Who are Hayao Miyazaki’s Parents? – Hayao Miyazaki is renowned as a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist.
Born on January 5, 1941, he co-founded Studio Ghibli, earning international acclaim for his mastery in storytelling and his contributions to Japanese animated feature films.
Born in Tokyo City within the Empire of Japan, Hayao Miyazaki’s passion for manga and animation developed at a young age. In 1963, he joined Toei Animation, initially working as an in-between artist and later collaborating with director Isao Takahata. Some of his notable contributions at Toei include “Doggie March” and “Gulliver’s Travels Beyond the Moon.” He also provided key animation for other Toei films like “Puss in Boots” and “Animal Treasure Island.”
In 1971, Hayao Miyazaki moved to A-Pro, where he co-directed “Lupin the Third Part I” alongside Takahata. Subsequently, in 1973, he joined Zuiyō Eizō (later known as Nippon Animation) and worked as an animator on World Masterpiece Theater while directing the television series “Future Boy Conan” in 1978. In 1979, he joined Tokyo Movie Shinsha, directing his first feature film, “The Castle of Cagliostro,” as well as the TV series “Sherlock Hound.” During this period, he also wrote and illustrated the manga “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (1982–1994) and directed its 1984 film adaptation produced by Topcraft.
Hayao Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985, directing numerous acclaimed films, including “Laputa: Castle in the Sky” (1986), “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988), “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989), and “Porco Rosso” (1992). These films achieved both critical and commercial success in Japan.
“Princess Mononoke” became the first animated film to win the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year and briefly held the title of the highest-grossing film in Japan upon its 1997 release, significantly boosting Ghibli’s popularity internationally. His 2001 film, “Spirited Away,” became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and consistently ranking among the greatest films of the 2000s. Miyazaki continued his success with later films like “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004), “Ponyo” (2008), and “The Wind Rises” (2013).
Following the release of “The Wind Rises,” Hayao Miyazaki initially announced his retirement from feature films. However, he later returned to write and direct his twelfth feature film, “The Boy and the Heron,” released in 2023.
Hayao Miyazaki’s works consistently explore themes such as humanity’s relationship with nature and technology, the value of traditional and natural lifestyles, the significance of art and craftsmanship, and the challenges of maintaining a pacifist ethos in a world marked by violence. His films often feature strong female protagonists and morally complex antagonists with redeeming qualities.
Hayao Miyazaki’s work has been highly praised and recognized, with honors including the title of Person of Cultural Merit for his significant cultural contributions in November 2012 and the Academy Honorary Award in November 2014 for his profound impact on animation and cinema. He has served as an inspiration to countless animators, directors, and writers.
Hayao Miyazaki’s early memories include experiences of “bombed-out cities.” In 1944, when he was three years old, his family evacuated to Utsunomiya. After the bombing of Utsunomiya in July 1945, they relocated to Kanuma. The impact of these wartime experiences left a lasting impression on young Miyazaki, who was just four years old at the time. As a child, he struggled with digestive problems and was told that he might not live beyond the age of 20, leading him to feel like an outsider.
Hayao Miyazaki began his formal education in 1947 at an elementary school in Utsunomiya, completing the first through third grades there. After his family returned to Suginami-ku, he finished the fourth grade at Ōmiya Elementary School and the fifth grade at Eifuku Elementary School, which was newly established after separating from Ōmiya Elementary. He attended Ōmiya Junior High School, aspiring to become a manga artist.
However, he soon realized that he struggled with drawing people and focused instead on drawing planes, tanks, and battleships for several years. During this time, Miyazaki drew inspiration from manga artists like Tetsuji Fukushima, Soji Yamakawa, and Osamu Tezuka. He destroyed much of his early work, believing that copying Tezuka’s style hindered his artistic development. He also developed a love for movies, frequently watching them with his father, who was an avid moviegoer. Memorable films from his childhood include “Meshi” (1951) and “Tasogare Sakaba” (1955).
After completing his time at Ōmiya Junior High, Miyazaki attended Toyotama High School. During his final year, his interest in animation was ignited by “Panda and the Magic Serpent” (1958), Japan’s first feature-length animated color film. Miyazaki was deeply moved by the film’s heroine, Bai-Niang, and considered it a profound experience that reaffirmed his yearning to embrace the world. Despite studying political economy at Gakushuin University, he joined the “Children’s Literature Research Club,” which was the closest thing to a comics club at the time. In his spare time, he visited his middle school art teacher’s studio to sketch and engage in discussions about various topics, including politics and life.
During this period, he continued to draw manga, though he never completed any full stories, amassing thousands of pages of story beginnings. He often approached manga publishers to rent their works. In 1960, Miyazaki observed the Anpo protests as a bystander, having developed an interest after seeing photographs in Asahi Graph, although he arrived too late to actively participate. Miyazaki eventually graduated from Gakushuin in 1963 with degrees in political science and economics.
Who are Hayao Miyazaki’s Parents?
The names of his parents are Dola Miyazaki and Katsuji Miyazaki.
Hayao Miyazaki came into the world on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo City, Empire of Japan, where he occupied the second spot among his four siblings.
His father, Katsuji Miyazaki served as the director of Miyazaki Airplane, a company founded by his brother, specializing in the production of rudders for fighter planes during World War II. This enterprise ensured financial prosperity for Miyazaki’s family during his early years.
Miyazaki’s father held a penchant for acquiring paintings and showcasing them to guests, though he wasn’t widely known for his artistic sensibilities.
In recounting his father’s history, Miyazaki shared that his father had served in the Imperial Japanese Army around 1940. Following an episode where he expressed reluctance to fight due to his wife and young child, he was discharged after a discussion about disloyalty with his commanding officer.
According to Miyazaki, his father often regaled him with tales of his experiences, even asserting that he continued to frequent nightclubs beyond the age of 70. Sadly, Katsuji Miyazaki passed away on March 18, 1993.
Following his father’s demise, Miyazaki experienced a sense of having viewed his father through a negative lens, expressing regret that his father had never shared anything lofty or inspiring with him.
He wished he had engaged in more profound conversations with his father and felt that he had inherited his father’s anarchistic feelings and his lack of concern about embracing contradictions.
From 1947 to 1955, Hayao Miyazaki’s mother battled spinal tuberculosis. She spent the initial years in the hospital before receiving home care. Yoshiko, known for her frugality and intellectual nature, often questioned socially accepted norms. She shared a particularly close bond with Miyazaki, exerting a strong influence on him and his future work. Sadly, Yoshiko Miyazaki passed away in July 1983 at the age of 72.
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