Famous People in Japan



Miyazaki Hayao

Date of Birth January 5, 1941
Place of Birth Tokyo

Miyazaki Hayao is a very famous animator. He has been given a lot of prizes--almost every year. Especially in the work, "Tonari no Totoro", he was given all prizes for movies in 1987.

He graduated from the Faculty of Politics and Economics at Gakushuin University. After graduation, he aimed at becoming a cartoonist, but he couldn't make a living that way so he started working at Toei, a big movie company. There, he met a movie director, Takahata Isao. In 1984, they set up a studio for making an animated cartoon, "Studio Giburi". After that, they made one work each year.

Some of his major works are the following:

in 1984   Kaze no Tani no nausika
in 1986   Tenku no Shiro Raputa
in 1988   Tonari no Totoro
in 1989   Majo no Takkyubin
in 1991   Omoide Poroporo
in 1992   Kurenai no Buta
in 1994   Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko
in 1995   Mimi o Sumaseba
in 1997   Mononoke Hime
His movies are humane and warmhearted, so people from children to adults can enjoy them. Also, he is appreciated as Walt Disney of Japan in U.S.A., since their scenes are so beautiful as to be beyond description. Most of his movies make a great hit, and they always appeal very much to the audience. Their themes always deal with some aspect of "humanity", so after you watch them, you cannot help thinking how you should live humanly or what is humanity.

In 1997 summer "Mononokehime" was shown and it was a big hit. And the animation made a new record for a Japanese movie.

More information about Miyazaki Hayao

References: Gendai Nihon Jinmeiroku

Reported by: Chiaki Makino
Data verified by: Rika Nishioka
Date of Report: June 5, 1996

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