For four decades, Hayao Miyazaki has been enchanting audiences of all ages. His animated films offer timeless explorations of childhood and what it means to grow up. Celebrated and admired around the world for his artistic vision, craftsmanship, and deeply humanistic values, Miyazaki has influenced generations of artists worldwide. The universal appeal of his complex characters, many among them strong females, signature themes dealing with human empathy and respect, evocative natural settings, and miraculous flying machines, cuts across cultural boundaries. This book is published with the inaugural exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, in collaboration with Miyazaki's own Studio Ghibli in Tokyo. This exhibition includes hundreds of original production materials - many of which have never been seen outside of Studio Ghibli's archives. Concept sketches, character designs, storyboards, layouts, and backgrounds from all eleven of his feature films, including My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), and Howl's Moving Castle (2004), offer insight into Miyazaki's creative process and seminal animation techniques. Featuring luminous colour reproductions, this volume invites all manner of immersive exploration - whether for technical cues, creative inspiration, or simply rapturous daydreaming.
