Residency: Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan Graduated: Gakushuin University (Department of Economics)
Introduction: Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, script/screenwriter, author, mangaka and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. He is the second of four brothers, and was born in the town of Akebono-cho, part of Tokyo's Bunkyou Ward. He is best known for his international fame as a masterful storyteller and as a maker of astonishing animated feature films, and he is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished filmmakers in the history of animation.
Miyazaki's works are characterized by the recurrence of themes such as humanity's relationship with nature and technology, the wholesomeness of natural and traditional patterns of living, the importance of art and craftsmanship, and the difficulty of maintaining a pacifist ethic in a violent world. The protagonists of his films are often strong girls or young women, and several of his films present morally ambiguous antagonists with redeeming qualities. Miyazaki's works have been highly praised and awarded; he was named a Person of Cultural Merit for outstanding cultural contributions in November 2012, and received the Academy Honorary Award for his impact on animation and cinema in November 2014, as well as having won two Oscars for Best Animated Feature, the only instances in which a non-English-language film has won the award. Miyazaki has frequently been cited as an inspiration for numerous animators, directors, and writers.
Biography: Miyazaki expressed interest in manga and animation from an early age, which led to him eventually joining Toei Animation in 1963. During his early years at Toei Animation he worked as an in-between artist and later collaborated with the director Isao Takahata. Some notable films Miyazaki contributed to at Toei include Doggie March and Gulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon. He provided key animation in other films at Toei, such as the Puss in Boots and Animal Treasure Island, before moving to animation studio A-Pro in 1971, where he would co-direct the movie Lupin the Third Part I alongside Isao Takahata. After moving to Zuiyou Eizou (later dubbed ) in 1973, Miyazaki worked as an animator on World Masterpiece Theater, and directed the television series . He joined /Tokyo Movie Shinsa in 1979 to direct his first feature films, in 1979 and in 1984, as well as the television series .