Explore the enchanting realms created by Hayao Miyazaki, where childhood meets bittersweet reality. His films reveal deep themes of loss, transformation, and the complexities of growing up amidst the backdrop of history and war. Delve into 'The Boy and the Heron,' a tale of grief and resilience, highlighting the interplay of beauty and darkness. Discover the influence of Miyazaki on animated storytelling and how childhood autonomy is mirrored in his masterpieces. Join a discussion that celebrates creativity, responsibility, and the philosophical questions of life.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
First Miyazaki Encounter
Naomi Fry's first Miyazaki film was My Neighbor Totoro.
She later watched it with her daughter and fell in love with Miyazaki's work.
question_answer ANECDOTE
New to Miyazaki
Alexandra Schwartz was new to Miyazaki's films before the podcast.
She was struck by the dreamlike quality of the films, similar to how unconnected events occur in dreams.
insights INSIGHT
Animation and Dreams
Miyazaki's films use animation to portray the illogical nature of dreams effectively.
This visual flexibility is necessary to capture the essence of dream logic.
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a portal fantasy novel that follows the story of four English siblings - Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy - who are evacuated to the countryside during World War II. While exploring the large, old house of Professor Kirke, Lucy discovers a wardrobe that serves as a portal to the land of Narnia. In Narnia, they encounter various magical creatures and the evil White Witch, who has cast a spell to keep Narnia in perpetual winter. The siblings soon learn that they are part of an ancient prophecy to save Narnia, aided by the lion Aslan. The story is an allegory of Christianity, with Aslan's sacrifice and resurrection mirroring the story of Jesus Christ. The novel also incorporates elements from Germanic, classical Greek and Roman, and Celtic mythology.
How Do You Live?
Genzaburō Yoshino
First published in 1937, 'How Do You Live?' by Genzaburō Yoshino is a Japanese classic that follows the life of 15-year-old Copper after the death of his father. The book alternates between Copper's narrative and letters from his uncle, which offer advice and life lessons on various subjects such as humanism, class, and societal hierarchies. It serves as a thought-provoking guide for young readers, encouraging them to think independently, speak the truth, and understand the interconnectedness of people. The book is set against the backdrop of pre-war Japan and explores themes of bravery, cowardice, and finding one's identity[2][3][4].
Margaret Talbot, writing in The New Yorker in 2005, recounted that when animators at Pixar got stuck on a project they’d file into a screening room to watch a film by Hayao Miyazaki. Best known for works like “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Princess Mononoke,” and “Spirited Away,” which received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, in 2002, he is considered by some to be the first true auteur of children’s entertainment. On this episode of Critics at Large, the staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss the themes that have emerged across Miyazaki’s œuvre, from bittersweet depictions of late childhood to meditations on the attractions and dangers of technology. Miyazaki’s latest, “The Boy and the Heron,” is a semi-autobiographical story in which a young boy grieving his mother embarks on a quest through a magical realm as the Second World War rages in reality. The Japanese title, “How Do You Live?,” reveals the philosophical underpinnings of what may well be the filmmaker’s final work. “Wherever you are—whether it seems to be peaceful, whether things are scary—there’s something happening somewhere,” Cunningham says. “And you have to learn this as a child. There’s pain somewhere. And you have to learn how to live your life along multiple tracks.”
Read, watch, and listen with the critics:
“Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989) “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988) “Old Enough!” (1991-present) “Princess Mononoke” (1997) “Spirited Away” (2001) “The Boy and the Heron” (2023) “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis (1950) “The Moomins series” by Tove Jansson (1945-70) “The Wind Rises” (2013)
Critics at Large | The New Yorker 
