates work that contains its own set of generic codes and conventions.

Hiyao Miyazaki, and by relation, Studio Ghibli, conform to all the criteria laid out by Andrew Sarris in “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” which distinguish Auteurs from regular directors.

The consistent quality of their films proves Miyazaki and the studio’s technical competency, which spans across their entire oeuvre of works. A distinguishable personality is definitely present as discussed earlier and so is a consistent Interior meaning, with recurring themes such as Family, maturity and changing identity which help us glimpse the world as seen through Miyazaki’s eyes.

If auteur theory is followed, then Miyazaki is undeniably in the ranks of the auteurs, having created what is in many respects a sub-genre of the anime film. He has done what very no others have by making consistently successful anime films with intelligent themes and interior meaning, which are also accessible to the western audience. Even with regards to Pauline Kael’s criticism in terms of film being a collaborative effort, and therefore not having a single author, Miyazaki has much more control over his studio’s films than many live action film directors do over their own, and should be considered the driving force and watchful eye behind all Ghibli animation.

Ghiblis conventions are clearly executed and intertwined with the studio’s underlying structure, never will there be an occasion where a studio convention, such as anthropomorphism, is included without valid reason. this is notable as the same cannot be said for other studio’s, including their international distributor Disney. Surface themes are almost always contextualized by the texts deeper meaning, such as Anthropomorphism being used to emphasize the human connection or lack of connection with nature for example in Princess Mononoke and Pom Poko. Or to simply distance a character from reality, which is in turn used often as a metaphor for a transitional period in a characters maturity, such as in Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro. There is always sufficient reasoning behind every decision, much of which can be put down to Hiyao Miyazaki’s creative vision, his vision being why Ghibli films will alway stand out as intelligent pieces of animated cinema.

The argument could go on as to whether Hayao Miyazaki is rightfully an auteur and how much of a genre his studio has carved out, but the arguments for both of these are, from the evidence gathered, I believe stronger than those against.

One thing which the auteur theory overlooks is co-authorship and collaboration, unlike other creative art forms, such as the novel, a film must be a collaborative effort. Auteur theory disregards all roles other than the directors. This is discussed by Pauline Kael in Circles and Squares, her essay challenging the Auteur theory, and is often referenced in opposing papers. Films of any scale are collaborative efforts by their nature, and this goes even more so for animation, especially of the hand drawn variety where large teams of animators are mandatory.

So perhaps the idea of Ghibli as a sub-genre of anime is more apt than that of Miyazaki as an auteur, but then who is the creator of this sub genre?

It is well known that Hiyao Miyazaki keeps a close watch on all Studio Ghibli productions, (famously having overseen and approved the production of every single key cell of animation on Princess Mononoke) and is involved in all aspects of their production. Therefore he does have a controlling overview of any film being produced. So I shall apply sections of the auteur theory to conventions of ghibli movies.

Sarris likens the main criteria of the auteur theory to three concentric circles “the outer circle as technique; the middle circle, personal style; and the inner circle, interior meaning.”

I would argue that personal style and interior meaning are somewhat linked in the case of Miyazaki, as his recurring themes and storytelling conventions contribute to his interior meaning and constitute large parts of his personal style. For example deep running themes such as environmentalism which span across all works, could contribute to both circles, from the blatant war on nature in Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, to the contrast between bustling concrete city and lush countryside in Only Yesterday. Whereas the recurrence of flight, (which Miyazaki sees as a form of liberation from gravity) would categorically be a part of the personal style circle, childhood and Hiyao’s feminism, (as seen in female dominated communities in Porco Rosso and Princess Mononoke) could fit somewhat into both categories.

Recurrence of common themes is important to Francois Truffaut’s original Auteur Theory as proposed in Cahiers Du Cinema, there are definitely recurring themes running through Ghibli’s canon. But almost in contrast to this their films have always stood out as unique, original works, even when compared to other of Ghibli’s, and they almost always remain distinguishable from others.

References:

Filmography

Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Only Yesterday (1991) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Porco Rosso (1992) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Printed References

Kael, P. (1963) Circles And Squares, Film Quarterly, vol. 16, No. 3 ed. University of California Press

Sarris, A. (1962) "Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962," in The Film Artist, P.563 Adams Sitney, ed. New York: Cooper Square Press,

Truffaut, F. (1957) Cahiers Du Cinema, France.

According to Andrew Sarris' “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” Interior meaning is the most important quality defining what an Auteur is, with recurring themes offering a glimpse at the world through the directors eyes, Sarris quotes Renoir when he says “a director spends his life on variations of the same film”, so it is important for my argument that there be a set of core values behind all Ghibli’s animations. Which luckily there are many of, the main and most prominent topic is that of growing to maturity, mental change, and the search for identity.

This is most often shown through female characters, Miyazaki has reason for this, as he says in an interview -“I find girls more grounded in reality and confident in themselves,” he explains. “It’s quite difficult to make films about boys. That’s because stories about an 8-year-old boy, for example, inevitably become tragic.” He does use male characters occasionally though, most fittingly with this statement is Grave of the Fireflies tragic main character Seita, and even then the story develops as much around his younger sister Setsuko. Similarly in Ocean waves, the narrator is male, but all events revolve around his interest in female character Rikako.

