Summary!

In the past 9 weeks, I introduce 8 movies and something about Miyazaki. Every week I divide my post into four parts:

1.      The main idea of the movie

2.      What Miyazaki want to tell everyone in the movie

3.      Something special about the movie

4.      The video of the movie trailer and theme song

Week 1 My Neighbor Totoro

It’s an amazing world that only the children can see it. This movie is popular because it raises audience’s memory of their home. My Neighbor Totoro made Japanese animation popular in the world, also made Miyazaki become successful.

Week2 Kiki’s Delivery Service

The movie describes Japan teenage girsl how to be absolutely independent. We are just like Kiki. We just entered the university, and for lots of people, maybe it’s their first time live by themselves. We are all learning an absolutely independence from our family.

Week 3 Spirited Away

There is an important plot in this movie is about “name.” Everyone work in the town will forget their own name because Yubaba’s magic power, and Yubaba will give they a new name. It implies that people in the real life always forget their true heart, because people always use the mask to face the world. The people who can remember their own name, also their true heart, like Chihiro, will really grow up. This movie won a lot of awards. It’s also the highest box office movie in Japan.

Week 4 Howl’s Moving Castle

In this movie, it implies that people just like Howl that they have good ability but they just use for themselves, they don’t know how to help others. When Howl uses his magic power for others, his power becomes stronger. It teaches us that don’t do everything just for ourselves, loving and helping others make our life more meaningful.

Week 5 Ponyo on the cliff

Ponyo on the cliff is adapted from The Mermaid. Simple, pure and true love is the topic Miyazaki wants to show in the movie. “Promise” is so important that even if Sosuke just a five-years-old boy, he still tries hard to protect Ponyo to finish his promise. The cute Ponyo and the song make this movie popular

Week 6 Castle in the sky

The existence of the castle in the sky is a really romantic imaginary. This movie shows that how great the human’s desire to fly in the sky is.

Week 7 The Cat Returns

This movie teaches us to be ourselves. In the cat kingdom, The more Haru enjoy the life there, She becomes more like a cat. The lord cat always tells Haru to learn to be herself, this is the only way to protect them from becoming a cat. We are just like Haru, when we forget who we are, we will just look likes other.

Week 8 The wind rises

The wind rises is the last movie directed by Miyazaki. There is something different from another Miyazaki’s movies. This movie’s main character is a boy. And It’s quite real than others. When everyone is trying to show “future” in the movie, Miyazaki decides to show “past” in his last work. Every character in this movie work hard to finish their own dream. I think “be brave to make dream come true” is the most important thing Miyazaki wants to tell everyone.     

Week 9 About Miyazaki

Talking about How his Family influence his movie style. His movies are concerned about the relation between human and nature, pacifism, and women’s right. When he was creating the movie, he often produced and thought the next plot at the same time.

Miyazaki’s animate world is amazing. It deserves everyone review again and again. I think after reading my blog, there must be at least one movie appear in your mind. So don’t hesitate, just go and find the DVD, enjoy the touching again!

About Miyazaki Hayao

About Miyazaki Hayao

Miyazaki Hayao’s family runs an air industry. He was so weak that he couldn’t play sports. Hence, his hobby is drawing, he is also talented to it. Because of his family, he is interested in air plane, this is also the reason why the conception of flying appears in his movies repeatedly. Miyazaki’s mother loves reading and questions to the society. She also influences Miyazaki a lot. Unfortunately, his mother suffered tuberculosis.

                                  

His movies are concerned about the relation between human and nature, pacifism, and women’s right. When he was creating the movie, he often produced and thought the next plot at the same time.

There are the three ways how Miyazaki makes so many wonderful movie:

1.      Find back his five feelings and broaden his horizons

2.      Back to the start and find his initial passion

3.      There is always a child living in his heart

About theme song

Every week, I will upload the trailer and the theme song. Because in his movie there is something always important—theme song. A good movie with a good song makes audience more enjoy in the movie. However, most of the theme song in Miyazaki’s movie is played by Joe Hisaishi(久石讓). Sometime Joe Hisaishi will held a concert for all the theme songs in Miyazaki’s movie.

