As a lifelong fan of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki‘s profound works, I found “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron” to be a poignant and thought-provoking documentary. The film offers a rare glimpse into the life of a living legend who grapples with the harsh realities of mortality as he loses close friends and colleagues.
Hayao Miyazaki casually expresses his thought that he might be nearing the end of his life in Kaku Arakawa’s documentary Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron. With a smile and hands resting at the back of his head, he mentions that if this were the case, he would express gratitude to everyone. This poignant statement seems premature as the documentary progresses, with Miyazaki focusing more on the deaths of others rather than his own mortality as the production of The Boy and the Heron continues over seven years.
We observe him diligently working on the film while he mourns the loss of old friends associated with Studio Ghibli. Some notable figures include Michiyo Yasuda, a color designer and confidante; Isao Takahata, his friend, collaborator, rival, and co-founder of Ghibli; Yasuo Ootsuka, a mentor; and even a cherished assistant. “This is the reality of aging,” he remarks, moving towards his desk following another departure announcement. “Oh dear, the funerals just keep coming.
Death hovers over every other scene. The doc doesn’t linger on the COVID pandemic, but you’re reminded of its devastation by the sudden ubiquity of face masks. When another mentor, the producer Junzo Nakajima, comes to visit Miyazaki’s atelier, the conversation quickly turns to the older man’s ailing health. An unspoken question floats over the good-byes as he gets into his car to leave: Will these men ever see each other again? It’s not often you get to see a living legend seriously grapple with the din of mortality. In many senses, it’s a privilege to witness, but watching any man outlive so many friends is a terrible thing.
To fully enjoy and understand “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron”, it’s beneficial to have a good understanding not only of the film “The Boy and the Heron” but also about Miyazaki’s broader biography. This documentary subtly draws connections between each character in “The Boy and the Heron” and individuals from Miyazaki’s own life, which can add depth to your viewing experience. However, you may not fully grasp the irony, for instance, that Miyazaki sees his long-suffering producer Toshio Suzuki as the cunning Heron, if you’re not familiar with their relationship dynamics.
The biography of Hayao Miyazaki has been explored in several NHK documentaries, two of which are accessible on Max: “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness” from 2013 and “Never-Ending Man” from 2016. The former, directed by Mami Sunada, focuses on the creation of “The Wind Rises,” while the latter, directed by Arakawa, traces Miyazaki’s journey in developing his first CGI project, “Boro the Caterpillar.” Additionally, “10 Years With Hayao Miyazazi” (available on Crunchyroll) completes this narrative. The recently released documentary, “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron, provides a more realistic perspective, serving as a concluding chapter to a long-term examination of this creative genius who continues to defy age and return to his art despite the question of how much longer he can sustain it.
The unique aspect of Arakawa’s work is its profound melancholic tone. For instance, the demise of Isao Takahata, who served as Miyazaki’s guide and competitor, seems to have had a significant impact on him while working on “The Boy and the Heron“. Despite Miyazaki gaining more recognition than Takahata, it’s evident that he deeply respected and cherished the man. However, approval from Takahata was seldom granted. As a result, even after Takahata’s passing, his spirit lingers heavily in Miyazaki’s mind, to an extent where Miyazaki humorously accuses everything from unfavorable weather to misplacing a pencil on the vengeful ghost of his deceased mentor.
Arakawa frequently switches between multiple scenes swiftly, mimicking the feeling of rapid thoughts, and establishing thematic and emotional connections. This method serves various purposes: at times, it links aspects of Miyazaki’s personal life to visuals in his films; for instance, a scene where Miyazaki watches a child stacking toads is followed by a scene from “Heron” showing a swarm of toads overwhelming the protagonist Mahito. In other instances, Arakawa uses this technique to highlight an emotion that Miyazaki attempts to avoid. The director possesses a playful demeanor, often juxtaposing a sensitive remark with a sly comment or an ironic grin. In one scene, he remarks, “They said I’d be the first to go. Why am I still alive?” followed immediately by another smile. Arakawa then transitions to a clip from “Porco Rosso” where Porco narrates seeing a tunnel in the sky filled with aircraft of fallen pilots.
In today’s era of meticulous celebrity management, it’s unusual to encounter a documentary about a renowned cultural figure like Hayao Miyazaki that feels so unguarded and human. Despite the reverence maintained in “Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron“, there are aspects of his life missing, such as details about his son Goro, a subject explored in “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness“. The omission might be indicative of the documentary’s central theme, which is the certainty of death.
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2024-09-13 00:53