Who would believe that a four-year-old child, who opened his eyes to the bombing of his country by the Allies during World War II, to the extent that it caused him health problems that he suffers from so far, dedicates his life to drawing and directing the most beautiful and successful anime films in Japan and the world.

The child who suffered from the father’s irritability and the severity of the mother in his childhood and youth, until he became a young man with a diploma in political sciences and economics, became one of the most respected personalities in his country, as the mind who presented the most important symbols of Japanese popular culture through the characters of his films, and for his ingenuity in conveying feelings and ideas Easily, the notion of cartoons as mere colorful drawings to distract children, without real artistic value, was easily dispelled.

He is Hayao Miyazaki, the most accomplished director in the history of animation, which is one of Japan's most powerful cultural weapons, and a multibillion-dollar industry each year.

He is the founder of Studio Ghibli in 1985, which is the most successful animation studio in the world.

From war to life

Miyazaki was born in Tokyo, on January 5, 1941, and lived his childhood in the atmosphere of war with the United States, for a long time he only painted planes, tanks and battleships, and was also influenced by his father's work in designing war fighters, so his works are full of pictures of them.

In 1961, when he was still twenty years old, he began his journey to paint a new picture of life in the eyes of young and old. He presented the main animation for the story "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" in 1971. He kept moving between many studios, until he directed his first work in 1978. It is the series "Future Boy Conan", known in Arabic as "Adnan and Lina".

Since then, Miyazaki has been keen in his films - inspired by Japanese culture - to address the deepest issues of life, with its dilemmas and the values ​​it imposes, and the stories, legends, dreams and miracles replete with it, which unleashes the human imagination, without interference or imposing visions or presenting answers, leaving his characters to face the hardships of life with a strong will.

strong mother

Miyazaki could not hide his affection for his "strong, cultured" mother until it was reflected in almost all of his films, until she was praised for her positive portrayal of women. Miyazaki describes his female characters as "courageous, self-sufficient girls who do not hesitate to fight for what he believes in." They may "need a partner or a supporter, but never a savior" as Miyazaki's women have individuality and strength and are "capable of being a hero like any man".

enemy of war

Most of Miyazaki's films were characterized by calling for peace, and against war, extremism and violence, as a reflection of his personal positions expressing that.

In 2003, Miyazaki refused to attend the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, in protest of the United States' involvement in the Iraq war.

In 2013, he expressed his refusal to deny Japan's aggression against China in 1937, noting that his country "must clearly admit that it caused enormous damage to China, and express deep remorse for it."

He also expressed his opinion on the attack on the French magazine "Charlie Hebdo" in 2015, criticizing the publication of shocking content, which he considered one of the catalysts for the incident.

Environmental protection is a human civilization

Also, most of Miyazaki's works have paid great attention to environmental protection. According to Margaret Talbot, "Miyazaki's films often give the impression that he does not like modern technology, and believes that much of it is shallow and fake, and he hopes that one day there will be no more high-rises."

His 10-year stay in a rural area caused a state of frustration, and he saw "nature being destroyed in the name of economic progress" which made many opponents in his films appear as people "trying to control nature for political domination, but destroying nature and human civilization".

Preoccupation with work harmed the son

Although family values ​​were strongly present in Miyazaki, in contrast to criticism of capitalism, globalization and its effects on modern life.

This is explained by Michael Toscano, that Miyazaki "fears that children will be harmed by a culture of excessive consumption, over-protection, and secularism that swallows up original spirituality."

But the irony is that Miyazaki's interest in the family, in his films, led to his preoccupation with his work to the extent that it damaged his relationship with his son "Goro" due to his absence from him and his lack of conversation with him.

Guru even said in 2006 that his father "doesn't deserve any marks as a father, but he deserves full marks as an animated film director".

The best in history

In 1984, Miyazaki made the movie "Nausicaa of the valley of the wind", which became a huge hit and won 4 awards.

In 2002, veteran American film critic Roger Ebert considered Miyazaki "perhaps the best animated film maker in history."

Most of his films were critical successes and box office hits, such as the 1997 film "Princess Mononoke", the highest-grossing in Japan, winning 13 awards, and the first animated film to win a Japan Academy Award.

After collaborating with the Walt Disney Company, Miyazaki presented his most beautiful movie "Chihiro's Spirit" (Spirited Away) in 2001, which achieved the highest revenue in the history of Japanese cinema, surpassing the Titanic movie.

In addition to winning 58 awards, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Film.

It was followed by "Howl's Moving Castle" in 2004, which was nominated for an Oscar, and won 14 other awards.

Then the movie "The Wind Rises" in 2013, which was also nominated for an Oscar, won 26 awards, and was met with great critical and commercial success.

Can't stop being creative

After Miyazaki surprised everyone with his decision to retire from feature films in 2013, and received an Honorary Academy Award in 2014, he returned in 2016 and spoke about his intention to cut short his retirement with a new feature film.

His son Goro (also a film director) justified his father's decision to retire, saying, "He is doing it in order to live, and because he cannot stop creating."

Miyazaki told the New York Times that his new movie, How Do You Live?

(? How Do You Live?) is based on a novel by writer Genzaburo Yoshino, published in 1937, according to the "NME" website.