Hayao Miyazaki: podcast appearances and interviews

Hayao Miyazaki, born on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo City, is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as its honorary chairman. Miyazaki has gained international recognition as a master storyteller and creator of notable Japanese animated feature films. His career began at Toei Animation in 1963, where he worked as an inbetween artist and key animator on various films. He then moved through several animation studios, including A-Pro, Zuiyō Eizō, and Tokyo Movie Shinsha, directing works such as The Castle of Cagliostro and the television series Future Boy Conan. Miyazaki also authored the manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which served as the basis for his 1984 film adaptation. In 1985, he co-founded Studio Ghibli, directing acclaimed films like Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Porco Rosso. His 1997 film Princess Mononoke was the first animated film to win the Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year and became a box office success in Japan. The 2001 film Spirited Away was Japan’s highest-grossing film and won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Miyazaki’s later works, including Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, and The Wind Rises, also received critical and commercial success. He retired from feature filmmaking in 2013 but returned to direct The Boy and the Heron in 2023, which also won the Academy Award. His works often explore themes related to humanity’s relationship with nature and technology, the value of art and craftsmanship, and pacifism. Recognized for his cultural contributions, Miyazaki has received numerous awards, including the Persons of Cultural Merit designation in 2012, an Honorary Oscar in 2014, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2024.