#11

ポニョ最低。

This film is a total piece of shit. I cannot find anything redeeming or even watchable.

Having grown up with Miyazaki films, I have found a tendency to think that each respective film's theme song shows whether or not I will like the film. And this movie's song, is terrible. It is the little girl who does Ponyo's voice and some old man whom I don't know. When the film was released, this pair went on TV frequently and sang with the crowd totally into it. But this is a horrible song. However, it is the culture of Japan that accepts and promotes a shitty song just because it is the theme song of a Miyazaki film. However, nevertheless, the quality of the song mirrors that of the film. The visuals of the film is like a storybook background with animated characters. It does not fit. Both the visuals and the story do not work at all. All of it, is down right horrible. Sad, but true.

#10

Howl's Moving Castle has a totally different "look" than any of Miyazaki's previous films. Its animation takes place on multiple levels and directions (a quality that is natural to live action cinema but a recent endeavor for animated works). However I found that all these layers were not in complete sync. The road was moving a little too fast behind Sophie compared to her speed and the speed of the clouds in the sky and so fourth. This was like watching the scales on a fish or reptile move independently of each other during movement instead of unified. This attempt at a more "natural" or "complex" animation resonated with the movement of Howl's castle. This movement I found a pleasure to watch. The difference between these two may be that the former placed this aesthetic all around the frame while the latter took place on a traditional flat background.

As is true in all cases of seeing something new, it could be that my eyes were not used to seeing this on the screen. It may be because I have grown up with the traditional flat look of Japanese animation, but I think there is something wonderous in that. This attempt to cinematize animation is a little much...

#9

This next film that we watched, Spirited Away, signifies many different points in Miyazaki's career for me. For one, it is the film where he became dull for me. All the films after this one, I do not like. Even if the films have some good moments, they do not constitute a good film at whole. I wonder why this is, but I can't really grasp it. A friend of mine said that it is this film that Miyazaki started to cut corners - such as in the scene with Chihiro running down stairs. In his past works, he would have actually animated the character going down stairs. However in this piece, the character stayed still while it was the stairs that moved underneath her.

Also when I saw this film for the first time, I really recognized Miyazaki's continued usage of the grandmother character with the distinctive nose. And upon looking back at this, I actually see that it is not in so many of his films that there is such a character. In Japan, it is common knowledge that Miyazaki loves this character, but she has not appeared as much as we may expect.

Another thing I do not understand is how the American film academia can give wonderful remarks about this film and his later films, but fails to do so for his earlier and obviously better work...

#8

Watching princess mononoke is an interesting experience for me because it is apparent that it takes place in japan but nevertheless not a specific time or place. Even in this ambiguity however, there is a definite "japanese-ness" to both the story, characters, and nuances. In thinking further about these such nuances, especially those linked to a certain common history or lineage, I wonder which came first. Much like the question of whether the egg or the hen came first, I think this nuance is a matter like that. I am unsure whether a group of people had a common nuance which then became a symbolic representation of the values of that group, or if there was something inherent in this particular grouping of individuals that made them prone to a certain type of aesthetic.

One instance I thought this was that in the film, only san and ashitaka's hair are animated. Everyone else's are not. This makes them stick out against the other characters but also plays at the japanese sensibility of moving hair (seen recently in video games and anime) I wonder whether this aesthetic is something inherent in those with a Japanese background. I myself find moving hair attractive and identify myself with it, but why?

#7

Princess Mononoke is an intriguing character from multiple perspectives. From the scene introducing her character to Ashitaka, she is an untraditional heroin for Miyazaki. There is little feminine charm in her and any sign of the tender femininity at most comes out awkwardly and unwillingly. San keeps this anti-human perspective pretty intact through the film's entirety. Even though she warms up to Ashitaka, she still retains her "savage" nature and keeps away from human society. In such a way, it can be said that she was not domesticated in the course of the film. In most Hollywood films and lesser so in Japanese cinema, the anti-feminine heroin is domesticated into the "ideal and obeying woman" by the end of the film. It is interesting how in cinema, perhaps because it has been predominantly a male-controlled industry, that most endings have the women serving the man.

However, this film had San keep her independence and original character. I wonder why this is, not particularly limited to Princess Mononoke but on a grander scale of Japanese cinema in general. Even though in Japanese culture as well, there is the traditional image of the obeying woman at home, this idea is less present in cinema. This may be the difference in the Japanese attitude towards this image compared to its American counterpart. While Americans have a high level of independence, self-identity, and entrepeneurship, Japan has less need to assert itself. Therefore, this submission, is less something against the woman's will. Also, as a Japanese audience watching the film, there is I think a certain attractiveness to San's solid recognition of self. Most women, especially in present day do not have this and thus it is refreshing and thrilling as though watching a foreigner.