Both of these films also deal with maturity, as do almost all of Miyazaki’s thus far, Seita is pushed into it when his mother dies, and he is forced to care for young sister Setsuko, whereas Ocean Waves portrays a more common sort of transition into adulthood, as Taku deals with the end of his high school education and a growing affection for Rikako. Whisper of The Heart has a very similar narrative in this respect and Only Yesterday deals with the same themes but from the perspective of the older Taeko looking back nostalgically at her younger self.

All these films are grounded firmly in reality, however many of Ghibli’s others, such as Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away also look at the approach to adulthood in a more abstract way. In Spirited Away Chihiro’s traversal through the spirit realm removes her complacent childlike manner and forces her to grow into a more selfless character.

References:

Filmography

Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Ocean Waves (1993) directed by Tomomi Mochizuki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Whisper Of The Heart (1995) directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Only Yesterday (1991) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Spirited Away (2001) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Online References

Animator Hayao Miyazaki worries about children's future [Internet], Japan Today. Available from:http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment-arts/view/animator-hayao-miyazaki-worries-about-childrens-future [accessed 8, May, 2010]

Printed References

Sarris, A. (1962) "Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962," in The Film Artist, P.564 Adams Sitney, ed. New York: Cooper Square Press,

The word Anime originates simply from the Japanese word for animation, therefore in Japan, any animation would be considered anime. Kevin M. Moist defines anime in his paper When Pigs Fly: Anime, Auteurism, and Miyazaki’s Porco Rosso “anime, as a form of postmodern popular culture, can be best understood in the West through a triangulation of different approaches that balance issues of form, medium, cultural context, and individual creators.” However, regardless of this very wide definition, anime is almost always recognizable due to distinct visual conventions gathered since the first anime in 1917.

Studio Ghibli’s work is still largely recognizable as anime, but often these conventions are passed by or subverted. There is however no definitive visual style constant to all Ghibli productions. For example, My Neighbors The Yamadas (above) is a complete variation, its visuals based on the newspaper comic strip source material, or Ocean Waves, seen below, which clearly attempts a more realistically animated and detailed style, with proportionally realistic characters who portray no exaggerated emotions or features, including realistic hair colours.

Its more traditionally styled films are generally the more commercially popular ones, probably because it is what audiences expect to see from an anime film. However even these films never fully conform to all anime stylings, Miyazaki prefers not to exaggerate features or visualize emotions without reason, and therefore Ghibli films are often easier to take seriously than other anime simply as they have less comic stylings. Yubaba in Spirited away has a disproportionately large head and body, but she is a witch in the spirit world, so realistic proportional rules do not apply.

Similarly to the gargantuan transformation of Howls Moving Castle’s Witch of the Waste, and it also applies to the slight visual alterations of scenes set in the past in Only Yesterday, where everything is rose tinted, watercolour colours with surreal moments and slightly exaggerated expressions.

Often if a character has exaggerated features of any kind it is to signify a removal from the real world, and these are not generally used on central characters, or any characters anchored to the real world.

Something which adds significantly to the visual style of Ghiblis films is Miyazaki’s love for hand drawn animation, although some of his films are tweaked in computer software, many are not, and the style often creates quite impressionistic sequences, such as recently in Ponyo, where he speeds across the ocean chased by a fierce storm.

Originality as laid out by Francois Truffaut in Cahiers Du Cinema is an important part of the auteur theory, and therefore it is

important to note Ghibli’s deviation in this case. So studio Ghibli should be known not necessarily for any core artistic style, but for its readiness to deviate and experiment, and as a leader in the western perception of anime, Ghibli could well be leading the genres evolution.

References:

Filmography

My Neighbours The Yamadas (1999) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Ocean Waves (1993) directed by Tomomi Mochizuki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Spirited Away (2001) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Howls Moving Castle (2004) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Only Yesterday (1991) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Ponyo (2008) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD: Blu Ray

Online References

Moist, K. M. (2007) When Pigs Fly: Anime, Auteurism, and Miyazaki's Porco Rosso [Internet], Sage Journals. available from: http://anm.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/1/27 [accessed 19, May, 2010]

Printed References

Truffaut, F. (1957) Cahiers Du Cinema, France.

Many Ghibli films have a comment to make about nature and environmentalism. Where western studios occasionally approach this in a topical manner, such as Pixar’s Wall-E with a focus on global warming, Ghibli makes a more general statement about mankind, technology and the balance that needs to be struck to achieve a non-destructive harmony. In Princess Mononoke, that balance is represented by its hero, Ashitaka, who is pushed between Lady Eboshi and the residents of Iron town, and the nearby forest and its gods. He gains links with both sides of the war and attempts to bring them together. Although it appears he has failed when Lady Eboshi kills the forest spirit, there is some kind of mutual respect gained by the end, and Ashitaka stays in Iron town to prevent anything similar from happening again.

