Hayao Miyazaki and the Art of Ambivalence | Big Joel

In this video, I look at one of my favorite directors, Hayao Miyazaki. I start with Spirited Away and move through a good number of his movies. I pay careful attention to the way he engages with the feeling of ambivalence. This is an analysis of the moments that created these anime masterpieces.
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[@Amal3100]

hayao himself has said that he never makes movies where theres is an explicit antagonist/protagonist because thats not how the world works. So he makes sure that every character has a little bit of both worlds

[@lukehebert6207]

Love that quality, especially for (I know, not all of them) kid-friendly movies. Although I agree that it's true, I'm having trouble finding where Miyazaki actually said this. Could you point me to the right website? Thank you!

[@kittyykatie]

yup I like that theme of "grayness" not everything is so black and white

[@lukemcraig]

He's a daoist master

[@LimeyLassen]

I think that's a healthy worldview. Wisdom is hard work and the idea that you can simply have it fed to you is harmful.

[@BD638]

Amal I love that about his work, they may be known as “children’s movies” but they have something teach all of us

[@XAVIERCUERVO]

Ambivalence = the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

[@NormalGayBro]

The only necessary comment.

[@sirtyler9272]

*You're

[@gnomismocultural8547]

not nescessary..i still want to watch

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Wait, people didn't know that?

[@csillakaszas7285]

looks likeBig Joel didn't know that either

[@ParfaitCup]

I remember watching Spirited Away as a kid, maybe age 7 and never seeing it again until I was an adult. I thought the entire movie was a dream because I could remember only parts and when ever I tried to talk to people about it they didnt know what I was talking about because I didnt have enough information. Then I saw Howl's Moving Castle when I was around 20 and it unlocked all my memories. I recognized the style immediately and found Spirited Away. It was an amazing feeling to watch it again years later Edit: its so surprising that so many people have experience the same thing as me! Thank you everyone for sharing your stories 😊 they're fun to read!

[@samanthaperry4543]

THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE SAME WAY. IT'S LIKE WE LIVED THE EXACT SAME MOMENTS

[@wikidlejend1373]

I had a similar thing happen! I was up late on a school night, 3am. Scrolling through channels and ad commercials, i caught myself in the middle of spirited away. Although confused as to what i was watching, I was still entranced by it and hooked. By the end, it only rolled credits and didnt name the movie. No one knew the movie when i described it afterwards during my search to find it again. Many years later I finally found a fellow hayao fan who was able to guide me back to this masterpiece🖤 now i own almost all his movies ^_^

[@xempire7069]

Similar thing happened to me and led Zeppelin my day would paly it all the time when I was in grade school and when I was almost done with highschool I got into music and hearing led Zeppelin again was so bizzarre because I found my self tapping along with the song almost able to sign g along with it, it was a really cool experience.

[@blessedevelyn339]

You are fortunate. I saw an anime on noncable tv in the 90s, and there was this anime woman with long straight black hair, and she had blood running on the side of her mouth. She looked like this lady here: www.anime-planet.com/images/characters/black-haired-woman-death-billiards-48829.jpg?t=1427490222 but dressed even more conservatively. Possibly in Japanese attire. And yes, when her mouth bled, she was facing towards the viewer (us). To this day, NO ONE knows what anime that was.

[@vophie]

same

[@whyherrodere3784]

I have just realised... the one way ride represents how life is a journey that goes as one path- a journey into the unknown. And for the shadowy figures that Chihiro comes across in the film, could symbolise the people whom we pass and see but will most likely never know. Just like in a train ride we see strangers and we are connected through the train itself but there are boundaries in that we dont know who they are as people, only their destination when they get off.

[@whyherrodere3784]

This is just my theory tho...

[@kimkeiko2725]

A year late, but I think that is a wonderful analysis.

[@stevecarter8810]

Nailed it. I had the same revelation as this video talked about it. Miyazaki is a realist when it comes to emotions.

[@scillaburton7160]

I like the idea of the amusement park and the rides in it being connected metaphorically to the train that only goes one way

[@greeneggplant5470]

tru dat

[@MalcrowAlogoran]

1:56 "She doesn't even blink" like immediately after, Chihiro legit blinked. I'm sure that was intentional XD

[@jaylenwilbourn2936]

Malcrow Alogoran I legit, purposely scrolled through the comment section just to see if anyone would catch that🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MrKmoconne]

Hah! Caught that as well!! Love that movie......

[@antuanos]

@@jaylenwilbourn2936 Me too! :D

[@vozangelino]

i was searchung for this comment lol

[@Sajovo]

Lin, the master of eye contact

[@Whimmery]

In Howl's moving castle, I questioned Howl being a coward, cause there is a scene where he is afraid to be summoned to Lady Sulivan so he can basically be drafted to war. The wizards who change into beasts are also a message of how war changes people, and they never return to the original forms again, because war does scar and leave people different than when they first started out, and Howl had seen the effects. When Calcifer is noting that Howl is changing too and getting involved too much, it means he is letting the war affect him in similar ways and changing him whether he is actively picking sides and being fully involved or not. In the english dub there is one solid moment when the bombs are dropping on the houses near where Sofie is that Howl says he isn't running away and has something to fight for, which is Sofie and the family they created. He isn't scared anymore of picking sides because originally he was a coward and saw the war as pointless, but when the war shifted to also involve his family, he decided to mustard courage to pick a side not because of his selfish views or for country/loyalty to Lady Sulivan and King, but for protecting his family even if the war would change him. It is very easy to miss the growth of his character because we focus on Sofie and her being freed from her curse, but the true story is how Sofie grows and reminds/gives back Howl's meaning to humanity and what matters most in life, the bonds we create and what we will do to keep those loved ones safe.

[@tbe9790]

Whimmery I know how Howl feels. I have to mustard courage sometimes too!

[@GedMaybury23]

LOL!