#6

In viewing Porco Rosso, the two things that come to mind most is Marco's voice actor and the music of the film.

First, the actor playing Marco's voice is so distinct with his deep baratone resonance. This gives Marco a 渋い characteristic which totally fits. One thing that I have found interesting in Japanese animation is that the voice actors tend to look like or at least have an aura similar to that of their on-screen counterparts. This man also starred in the Japanese film "Shall we ダンス？” as the main heroine's father. Even in the flesh, he had the same sort of unique presence. Another example is the woman who plays the voice for Ayanami in Evangelion. She too has an aura like her anime character. But perhaps the voice actor with the most resemblance to his screen image is that of Lupin III. The actor has the same bean-like features. I wonder whether it is that the characters come to look like the actor, or the actor to the character.

On another note, I think I enjoy this film's soundtrack more than any other of Miyazaki's work.

I think this may be due to the wide variety and depth. The upbeat march-ike songs are enjoyable as well as the quiet melancholy of the scenes with Gina. Songs such as ”セリビアの写真”, I love so much that I repeat this 40 second clip many times when listening to the soundtrack. Compared to his other works, I wonder if this film could be seen as "more hollywood" than his others. I don't know, but it seems there is something different about this film, 紅の豚。

#5

There has always been one thing that has made me sad watching Kiki.

Jiji loses his voice halfway through the film and even though he comes back to Kiki, we never hear him speak again. There is something irreversibly lost even whilst gaining what seems to be a maturing for Kiki and a place for her within this town. This could be seen as the integration of the country aesthetic into the city life. Both Kiki and Jiji are influenced and pulled to the city. We see the city life as harsh at first but soft and likeable later on. This harshness is heightened most of all with the granddaughter of the pie woman. It is interesting that in the end credits, while all the other city kids are with Kiki, this girl alone is not present.

Miyazaki's love of flight shows very much in this film, with both Kiki and Tombo striving for a better flight. The name Tombo is interesting as well as it means dragonfly in japanese. This gives a Japanese sensibility and softness to the western Tombo. There is a sensibility in Japan of children capturing dragonflies during the end of summer. Therefore, there is a sense of nostalgia and common history to the name Tombo that will perhaps bring him closer to the hearts of Japanese audiences.

Also, the fact that the music used in the film, "やさしさに包まれて”and "ルージュの伝言" by Yumi Arai is used is a nice touch. Even though they are songs made before the film, their lyrics resonate well with the scene.

#4

So, Totoro is me, my history, and my childhood.

However, other than that, looking at the film now makes me notice several things. First of all, I have always thought that the artistry in Totoro as a little bit different from Miyazaki's other works. The depiction of the characters, especially of the female protagonist, is usually only a slight alteration of each other. However, Satsuki and Mei are drawn distinctly different from his other characters. Their foreheads are a lot more prominent and have almost a bean-like structure. This is interesting, as this makes their faces slightly unattractive at certain angles. As I do not think that Miyazaki did not know this, I think there is a reason behind this choice. Both in regards to the time period that the film is set and also the message it tries to convey with a strong connection to the traditional way of life, I think he tried to go back and reflect old japanese portraits which had the forehead more prominent as the essence of beauty.

And on a total side note, I remembered the incident with Japan's former prime minister Aso and anime. A few years ago he proposed that they use government money to construct a grand anime center as a representative of Japan's presence on the global scale. This idea was shot to hell, especially because Aso was an avid fan of anime. I remember that months after his statement, other politicians were still hitting him hard saying "Yes, I know that Mr. Aso is a great fan of anime, but for him to bring that hobby into the world of politics....." I think this shows both the significance Anime has in Japanese society and also its limitations as a hobby and lack of respect on the "larger" or "more important" sphere.

#3

In the screening of Laputa yesterday, a thought came to me - theme songs. In most US films and animations, the theme song is thought of as separate from the film's content. It is usually a song by some artist, either fitting or abhorring in its usage. However, the theme songs of Japanese films is treated with much greater care. For live action films, it is rare that a song is written for that purpose, but nevertheless the song and lyrics fit with the story. And even greater for anime. The theme song, sometime multiple songs are written and recorded for the sake of anime. Therefore, the lyrics have an almost mirroring resonance with the story.

