Legendary Director Hayao Miyazaki Retires From Making Feature Films

Legendary Director Hayao Miyazaki Retires From Making Feature Films

Studio Ghibli figurehead and one of the most celebrated directors of our time made the announcement at the Venice Film Festival where his last film The Wind Rises is premiering in Competition

By KingLeonidas - Sep 01, 2013 09:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Anime & Manga
Source: Anime News Network


Perhaps best know for masterpieces SPIRITED AWAY and MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, the critically acclaimed director has retired at the age of 72 after a long and fruitful career which saw him direct 11 feature films. A list of his films can be seen below.

The announcement was made at the Venice Film Festival where he is premiering his last film "The Wind Rises" in Competition for the Golden Lion, he had previously won the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his masterpiece SPIRITED AWAY. He also won an Academy Award for the same film.

It is unclear at this point if he will be involved in some other capacity at Studio Ghibli like directing shorts or writing screenplays, but THE WIND RISES will be his last feature film.

A visually dazzling trailer for THE WIND RISES can be seen below. It has already been released in Japan and has become a box office smash (so far 7 continuous weeks at No.1) and has received wide-spread critical acclaim.


Hayao Miyazaki's Acclaimed Filmography
The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Castle in the Sky (1986)
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Porco Rosso (1992)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Spirited Away (2001)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Ponyo (2008)
The Wind Rises (2013)

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PsyGuy
PsyGuy - 9/1/2013, 10:21 AM
WHAT? sad day.

Spirited Away is amazing.
batfan175
batfan175 - 9/1/2013, 10:46 AM
This is very sad news. One of the greatest diretors out there but lets not kid ourselves. He wouldn't have been able to do this forever and so I hope he really enjoys his retirement.
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 9/1/2013, 11:31 AM
This is sad to hear. I have really enjoyed his films he has put out there. I do hate how Disney has the license to the studio Ghibli films. It seems like they never care for them or advertise them. Plus they pick not that good of voice actors too.

I love Castle in the Sky it still holds up today. I wish him a happy retirement he earned it. Plus thanks for giving the world great films and animation.
FOOM
FOOM - 9/1/2013, 1:05 PM
Is there really anything left for him prove? Just wish more modern Japanese animators followed his lead instead of churning the same old crap.
MisterJay
MisterJay - 9/1/2013, 2:10 PM
noooooo!!
JazzBebopHero
JazzBebopHero - 9/1/2013, 2:21 PM
Sad to hear this. But it's okay. Mr. Miyazaki has given the world excellent artistically animated films.
osideous
osideous - 9/1/2013, 2:26 PM
some of my fav animated films come from Studio Ghibli. sad day he has directed some of the best ones.
JatevinM
JatevinM - 9/1/2013, 2:31 PM
Howls Moving Castle to this day remains one of my favorite movies.
xfan320
xfan320 - 9/1/2013, 3:51 PM
Man, this guy's films just make me happy; thus, I am filled with a great sadness upon hearing this news..

At least we still got his son doing animation like his dear old dad!

Tales from Earthsea was pretty good and felt like the talent has been passed over beautifully between generations!
GetsugaTensho22
GetsugaTensho22 - 9/1/2013, 3:57 PM
I didn't like those movies. Too Oscar-hungry IMO. And plain Bizarre.
animeex
animeex - 9/1/2013, 4:30 PM
The best of luck to this man. I love Spirited Away(No Face)as well as all his movies. I had seen something where they talked about him and they say he is a pessimist but his movies are always optimistic. Maybe he will come back... For one more flick.
Tevii
Tevii - 9/1/2013, 4:31 PM
Great filmmaker. I was really hoping he would maybe make a follow up to Nausicca since there is so much more in the manga. The movie only takes up the first chapter.

It's a loss for the world of animation, but I wish him the best in his retirement... But he retired once befor if I remember correctly and came back. Maybe he will be inspired again one day to come back
mk
mk - 9/1/2013, 5:45 PM
well thats disappointing..
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 9/1/2013, 6:27 PM
This is sad to hear. I loved My Neighbor Totoro when I was a kid.
Draximos
Draximos - 9/1/2013, 8:10 PM
You can tell who actually watches Miyazaki films by the 'favs' they're posting...
MisterBabadook
MisterBabadook - 9/1/2013, 8:47 PM
My Neighbor Totoro and Castle of Cogliostro (Lupin III) are great, but I think Princess Mononoke will always resonate, just because its message truly stands to this day.
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 9/1/2013, 10:00 PM
Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howling's Castle, etc....all brilliant films! They had depth and deep meaning to them that other film directors could only wish to convey in their films. Disappointing to hear.
TheBatman50k
TheBatman50k - 9/1/2013, 11:09 PM
My favorite film of his is Spirited Away, I saw his new film The Wind Rises and that is my second favorite film of this. I am really sad to hear that he is retiring.
SugarYumYum
SugarYumYum - 9/2/2013, 12:09 AM
Well, this would eventually happen given his age but it's still sad news for the movie industry.

Nausicaa, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle are easily among the best films I've ever seen animated or otherwise. The man was a master at creating endearing characters to really care for and heartwarming, larger than life tales with real world messages that stand the test of time. He'll truly be missed.
BlindJustice
BlindJustice - 9/2/2013, 12:24 AM
This gentleman reminds me so much of another great storyteller...
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