[@karinefonte516]

I would only disagree with the idea that Howl is a coward, or refuses to pick a side; actually, he refuses to fight altogether, in a war that is utterly pointless in his opinion. Think of this, if he were really a coward he would not get anywhere near the battlefield, but he would go to the front regularly, even before Sophie gets into his house and his life. It's never clear why he does so, but he shows sadness for the wizards that lose themselves in the battle, the destroyed cities and the loss of lives, so my bet is that he was trying to aid in some way. In times of war and in countries where nationalism and masculinity are defined by aggressiveness and willing to fight, those who do not see things in such light are deemed, and might end up seeing themselves, as "cowards". What at first is seen as cowardice in Howl is actually objection of conscience. Let's not forget Hayao Miyazaki is a strong advocate against war and violence

[@citycrusher9308]

Karine Fonte. It's unimportant whether Howl is brave or cowardly

[@ThePigtailz]

@Whimmery exactly! You should read the book too, it gives a lot more insight as to why Howl behaves the way he does, it's a wonderful read!

[@bensturr4972]

I have a really hard time agreeing with you on this video. You’re point about the films being ambivalent is solid and well supported, but you try to say that the characters aren’t as important as the setting, which is pretty inaccurate. When you say that chihiro is passive and malleable, that doesn’t make sense, because she starts the movie as a nervous girl who just wants to go home, but she ends the film with all this new resourcefulness from solving problems with the river spirit and haku. Not to mention that the only reason no face is in the bathhouse is because of her, she has a central role in the plot and the changing of the setting. In princess mononoke, ashitaka is really angry at first that irontown is tearing down the forest, but by the end, he understands that the people of irontown are just trying to get by and have lives of their own. He also plays a vital role in the plot, which wouldn’t have been possible without him. A passive character is someone who lets things happen to them and is pulled through the plot rather than pushing through the plot. None of miyazakis characters are passive, all of them are strong and active, which is why his characters are so fleshed out

[@BigJoel]

I think you're making a good point here. When I say Chihiro is passive/malleable, I don't mean that she doesn't change or isn't resourceful, I mean that she doesn't really have explicit opinions about things and basically does whatever she's asked.

[@paznedielmunoz8568]

Big Joel but that's not true. Chihiro has an opinion about the world; she's kind, she has compassion for others, even if they look like monsters. Not only is she brave, but she stays true to herself in a world where money is more important than gods, that's why she calls yubaba "granny", that's why she leaves the door open for the man without a face, or why she stays with haku even tho she's seen how violent he can get. She is not scared of the world she's living in, and puts kindness above everything. Is her kindness and her love what saves her parents, haku, the big baby. At first she is afraid and doesn't trust the world, but once she starts to live in it we get to really know her, and she gets to really know and trust herself and her decisions.

[@jonathanpalmquist4894]

*Your

[@Arkylie]

I forget where I first picked up on the idea, but one of the underrated virtues is the ability to bear up under hardship. If you've ever heard it put that a character isn't active enough, or should be more of a central agent in the plot, you may actually be running up against this undervaluing. The Waif archetype is a character like, say, Cinderella, who doesn't have much say over her own life, and has to accept a lot of undeserved suffering, but nevertheless refuses to be broken by the ordeal. Many of the original Disney princesses were of similar stock, and when people say that today's princesses were more active, that's mostly true, but when they say that this makes today's princesses better characters, that's not necessarily true. I've been trying to write a story about a kid in foster care, but the problem with that is this bias toward active characters, and a foster child doesn't have any say in where they go, who takes care of them, whether they have to remain in an unfair or abusive environment, any of that stuff. They can't even choose to stay with their original parent(s). So a Waif archetype would fit this better: a character who is bearing up under hardship that they can't escape, but has some core inner strength that lets them deal with the situation they shouldn't have to put up with. What I see in Chihiro is the Waif archetype, a character who is given a task (work at a bathhouse) and really has no choice but to do it, but then makes choices within that servitude. She certainly possesses a key feature of the Waif hero: the ability to attract allies. Many folk tales have a hero who has few to no skills on their own, but is kind or helpful in such a way as to enlist the help of those who HAVE skills (see The Fool of the World and His Flying Ship). Chihiro makes choices to befriend, to help, to forgive even when it's scary -- almost as if nonforgiveness is not an option in her mind. And she finds ways around problems, skirts around the rules a bit, goes places she's not supposed to go; she develops the backbone/courage to do these things. But her core concept starts with a girl who has that inner strength to bear up. And I think Miyazaki actually said as much, that every little girl has that kind of inner strength ^.^

[@GedMaybury23]

Many excellent points. (Wow! This entire thread is incredible - I've never seen this before, wise/vulnerable/caring people discussing profound themes without getting at each other's throats.) I wish you luck with your book. The world is full of heartbreaking stories about kids in foster care (the good stories are seldom told, it seems) so your intentions are good, and timely. (I'm a children's writer, BTW. Done a few, now.) Have you met/interviewed people who have survived their awful foster care experiences? I suggest you recruit a few to act as your beta-readers. Now to look up "The Fool of the World and His Flying Ship"!

[@EpicLinh]

With an East Asian background we have a pretty similar interpretation of spiritual stuff. So the way I understand the train scene in Spirited Away was just that Chihiro is stuck between the spiritual realms with all the spirits and gods and those black figures are the actual people in the physical realm. Spiritual realms and Physical realms co-exist but they can't touch each other. Since she's a girl that travels to the spirit realm, she still has this connection to her physical world so she could see them. Those black figures are just normal people and the neon lights outside the train are actual places in the physical world

[@bingobongo1615]

EpicLinh Yes that is a possible explanation but it does not fit with some of the parts. 1. in the movie the crossing of the two worlds has been clearly shown differently in the beginning. 2. The train only goes one way. 3. This would make the scene purely aesthetically - something common in Japanese movies - but not in this one. All important scenes have deeper meaning connected to them. Here in Japan I read some interpretations seeing the train ride either as life itself or as the human society. Both interesting ideas although I feel like the life metaphor works better but that is my personal take

[@derBene]

Funny thing is after watching the movie probably twenty times I'm still not sure about it. But I'm okay with that because sometimes in life you just don't know exactly what's happening. And Chihiro is okay with that.

