Hayao Miyazaki is a living legend and one of the greatest directors in the history of animation. His films are quoted, rewatched, and inspire artists around the world.
Some find comfort in them, others find magic. Miyazaki himself is a complex and contradictory personality: a pessimist, a stubborn man, a harsh critic of the world and himself, but at the same time he tells stories full of hope.
“The world is cursed, but there is still a reason to live,” say his characters, and this seems to be the essence of all his work. Ranking his films from “bad to good” is a rather bold idea, because even the most controversial of the master’s films are technically flawless and rich in meaning.
Key features of the master’s work
The future animator was born on January 5, 1941, at a time when the world was full of instability. The director spent his childhood surrounded by nature, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, on his grandfather’s estate.
This closeness to nature shaped his unique perception of the world as a living, breathing organism, in which every tree or wind can take on character and soul. This is where his interest in the relationship between humans and nature originated, along with his keen attention to environmental issues and the appearance of kind but mysterious spirits of the elements in works such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, which referenced Japanese traditions.
A difficult family history also left a noticeable mark on the young artist: Miyazaki’s mother struggled with a serious illness for a long time.
Observing her fortitude from childhood would later result in Miyazaki’s favorite female character, who combines both strength and vulnerability, devoid of any vulgarity. His interest in aviation, the sky, and adventure was an echo of his childhood impressions: his father, a calculating businessman and nihilist, owned a factory that produced parts for military aircraft. This internal contradiction—admiration for flight and aversion to war—eventually took shape in a pronounced anti-war worldview.
Miyazaki made no secret of the fact that from a young age he felt protest against militarism and violence, considering Japan’s actions in the war to be senseless. The theme of resistance to cruelty and the pursuit of peace became a recurring theme in his work, which is clearly evident in films such as Porco Rosso, The Wind Rises, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke.
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Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
This is the first feature film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and one of the most memorable parts of the cult Japanese franchise about the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin III.
The main character arrives in the tiny European principality of Cagliostro, where he encounters a conspiracy surrounding the young heir to the throne, Clarisse, whom the local count wants to force her to marry him.
Lupin decides to save the girl, break into the castle full of traps, and, of course, not miss the chance to make a fortune. At the same time, the persistent Inspector Zenigata from Interpol is hot on his trail.
