Goro Miyazaki "The history of Ghibli is a history of failure in generational change"

 

On the 20th (local time), the Honorary Palme d'Or Award Ceremony will be held at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival to honor Studio Ghibli's achievements so far. Director Goro Miyazaki, who is attending the awards ceremony on behalf of the entire Ghibli company, including the Mitakanomori Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park, spoke about the present and future of Ghibli in response to a joint interview the day before.

This is the first time that the honorary Palme d'Or is awarded to an organization rather than an individual. Coach Goro said, “I am happy. “I think this is an award that all of Ghibli can be happy about because it means that the work outside the studio has been recognized, not only by the studio, but also by the staff of the Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park,” he said, expressing his joy.

What was the reaction of his father, director Hayao Miyazaki? “He said, ‘I don’t know, but thank you.’ “I don’t know, but thank you,” Director Goro said with a smile. In March of this year, Director Hayao’s “How Will You Live?” won the Best Animated Feature Film at the American Academy Awards. However, Director Goro said, “(My father) received awards happily even though he was hated when he was young, but now he is over 80 years old, and awards are about things he has done in the past, right? “I feel like I’m not writing. I’m wondering how much longer I can live and what I’m going to do with it. I’m putting that aside and thinking, ‘I’m going to do what’s in front of me now.’”

Regarding the current situation of Ghibli, which released 'How Will You Live' last year, he calmly said, "It's not possible at all, right now." "As expected, making an animation movie over the course of seven years is very tiring for both the director and the staff. “I think Ghibli Park took a lot of time to build, and the entire studio is just now taking a break.” They say they think it's time to recharge.

On the other hand, it is known that director Hayao began planning his next film immediately after the release of 'How Will You Live' last year. However, he said he was keeping the specific details a secret and said, “I’m not telling you. “I never tell anyone,” says Director Goro. “Even at that age, all the animators around me are my rivals. Whether they are younger, the staff who support me, whether they are in-house or outside, everyone who is named animator is a rival. So, I try not to reveal my plans to those people until I am sure, ‘This is it.’”

When asked about Ghibli’s future, he said, “I have no idea what will happen. “In the end, Ghibli’s history is a history of failure to change generations,” he said. “The first time Hayao Miyazaki said he would retire from feature films was after ‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997). The reason he decided to start the Ghibli Museum was to change generations. It was a useless request, so I told all the older animators to retire too and prepare the Ghibli Museum as a place to work. But that didn't happen in the end. Starting from there, we talked about how to pass it on every time, and in the end, Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki (producer) are still doing it, and when it comes to important matters in the studio, they are the ones who make the most decisions. “What should I do? I feel like I should think again when the two of them disappear,” he said with a smile.

Nevertheless, in recent years, Ghibli's fan base around the world has been expanding, and in 2020, when Netflix began providing Ghibli's past works in 190 countries and regions around the world excluding Japan, the United States, and Canada, people came across Ghibli for the first time. People who have fallen in love with its charm are appearing one after another.

“We had no idea it would spread this far, and it is true that we were more surprised. When the Ghibli Museum opened, the number of visitors from overseas came from Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and France. Europe was only France. But now it's all over Europe. The same goes for Ghibli Park, which is expanding throughout Asia.” Japan is no longer the only country eagerly waiting for Ghibli to complete its recharge period. Enthusiastic attention is pouring in from all over the world.

source

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/749a86668035cf16d0c94a4df666384c351f13c1

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Hayao Miyazaki retired after naming Yoshifumi Kondo as his successor.

Yoshifumi Kondo was the animation director for all of Ghibli's masterpieces in the 80s and 90s.

However, in 1997, when 'Mononoke Hime' was released, Yoshifumi Kondo passed away due to a chronic illness.

So, Hayao Miyazaki reversed his retirement and came back.

‘Goro Miyazaki’ was originally an ‘architecture major’

However, producer Toshio Suzuki appointed him as director.