[@lamine99999]

that's kinda gay lmao

[@detectiveben1096]

Oh my god that is a pretty decent interpretation

[@angelinacamacho8575]

I think the train ride represents her growing up. The feeling you get during the scene may be similar to the uncertain feeling of adult hood that a child has while on the path to adult hood. The only one who sits by chihiro is no face who is pretty much the embodiment of childhood and by choosing to ignore no face for most of the movie shows chihiro is slowly maturing. The whole "one way ticket" thing represents how you cannot go back to being an immature child once you take the first step to adulthood and chihiro chooses to accept this task even though she is uncertain about it. It's the whole "everyone has to grow up sometime" vibe.

[@KuZiMeiChuan]

I liked the video, and I also liked the thoughtful comments that contradicted, critiqued, or built upon the video. Everything is nice here.

[@lovebug3312]

I think Miyazaki makes everything calm and collected. It's a really unique aura, kind of too rare, that I think is a good attitude to introduce and teach to children.

[@Sean-oh3ph]

You may find that the audience for these types of videos does not think 8+ minute videos are too long and that, instead, many people here would want your videos and analyses/observations to go on, as long as they retain this high level of quality.

[@keesalemon]

Sean big Joel it's true. I watch long form, 30 - 40 min film essays KZbin all the time. As long as you maintain this level of quality of argument I am happy to give you views

[@MsQjoe]

I'm not sure I agree entirely, particularly with the analysis of the train scene -- that it's an experience for the audience, certainly, but I feel it does give a glimpse into Chihiro's changes in contrast to her behaviour in earlier scenes. She has grown more mature, calmer, and she shows a sort of gently fierce determination to go through with her mission. Great video and analysis, I just think it's a smidge more complex than simply ambivalent.

[@Waterbug1591]

Those 3 following her are a trophy that acknowledges her strength in overcoming adversities. Boarding the train alongside them is a sign that shows she had grown mature and fearless for the next stop. Nothing can hurt her anymore.

[@ToriHiragana]

Great video but I think in some way you misunderstood these films. They’re painted with such a subtle touch compared to Western films. For instance, Ashitaka does have thoughts on what he sees but instead of telling us this with dialogue or pointed “camera” movements Miyazaki uses silence, sounds and expressions. I think “see with eyes unclouded” means, “don’t prejudge”, not “don’t form an opinion”. What you find out she means in the end is this: Ashitaka takes the journey out of self interest, he killed the demon out the self interest of his clan. So he is sent out to observe the faults of self-interest. And he learns that both side have a righteous claim to the land, but they are both “wrong” because they are thinking only of their welfare. Ashitaka killed the demon, but maybe if he had acted in compassion he could have solved the conflict without killing and being cursed. After all the Deer God was able to prevent the old boar from turning into a demon later, because as we see when it is “killed” it never acts in self interest. Selflessness leads to life and healing, selfishness to mutually assured destruction. So the film ends with Ashitaka and San risking their lives to give the Deer God it’s head, Ashitaka own selfish quest long forgotten. The Deer God is presumably destroyed but because both sides are learning to put aside their causes the land is able to start recovering and the curse is lifted from Ashitaka.

[@HeidiBird]

@toriloveSubarukun This! So much This!! I agree with every word.

[@Hyperversum3]

Basically, I don't think that Ghibli films (or in generals, stories like these) don't have a position, or they don't a specific premise they elaborate on. They do have. SImply, it's not clear and explicit like in many others.

[@katien3022]

I don’t understand how not everyone I know is obsessed with studio ghibli like I am. I can’t believe we’re living in a time with joe hisaishi, hayao Miyazaki, and the crew at studio ghibli!! Truly blessed to experience such masterful work.

[@littlepenguinfriend]

This video helped me realize that maybe western movies are more orientated to the audience by delivering the story of a singular character, which is why it is so important to give them thoughts and morals. This helps deliver a personal message to the audience because they can connect to this character. Which is not bad. Whereas Miyazaki's films, seem to to more oriented in delivering the story of a concept, an idea. This is why it has to be so ambivalent in order for us to not focus on one character but rather the entirety of the movie. It goes deeper than helping us get a feel of what's right or wrong, but because it's so vague. it helps us search for the answer to questions that arises throughout the experience of watching a Studio Ghibli movie. Maybe, idk lol

[@Zentagon]

Pretty interesting read on Miyazaki's works as films that aim to provide the audience with feelings of ambivalence towards many things that happen and people within them. Keep it up.

[@BigJoel]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@hamstersdailylife4938]

I’m a Japanese, I come to KZbin to interact with foreigners, and they give me all sorts or racist comments.(e.g, I thought you ate dogs(which is not true)). But by the way we are all deeply moved by this pure two minutes of no dialogue, I can tell that we are all of one kind. I know that people here are more appreciative of Japan, but I hope there will be more kindness in the world anywhere I go. To those who have read this comment, thanks for bearing with my poor English, I wish you all a good day:)

[@parfei6332]

Your english is perfect.

[@gigi4528]

I am from Germany and think what you wrote is amazing and you have a great point! And your english is very good by the way

[@user-lq6hd5bl7g]

How mean of them:/ i think your English is perfect so far

[@sig3363]

Perfect english so far.

[@samantham1900]

Sadly, people on the internet forget that there's another human on the other side of their nasty comments. Your culture and history is very interesting to learn about. The old architecture and art of Japan is beautiful, too! Your English is good! If anyone is ever mean about your English, just remember, that they are probably not very good at speaking Japanese or any other language. I think it's amazing you're learning another language and I'm jealous at how good you're already writing it! :)

[@AnimePlaysMinecraft]

Do not forget that even in throw away lines, "The Lady Eboshi goes around buying the contract of every brothel girl she can find."... "Milady had a kind heart, that's all.", show different sides of characters. My example here, although I had no clue what a brothel was when I was younger, makes you realise she's not bad as she saves women from whore houses and gives them a nice life in her village - one where they don't even mind doing hard labour as it is shown to be far better than most places.

