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How can anyone with even a passing interest in anime not be familiar with the incredible library of work from master craftsman Hayao Miyazaki? Miyazaki is sheer genius, he is an unparalleled storyteller and his films have a unique visual quality stemming from a European influence. He is one of the very few Japanese animators to achieve international acclaim for his films, as well as the only one (so far) to win an Academy Award for best animated feature. His films will touch you and inspire you, these masterpieces are truly the high-point of all anime.
Ponyo
Anime DVD Review
I couldn't wait for the DVD to hit American shores so I just jumped the gun to start my review by seeing the release in an honest to goodness movie theater! Chances are you've already seen it, since the buzz on the internet is big, and let's face it, there's a zillion places to download from these days.
Ponyo is big news for a number of reasons. First of all Miyazaki is supposed to be retired. Secondly, ... dammit, it's MIYAZAKI !!!!!! The man who can do no wrong, the midas-touch of anime, has he ever made a flick we didn't think was well-above average, dare we say genius in every respect?
 Here's the good news: Ponyo is a delight. And if you've ever heard of "The Little Mermaid", you've already got a handle on the premise. A refreshing change from all the explosions in this summer's movies, Ponyo is G-rated faire, and wonderfully so. Less intense than say, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo is a simpler, more easy-going work, more along the lines of My Neighbor Totoro.
With an all-star voice cast which was directed by Pixar's John Lassetter, Ponyo never stops being what it really is; a nice Miyazaki film, with an impressive use of color, a visual direction that is unmatched, and a subtle, and yet noticeably-there environmental message that continues to celebrate the innocence of childhood, when magic can make dreams come true.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, October 2009
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Anime DVD Review
Any anime fan can unconsciously identify a Miyazaki film via the formulaic elements that are used again and again within each film. Like a favorite musical artist's "signature sound", a Miyazaki film will contain a young heroine on the brink of becoming a young woman, vaguely European architecture, and flying sequences animated with breathtaking dynamism and a sense of wonder.
His films are simple and heartwarming, with a child's view of the world, where everything is a new adventure, and no problem can't be overcome with love. They are chock full of what we humans define as "soul".
 Whisper of the Heart (Mimi o Sumaseba) follows the basic formula closely enough to be Ghibli canon. It concerns a reclusive bookworm of a 14 year old girl who harbors aspirations to become an author herself. As will happen with the Miyazaki magic, she meets a boy. And of course, they do not get along at all, but this is certain to lead to love.
The story is deceptively simple and yet, you'll be spellbound for the entire length of this feature. Why? Because it's Miyazaki, and nobody... NOBODY crafts a story like he does. The supporting cast ingeniously helps to resolve and teach us about the main characters, as we cherish the little moments in the film that grasp at our heartstrings, help us to discover the love of life, the brilliance of youth and audacity of hope.
Produced and written by Hayao Miyazaki and created by the impeccable staff of Studio Ghibli, this is the only film to be directed by the late Yoshifumi Kondo, who was being groomed by Miyazaki as his successor. Unfortunately Kondo died in 1998 of an aneurysm, leaving us this film as his legacy.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2008
The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki
Anime Art Book Review
This lavishly illustrated book (the release of which, was obviously timed to coincide with the release of Howls Moving Castle) spares no expense to showcase some of the very best of the body of work from the master of anime, Hayao Miyazaki.
Starting as a study of the visual language of manga and anime, the book presents an overview of the mediums as a whole including processes involved as part of both traditional cel and computer generated (and computer assisted) animation, but specifically focuses on the output of Miyazaki during his earlier years before the founding of Studio Ghibli.
The book then moves into Ghibli era, highlighting all of his most famous works including Laputa, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Aside from touting Howl's Moving Castle as the studio's latest release, the book also delves into Ghibli's "non-Miyazaki" productions as well, including Grave of the Fireflies and The Cat Returns.
