Hayao Miyazaki World

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Got it 👍 I’ll walk you through Hayao Miyazaki’s major works (mainly his films) and explain what makes each one special.

🎥 Major Works of Hayao Miyazaki

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Although released before Studio Ghibli was founded, this film is often considered its foundation.
Story: Nausicaä, a kind princess, tries to bring peace between humans and toxic, giant insects in a post-apocalyptic world.
Themes: ecology, pacifism, and the dangers of human greed.

2. Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

First official Ghibli film.
Story: A boy and girl search for a legendary floating city while being chased by pirates and government forces.
Themes: technology vs. nature, power’s corruption.
Known for: beautiful flying machines and epic adventure.

3. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Probably Ghibli’s most iconic film.
Story: Two young sisters move to the countryside and meet friendly forest spirits, including Totoro.
Themes: childhood, family, healing, nature.
Totoro became Ghibli’s mascot worldwide.

4. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Story: A young witch, Kiki, leaves home to find independence and runs a delivery service with her flying broom.
Themes: independence, growing up, creativity, self-confidence.
Very popular among young audiences.

5. Porco Rosso (1992)

Story: A World War I pilot cursed to look like a pig, working as a bounty hunter in the Adriatic Sea.
Themes: war, romance, nostalgia, personal honor.
Mixes comedy, action, and melancholy.

6. Princess Mononoke (1997)

Epic historical fantasy.
Story: Ashitaka, a cursed warrior, becomes involved in a struggle between humans and forest gods.
Themes: environmental destruction, balance between progress and nature, no clear “villains.”
It was Japan’s highest-grossing film until Spirited Away.

7. Spirited Away (2001)

Miyazaki’s most famous work internationally.
Story: A girl named Chihiro enters a mysterious spirit world and must work in a bathhouse to save her parents.
Themes: courage, identity, greed, spiritual purity.
Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (2003).

8. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Based on a British novel by Diana Wynne Jones.
Story: A young woman cursed into an old body meets the wizard Howl and his magical moving castle.
Themes: anti-war, inner beauty, self-discovery.
Known for its surreal visuals and imaginative settings.

9. Ponyo (2008)

Story: A goldfish who wants to become human befriends a boy, leading to a magical adventure.
Themes: childhood innocence, love, environmental balance.
Inspired by The Little Mermaid, but with a Miyazaki twist.

10. The Wind Rises (2013)

A more realistic and mature film.
Story: Follows Jirō Horikoshi, designer of Japan’s WWII Zero fighter planes, balancing his dreams of flight with the tragedy of war.
Themes: dreams, responsibility, the cost of creation.
Originally his “retirement film.”

11. The Boy and the Heron (2023) (Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka)

Latest film, released after his “retirement.”
Story: A boy named Mahito, grieving his mother’s death, enters a mysterious world guided by a heron.
Themes: grief, war, legacy, and Miyazaki’s personal reflections on life.
More philosophical and autobiographical than his earlier works.

✨ Common Elements Across His Works

Strong, young female protagonists.
Flight and flying machines.
Environmental and anti-war messages.
No simple “good vs. evil.” Characters are morally complex.
Rich hand-drawn detail, often blending the everyday with the fantastical.

Would you like me to make a visual timeline chart of his works (with years and themes) so you can see his career at a glance?

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