Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the best animation directors of all time; he really has made some terrific movies over the years.
Sadly he announced this week that he is retiring from making films at the age of seventy two.
In a career that has spanned forty years he has made some magical films and wonderful characters. We count down his top five films.
1. Spirited Away
It was back in 2003 when Spirited Away hit big screens in the UK as Hayao Miyazaki returned to the director's chair.
The movie follows ten year old Chihiro who is plunged into a world of magic and witches and must battle to rescue her family from a curse put upon them.
While Studio Ghibli movies were well established in Japan they had struggled to make the breakthrough in the rest of the world; this was the movie that changed all of that.
Spirited Away went on to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar and remains one of the best animation movies of the last twenty years.
Miyazaki delivered a movie that not only looked fantastic - it is so great to see Studio Ghibli sticking with the traditional hand-drawn animation - but always delivered a very strong message.
This is just a spell-binding and magical movie from start to finish that is as fantastic now as it was when it was released a decade ago.
2. Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke remains one of Miyazaki's most epic films as it depicted man and the natural world going head to head for supremacy.
It was the first film for Miyazaki since Porco Rosso in 1992 and it really was a cinematic triumph.
The movie follows Ashitaka who, whilst trying to find a cure for a Tatarigami curse, finds himself caught in the middle of a war.
Miyazaki's vivid imagination just pours onto the screen with this movie as he brings to life this complex story with colour and fantastic characters.
The director has always been keen on delivering a message about how we should protect the nature environment - and you hear that message loud and clear with this film.
There is a lot going on with this film and he shows that he is a real master of the medium as he keeps all of the plates spinning.
3. Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle hit the big screen in 2005 and came hot off the heels of the success of spirited away.
This is my favourite Studio Ghibli movie as this fantastic story is exquisitely illustrated that breathes a magic into the film.
When a young woman is cursed by a bitter witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with Howl; an arrogant yet insecure wizard. But Howl is facing his own problems as war draws near.
Once again the animation is striking, but it is the humanity and emotional elements that make this movie so special.
This remains one of Miyazaki's greatest works and went on to be nominated for an Oscar.
4. Kiki’s Delivery Service
Another stand out movie in the Miyazaki collection comes in the form of Kiki’s Delivery Service, which was released back in the late eighties.
The film follows Kiki, a young witch who sets out on her mandatory year of independent life by setting up a air courier service.
Kiki may be a witch but this is a heart-warming movie about finding who you are and your place in the world; it really is the most beautiful film.
Miyazaki has delivered a very sincere movie about growing up and flying the nest and the struggles that people face when they try to find their own way.
This is a very simple and straight-forward films and yet Kiki remains one his greatest and most loved heroines.
5. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a movie that was released before the creation of Studio Ghibli but is widely regarded as one of the collection.
This was only the second feature film for Miyazaki as he brought his own Manga comic to the big screen.
The film follows Nausicaa who is trying to stop two warring nations from destroying each other and their dying planet.
While Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind doesn't quite live up to the movies that Miyazaki would do on to make - but it is a great indication of the story telling ability and the visual style that he had.
Tagged in Hayao Miyazaki Studio Ghibli