Over nearly two decades, Studio Ghibli has been one of the most popular animation studios in Japan with films like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke captivating audiences around the world. Behind the studio’s success is director, animator, and writer Hayao Miyazaki who, at one point, was considered to be the Walt Disney of Japan. What separates Miyazaki from other contemporary animators are his strong female characters and willingness to explore social issues within the framework of family-friendly anime films.
However, it appears that his time working on films has come to an end. Studio Ghibli president Hoshino Koji announced at this year’s Venice Film Festival that Miyazaki will be retiring at the young age of 72. Ghibli fans may remember that he announced his retirement almost a decade ago, but come back after a brief hiatus. No other details have come out, but Miyazaki is expected to still hold a role within Studio Ghibli.
With other directors groomed to continue the Ghibli legacy, including Miyazaki’s own son, Goro, that patented “Hayao Miyazaki” touch will be kept intact…. somewhat. Miyazaki’s latest/last film, The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu) will be arriving Stateside soon, so we have at least one more classic film from Miyazaki before we can give him a proper goodbye. If you’ve somehow never seen a Miyazaki film, I highly recommend Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke.
[via Collider]