Overall, this is an excellent book and a worthy addition to any anime fan's library. Miyazaki fans will, obviously, find the book one of the most in-depth yet so far (in English) regarding our favorite director, and the discussions of techniques used will be fascinating to those who know little about the magic that goes into creating animated films.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, March 2006
Castle Cagliostro (1979)
Anime DVD Review
Steven Spielberg considers this to be one of his favorite films. So do we. This may be one of the greatest action-adventure comedy-romances ever made, animated or otherwise. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Laputa, Totoro, Mononoke) it's guaranteed to please everyone who watches it. That action starts five seconds into the film and never lets go, culminating in a fantastic battle that Disney shamelessly ripped off in "The Great Mouse Detective".
 Considering the film is over 20 years old, the animation is still amazing even by today's standards – consider the scenes where Lupin drives his Fiat 500 straight up a wall (in the best car chase we've ever seen), or later, where he's scaling the roof of the castle and everything is moving in the frame perfectly – it is just to die for. All this topped with Yuji Ono's inspired soundtrack make this one of the most perfectly crafted and executed films of all time. Absolutely not to be missed.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2002
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Anime DVD Review
Many fans consider this to be the Miyazaki film, his breakout hit that set the formula for elements he would develop more fully in his later films and manga: daring, compassionate heroines; exciting flying sequences; colorful side characters; strong interpersonal relationships; and a magical, haunting score by composer Jo Hisashi that will bring tears of joy to your eyes.
What's nice about this new English dub from Disney is that it presents the film in its entirety, with strong vocal performances by Uma Thurman, Patrick Stewart, Alison Lohman, and Edward James Olmos. This is a must own title for any anime fan.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, March 2005
Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, Perfect Collection, Box Set
Manga Review
Today Hayao Miyazaki is probably best known for his films Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service which feature lavish animation and a sophisticated treatment of their young heroes. However back in 1982 Miyazaki found himself with few film prospects, so he agreed to begin work on a manga to be serialized in the popular animation magazine Animage. This series has been collected into four paperback volumes, which in 1,060 magical pages presents a fantastic epic that will have you hooked. The story reminds one of the charm of the Wizard of Oz with the futuristic ecological themes of Dune.
 Set in a future where the world has been poisoned by industrial waste and other ecological horrors, the story is about a young girl in the wilderness fighting giant insects and clashing tribes. Nausicaa is a unusual hero as she is a pacifist who not only rejects violence, but she has a calming effect on both the creatures and people she encounters. Yet she is also an accomplished fighter, which is evident on the rare occasions when her rage overpowers her compassion.
When her beloved Valley faces invasion Nausicaa embarks on a journey to save not only her people, but also the world. The adventures that follow form a tale of honor, compassion, the folly of tampering with nature, and the power of love and friendship. This is a masterpiece of comic art and literature.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2002
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
Anime DVD Review
Our favorite Miyazaki masterpiece comes out on DVD. Of all the films the master is famous for, this one really gives you that feeling of flight, along with a tight storyline, astounding animation and of course, the most beautiful score ever written.
 This film is absolutely, positively guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes — it's just that good. No anime collection is complete without it. This is the Citizen Kane of anime, a film that can be appreciated by children and adults alike, and for many who have seen it, a life-altering experience.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2003
Laputa: Castle In The Sky - Soundtrack
Anime Soundtrack Review
Statement of Bias: We think the music for every Miyazaki film is perfect, astounding, beautiful, majestic, and awe-inspiring. There aren't enough superlatives in the English language to describe the works of Jo Hisaishi. But even within his collected works are stand-out selections and Laputa is, by far, his best work.
The film has a strong link to the experiences and emotions of flight, and the sountrack enhances those feelings, with an air to it that lifts you up and makes you feel the wind rushing around you, while at the same time, wrapping you in the softness of a cloud. The title track alone will bring you to tears as you experience it's magical ability to make you float.