                               

Hayao Miyazaki-Biography:

The Wind Rises

                              

The wind rises is the last movie directed by Miyazaki. This movie is about a boy named Jiro. Jiro’s dream is to become a pilot, but he is shortsighted. Thus, he decided to design the plane. He dreams that one day he can design a plane as beautiful as wind. However, the way to make his dream come true is rugged. He met the dark period in Japan. Big earthquake, economic depression, and tuberculosis all make Jiro has a hard life.

               

When there is a big earthquake, Jiro met Naoko, they help each other to go through the difficulty. After 7 years, they met each other again. They fall in love and get marry. Jiro is still working hard to learn designing planes. His dream almost comes true, however, Naoko leave him alone.

                 

About the ending, there is not a clear description. Everyone will have their own thoughts about the ending. Some people think Naoko only want Jiro see her beautiful face, so she leaves; some people think that Naoko dies. Maybe you will have a different thought about the ending after watching this movie.

                                            

There is something different from another Miyazaki’s movies. This movie’s main character is a boy. And It’s quite real than others.

When everyone is trying to show “future” in the movie, Miyazaki decides to show “past” in his last work. Every character in this movie work hard to finish their own dream. I think “be brave to make dream come true” is the most important thing Miyazaki wants to tell everyone.   


Trailer:

                 

The Cat Returns

A kind senior high school called Haru saves a cat on her way home. She starts a fantastic adventure accidentally. The cat Haru saves is the prince of the cat kingdom. The cat king gives a lot of present to Haru to thank her, and he also onvites Haru to the cat kingdom. He even asked Haru to marry the cat prince.

 Haru feels helpless, and she have the cat ears, she gradually become a cat. She wants to dun out the cat kingdom, or she will become the cat forever.

                            

This movie teaches us to be ourselves. In the cat kingdom, The more Haru enjoy the life there, She becomes more like a cat. The lord cat always tells Haru to learn to be herself, this is the only way to protect them from becoming a cat. We are just like Haru, when we forget who we are, we will just look likes other. So we should always remember to do ourselves and like ourselves.

                       

Actually this movie is not directed by Miyazaki, but he is still the probucer of this movie.

The theme song is also popular.It has Chinese version"小手拉大手"  

Theme song:            

Castle in the sky

It is said that in the past, human constructed a castle in the sky by the technology. Although most people don’t believe that, there are still many people finding the castle in the sky.

                                              

Patu, who worked at the mine, his dream is to find out the castle in the sky that his dad had seen it in the past. One night, he saves a girl who falls from the sky.

                                                   

 The girl is called Sheeta, Sheeta has a magic flying stone, because of the stone, many pirates want to catch her. The movie is about an adventure that how Patu and Sheeta protect the stone. This stone is a symbol of the heir of the castle in the sky, Laputa. Actually there is really a castle in the sky that Patu and Sheeta both see it. Finally, Patu and Sheeta decide to destroy Laputa to protect human. 

          

The existence of the castle in the sky is a really romantic imaginary. This movie shows that how great the human’s desire to fly in the sky is.

   

The movie’s theme song is also famous. I thought most of us has played this song by recorder when we are in elementary school.

Trailer:

Theme song:

                     

Ponyo on the cliff by the sea

Ponyo on the cliff is adapted from The Mermaid. Sosuke is a five-years-old boy. He finds Ponyo in a glass jar, and he saves her, put her in a green bucket. Ponyo is a goldfish princess. Sosuke tells Ponyo,”Don’t worry. I’ll protect you and take care of you.” Ponyo falls in love with Sosuke, but Ponyo’s father asks her to come back to the ocean. Ponyo makes up her mind to become human. She steals her father’s cherish “water of life”, pours all into the ocean. The ocean level rise up, and cause big damage.

This movie is a work that Miyazaki wants to reflection of family love. He is always busy working, so he doesn’t have time to take care his family. He is just like the father in the movie who always voyages. Simple, pure and true love is the topic Miyazaki wants to show in the movie. “Promise” is so important that even if Sosuke just a five-years-old boy, he still tries hard to protect Ponyo to finish his promise.

                   

The cute Ponyo and the song make this movie popular. Those who didn’t watch the movie still can sing the cute theme songJ

Trailer:

Song:

                       

Howl's Moving Castle

                                   

It is said that Howl(霍爾) is a wizard who eats girl’s heart, so the girls are warned that don’t get close to Howl. Howl living in a moving castle. Sophie(蘇菲) is a eighteen-years-old girl growing in the town. One day, she meets a handsome boy on the street, and the handsome boy is Howl. Suddenly, he hugs Sophie and makes her fly in the sky. They “take a walk” in the sky, and Sophie is fall in love with Howl.

