A Totoro, a Spirit, and a Fish

 

        A little boy runs down the hill, toy boat in hand, towards the vibrant blue ocean. The moment his small feet splash into the cool blue waves, he notices an odd looking fish, stuck in a tiny glass jar. When he reaches the fish and picks it up, he thinks it resembles a goldfish, minus the fact it has a human face. Interested? This is the beginning to one of Studio Ghibli’s many world-renowned stories, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. Drawn in vivid color and an abundance of imaginative creativity, discover how these beautiful stories and the billions of dollars net worth company, Studio Ghibli, came to be.

 

        In 1985, June 15, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, officially founded the Studio Ghibli animation company. The company director was born in Bunyo, Tokyo, Japan, with his mom, Dola Miyazaki, and his father, Katsuji Miyazaki. His love for animation and cartoons comes from his young childhood love for Tezuka’s comic books (manga artist). He grew up loving the cartoon world and finally in 1985, his dream of being a animated movie director came true. After only one year later, they released their first film, Castle in the Sky. Hayao Miyazaki became the primary director of the company’s films, along with his musician accompanist, Joe Hisaishi.

 

        Miyazaki has come to be known as the “Walt Disney of Japan”, as well as becoming a filming partner of the Walt Disney Company. The company has released 21 full length movie films since its founding, each becoming more popular than the next, but a few amazing ones stand out more than the others, including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

 

        In 1988, Miyazaki, along with his crew of artists and animators, wove a story of two children who moved into a new house with their father after their mother fell ill and was sent to the hospital. Near their house, they find a shrine with a tree hundreds of years old. Inside the tree is hollow, and they soon discover a magical creature called a Totoro. This story was and is adored to this day by many worldwide, as a cute film with two adventurous sisters who explore their little world with the help of a magical friend. The movie first became aware to the American population in 1993, five years after its first screening. It’s first appearance of American television was as an entertainment commercial, played during the “Today” Show and was targeted towards 25-29 adult women (Rosenblaum). The Japanese film is now dubbed for theatrical release in both France and Germany. Marketing Director of Fox Video, Deborah Mitchell, says, “The colors, the attention to detail, the imagery is so spectacular. Once we had the screening, it was a natural to release it in our Family Features line” (Rosenblaum).

 

        On July 20, 2001, the film Spirited Away was officially aired for release in Japan. The film was far different then the other Miyazaki films, as the mood of the movie is almost creepy and surreal, compared to his other light-hearted, bright films. Starring a character named Chihiro, Spirited Away  captured the Academy Award for animated feature, in one of the Oscar’s best-received surprises (Abel). Even with the film’s U.S. releases questionable start, with no more than 700 screenings, the Oscar suddenly gave Disney the opportunity to gross to a doubled amount of $10 million within a month of the given Award. Disney, to its credit, presents “Spirited Away” with no cuts or alterations—and essential provision in the deal with Miyazaki (Abel). For what seemed an unsuccessful movie, turned into a wonder that many people still hold dear to their hearts.

 

        After years of waiting and several films later, Miyazaki created another treasure. In 2008, running a total of 101 minutes, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea was born to the public. The film contains vivid color and abstract detail, along with aquatic specimens that defy scientific categorization. The movie was widely perceived as a positive manifestation of the “second childhood” of its 67-year-old visionary director (Scheib).  After meeting a young boy named Sosuke, the “fish” Ponyo, who is actually an ungovernable force of nature, decides she wants to become human and stay with the young boy, unknowlingly in the process disrupting the ecological balance of Earth. Ponyo triggers an orchestration of swirling elements that transform her helpful sisters into huge fish that overrun the sea in a vast tsunami, which the tiny fish rides back to land, oblivious to the havoc she is creating. Far more upbeat than much of Miyazaki’s oeuvre, limned in bright pastel colors where even destruction is golden (Scheib). The playful movie with almost demonic childish energy is a clear display of Miyazaki’s beautiful imagination as he creates an underwater world only vaguely fathomable.

 

        For many years Hayao Miyazaki, company director and movie scripter, has broke light to his imagination in the most vibrant, beautiful ways. He spent years working for his fame and title and to such a length to even be called “Walt Disney of Japan”.  The 74-year-old film hero brought a love story between a magical earthen goddess in the shape of a fish and a boy, to life. He created an otherworldly playful story of two sisters and a large furry shrine god called  a Totoro and even one of darker elements and a creepy backstory and made them sensational. Through low times and rough beginnings, this man has created wondrous stories and captivating images. Now people wait with anxious minds and admiration for the future of the company and his films. “Now we can only watch as Miyazaki flies into the sunset, likely with the very plane his studio was named for” (Tibeto).

 

Works Cited

 

Rosenblaum, Trudi Miller. “‘Totoro’ cuddles up to U.S. kids; Fox builds awareness for Japanese vid.” Billboard 20 Aug. 1994: 1+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

 

Abel, Glenn. “’Spirited Away’. (DVD).” Hollywood Reporter 29 Apr. 2003: 22+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Mar. 2015

 

Scheib, Ronnie. “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.” Daily Variety 2 Sept. 2008: 15+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Mar. 2015

“Studio Ghibli unmatched in latest film.” UWIRE Text 20 Oct. 2014: 1. General OneFile. Web. 4 Mar. 2015