[@petertsharp4970]

"the staff there are fun and cheery, but they're obsessed with gold and it sort of feels like they're tied involuntarily to this place"... That's just working in hospitality 😅

[@Kykko28]

The music also does give this feeling of ambivalence, neither sad nor happy, just here fitting the world and giving us ( at least for me :) ) an emotion so strong but that i cant explain. I think this makes a huge part of this feeling too :)

[@Ninaloasana]

I think it's nostalgia (at least for me) and a beautiful melancholy.

[@snowwhistle1]

I know you probably don't want to over-saturate yourself with one studio or director or what have you, but I've found an interesting topic for me is the difference between how Miyazaki and Takahata act as directors in films that often times tackle relatively similar subject matter. Pom Poko and Princess Mononoke are both films that explore the conflict that arises when mankind and the forces of nature clash over their survival and benefits. Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises both tackle the intricacies of war on the people that find themselves swept up in their country's conflicts. Spirited Away and The Tale of Princess Kaguya both follow the interactions of young girls as their lives are suddenly engulfed by the supernatural and decisions not their own. The difference I've found is that while Miyazaki always leaves a strong element of ambiguity to his films to let the audience absorb and think through the themes themselves, Takahata is a bit more deliberate with his messages. He has a statement in mind when he makes his films and he wants the audience to feel a certain way by the end of it. The best example is of course Grave of the Fireflies, a film which Takahata has stated repeatedly that he created to make the youth of Japan in the 1980s reconnect and reconcile with their parents as he felt the youth had been spoiled and grown inconsiderate of the struggles that had been faced by their parents a mere one generation prior due to the post-war miracle in Japan completely turning the country around after the war.

[@BigJoel]

Hmm. That does seem like an interesting topic. I'm a bit unschooled in Takahata's work; of the films you mentioned, I have only seen Grave of the Fireflies. That being said, based on that movie alone, the difference between Takahata and Miyazaki is striking. One interesting point is how the two directors use symbolic language to achieve diametrically different results. The overarching symbol of Grave of the Fireflies, the firefly itself, is fundamentally one dimensional: The fireflies are an obvious metaphor for the children themselves, beautiful and vibrant, but short-lived. Compare this use to the symbolic value of the plane in The Wind Rises. It's not just that Miyazaki allows the audience to come to their own conclusions about war, but also that the plane itself adopts multiple meanings over the course of the film. It's starts off a symbol of imagination and whimsy and ends up a tenuous and melancholic object that brings to mind the casualties of war. Anyhow, I'll have to see more Takahata films, but it seems like a good idea for a video. Thanks for watching.

[@snowwhistle1]

Thanks. I really enjoyed your analysis. Actually, when I was thinking back on your analysis I realized Miyazaki's earlier films didn't have this quality of ambivalence that his films starting with My Neighbor Totoro had. Nausicaa and Laputa are very blunt in their messages and iconography. Nausicaa has a bit of underlying moral ambiguity in Princess Kushana, the people of Tolmekia, and the people of Pegite, but they all still clearly fills the role of antagonist and are at times outright villainous. The humans in Nausicaa are never really painted as having any moral high ground in the film, whereas in Princess Mononoke the humans' actions aren't clearly good or bad but simply come from the necessity of survival and drive for prosperity that all creatures seek. Laputa as a film is even more blunt in its messages. We're shown that humans once tried to abandon the Earth for advanced floating castles in the sky, but a fundamental piece of what made us human was lost in the process of trying to abandon where we came from. It's even directly stated in the original version that humans cannot live without the Earth and thus we need to treat it with respect and compassion. (The direct line is mistranslated in the dub as "love" instead of as "the Earth", but the point still very much comes across that the Earth is a fundamental part of our identity as humans.)

[@BigJoel]

I think it sort of comes down to this: The only theme that Miyazaki is ever blunt about is environmentalism. As you said, Laputa and Nausicaa both have clear environmental bents, but you can see that bent in Miyazaki's later work, too. The river spirit in Spirited Away, he's been polluted and that's why he appears to be a sludge monster. Haku, another river spirit, was also polluted. Even Princess Mononoke, from my perspective, is slightly biased toward nature; Ashitaka seems to prefer the natural world to the industrial.

[@snowwhistle1]

I agree that Miyazaki is mostly blunt about his environmental messages in his films, but I feel that Laputa takes it a step farther with its bluntness due to the fact that its villains have no moral grayness or justification for their actions. Muska (and to a lesser extent the army) seek to pillage Laputa and control the floating city to hold military power over the Earth. Muska has no good intentions or redeeming qualities. He just sees himself as a king who deserves to hold power over others simply because he is a long lost descendant of peoples that once reigned in Laputa. I guess one could make an almost paper thin argument that Muska's desire to preserve Laputa might have a tiny bit of merit if you totally disregard that fact he wants to preserve it to use it as a weapon, but even then the film seems to suggest that monuments crafted by mankind like Laputa should come secondary to nature in terms of preservation. The movie even ends with the majority of the castle collapsing while the tree and crystal inside it survive to further emphasize the point. To be honest, I think Muska is really the only real "villain" Miyazaki has ever written for his films. Most of his antagonists are sympathetic to a point or at the very least we can understand their actions. Even Kushana who I ragged on for being a bit too simple in the film in Nausicaa had motivations we could understand, and she was a deeply complex character in the manga with far more interesting motivations. Miyazaki clearly simplified her in order to condense his story into a movie format. Muska just stands out so much from the other villains Miyazaki has created, to the point where he reminds me more of a disney villain than a Ghibli antagonist. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's noteworthy.

