Miyazaki's Quiet Protest of the Iraq War (2024)

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Miyazaki's Quiet Protest of the Iraq War (4)

Hayao Miyazaki didn’t come to the United States in 2003 to accept his Oscar for Spirited Away because of his opposition to the Iraq War, he recently told the LA Times:

“The reason I wasn’t here for the Academy Award was because I didn’t want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq. At the time, my producer shut me up and did not allow me to say that, but I don’t see him around today. By the way, my producer also shared in that feeling.”

Critic Daniel Thomas MacInnes offers some context to Miyazaki’s actions on The Ghibli Blog:

It should be common knowledge to any serious Miyazaki scholar that he abhorred not only the Iraq War, but war itself. The idea of violence is depicted in his work as violent tragedy, slapstick mockery, or both…I don’t think very many Westerners know that the war in Howl’s Moving Castle was itself a reflection on the Iraq War. It was a comment on that war, viewed through the lens of Miyazaki’s long career.

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Miyazaki's Quiet Protest of the Iraq War (2024)

FAQs

Why did Miyazaki refuse the Oscar? ›

Later, Miyazaki admitted that he didn't attend the Oscars not because he was too busy, but because he was opposing America's war in Iraq. According to him: The reason I wasn't here for the Academy Award was because I didn't want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq.

Why did Hayao Miyazaki not attend the Oscars in 2024? ›

According to Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki's age prompted him to skip the 2024 Oscars. Over the weekend, all eyes were on Studio Ghibli as the company brought home its second Academy Award. The Boy and the Heron won Best Animated Feature in a tight race.

Is Howl's Moving Castle about the Iraq War? ›

Howl's Moving Castle contains strong anti-war themes, influenced by Miyazaki's distaste for the 2003 Iraq War.

Is Miyazaki a pacifist? ›

The official was glowering, talking into his coffee cup about how Miyazaki, an avowed pacifist, should've stuck to fantasy and stayed out of politics; he found the film to be a naive affront to the complexities that made war, in his view, a necessity.

Has Ghibli ever won an Oscar? ›

Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio's films are known for timeless classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Ponyo; and have won countless international awards including an Academy Award® for Best Animated ...

Has an anime ever won an Oscar? ›

Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" won an Oscar in 2003, after being awarded the Golden Bear, the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, the previous year.

Does Miyazaki still work at Ghibli? ›

Is Hayao Miyazaki really ever going to retire or not from Studio Ghibli, and why? Hayao Miyazaki retired from directing feature-length films. But, given that he's the founder of Studio Ghibli, he won't be retiring from that. As stated by James McLean, Miyazaki's short will be featured in Ghibli Museum.

Is Ghibli retired? ›

The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in a decade, probably won't be his last after all. Studio Ghibli executive Junichi Nishioka told CBC News that not only does he not feel like retiring anymore, he's actively coming into work to create yet another film.

Did Miyazaki stop making movies? ›

Following the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki announced his retirement from feature films, though he later returned to write and direct his twelfth feature film The Boy and the Heron (2023), for which he won his second Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Why did Howl's hair turn black? ›

Everyone has had a bad hair day. However, few people gave up on life over an easily fixable mistake. Thanks to Sophie's cleaning, Howl's potions got mixed around, leading his hair to change from blond to ginger. Howl accuses Sophie of ruining him and proceeds to throw a tantrum as his hair changes to black.

Why was Sophie crying in Howl's Moving Castle? ›

In howl's moving castle, Sophie cries, screams, or feels defeated at times. She is not scared of showing it and once her feelings are out, she always gets back up. It's ok to have moments where you are down. The important part is to show up everyday and work it out.

How was Sophie's curse broken? ›

Sophie manages to break the contract between Calcifer and Howl, and returns Howl's heart to him. Sophie defeats Miss Angorian, breaking her own curse, and freeing both Wizard Suliman and Prince Justin, who have been merged together by the Witch.

Why did Miyazaki choose the name Ghibli? ›

The name was chosen by Miyazaki due to his passion for aircraft and also for the idea that the studio would "blow a new wind through the anime industry".

Did Miyazaki make Demon's Souls? ›

Development. Hidetaka Miyazaki took over as director after the game ran into development difficulties. Demon's Souls was developed by FromSoftware, a developer noted for creating the King's Field and Armored Core series. The project was first proposed and supported by Japan Studio.

Why did Al Pacino not go to Oscars? ›

EW has learned that it was a decision "made in creative" to have Pacino skip reading the 10 films nominated for Best Picture before announcing a winner. Entertainment Weekly's Oscars expert, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' beat reporter, host of 'Quick Drag' Twitter Spaces, and cohost of 'EW's BINGE' podcast.

Why did Miyazaki come out of retirement? ›

'The Boy and Heron' Producer on Why Hayao Miyazaki Came Out of Retirement. “What he wanted to do was basically tell his life story,” Toshio Suzuki, president of Japan-based Studio Ghibli, says about the Oscar-nominated animated feature.

What is Miyazaki's only animated film to win the Oscar for best? ›

At 83, Miyazaki won for helming the best animated film, “The Boy and the Heron,” the long-awaited fantasy from the director of “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Kiki's Delivery Service.”

Is Spirited Away the only anime with an Oscar? ›

Miyazaki's Magnum Opus Made Oscars History

Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away was the first Japanese animated film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature. Not only that, it's one of only two anime films that has won in that category.

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