Miyazaki

The first volume of Hayao Miyazaki's epic manga 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' has left me spellbound and yearning for more. I have not read a lot of manga, practically nothing in fact. But I'm a fan of the japanese style of comic art. Although it tends to get a little too derivative for my taste sometimes, I absolutely love the fiercely unique, and original style of art that the Japanese artists have developed over the years. In this regard, the two idols of mine are Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki. Quite frankly, the only Tezuka I've read or seen is Black Jack and Astro Boy, both animes, but both having started off as manga, (which I've heard good things about but am yet to read) and Buddha, the manga. His style had won me over almost instantly. Tezuka is generally held to be one of the pioneers of anime and manga, and is often called 'the Father of Anime'. The first Miyazaki directed animated series I saw is also one of my all time favourites: Alps no Shojo Heidi, or Heidi: Girl of the Alps, based on Johanna Spyri's novel. I hadn't seen an animated series quite like it. It blew me away with the simple but gorgeous art, lush colors and the detailed scenery. This was not something I had come across in any cartoon ever before. My interest in japanese animation was thus, piqued. The next Miyazaki anime I discovered was Konan, Boy in Future, some 5 years later. To my delight, I recognised the art style to be Miyazaki's almost instantly: the soft, sure and simple lines, the innocent faces, and the old men. It was through Konan that I was first introduced to Miyazaki's deep love for flight, flying vehicles and the environment, recurring quite often in his animated series and movies, quite prominently so in Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Howl's Moving Castle, and of course, Nausicaa . In almost all of his movies, especially in Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki's concern for the environment and for Nature is readily apparent. Mononoke dealt with the age-old theme of Man versus Nature, and how important it is for both to co-exist, harmoniously. Mononoke had no real villains or 'bad guys': that is part of what made the movie stand out. Many of the people in real life also, who mow down forests and hunt, are poor, follow orders, knowing no other alternative to turn to to eke out a living. They need to be made aware of the implications of their actions. Miyazaki's appeal to mankind to stop taking advantage of Nature before it becomes too late, is prevalent throughout Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds, which is part allegory, part fantasy, but wholly believable and frightening.

To be continued.