STUDIO GHIBLI (part II)
..........In the first part of my Studio Ghibli feature, I talked about some of Ghibli's famous masterpieces. The animation company has churned out more than one film every two years since their inception in 1985, only one of which has been widely considered a stinker; indeed, there's plenty left to cover.
.........Miyazaki's
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Ghibli's first film (though not officially), is a flawless epic set in the post-apocalyptic future. Several years have passed since I last viewed
Nausicaä, but I recall it being quiet, moving, and poetic. It's very mature for a family film and often regarded as one of Ghibli's best.
..........Following
Nausicaä was
Castle in the Sky, yet another Miyazaki work. In seventh grade, it was my fourth Ghibli film, and, to be honest, I thought it was boring. Beautiful and well-made, but boring. Obviously, my opinion has changed, now that my attention span has surpassed ten seconds.
My Neighbor Totoro and
Grave of the Fireflies were released two years later as a double-feature.
..........Miyazaki hadn't lost any momentum at that point. In 1989, he directed
Kiki's Delivery Service, a lighthearted classic about a young witch who moves away from home. This lightheartedness is exactly what makes some adult Ghibli fans less enthusiastic about it, but others beg to differ. After all, a powerful message shouldn't always determine the quality of a movie.
Porco Rosso was his next movie, about a pilot who turns into a pig. It's not one of my favorites, but others seem to like it. (Side note: good god, I'm getting my verb tenses confused. Sorry!)
..........In the early '90s, Takahata Isao made a comeback with the critically acclaimed
Only Yesterday and
Pom Poko. The former has not been released on an American DVD as of yet, and it's unclear whether that will change. I was lucky enough to catch it on Turner Classic Movies. Word on the street is that Disney has had concerns about releasing it because they mention a girl's period. Hopefully, this is just a rumor, because if you've seen
Only Yesterday, you'd agree that it's a crime to keep such a gem from reaching a wider audience. If anything's disturbing to children, it's the graphic anatomy of the tanuki (raccoon dog) in
Pom Poko. Their "pouches" are everywhere, and they're even incorporated into the storyline, which makes them inescapable. As much of a natural thing this is, with simplified drawings, it's far more noticeable than in real life. The movie itself is ranked low on my list of Ghibli's films. I loved the storyline, but there were no characters that stood out besides the Tama Hills in which the tanuki dwelled. Without having any attachment to any of the animals, the film became less powerful and personal.
..........One of the best and most underrated Ghibli films, in my opinion, is 1995's
Whisper of the Heart, a poignant coming-of-age story about a teenage girl named Shizuku who deals with herself, romance, and her passion, writing. Its beauty stems from the depth of the protagonist and, like
My Neighbor Totoro, its simplicity so prominent in Japanese culture. Often mistaken as a Miyazaki film,
Whisper was actually directed by Kondo Yoshifumi, a man with a bright future who sadly died at forty-seven from a brain aneurysm. Anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of seeing this should do so as soon as possible.
..........Next came
Princess Mononoke, a major hit at the box office, and Takahata's seemingly last film,
My Neighbors the Yamadas. The latter stands out as a comical venture, since it was based on a comic strip. Admittedly, I was reluctant to watch this when Disney released it three years ago; it was merely an addition to my DVD collection. That said, I overcame my doubts about the radically different animation style and was overall pleased with the film.
..........Studio Ghibli's most beloved movie,
Spirited Away, came out in 2001. A year later,
The Cat Returns, from first-time director Morita Hiroyuki, was released to mixed reviews. Personally, I feel it's overlooked--perhaps because it's sandwiched between two successful films. It's in my top ten (for Ghibli), at least. On the other side of the spectrum, there's the overrated
Howl's Moving Castle, what I feel is one of Miyazaki's weakest efforts as a director. Story- and character-wise, it's a treasure, but it's a few steps away from being a masterpiece. However, it's nowhere near as bad as the next Ghibli movie,
Tales from Earthsea. The storyline and even the art direction are significantly inferior to its peers. From what I've read, Miyazaki Goro (Hayao's son) originally didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his father and direct
Earthsea. I'm guessing the decision to give him the assignment had something to do with publicity. Wouldn't you want to see a movie from the spawn of THE Miyazaki Hayao? Of course you would.
..........Studio Ghibli has been frequently called the Disney of Japan, but, aside from the fantasy, they're actually more comparable to Pixar. Both companies are notorious for producing wonderful family-friendly animated movies with top-of-the-line directing and story development. That would explain why they're known for getting along. It's unclear where they'll be headed over the next few years, with Miyazaki growing older by the day and Takahata already out of the picture. My only hope is that
Ponyo on the Cliff lives up to the Ghibli name.
Note: in case you didn't notice, I'm not really elaborating on the movies mentioned in part one
. Also, has anyone here seen Ritual? Ghibli produced it, but I haven't found any subbed version floating around. I also realize that I forgot to mention Ocean Waves (aka I Can Hear the Ocean), a TV movie they made in 1993. Even though I own the imported DVD, I've only watched it once, and a lot of things about it have slipped my mind since then. All I remember is that it wasn't anything that significant.
