Japanese broadcasting company NHK have made their documentary on Studio Ghibli legend, Hayao Miyazaki, free to watch.
The four-part miniseries titled 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki chronicles the animator’s filmmaking process in the decade leading up to 2013.
Japanese broadcasting company NHK have made their four-part documentary series on Studio Ghibli animator Hayao Miyazaki free to watch.
This is the second documentary on Miyazaki directed by Kaku Arakawa, who has been intimately documenting his life since 2005. The latest doco covers the screenwriter’s life that wasn’t detailed in Arakawa’s previous film, The Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki.
The 49-minute episodes cover the events that took place between the making of Ponyo and The Wind Rises. The footage won’t shock fans familiar with his habits but still provides an interesting insight into his working creativity. The most pivotal part of the series captures the release of Tales from Earthsea, the first film by Goro, Miyazaki’s estranged son. His obvious discomfort and harsh judgement of his son’s work is a running theme throughout the documentary. After the premiere, Miyzaki makes the sharp comment, “He’s not an adult yet, that’s all”.
Director Arakawa was given permission for the project under the condition that he filmed alone, providing a fly on the wall and confidential aesthetic. The resulting work is perfect for those who have previous knowledge on Miyazaki’s life, however newcomers may struggle without context. Either way, NHK have allowed incredible observation for the public with this accessible miniseries.
