Overview
An in-depth collection of the rich influences and sources of inspiration behind one of animated cinema's all-time greats, and Japanese cinema's most popular cultural export.Japanese filmmaker, director and anime artist Hayao Miyazaki has been described as the 'godfather of animation', with a cultural output and level of influence to rival Walt Disney's. In 1985 he co-founded Studio Ghibli, Japan's most-successful animation studio, and went on to direct the vast majority of its most notable productions. His many films include My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), and Ponyo (2008), each of which have been enormous cult hits both inside and outside of Japan - Spirited Away is still the highest-grossing film in Japanese cinema history, but also received an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Miyazaki's worlds are painstakingly produced and deeply stylistically inventive. Only he could have created 'Totoro' - a giant furry spirit inspired by a racoon dog and a cat - and turn him into a global phenomenon. His influences encompass both Japanese and broader Western influences. The Worlds of Miyazaki will bring these influences together to show how Miyazaki creates his magical worlds, and in doing so has become one of modern cinemas most influential stylists.
Full Product Details
Author: Nicolas Rapold
Publisher: Quarto Publishing PLC
Imprint: Frances Lincoln
Dimensions:
Width: 21.00cm
, Height: 2.60cm
, Length: 26.00cm
Weight: 1.160kg
ISBN: 9781836004813
ISBN 10: 1836004818
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 18 September 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
'Whether you’re a casual Studio Ghibli fan or the kind of devotee who might be tempted to jump on the next plane to Matsuyama to visit the bathhouse that inspired Spirited Away, The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki is a journey well worth taking.' * Creative Review * ""Takes readers on a comprehensive journey through the filmmaker’s work. Miyazaki connoisseurs will delight in the wealth of popular culture and art that inspires the films, which Rapold cleverly pairs with film stills. (Hokusai’s print The Great Wave off Kanagawa, for instance, mirrors a still from Ponyo, the tale of the goldfish princess.) The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki is a comforting portal back into Studio Ghibli’s magical repertoire—and perhaps even your childhood."" * Air Mail * ""Elegantly designed and thoughtfully written, (The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki) would sit well on any Ghibli fan’s shelf."" * Empire Magazine * ""Brimming with passion for its subject, The Worlds Of Hayao Miyazaki will encourage readers to rewatch the director’s films with a fresh perspective."" * SFX Magazine *
'Whether you’re a casual Studio Ghibli fan or the kind of devotee who might be tempted to jump on the next plane to Matsuyama to visit the bathhouse that inspired Spirited Away, The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki is a journey well worth taking.' * Creative Review *
Author Information
Nicolas Rapold is a writer and editor. He worked as editor-in-chief of Film Comment (both web and print) at Film at Lincoln Center, where he hosted the Film Comment Podcast, curated Film Comment Selects, and was a member of the magazine's editorial team since 2005. He currently hosts the podcast The Last Thing I Saw and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Artforum, the Criterion Collection Daily, and Sight & Sound.
