Hajao Mijazak - Magické světy fantazie – Rapold Nicolas (2025)

An in-depth analysis of the rich influence and sources of inspiration of one of the giants of animated films and the most popular cultural export of Japanese cinema.

Japanese filmmaker, director, and anime artist Hayao Miyazaki has been described as the 'godfather of animation'; his work and level of influence can be compared to Walt Disney. In 1985, he co-founded Studio Ghibli, the most successful animation studio in Japan, and later directed most of its most significant productions.

His films include My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), and Ponyo (2008). All of them became huge cultural hits both in Japan and beyond – Spirited Away remains the highest-grossing film in the history of Japanese cinema and also won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Miyazaki's worlds are meticulously crafted and deeply stylistically inventive. Only he could create 'Totoro' – a giant furry spirit inspired by a tanuki and a cat – and turn it into a global phenomenon. He was influenced by things from both Japan and the broader Western civilization. The magical worlds of fantasy bring all these influences together and show how...