[@Zentagon]

Yeah this is definitely an interesting topic to consider.

[@Biogrrrl]

I still can't get over the animation of Chihiro's reflection in the glass window. The art is so incredible

[@rominaconstenla5624]

Anything from Studio Ghibly is art.

[@TheMatsushitaMan]

Ghibli*

[@tvsonicserbia5140]

Spirited Away feels so real that it's scarier than most horror movies(possibly all I've seen)

[@paznedielmunoz8568]

I wouldn't say Miyazaki's movies are ambivalent, on the contrary, he has a very strong point of view about the world, about what matters and what actions are considered bad or good. Maybe if you contrast them with western animated movies (specially american movies) you could say that they are more explicit with wich character is evil and wich one is the hero, because evil is portrayed with a certain aesthetic that makes you dislike them, but that doesn't mean Miyazaki's characters are ambiguos. Miyazaki writes characters that act more human, that have little gestures, he focuses on details, in moments of thoughts, on them falling apart and crying but staying strong anyway. He portrays magic and fantasy in worlds of gods of nature, portraying how greedy hearts can destroy lives while honest ones, loving ones can heal the wounds of gods, can bring the forest back to life, can brake spells, can safe people who don't believe can be safe. In princess mononoke, the antagonist is shown to be a caring person, but stills get to be shade by her greedy way of looking at the world. She literally kills the forest when she tries to own a god and ends up ruining everything. In spirited away, yubaba could be loving and have a simple life like her sister, but instead, she choses to slave people, steal their names and have a lot of gold and luxury, ruining people's lives and hiding her baby from a world she choses to be scared of. At the same time he chooses to focus on protagonists that make unselfish decisions. I believe you are mistaking ambivalence with details, with storytelling that don't need to be obvious, with messages and opinions that don't need to be explicitly said outloud by a character. Your theory works only by contrasting it with western animation, but it doesn't stand by itself if we are trying to understand Miyazaki's screenwriting style.

[@panzudo007]

Nediel Muñoz The missing point here, in my opinion, is that some people misunderstands what is action. Miyazaki teaches continuously how to show internal or spiritual action through images, just like, let`s say, Russian masters... From Homer to Star Trek, going through Shakespeare and Tolkien, multidimensional characters has paramount place in narrative. The problem detected in Western narrative is nothing related Christianity, it just ignorance of the real tradition of Western Civilization. It is usual amongst those who think their country is the world.

[@katien3022]

I agree that Miyazaki has a strong viewpoint, but I do think many of his movies don’t have completely horrible antagonists. The bad guy usually isn’t all that awful and their actions can be understood and offer insight into a human tendency of selfishness or greed. I especially like what you said about his protagonists being selfless. Or at least they grow to be by the end. But princess mononoke definitely has the ambiguos antagonist. Because truly it’s hard to determine that the people are bad. They’re just trying to live in a world and survive, of course the environment will take a bit of a toll. Meanwhile the environment doesn’t want the humans at all. Both sides feel extreme opinions and therefore both aren’t completely heroes. I found that movie particularly interesting for that reason.

[@Magnulus76]

@@katien3022 East Asian stories rarely have iredeemable characters. No East Asian religion really has anything analogous to Satan in the West. Nor do most traditional Asian societies follow divine command theories of ethics, positing "absolute evil" as a thing. Morality is usually constructed relationally.

[@hayleerodriguez2711]

I feel like this is what made chihiro such a special character to me as a child, and more importantly the movie. Because I didn’t see her reaction to anything, I felt as if I took on that role for her and was even more involved in the story. Like it was me experiencing that world

[@dreamingblue3939]

Great video. As a writer and storyteller, I found it very interesting and I think I'd like to try this approach in my stories now. As an idealistic, American Christian, I tend to approach my stories with black and white characters- a villian who is clearly a villain from the start and a hero who (though flawed) is obviously made to be the hero. But there's something so beautiful about Miyazaki's ambivalence. I just couldn't put it into words until I watched this. Thank-you. :)

[@AndroidCyclist]

I used to think about the train ride scene when I rode the train to work early in the morning. Thanks for making this.

[@SATCH1R0]

is ambivalence the right word for that feeling? Good points though.. Miyazaki is a master, focuses on the story holistically instead of on the character's individual reactions. Also really good points about how he "gets rid of the middle man". As a storyteller myself this helps me to know.

[@Waterbug1591]

What does he even mean by getting rid of the middle man? Ashitaka IS the middle man for both sides of the humans and beasts.

[@emilyyyyysim]

The scene at Lady Eboshi's place is probably my favorite scene out of all of Miyazaki's work. I didn't appreciate it as a kid, but now that I'm a bit more mature, it really strikes a chord with me. It is the true turning point of Eboshi's characterization in the film from evil to ambivalent.

[@Chedors]

Your video made me cry. That's exactly the thing I was trying to pinpoint in what I love in Miyazaki works. Thank you !

[@BigJoel]

Aww wow, thanks so much for watching and enjoying!

[@tbe9790]

1:55 "...she doesn't even blink." *Chihiro blinks*

[@Manas-co8wl]

*The world is a lie*

[@SwastikMishra_8]

She doesn't blink when the man tells her that the train is only one way. She blinks *before* that, and later, when she turns her head. Note that she blinks when she turns her head, and that's something a person usually does naturally (you can try it yourself).

[@tbe9790]

Swastik Mishra Nonono, in context of the video essay itself, (not the actual movie) the irony of what we're hearing and seeing *immediately after the fact* is pretty funny.

[@tbe9790]

The narrator says "doesn't blink" and she blinks.

