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Obsolete Media's avatar

Wonderful piece! The 10 Years with Miyazaki NHK series absolutely gutted me- specifically, his troubled relationship with his son, Goro. Goro said he would watch his father’s films to know him. The line that still stays with me is when Miyazaki said, “I owe an apology to that little boy.”

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Wren Petkov's avatar

Absolutely! It feels like so much of Miyazaki's later work has served as an apology to Goro, and as a reckoning with the consequences of his work. I feel that nowhere is this explored better than in The Wind Rises, where he grapples with with the impact of his work on both his family and the world at large.

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Obsolete Media's avatar

Agreed!

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M’N’R's avatar

I’d say the same thing with Ponio, where the father is there far away only sending signs from the sea for his son!

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Obsolete Media's avatar

Oh WOW. Yes! 😭

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Yashraj Singh Giri's avatar

Thanks for this. This felt like a fly-on-the-wall kind of insight into Miyazaki's process. Whenever I watch one of his films next, this will be at the back of my head.

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Wren Petkov's avatar

Whoa I’m so glad to hear that!! I hope you can watch them in a new way:)

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Chaz's avatar

Thank you for sharing! Miyazaki's stories are beautiful and it's inspiring to hear how he crafts them.

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apolo hound's avatar

really good analysis :)

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Wren Petkov's avatar

super happy you liked it! ☀️

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Ally's avatar

Thank you for writing this, I loved it. It is also inspiring in a way I can’t explain. I love Miyazaki’s tales and seeing what’s behind them makes me love them even more. Thank you again ❤️

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Wren Petkov's avatar

He really is one-of-a-kind!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to sharing more soon:)

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sanaa's avatar

Great essay! I would love it if in this series you touched on how Miyazaki’s opinions on war are shown through his films. Also, what’s your favorite Ghibli movie? I would love a recommendation 💕💕

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Wren Petkov's avatar

Ahh thank you for reading! ☀️ I loooove Ponyo!! (I actually wrote another essay on it!), if I had to name a second favorite I would maybe have to say Porco Rosso, it has all of his usual tropes of villains-turned-supporting-characters, a warm/welcoming world, and some pretty deep themes of war and our complacency in it (maybe a current topic haha)~

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Fernando Lima's avatar

Noice

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Second Glance's avatar

This was such an interesting piece! I love getting insight into creative storytellers! It adds a whole new layer to their work, and you can appreciate it so much more when you understand where it comes from.

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genie’s writing room 🥀's avatar

I love how Miyazaki starts the story with a single “image” that is neither the beginning nor the end. I think for many writers, this is also how it starts; we have a vision in our heads of a scene, but we don’t know where it starts or ends. Thank you for sharing, it’s important not to be encumbered by the structure as storytellers, and just let the story breathe and flow and say what it needs to say.

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Mark Simmons's avatar

'A single illustrative image from which he can build out the rest of the story' that's a fascinating idea but true to Improv now I think on it, where a single idea from the audience sparks the scene. Very cool and brave I think. Great essay, thanks

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Kaissés Sedrês's avatar

Such an amazing text! Miyazaki is a genius of our time, his way of thinking goes against the current era. Please, if you start some sort of "Miyazaki Book Club" community, I want to be part of it.

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Leon Bolwerk's avatar

Great read and also a great look inside Miyazaki’s mind. Have been a Miyazaki and Ghibli fan for quite some time. Amazing storytelling, combined with beautiful scenery and characters alike!

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Aidan  Carpiniello's avatar

Coincidentally, I just watched Ponyo last night. Thank you for sharing the incredible creative process.

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