Where animations like Fern Gully will classically give black and white representations of the evil of mankind and the inherent goodness of nature, Miyazaki shys from such simplistic devices, in an interview saying “I don’t create films where good and evil fight.” instead favoring more complex, realistic representations. Therefore Lady Eboshi may be defiant, but it’s her force of will that kills the God, and that will is intended for the benefit and protection of her people. Similarly San has been brought up by wolves, and is therefore one of the protectors of the forest, but her world and nature is also violent and unpredictable, she is looking after her family rather than some greater good.

I would suggest this could be due to a deep seated cultural difference, where we have won the last World war the Japanese did not, and so are more readily accepting of the idea that neither side must be infallible and neither completely wrong.

It is also cultural difference that leads the film into more violent territories; in Japan animation is not seen purely as entertainment for children like it generally is in the west. In the interview below, Miyazaki answers a question about this violence simply with “children know there is violence in the real world” which seems to summarize his view that children need to be educated by film, and not talked down to.

References:

Filmography

Wall-E (2008) directed by Andrew Stanton. USA, Pixar Films [DVD:Blu Ray]

Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1992) directed by Bill Kroyer. USA, 20th Centure Fox [video:DVD]

Online References

Interview To Hiyao Miyazaki [Internet], Youtube. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJLBED-6M8I [accessed 8, May, 2010]

Animator Hayao Miyazaki worries about children's future [Internet], Japan Today. Available from: http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment-arts/view/animator-hayao-miyazaki-worries-about-childrens-future [accessed 8, May, 2010]

All Ghibli films follow the studios codes and conventions, some more than others, but always to a notable extent. While there is no defining narrative structure that all the studios films cling to, there are recurring themes present.


Anthropomorphism is a running feature, which although quite common outside of Ghibli in children’s films and animations, is used with much more finesse and often narrative purpose. Perhaps most obviously is in Takahata’s Pom Poko, where the characters level of anthropomorphism alters according to their state of mind, Changing from realistic Racoon animations to full human form. Similar metamorphosis can be seen in Spirited away and Tales from Earthsea, where seemingly Human characters are revealed to actually be dragons. Most examples of metamorphosis are caused by magic, deliberate or otherwise. for example in Howls Moving Castle, Howls transformation is deliberate, whereas a witch forces Sophie’s upon her. Metamorphosis in Ghibli films always represents some other invisible change, usually to the characters well-being, mental or emotional state.


This is very clear in Porco Rosso, where the main character is a bipedal pig who used to be a man, it is suggested that his transformation was somewhat voluntary as he felt a need to distance himself from humanity. This is of course zoomorphism, which although present, is much more uncommon than anthropomorphism in western animation. In Spirited Away, Chihiro’s parents are turned into pigs because of their gluttony, whereas Princess Mononoke makes a conscious decision to separate from the humanity that is destroying her forest and run with the wolves. She however does not take on the physical form of a wolf, rather only mimicking their habits and behavior.

This disharmony with mankind can also be seen to some extent in the likes of Grave Of The Fireflies, Howls Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service, where a witch and her cat search for independence and are somewhat segregated for their differences. Although Kiki is not given any animal form or traits, her cat is able to communicate with her, and could be viewed as an extension of her character, no matter how mild their societal separation is compared to other Ghibli works the cats presence still highlights this distance.

References:

Filmography

Pom Poko (1994) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Spirited Away (2001) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Tales From Earthsea (2006) directed by Goro Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Howls Moving Castle (2004) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [DVD]

Porco Rosso (1992) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [Video:DVD]

Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) directed by Isao Takahata. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Introduction

When discussing animation, one might be forgiven for being drawn to Disneys classics, or Pixars almost two decade long standard bearing slew of family oriented CGI affairs. After all, both are so firmly established that they are widely agreed to constitute genres in themselves. One company that is often overlooked is that of Japanese Studio Ghibli, founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata in 1986, off the back of the success of Miyazaki’s film Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind.
Studio Ghibli is the only major foreign animation studio to consistently and successfully break through to western audiences, with considerable critical acclaim. The studio has had multiple newcomers appearing for directorial roles over the years including Yoshifumi Kondo, Hiroyuki Morita and recently Miyazaki’s own son, Goro Miyazaki, but the studio has always retained the same stylistic tone and core values, in no small part because of Miyazaki's close scrutiny of all productions under the house.
Therefore I propose that Studio Ghibli can be viewed as a genre, it would be possible for somebody outside the studio to create a Ghibli-esque animation, in the same way that new directors debut films are frequently lauded as Tarantino-esque. The studio is Miyazaki and to a lesser extent Takahatas Auteuristic creation and so I will also be referencing Auteur theory in this discussion as a backdrop for the argument of Studio Ghibli as a genre.
Because of Hayao Miyazaki’s strong presence throughout the studios history this could easily be a discussion only of his work, and would likely be easier to argue, as his films have a very developed tone and style that he rarely deviates from. However I believe that because of his involvement in all productions there are enough constants running through all the studios work to make my argument a valid one.
Therefore, in speaking of Studio Ghibli, I will be referring to all the feature films produced by the studio, including Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, which although not technically Ghibli, gave Miyazaki the success to start the studio, is generally labeled as part of the canon, and should therefore be considered.