Good Thing One: Hayao Miyazaki

If you live in NYC, you have the luck of being able to go to a Miyazaki retrospective. The man Dan and I have been fans for years. Studio Ghibli is the best animation studio in the world. (Okay, tying with Pixar. . . though Pixar has never experimented or dabbled with more adult films, and I doubt they will ever make anything that comes close to "My Neighbors the Yamadas").

The movie that probably introduced most Americans to Studio Ghibli's films was "My Neighbor Totoro". At the time it was released, there was no animation feature length film that was more beautifully rendered, more imaginative, or more moving. Two young girls living in the country, being comforted by the magic of forest spirits while their mother convalesces in a hospital in the city.



Above is a poster made by Mondo in time for the retrospective, unfortunately, they sold out, almost the moment they went on sale.

Miyazaki's work always makes me want to be creative in return. It fills me with wonder and jealousy and after finishing watching one of his films, I want to quickly go and make something to answer his work. He's a world treasure.