Hayao Miyazaki is probably the most famous name in the anime industry. He’s known for being an innovator and a pioneer. It’s impossible to talk about him without talking about the impact he’s had on popularizing the art of Japanese animation overseas.
He’s the proud co-founder and face of Studio Ghibli — the only animation studio to consistently make movies that people actually crave watching. Miyazaki’s films have been around since the 1960s, but he didn’t get his big break until 1988, when My Neighbor Totoro was released. After that, it was just one hit after another. He helped spread anime culture globally, but he also crafted some truly incredible films like Spirited Away (which won an Oscar), Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Ponyo.
Fans of Japanese animation all over the world were saddened to learn of his retirement in 2014, but it seems his passion for writing unique stories couldn’t be silenced for too long. In 2017, he came out of retirement to work on a new movie, How Do You Live?, which still doesn’t have a confirmed release date.
But Miyazaki doesn’t just make movies; he’s an incredible storyteller, and interviews and behind-the-scenes reveal some significant insights on animation and his views on life and the world. And that’s why we’re here today: to share some of our favorite quotes from one of Japan’s greatest minds! The following are some of the best Hayao Miyazaki quotes that will inspire you to live your life with passion and purpose and let you get to know Miyazaki better.
#1
"Many of my movies have strong female leads- brave, self-sufficient girls that don't think twice about fighting for what they believe with all their heart. They'll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man."
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#2
"Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living."
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#3
"Humans have both the urge to create and destroy."
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#4
"Our lives are like the wind... or like sounds. We come into being, resonate with each other... Then fade away."
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#5
"In order to grow your audience, you must betray their expectations."
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#6
"Danger doesn’t always come from the enemy."
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#7
"I would like to make a film to tell children 'it's good to be alive.'"
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#8
"If [hand-drawn animation] is a dying craft, we can't do anything about it. Civilization moves on. Where are all the fresco painters now? Where are the landscape artists? What are they doing now? The world is changing. I have been very fortunate to be able to do the same job for 40 years. That's rare in any era."
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#9
"The creation of a single world comes from a huge number of fragments and chaos."
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#10
"Once you have met someone, you never really forget them."
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#11
"First, don’t panic, second, don’t panic, and third, DID I MENTION NOT TO PANIC?"
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#12
"Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things to exist."
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#13
"You may not like what's happening, but just accept it, and let's try to live together. Even if you feel angry, let's be patient and endure, let's try to live together. I've realized that this is the only way forward."
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#14
"Once born,there is no turning back. And I think that’s exactly why the fantasy worlds of cartoon movies so strongly represent our hopes and yearnings. They illustrate a world of lost possibilities for us."
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#15
"I think it’s really good for a family or children to have a dog, cat, bird or whatever to grow up with."
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#16
"Personally, I am very pessimistic. But when, for instance, one of my staff has a baby, you can’t help but bless them for a good future. Because I can’t tell that child, 'Oh, you shouldn’t have come into this life.' And yet I know the world is heading in a bad direction. So with those conflicting thoughts in mind, I think about what kind of films I should be making."
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#17
"I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live - if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love."
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#18
"Always believe in yourself. Do this and no matter where you are, you will have nothing to fear."
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#19
"I can feel it every day, the limit of my ability."
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#20
"Stop trying. Take long walks. Look at the scenery. Doze off at noon. Don’t even think about flying. And then, pretty soon, you’ll be flying again."
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