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Hayao Miyazaki is a renowned filmmaker who has won two Oscars for his movies from his Studio Ghibli. His movies often have a massive amount of depth, underlying themes, and a realistic perspective that is often missing from animations that are supposed to be ‘for the children.’
Miyazaki is often referred to as “Japan’s Walt Disney” for his massive contributions to making Japanese animation a worldwide name. Many would believe that being compared to the biggest name in the filmmaking scene would make Hayao Miyazaki happy, but this thought could not be further from the truth.
Hayao Miyazaki had a deep hatred of most things American ever since he was a little boy due to his being born at a perilous and tragic time in human history. This led to him hating Disney and Disneyland as well.
The clash between Miyazaki and Disney
Although Disney is a household name across the world when it comes to children’s animations and fairy tales, the legendary Studio Ghibli director has repeatedly expressed his disdain for being compared to Walt Disney, and for good reason.
In an interview, Miyazaki stated,“Disney was just a producer, and now his company wants to buy and own everything.”
While both have been credited with furthering the animation film industry and have created beloved animated masterpieces, their philosophies and approaches to storytelling are fundamentally different.
Miyazaki values the kind of deep,nuanced storytelling that respects its audienceand believes that they will understand the themes that reflect the reality of the world in all of its harsh and unforgiving complexities. Meanwhile, Disney often caters to commercial appeal, targeting children in their growing ages.
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One of the biggest reasons Miyazaki dislikes Disney and is compared to them is the way they handle animation. When Miyazaki got a sneak peek of the Disney animation office during the making of Fantasia in the same interview, he only said two things –‘Horrible. Extremely horrible.’That about summed up his view on what they do Disney.
The reason why Miyazaki despises Disney
The other reason is the way they attract viewers and then turn them into customers, be it for sequels, merchandise, or even their theme park. Miyazaki believes that purity can only come when one is not influenced by such commercial motives andshould be an art form.
Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s films are often deeply personal, exploring complex themes such as environmentalism (Princess Mononoke), anti-war messages (Howl’s Moving Castle),and the innocence of childhood (My Neighbor Totoro).
In Miyazakki’s opinion, Disney uses animation to set up a straight story and tries to talk down to children when in fact, they are often able to grasp the nuances and subtle themes hidden in complex movies like his.
Hayao Miyazaki Gave up His Dream of Making a Sequel to His Most Complex Film for Studio Ghibli’s Most Controversial Movie
Miyazaki’sfamous message to Harvey Weinstein—“No cuts”with a samurai sword whenPrincess Mononokewas being distributed in the U.S. is a testament to his unwillingness to let go of his principles.
Chandra Shekhar
Anime Writer
Articles Published :856
Chandra Shekhar is an Anime Writer at FandomWire with over 800 published articles under his belt. A law student by training but a storyteller at heart, he blends his sharp analysis with a deep love for all things anime. From the old-school Yu Yu Hakusho to the eldritch horrors of Lord of the Mysteries, his knowledge spans decades and genres. When he’s not writing, he’s likely buried in webnovels, silently hoping his favorite ones get the anime adaptation they deserve.
