A little girl goes searching through VHS tapes to find a solution to her boredom. She passes over Mulan and The Little Mermaid. She’s seen those ones before. Her hand finally stops on one. Kiki’s Delivery Service. She puts it in the VHS player and her imagination runs wild. Her heart soars as the character flies above the tree tops on her broom. She cries as her character goes through hard times and is elated when she finds herself again. She connects to this character. She wants to be strong like Kiki...
A little bit older now, the girl is at the video rental store. ‘All of these videos don’t look very interesting.’ She stops. Spirited Away the cover says. ‘I think I’ll pick this one.’ At home she puts it in the DVD player. The dragon’s scales dazzle. The characters perseverance is heartwarming. She secretly roots for the girl to succeed and when she does a big smile spreads on her face. She wants to be strong like Sen...
I often watched Miyazaki’s films when I was younger. To me they were wonderful stories. These stories made you imagine fantastic worlds where spirits came to life and witches flew around on broomsticks. I believe that his stories change people - he teaches a love for imagination as well as animation and creates such human characters that people look up to. I look up more to Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of all these wondrous characters now more as I get older, but when I was little I always thought that these animated girls were so human; like they could be me. I could connect with them on a girl to girl level.
Just as he influenced my childhood and my imagination, he is helping the next generation find wings for their imaginations. His presence may not be seen, but he is felt. He is raising tomorrow's children on courage, bravery, and perseverance. So, just like Nausicaä, he is saving the Valley of the Wind for the next flyers, ready to take a step into the unknown.
“I wanted to show that people actually have these things in them that can be called on when they find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. That is how I wish my young friends to be, and I think that is also how they, themselves, hope to be.” - Hayao Miyazaki
