Miyazakiworld by Susan Napier
What do a red-haired fish girl, a bathhouse for weary gods, a toxic jungle from the thirty-first century, and a fluffy forest spirit have in common? Susan Napier, a specialist in Japanese culture and animation, investigates the life and work of this outstanding Japanese filmmaker to offer a comprehensive analysis of his body of work. Napier paints a memorable portrayal of a man whose art challenged Hollywood domination and ushered in a new era of worldwide popular culture by perceptively illuminating the various themes that run throughout his work, including powerful women, environmental nightmares, and utopian fantasies.
Miyazakiworld by Susan Napier
Amazon.com
A biography and an examination of the eleven films directed by Hayao Miyazaki are both parts of Miyazaki World: A Life in Art. I also have a chapter about his manga creations. I read everything that had been written about Miyazaki, spoke with many of his collaborators, and conducted my own interview with him. I was able to gain an insider’s perspective of this incredible auteur because of this.
Miyazaki truly warrants the title of “auteur,” ranking among the best filmmakers with Kurosawa and Truffaut in the sense that his films bear a distinctive signature from him in terms of ideas, imagery, and soundtrack. Throughout his career, Miyazaki presented his vision in a variety of fascinating, moving, and invariably beautiful ways.
Reading this nearly felt like an invasion of privacy or a betrayal. He’s had a long and challenging route in life. He was raised in the shadow of a vast gloom and was born during a difficult period in Japan. Despite having views that are very dissimilar from those of today, he managed to capture the world and we have always admired his art. The intricacy and vibrant, vivid colours in this man’s artwork are stunning. His clouds are my favourite; they are so exquisite that at times it’s difficult to believe they are drawn because they rival nature’s version so beautifully.
