Sublime

No matter what kind of complex, insoluble problems I may be burdened with as an adult, when I see children smile, in that instant I feel glad. That moment is so precious. What pleases me in making films for little children is to witness the moment when they see the film and become truly liberated. When the children are really enjoying it and that f

isn’t it strange to forget that and think that the problems of this world consist only of those between people? It is with this kind of awareness of the issues that I made Nausicaä and Totoro, but after that things took a strange turn. This refers to both the creative process and our psychological state. From our sense of crisis that unless we prot

Animation work isn’t something that is over when a certain amount is done. One has to pursue it until one is satisfied.

Economic constraints in production are often said to be the main reason, but it seems to me that something spiritual is also missing. It would be stupid to turn my back on the times in which we live and act arrogant about it all, but I always find myself thinking that the old cartoon movies were indeed more interesting and exciting than what we hav

If you plan to reflect what you really want to do in your own work, you must have a firm foundation. My foundation is this: I want to send a message of cheer to all those wandering aimlessly through life.

try as hard as possible to find the intent of what you imagine, the thing that seems to be floating around here [points above head]. Without this, you’ll never be able to make a film. When you do think of this—whether we call it your thoughts, ideas, philosophy, or even your feelings—in the midst of this thing that will be your foundation, you will