[@James-rv3yh]

I mean it's just blinking. It happens every few seconds. Not that ironic

[@papab1esss]

Its fascinating to see how many people really are out there who think like me. It's a complex world where everything is to be understood, everything has a side to it that needs to be discovered. There's no time to loose, every minute of the day is a second we don't have to waste, it's all now. Thinking, daydreaming, is there any difference? Why is it that "daydreaming", being absent from time to time is portrayed as something unwanted, something to be cured, to be looked after. I love to watch essays like yours where i can feel some sense of normality, like i am not strange when i analyse every little detail of my life, how there's contrasts in things everywhere, how body language tells me more about the people then what they actually talk about. How every particle of our lives is worth investigating, every stone deserves to be turned, because that is what the world is for, at the moment. At least for us.

[@saromo22]

She's growing up; becoming more courageous. It's part of the movie's theme, facing things head on.

[@wakawakatakeover]

Personally I always took Chihiro's expression in the train scene as one of determination. It's her growing as a character. Where she was flaky, hesitant, and unable to do anything on her own in the beginning, she's grown, taken the lead, and is now helping someone she cares about. She stares straight forward without tiring because she's determined to go to Yubaba's sister and right the wrongs of the past. I guess it could be ambivalent in that she does not care about the beauty around her through her determination, but I personally feel that there is a specific emotion and purpose to this scene. Interesting analysis though.

[@anna-mackk]

Miyazaki’s ability to make quiet slow paced scenes, where we just sit and calm down with the character, its what I love most about his movies. Not a lot of film makers take the time to create the calm atmosphere where action doesn’t need to be happening

[@rosalierox247]

“Dust slaves,” how dare you. They are SOOT SPRITES.

[@Liliquan]

They are slaves though. They were other spirits that were transformed into soot because they weren't working hard enough.

[@thomassteele5748]

Beautiful, you enunciated thoughts I didn't know I had.

[@ScotsThinker]

That was a very insightful video. What you just stated is one of many factors that make Hayao Miyazaki stand out. Other factors include slow scenes to sink in emotions and thoughts, many universal themes and artistry. Thanks for teaching me about Ambivalence.

[@MarianMetanoia]

This was beautiful. Thank you for taking such an in-depth look at the way Miyazaki allows the audience to experience firsthand the emotional complexities of the worlds he creates. I've always loved the understated train scene in Spirited Away and I think you've expressed its genius wonderfully.

[@tannerprince9730]

This was legitimately awesome. I love your analysis.

[@amyjones25]

You made me love Spirited Away even more, and it's one of my favorite movies.

[@elyserho3287]

What a wonderful video! I love miyazaki's films, and looking at them through this new lense allows for a more reflective and thoughtful experience. Definitely gonna keep this in mind when watching his new film :)

[@chayamiller2879]

That's what really touches my heart about Miyazaki films. Besides from the beautiful breath taking animation, there was somthing else, a quality of the story telling that calmly causes you to reflect on life. Thank you for putting it into words and making this video.

[@deej9]

I love these moments in anime. You just take in the ambiance and for me, the illustration and the emotion. Hayao Miyazaki is one the greatest

[@_cherry_soda_]

Miyazaki films are stunning! They’re better than Disney and Pixar (though both are very good studios) in my opinion

[@BigJoel]

I agree with you here. I love Disney and Pixar, but Miyazaki films just feel more beautiful and more substantial.

[@BitmapJack]

@@BigJoel maybe pixar and disney could at least one day try this miazaki formula as a test ,what do you think ?

[@Rita-sp7hh]

disney touches the heart, ghibli touches the soul ❥

[@1995amittai1]

Hey Joel, I watch and love many of your videos but I gotta say, this is one of the best ones I saw. Enjoyed it very much, thank you for all your hard work and beautiful insight about the nicer things in life

[@mahautdanchald9925]

Thank you so much for this video. I just watched one more time spirited away, but this time i cried so much during the train scene. You lighted me about why this scene is so touchy and beautiful at the meantime. thank you for going so far on miyazaki's work

[@Jscara978]

Great analysis! Thank you!

[@moodist1er]

howl is very clear about his feelings towards the war and the soldiers.

[@anusperfecto4786]

Wonderful video my man, loved every second of it.

[@Lucky-df8uz]

I always attributed it to him engaging the audience as someone with integrity that didn't need hand fed answers or opinions, and indeed, that doing so would devalue the work and ask less of the audience and thus engage them less. When one asks deep, unanswerable question in art that have no answer, it is sometimes best to just give the audience a lense and let them judge and wonder for themselves. In that sense the best thing one could do is instill the audience with mystery, wonder, and a sense of grandness that lets one feel just how much a part of life they are.

[@MariWakocha]

I learned so much from this video. I watched Spirited Away just the other day and I love the feelings it evokes in me. I want to learn to make movies like this.

[@sweetlyte]

I've been trying to put what that thing is about Miyazaki films that I love so much into words for forever and you've finally helped me see and understand what it is. I've always described it as a 'quiet'. He allows the audience to breathe and think in these dialogue-less moments that set the tone for his films. And it's something western films and TV are lacking. Like they don't trust the audience's intelligence so they have to fill all spaces with action or dialog. Thanks for your video.

[@noodlemaker8700]

This is a brilliant observation and video essay. God bless you.

[@miabullafaloni1312]

This might be your best video. It's not a video where I learn much or think differently about something I've known, it's simply a video where I get to hear a guy talk about the beauty in films that I love. The feelings that we both feel when we see these things. How wonderful!

