Hayao Miyazaki

Although I don't quite have the undying adoration for anime as many profess to endure, I do maintain a small shrine to the grandmaster of anime stylings - Mr. Hayao Miyazaki himself. Of course, the shrine is not a physical object, it being encased in the porous walls of my mind, but it serves its purpose well enough. Each time I view a Miyazaki film, the candles are there to be re-lit, the film stills hung carefully as ever, and the wistful piano tunes of composer Joe Hisaishi are there to bring me back to a more carefree time in life.
 
I always harken back to that day nearly a decade ago when I first became acquainted with Princess Mononoke. It was a snow day, I believe, and I was stuck indoors with my cousin. He brought the DVD out and I immediately noted the reference to Star Wars on the cover - "The Star Wars of animated features!" Ebert had screamed in all caps. Star Wars being far-and-away my favorite movie at the time, my enthusiasm immediately tripled. After sitting in stunned silence for two hours, I openly proclaimed to my cousin that Ebert had been correct - Princess Mononoke was easily the best animated feature I had ever seen. To this day, I would argue similarly. Pixar certainly makes a valiant effort time and again, but no animated toys or clownfish will ever top my Ashitaka and his faithful Yakul.
 
Thus, it is with trepidation that I consume a new Miyazaki film on occasion. To knock them all out in a day or two would be...wrong. I think that sense of discovery, of an entire, fascinating world opening up before me that came with my first viewing of Princess Mononoke really stuck with me. I want to be able to experience that feeling with every film, and the only way I can think of is to make sure that every Miyazaki film is brand new to me. It's absurd and unscientific notion, but I stick by it. Recently, I finally watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind in its glorious original form and was - excuse the pun - blown away. Or, Spirited Away, if you like. The movie was not without its flaws, but the world that Miyazaki had created was so outstandingly huge that I was desperate to delve in deeper. Even as one of Miyazaki's longer creations, Nausicaa was hardly long enough for me. As the cheesy end music drifted into the credits I was left panting for more - more history, more battles, more mustaches. At least I know that, thanks to my intensely low-key viewing schedule, I still have a handful more Miyazaki films to watch. As the sense of discovery associated with Nausicaa lingers within me, I can't help but look forward to the next world to be entered. Surely, it can be nothing but spectacular.