Know the name, for he is the anime equivalent of Don Corleone. His admirers are many, his influence extends far beyond just the anime he has produced. Some have called him anime's Kurosawa Akira, one of the greatest film directors of all time. Others label him the Japanese Walt Disney. Let it be known now that his accomplishments supersede comparisons to others, and that his achievements allow him to stand alone at the top.

Miyazaki Hayao was born on January 5th, 1941 with a silver spoon in his mouth. His family manufactured parts for fighter craft used in World War II. This upbringing brought about a bipolar reaction: his love of flying and his abhorrence of weapons due to guilt from his family profiting from the war. Having graduated with degrees in political science and economics from Gakushuin University, his obvious next move was to seek employment as an animator, and that he did at Toei Douga. It was here that he met his future wife, Ota Akemi, and his future colleague and business partner, Takahata Isao. Miyazaki and Takahata would stick together like glue from then out, eventually becoming giants in the industry and putting Studio Ghibli on the map.

Before Ghibli, however, Miyazaki had already garnered fame through his efforts in Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro and Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind, considered classics even to this day. With an amazing penchant for delivering profoundly adult messages through young characters, and at times even animals, he took his talents to Studio Ghibli, a company that specializes in humanistic movies. A match made in heaven, some would call this union.

At this point, Miyazaki would use his new company as a vehicle to propel his works into international acclaim. Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro (released in conjunction with Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies), Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso all quickly followed suit. It wasn't until 1997, however, that Miyazaki's name became synonymous with anime movies when Princess Mononoke was unleashed on both Japan and the United States, the latter via a joint distribution through Disney. Though a staunch detractor of Disney flicks, mostly because of the way the stories are told, Miyazaki relented and allowed the American release but was adamant in his stance that not a single cel be touched.

Like many master artists, Miyazaki often dips in his own past and philosophies when constructing his art. Flying is a common theme in some of his anime, in particular Nausicaä. My Neighbor Totoro pays homage to his sickly mother, who was bedridden with spinal tuberculosis for nine years. Once an active Marxist and a vocal figure in labor unions, he has allowed his political alliances to influence how his protagonists are portrayed (Nausicaä was actually not meant to be a princess, which would ostracize her from his working class ideals). He has since "exorcised" Communism completely due to its perceived fundamental flaws.

Today, the name Miyazaki Hayao has been canonized by industry leaders. It's of no secret that Disney animators worship him as a god, citing films like Mulan and Toy Story which owe dearly to his influence. Acclaimed French writer Jean Giraud, who also moonlighted as set designer on Alien, The Abyss and The Fifth Element often praises Miyazaki for making animation bold and noble. Even Star Trek: The Next Generation has been touched by his brilliance. Any trekkies remember the Nausicaäns?

Japanese news reporters have incorrectly assumed that Princess Mononoke was Miyazaki's farewell gift to anime otaku. Hardly. Though finally succumbing to age and thus not having the ability to work as quickly as he once had, he once again shocked the world with the release of Spirited Away, which has as of this writing beaten the box office record set by Princess Mononoke in Japan and won the Animated Feature Film Oscar for 2002. Aging gracefully? Yes. Past his prime? You'd be a fool to bet against him.

Production Credits

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother
The Adventures of Hols, Prince of the Sun
Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves
Akado Suzunosuke
Animal Treasure Island
Anne of Green Gables
The Cat Returns
The Day I Cropped a Star
Dog of Flanders
Ecchan the Ninja
Flying Ghost Ship
Future Boy Conan
Future Boy Conan: Tokubetsu Hen-Kyodaiki Gigant no Fukkatsu
Gulliver's Space Travels
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
Howl's Moving Castle
Hustle Punch
Ken the Wolf Boy
Kiki's Delivery Service
Kouya no Shounen Isamu
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Little Norse Prince
Looking for a Home
Lupin III
Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro
Magical Witch Sally
Moomin
My Neighbor Totoro
Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind
New Gigantor
On Your Mark
Panda! Go Panda
Panda! Go Panda: The Circus in the Rain
Pom Poko
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke
Puss in Boots
Rainbow Sentai Robin
Rascal the Raccoon
Samurai Giants
Secret Akko-chan
Sherlock Hound
Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie
Spirited Away
Tenguri, Boy of the Plains
Watchdog Woof-Woof
Water Spider Monmon
Whisper of the Heart
Young Ninja Fujimaru of the Wind