But the overall soundtrack is a mixture of styles and influences, smoothly flowing from one to the next, using a variety of instruments. The electronic "flapter" music is a far cry from the classical sound of the title, and the action music is complemented by the softer tracks of piano which echo the main theme. The variety of emotions and the clever ways these emotions are presented through the composition and orchestration make this soundtrack more impressive than any other we have ever heard for any film, of any genre, ever.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, Summer 2002
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Anime DVD Review
Hayao Miyazaki has been on the top spot for this website far too many times, and for good reason. This is it. This is the movie. This may be the greatest movie ever made, of any kind, in any genre, ever. There is no excuse not to see this movie. We shouldn't even bother writing a review, as an anime fan, you are obligated to not only have seen this multiple times times already, but to be touting it to every person (living or dead) you've ever met.
 My Neighbor Totoro has become one of the most beloved of all family films without ever having been much promoted or advertised. It's a perennial best seller on video. On the Internet Movie Database, it's voted the fifth best family film of all time, right behind "Toy Story 2" and ahead of "Shrek". Roger Ebert considers this to be one of the best movies ever made (it's on his list of the top 100 films of all time). Totoro is simply a masterpiece of filmic storytelling and is most definitely one of the greatest anime films ever. You'll run out of superlatives before you're done just trying to describe the first five minutes. And then there's the cat-bus...
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, November 2002
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Anime DVD Review
Seriously, how can you go wrong with Phil Hartman voicing the cat! For that alone, this is worth watching. Plus, Kiki is voiced by none-other than Spiderman's sweetheart, Kirsten Dunst. Overall, this is one of the best dubbing jobs ever done for an anime film that has come to America. And of course, the film itself is pure Miyazaki. Beautiful execution and animation, enchanting Jo Hisaishi musical score, and the subtle, slow-burning to boil story that is the trademark of every film from Studio Ghibli.
 The master storyteller weaves a magical world where witches are part of the community, and Kiki, a witch in training, has to start using her broom and flight powers in a delivery service role to help make ends meet. Through this premise, he builds a girl-to-woman coming of age story, with all the requisite problems of life on your own, and learning to rely on yourself, and learning about self-confidence. The struggles Kiki deals with are the sames ones we deal with every day, they are just a little bit different - because, after all, this is a Miyazaki film. There's something for all of us to learn from Kiki, and what it teaches us are the things we should carry in our hearts forever.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, Summer 2002
Porco Rosso (1992)
Anime DVD Review
We admit it's almost a cop-out at this point to list a Miyazaki film. It's like cheating, because you KNOW we're going say it's fantastic, incredible and an anime classic that you cannot live without. However, this is the master's most bizarre film, concerning a 1930's era pilot who has been transformed into a pig. On the surface, it's just weird.
 But of course, being Miyazaki, there's more. Way more. It's a charming, bittersweet light adventure film that will bring a smile to the face of anyone with a pulse. There's an elegant magic to it that cannot be easily defined because everyone who watches it finds something differently 'deep' about the film. It's as if our own personal demons allow us to relate to the characters and situations in our own way. Thus, Porco Rosso is also one of Miyazaki's strongest films, and his most personal.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, May 2005
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Hayao Miyazaki Website Links:
Nausicaa.net
*The* Miyazaki fan site.
The First Church of Hayao Miyazaki
Studio Ghibli (Japanese)
The Ghibli Museum (Japanese)
Interview: A god among animators
Online Ghibli
Midnight Eye interview: Hayao Miyazaki
Bright Lights Film Journal review of Spirited Away
Dear Mr. Miyazaki...
Whisper of the Heart page at Nausicaa.net
Mimi o sumaseba at the Internet Movie Database
Whisper of the Heart page at Asahi-Net
Madman's Official Whisper of the Heart Website
Optimum's Official Whisper of the Heart Sales Site
Whisper of the Heart Fan Website
Whisper of the Heart at Online Ghibli
Whisper of the Heart entry at Anime News Network
Wikipedia entry for Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Anime DVD Review
One of our favorite anime epics, Princess Mononoke was created by Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.
 Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, March 2002
Princess Mononoke
Anime Soundtrack Review
Statement of Bias: We think the music for every Miyazaki film is perfect, astounding, beautiful, majestic, and awe-inspiring. Joe Hisaishi is the master of the killer soundtrack and this is no exception. Uplifting, inspirational, and downright beautiful, this is music guaranteed to bring tears of joy to your eyes.
 Capturing the flavor of the film, from the lush, velvety feeling of the forest floor to the harder, more mechanical sound for the town, the soundtrack sweeps you into the emotions, characters, and crisis that is the plot of Princess Mononoke.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, April 2004
Spirited Away (2001)
Anime DVD Review
At long last history is made this year as an anime film wins the Oscar for 'Best Animated Picture' at the Academy Awards. Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki's stunningly imaginative supernatural adventure about a plucky little girl in a world of ghosts bested four much higher-profile American opponents, proving quality counts.
 Using his unique trademark style, along with some very subtle computer animation, Miyazaki has weaved a lush spirit world, while Jo Hisashi breathes life into the film with yet another beautiful score. This is a film no anime fan should miss because it's perfect in every detail. Children and parents alike will find it fascinating.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, April 2003
Spirited Away, Vol. 1
Anime Book Review
Hayao Miyazaki's Academy-Award-Winning masterpiece of a movie comes to us this time as a film-comic, which is to say that the actual film frames are printed up and used to create a comic with word balloons. Although these are common in Japan, it's rare that we can find these in America — and in English, but VIZ Comics has devoted itself to bringing to you as many of Miyazaki's films as it can.
 The advantage is that you get to appreciate the depth of detail from this film that you cannot experience when watching the DVD. Even if you've memorized the film, look at the pictures and study the art and craftsmanship in this wonderful five-volume set.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, April 2004
Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Film Score)
Anime Soundtrack Review
It's Jo Hisaishi, what more do you need to know? As the soundtrack composer for every Miyazaki film since Nausicca, it's a given that the soundtrack will be everything you've ever dreamed of and more. And Sprited Away, currently playing in theaters and probably available on DVD next month, is the latest yardstick by which we define the word masterpiece.
His eccletic blend of Japanese modal tones and western neo-classicalism, synthesizer and quiet piano bring an ineffable flavor that is often imitated and never duplicated. When you hear his work, you know it's his work. And this particular soundtrack may be one of his strongest (we refuse to say his best, we still reserve that for his Laputa Soundtrack!). However, it's just so damn good that even his second best is light-years better than just about everything else out there.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, November 2002
The Art of Spirited Away
by Hayao Miyazaki
Anime Book Review
Direction Hayao Miyazaki has made some amazing films like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away follows in that tradition. This book takes more than one look to completely enjoy the total artistic scope of Spirited Away. The book opens up with a intro from Miyazaki, followed by a nice chapter which features watercolor pencil sketches and concept art, a treat for those of us who love pre-production artwork of character designs and detailed architectiral drawings.
 Other chapters feature actual art used in the movie, like background paintings and animations cels of the characters. But the book features more than pretty pictures as there are interviews with the animators which give you insights into their creative process. This book is not only a must for Miyazaki fans, but anyone who loves the craft of animation film making.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, January 2003
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Anime Soundtrack Review
Get the jump on the latest Miyazaki film release by wrapping your hands around this Jo Hisaishi soundtrack from the film. A Japanese import, all the tracks are titled in Japanese, so unless you've got your Kana dictionary handy, you're going to have a hard time reading the liner notes!
Regardless, it's a Hisaishi soundtrack, so therefore, really good tunes are guaranteed. His unique blend of electronica and traditional instruments, highlighted by woodwinds will remind you of many of his previous soundtracks, particularly Spirited Away. In all, enjoyable stuff.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2005
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