Idea #91 - Life Through the Eyes of Hayao Miyazaki

“I believe that fantasy in the meaning of imagination is very important. We should not stick too close to everyday reality but give room to the reality of the heart, of the mind, and of the imagination.” - Hayao Miyazaki

Today we watched What You Can Imagine and took a little glimpse into the mind of Hayao Miyazaki, and how he sees the world around him.

Miyazaki, one of the most gifted filmmakers to have ever existed, has never once claimed to be in entirety the fairy tales he writes. In fact, he has told the world time and again that he is rather quite a pessimistic individual, and his art is far from fairy tales; it is but a sincere effort to touch little children’s hearts in a way that they connect more with nature and always see the good in the world, the more fantastical side of what it means to simply exist.

Miyazaki believes in authenticity, in working from one’s own hands and heart. Still storyboarding and painting every scene in 2022, he continues to be one of the most revered artists. With skills and professionalism on par with Western artists, and sensibility and narration inspired from Eastern cultures, Miyazaki, through the most subtle of gestures and expressions, portrays what words cannot.

You can check out The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, Mami Sunada’s documentary on Studio Ghibli, and primarily, Hayao Miyazaki.

Watch the trailer here -

Written and curated by Arya Kastwar