[@jakehenri9608]

I would not describe the relationship between Ashitaka and the conflicted factions as "just watch". I think anybody who does is missing something. When Ashitaka stops the fight between San and Eboshi, he declares them both to be sick (with hate). You'll notice, every time he feels hatred, a human emotion that he cannot escape, he wants to enact violence, and his curse acts accordingly. The outcome is almost always violent death. Miyazaki did include a scene wherein he harnesses his conviction though, when bending back Eboshi's grunts sword to break up the fight I just mentioned. When Ashitaka meets Eboshi for the first time. He is tempted to draw is sword. He wants to see with eyes unclouded, but understands well that he wants to kill Eboshi. When he mentions that it would not stay his hand or cure him, it is an acknowledgement of his hatred for her, but also an acknowledgement that hatred, revenge, and violence, will never bring peace. Eboshi is destroying the forest, paying no heed to the gods and world that has existed for countless years before the town came. Ashitaka comes from the forest and has a close relationship with it. He is well aware of this and the audience can be too, if they pay attention. Contrast how clearly possessed Eboshi can seem with greed to San, whom he also declares sick. He feels for San, who is possessed with anger. Of course, there is a difference. He does not ever wish to hurt San, but he is compelled on his journey to see the world for what it is, as his elder said. Ashitaka in a way has sides of his own. Early on, it is not unreasonable to think that Ashitaka would do away with the ironworks if he could. And he would not be wrong to do so. The ironworks are not an ambivalent town, just as the forest is not ambivalent in it's feelings towards the ironworks. They are at war. By the end of the movie. Ashitaka has experienced inner growth in huge but subtle ways. If he did not, he would still be cursed and destined to die. Eboshi has realized how foolish she was. Her town was necessarily something that deprived others of life. As two sided as it may be, it is undeniable that Eboshi is the cause of the pain that was felt by the forest, and Eboshi who was able to end it. As an audience, how can we not sympathize with the forest, how can we not be sickened by the callousness that is given to nature, who is ultimately the giver of life. Her decision to rebuild the town as one that lives in conjunction with nature is symbolic of her own growth. Every character in this movie grows. Anyway, that's just off the top of my head. It's been a long time since I've seen the movie and I know I do not entirely understand all that Miyazaki wants to express with it. I do however want to say that the characters are all very human. I worry that this video discredits some of the enormous efforts put into their relationships with each other.

[@CyFiM]

The _Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind_ manga, which I have been obsessing over for about a month, actually takes this ambivalence and makes it a central theme of the story in a really interesting way. Nausicaa's world, like the world of Princess Mononoke, is one full of opposing sides constantly in conflict, none of which has the moral high ground, but unlike Ashitaka, Nausicaa isn't an outsider; she's deeply, personally involved in every single conflict. In some ways, she fills the role that the audience fills in a movie like Spirited Away by actively questioning the opposing sides of each conflict, but on the other hand, that tendency to question is just treated as something Nausicaa does because _that's who she is._ She's on a quest to find the truth, and that involves a lot of attempting to reconcile many dissonant emotions and ideas. Critically, particularly as the story nears its end and shit really starts hitting the fan, we're never expected to _agree_ with Nausicaa-- she's still the undisputed hero of the story and she wants to do the right thing, but she makes her decisions within the story because that's what she would decide to do given her goals at that point, not because Miyazaki wants us to think she's doing the right thing. Indeed, by that point Nausicaa the character very much wants for the whole ordeal to just be over already, makes decisions that are in accordance with that goal, and it's an open question by the end if what she ends up doing is actually the right thing. Basically, Nausicaa is a very active character, basically everything she does is because she wants to because of her opinions about the world, but she's presented as a passive part of that world, moving in accordance with her nature just like everyone else, while a deep exploration of morality, transhumanism, and environmental ethics is set up around her for the reader to unpack as they follow her along. We're along for the ride-- here's a problem, and here's how Nausicaa decides to fix it. What do you think, reader? What I'm saying is Nausicaa is really good and everyone should read it.

[@victoriaray888]

I'm obsessed with your videos on hayao's movies. There perfect and explain things about them that I always felt like a knee but could never put into words.

[@lusehui]

This was a beautiful video. There was a word I was looking for to describe what I felt when watching Miyazaki films, and "nostalgic" or "melancholic" weren't the words. Ambivalence is surely the word. Again, this video was wonderful, and I'm so happy you mentioned The Wind Rises too. I don't see many who talk about it! It's my favorite film and one I can actually rewatch over and over again (I'm not one to rewatch films). Thank you so much for this, and the last line in your script was something that I loved hearing. Thank you!

[@RexArtTv]

Why are you underrated?

[@BigJoel]

Haha hopefully it's because no one knows who I am

[@marcopisellonio3657]

I think you deserve way more views, great video man! I have an opinion about the train scene in spirited away( my favourite movie ever): i think that the shadowy men are the rappresentation on alienation of modern life, of modern industrial workers. Their bodies are black and shadowy and their faces are black and featurless. It seems like they are all the same, all put on the same level, deprived of their own identity.

[@maraschwartz6731]

I've come to find that many of the great video essays are connected to channels with small sub counts.

[@nonymous590]

Because he's too ambivalent

[@cassandra-]

@@nonymous590 JSJDFDJFJ

[@Donteatacowman]

I like this perspective! I know that some surface-level similarities have been drawn between Spirited Away and the 2014 American miniseries Over the Garden Wall, but I feel like this topic gets at the heart of some of the same feelings that make OTGW feel unique and strange and enchanting. Pixar's character-driven storytelling rule that you quote is a good one for their kind of films like you say, but I wonder if Miyazaki maybe didn't choose to focus on characters in order to shift focus towards environment. Like, there's a give-and-take, and sometimes an extraordinary environment could clash with a willful character in terms what takes the lion's share of the audience's sympathies and attention. IDK. Love your videos as always--I know this one's older but it's my first time watching it oh well.

[@TheModernAsianMan]

Really nice video, well narrated and so insightfully points out such a common overarching theme in H. Miyazaki's films. Your video adds another layer to the stories that we watched as children and never really realized this fact. Listening to your narration as an adult about these movies again, really gave them much more meaning. Thank you

[@Anastasia-xj6vh]

"Beautiful. A masterful design." This sentence explains your video. Its perfectly cut, perfectly explained. I really enjoyed watching this, and I'm sure i'll check out your other videos! Thank you for this!

[@Austinator0630]

It's impossible to commend Miyazaki since he absolutely dosn't care about how North America views animation. I'm pretty sure he has no idea how it's feels to live in a culture where animation is treated like a genre.