In watching the film yesterday, we skipped over the ending. Of course, it may be due to the fact that there are no subtitles for the song. However, we must not ignore the fact that the theme song is an integral part of the entire feature. This is especially true because Miyazaki's composer, Joe Hisaishi composed the song as well. The songs are included in the official soundtrack and should accordingly be treated with the same emphasis. In Laputa and many of Miyazaki's following work, the theme song summarizes or at times supplements the happenings on screen.

Finally, the translations for Laputa were very bad. One thing, what is up with there being subtitles for dialogue that doesn't exist and subtitles coming 6 seconds after the line is said? I took a Japanese-English translation course so I know that total accuracy is difficult. But getting the placement wrong is just ridiculous. That sort of "professionalism" makes me cringe.

#2

In the reading, it put a focus on Japan's apparent emphasis on the post-apocalyptic society. The statement which traced the origins of this fascination to the actual atomic bombings, is of course natural and obvious. However, beyond the historical origins of the portrayal of the post-apocalyptic, I believe that a new possibility for narrative stories is born in the post-apocalyptic world.

In a near totally post-apocalyptic world (if it was total, there would be no one left and no story), there is a certain beauty and simplicity to those individuals who remain. The people, go back to the most basic of human characteristics and flourish in a manner that tickles at our sense of nostalgia. This sense of nostalgia and individualistic purity may be some of the aspects that pull Japanese audiences to this kind of world. In a post-apocalyptic society, all the "unnecessary" things have been taken away, thus leaving the characters to weave out the most essential of their being and grasp it by the end of the narrative. I think there is something inherently gratifying about that. It may be a Japanese sensibility, but there is something immensely attractive about a woman in simple dress, standing still in the middle of nature.

In many novels and manga that I have read, and also within some of my own screenplays, the idea of the post-apocalyptic has been present. I chose to adapt a screenplay from the short story "Kami-no Kotoba" by Otsuichi. The story was compelling, but in considering the choice of the post-apocalyptic once again, I think it was that the environment allowed characters to start in a sense of absolute solitude. This solitude, which most stories accomplish sometime around the second act, allows more time to see and develop the characters' psychology. The stakes are higher, at least for interpersonal relationships because there is no going back.

Finally, I think that why Japan is the most active in using these themes is because it has the claim on this post-apocalyptic reality. True, other nations have experienced a sort of apocalypse, but not like Japan. If the US were to make a post-apocalyptic (post-nuclear) film, there is a paradox (at least from a Japanese mindset). As these types of film automatically treat the "event" as horrible and wrong, if America took this stance, it would be stabbing itself in the foot in a very obvious manner. Hollywood, with its emphasis on the "happy ending" will not ruin its face with this kind of dilemma.

#1

Having grown up watching Studio Ghibli films, the viewing experience now has a pre-determined nature to it. Much like, I would assume, that which Disney is like for people in the US. I come to remember the parts of the film that have had a special role in my upbringing whose influence still lingers today. Viewing Nausicaa, I remembered how I made a huge water color of an Ohmu with the Miebe underneath, how I always love the Versus Colbet song and how I cringe when Nausicaa's foot goes into the acid water. Somethings never change.

However, there is one thing that I know has changed over the years. With my work in both watching films critically and film production, I am now seeing more of the "skill" within the production. I see myself looking at the frame more so than into the frame. Miyazaki, at least in his earlier works, had a grand meticulousness which rivaled that of great live-action film directors such as Kurosawa who gave detailed backstories to the over 100 extras in Seven Samurai. I noticed the placements of certain objects of people on the edges of the frame which was an enjoyable subtlety. It really does not do anything of value for the narrative, but in looking at the film as a piece of auteuristic art, Miyazaki's aesthetic and dedication show up in these parts. Further, since watching Conan last week, I was driven by a hysteria of nostalgia to watch them all. And in comparing the two, there were similarities in how similar situations were put together. One that stands out is the sole individual coming down (from the Baracuda[Conan] and in the finale with the baby Ohmu [Nausicaa]). Each takes a beat which settles the roughened waters and makes a mood shift.

And I really do believe that the viewing experience for Japanese viewers is different from all others. There are indirect appearances of culture which foreigners cannot understand. This is not in the realm of old edo culture and so fourth but rather more of a certain sentimental value. There are onomatopoetic sentiments in Japanese culture which are evoked in Miyazaki films. Because I know, but am not so well versed in American culture I cannot say for sure that these do not exist here, but when I have tried to express this subtle sensation it has come to no avail. People wonder at what they do not know. I wonder what these films say to everyone else.