                                 

Unfortunately, at that night, Witch of the waste(荒野女巫)is angry because of jealousy, she make Sophie become a ninety-years-old granny. She knows that she can’t stay in home with this old face so she decides to leave home. She meets Howl’s moving castle on her way, and starts a new life with fantasy and exciting.

          

In this movie, it implies that people just like Howl that they have good ability but they just use for themselves, they don’t know how to help others. But “love” has a strong power that can change everything. In the movie, Sophie’s love releases the curse on Howl, Scarecrow, and moving castle. Also is Sophie’s love changes Howl into a person who want to help others. When Howl uses his magic power for others, his power becomes stronger. It teaches us that don’t do everything just for ourselves, loving and helping others make our life more meaningful.

                         

Trailer:

Spirited Away

Chihiro(千尋) is a ten-years-old girl. She and her parents get lost on their way to the new house. They accidently get into a mysterious world, the special town is managed by Yubaba.(湯婆婆) On the town has a rule that who doesn’t have the work will become the pig and be killed. Chihiro’s parents eat a lot of food without paying and asking, so they become pigs. To save her parents, Chihiro works in the town, and the town’s work is to service Japanese God take the bath. With Haku’s(白龍) help, Chihiro gradually grows up and have a better performance on the work. She turns into a strong and courageous girl.

         

There is an important plot in this movie is about “name.” Everyone work in the town will forget their own name because Yubaba’s magic power, and Yubaba will give they a new name. For 

example, “Chihiro” change to “Sen.” It implies that people in the real life always forget their true heart, because people always use the mask to face the world. Their true heart just like their name, the mask is the new name. The people who can remember their own name, also their true heart, like Chihiro, will really grow up. 

This is my favorite Miyazaki’s movie. There is still a lot of plot I love so much. For example, Chihiro and Haku’s friendship is also touching. This movie won a lot of awards. It’s also the highest box office movie in Japan.

Trailer:

Song-The name of life (Piano):

Kiki's Delivery Service

 Kiki’s delivery service is released on July 29^th,1989.
The movie describes Japan teenage girsl how to be absolutely independent.

                                                  

   Kiki is a 13-year-old witch that is just learning how to be a witch. According to the family custom, it’s time for Kiki to leave home and go to a new city to start a whole new life. She uses her mom’s broom and takes off to Koriko with her cat Jiji. At first she can’t adapt the quick tempo in the city. Fortunately, she begins a delivery service with Osono’s assistance. She faces a lot of diversity when she runs her business. For example, one day, she lost all of her magic power, so she can’t fly and her delivery service can’t be provided. However, she finally overcomes all the hardship.

Northern Europe is the main inspiration
of the scene in this movie, so it's very beutiful.

We are just like Kiki. We just entered the university, and for lots of people, maybe it’s their first time live by themselves. We are all learning an absolutely independence from our family. Thus, when we watch this movie again we will have a brand new feeling of Kiki’s Delivery service. WE all will be depressed, but we all can just like Kiki to be optimistic to overcome all the obstacles.

             

             

Something special I want to recommend to everyone is the song in the movie,”I’m gonna fly.” This song is just for the English version, so we probably don’t have the chance to listen. But it’s a really encouraging song, and it’s also pleasant to hear. 

 The song "I'm gonna fly":

Trailer:

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro was released on April 16^th,1988 in Japan. The story describes the beautiful natural world which existed before Japan’s high development of economy. It’s an amazing world that only the children can see it. This movie is popular because it raises audience’s memory of their home.

    

 This movie depicts the slow tempo in Japan’s country life. The story set in 1958.A university professor Tatsuo Kusakabe and his two daughter, Satsuki and Mei moved into an old house near the forest. The professor’s wife Yasuko is recovering in the hospital near there.

Susuwatari

Satsuki and Mei found something special in the house and in the neighbor. For example, there were a lot of “Susuwatari”, which looks like the liitle black ball. One day, Mei found the keeper of the forest,Totoro. The scene that impressed everyone most is the two sisters waiting catbus with Totoro.        

My Neighbor Totoro made Japanese animation popular in the world, also made Miyazaki become successful. Totoro to the Japanese just like Pooh to the English. This movie is so popular that there is a small planet is called Totoro.