The Boy & The Heron | Miyazaki’s Hand Drawn Revolution | Studio Ghibli

In an era that is dominated by computer generatedanimation and the growing prevalence of many iconic and celebrated animated productionsbeing remade into live action, which more often than not turn out to be nothing morethan soulless, corporate content, Hayao Miyazaki has come out of retirement once again to remindpeople of the magic, wonder and depth of storytelling possible through hand drawn animation. Studio Ghibli’s latest film How Do You Live,entitled The Boy and The Heron for its North American release, recently made its internationaldebut at the TIFF to much acclaim. In this video I’d like to discuss HayaoMiyazaki’s latest film and consider why this could prove revolutionary in the realmof animation.

On July 14, 2023 Hayao Miyazaki’s How DoYou Live premiered in Japan. As a testament to Miyazaki’s reputationas a filmmaker there was no traditional marketing campaign prior to the film’s release apartfrom a single poster. In Japan, How Do You Live grossed 1.83 billionyen or 13.2 million US dollars in its opening weekend becoming the biggest opening in StudioGhibli’s history. Following the film’s domestic release theNorth american rights were acquired by distributor GKIDS with the film being internationallytitled The Boy and the Heron which will premiere in select theaters November 22, followed bya nationwide rollout December 8, 2023 after several special preview events at variousfilm festivals.

The film recently premiered at the 2023 TorontoInternational Film Festival on September 7 becoming the first animated project in historyto open the festival in what turned out to be the event’s strongest opening night indecades. The Official Synopsis for the Boy and theHeron reads: A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world sharedby the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life findsa new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life,death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki. “The Boy and the Heron” is an originalstory inspired by Yoshino Genzaburo’s 1937.

Novel about a young boy who comes of age whileliving with his uncle after the death of his father. This is a very personal passion project forthe filmmaker as the book that inspired the film How Do You Live was a childhood favoriteof Miyazaki who went on to dedicate the film to his own grandson. Hayao Miyazaki was not present at the FilmFestival but to the crowd’s surprise Guillermo del Toro showed up for the movie’s galapresentation. Del Toro himself echoed the sentiments ofMiyazaki during press for his celebrated stop motion animated adaptation of Pinnochio stating”Animation is not a genre….

Animation is art. Animation is film.” In his presentation for the boy and the heronDel Toro praised Miyazaki’s work saying “Miyazaki, in my estimation, is the greatestdirector of animation ever… he understands that beauty cannot exist without horror, anddelicacy cannot exist without brutality. He repeats motifs over and over again: flying,hope, despair, the power of innocence, the great of innocence. Each of his parables, because they becomeparables, are full of belief in humanity and full of heartache in humanity.

I believe the film we will watch tonight willbe no exception.” For those looking for a glimpse of the filmleading up to its full premiere, a trailer was recently released. The few images and scenes featured in theshort teaser provide concrete evidence to back up Del toro’s statements. Every still frame is a work of art, the vibrantimagery imbued with such emotional depth powerfully conveys the personal connection of this storyto its creator. “The Boy and the Heron” marks a pivotal momentfor both Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, standing as a defiant testament to the enduringpower of hand-drawn animation.

As many look forward to its North Americanrelease, there's a collective sigh of relief that the magic animation can offer is stillvery much alive, especially in the hands of a master like Miyazaki. Whe ther or not this film is Miyazaki’s finalmasterpiece, it is undeniably a seminal moment in the history of the genre—a reiterationthat the soul of this art form resides not in pixels, but in the strokes of a brush. Critics, both in Japan and around the world,have affirmed that this film is not just a worthy successor to Miyazaki’s previousworks but perhaps is one of his most intricate. In an interview with IndieWire TIFF CEO CameronBailey said of the film, “If this has to.

Be his final statement on screen, I thinkit’s a perfect one. It’s very much an adult vision of life,very much about loss and how we deal with that. It just felt like this is a movie from a masterfilmmaker. This one goes deeper and darker than Miyazakihas before in terms of the journey the main character is on. The images are just dazzling, almost hallucinogenic.” A critic for Anime News Network wrote, “Everyframe of this film feels like a separate work of art — one that only becomes grander whenput together as part of the greater whole.

It’s a film you could watch a hundred timesand still discover new things in the background of any given scene. It cannot be understated how the little visualdetails take the film from real to surreal — like a heron flashing a toothy grin orwooden dolls vibrating as if in sympathetic laughter. It’s an animation tour de force unlike anythingseen in the past decade.” Audiences and critics have also noted thatthis particular offering from the acclaimed Studio Ghibli is more mature than previouslighthearted films. Though visually it is in the same vein asSpirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Its subject matter is more complex with deepphilosophical themes about life, death and dealing with loss. Over time it seems that animation itself haseither become equated with stories exclusively made for children or has been unceremoniouslydismissed as a legitimate medium of storytelling with the prevalence of classic animated filmsbeing remade into live action. However with filmmakers such as Miyazaki andDel Toro continuing to champion this kind of art, we have begun to see the seeds ofgrowing appreciation from other studios and creators for handmade work as a means to tellepic, and thematically deep stories. With the recent praise from audiences andcritics towards the animated spiderverse films.

And the development of the anime The Lordof the Rings: the War of the Rohirrim, the future of animation could see a new renaissance. Some stories naturally resonate with the uniqueartistic freedom offered by hand-drawn animation. Many, including myself, hope that the boyand the heron will be a pivotal stepping stone toward cementing this genre as an unmatchedform of art and expression. “The Boy and the Heron” is poised to becomea landmark moment in Hayao Miyazaki's storied career. Serving as the apex of his life's work bothpersonally and professionally, the film is set to dazzle audiences with its visual artistryand emotional depth.

Under Miyazaki's expert direction, StudioGhibli continues to set an unparalleled standard for rich, captivating storytelling throughthe enduring power of hand-drawn animation. But I’m curious to know what you think aboutHayao Miyazaki’s latest studio Ghibli film How Do You Live aka the Boy and the Heron… Do you think it has the potential to serveas a true testament to the power of hand-drawn artistry? Let me know your thoughts in the comment sectionbelow. I hope you enjoyed this video. Leave a like if you did and be sure to subscribefor more Studio Ghibli and other sci-fi and.

Fantasy news and lore. And if you’re looking for other ways toshow your appreciation you can check out my patreon page where members get access to exclusiveperks.Thank you all so much for your support and as always have a very nerdy day.

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