[@simplysavyyy]

Lmfaooo I love when she shouts HEY GRANNY at the end too yubaba and yubaba is like “granny? 😳”

[@jumpyjacko]

your editing was amazing and i really like how you switched the music subtly between the movies’ scenes. great work!

[@Ducky_logan]

One of the most well articulated video essay I have found.

[@carscoffeeandcannabis-634]

"She doesn't even blink" - immediately blinks

[@lookwhosstalking6499]

Good video! ^^ LIKE :)

[@dfrancis7857]

Man, what a great analisis, I loved you you played the themes for each of their respective movies, you just earned a new sub :)

[@Yujikungsang]

when I listen to each background music from each movie. Memories of these movies are back. thanks for sharing!

[@saucyboi9871]

"She doesn't even blink" Chihiro: *Blinks* Me: 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@eyreyereye]

Great vid, tho I had to laugh at "The Wind Rises, Hayao Miyazaki's last work". I swear this man is allergic to retirement.

[@jfan4reva]

Retiring from something you love will leave an emptiness in your soul.

[@veronikamariienko]

I haven't come across videos like this before until recently, the explanation and kind of philosophy on Miyazaki's films is so much more in depth than you can imagine, I've seen these movies through out my life and it's so.. fascinating how my view changes with every time I watch one of his films. The focus I draw in each watching changes, it could go from admiring the character's transformation to watching how Miyazaki portrays the earth and environment, how I get older and begin to understand the depth of society references in his films. Every film lets me take something from it, every time I watch it, the portrayal of equality, of us as people, the environment and in general the world. The beauty of Miyazaki's films is that it will never out grow our current age/evolution in time, we will always be people with feeling and emotions and I just want to thank you for making this video so in depth of how truly beautiful and considerate the whole put-together of the films is.. I just. ughh. it's just so fulfilling.

[@notsam7928]

Awesome video. Actually watched a couple of your videos and they're all amazing.

[@mb_2174]

"she doesn't even blink" *she blinks*

[@qwertyqeys]

"she doesn't even blink" and then she immediately blinks

[@user-st5lb4nb7b]

actually really good takes. Enjoyed it!

[@annac6778]

That's my favourite scene and music too!!!!!

[@crystalfaithpegew8031]

Maybe you've got problem with your English translations. In Howl's Moving Castle, Howl doesn't participate in the war because he dislikes murder. He sees WAR as a useless, inhumane thing. You would know that what I'm talking about when you replay the part where he's presenting a garden gift to Sophie and a battleship suddenly appeared.

[@BigJoel]

I know that Howl has some stated reasons for not participating in the war, but feel like what he says doesn't give the full picture. Howl is vain and obsessed with himself, and it seems possible that he's a bit of a phony when it comes to pacifism. I didn't go into depth about Howl's moving castle though, so I didn't really have time to bring this up.

[@crystalfaithpegew8031]

Big Joel Howl's Moving Castle was a great movie. Howl was really a coward indeed, but he was kind. And in the movie, he fell inlove so he took courage in order to protect that someone whom he loved. Watch it properly. It's a nice fantasy movie that shows what true love is.

[@BigJoel]

Oh I mean, I agree that Howl is capable of great love and bravery and of great cowardice. My point is just that his attitude toward war is a bit ambiguous.

[@crystalfaithpegew8031]

Big Joel But what I also mean is that, Hayao Miyazaki is a deep person and I also see that depths in his characters. So it's actually pretty clear to me what Howl's view about war. He actually said it numerous times, that wars are pointless and those who participate in it lack emotion and are murderers.

[@crystalfaithpegew8031]

Big Joel More than that, Hayao Miyazaki actually creates his characters using empathy. He tries to embody real life personalities to his characters, so its actually not shocking to me to see those kinds of people in movies. The way their personalities are complicated is actually quiet a famous theme in Japan. Many of their animations portray characters with tilted and contradicting personalities, not just their animation but also their live actions.

[@reinarforeman6518]

Seeing these scenes with english dub hurts my ears.

[@TheSpiralProgression]

Fantastic Video! Literally made me cry, lol. Just awesome! Keep up the good work!

[@Wendy-yu3hg]

I love how, in a way, it lets us have a childlike view on the world. Children interact with the world often not fully understanding why things are the way they are, and even though many things are completely new to them, they often just observe things instead of actively reacting to them. They might even have a slightly wrong interpretation of it in their minds because they don't know how everything works beyond what they see and are told - many people share certain views they obtained as a child that they held onto for years, and it's usually quite funny (e.g.: "I thought swallowing watermelon seeds would make them grow in my stomach", "I thought actors who died in movies died in real life", etc). But children don't really know how they should react to new things in the world if they don't have an adult's reaction as reference (which is why many parents are advised not to freak out when a child falls or gets slightly hurt, since children often freak out more as a reaction to the parents' worry and not their pain). Children just observe, not fully understanding how everything works, just taking things in. And that's how we interact with these worlds that are new to us, as well.

[@kurtn4819]

You are a very observant person & instead of just analyzing Miyazaki's films, you have for the most part only described Japanese culture through the eyes of an animator. Your observations are "simply" a reaction of a westerner to Japanese culture. What you call ambivalence is the passive nature of a people animated by a culture & history that is, as an individual, out of their control. While the Japanese have complex, conflicting & in-depth emotions & intellectual curiosity, they, for the most part, keep these to themselves & hidden. Add that to the group (rather than individual) mind-set & the common cultural shared understanding of the "meaning of life", and you have the basis for what you call "ambivalence". For you this is a "discovery". For the Japanese, this needs no pointing-out or explanation. This is normal life in Japan and all it's inhabitants intrinsically understand & can easily identify with the emotions, history & thoughts behind the film without intellectualizing them. Most of the scenes are thinly disguised memories of reactions by the populace to the bombing & homeland invasion & occupation of WWII. Can you imagine the same having happened to your society here in the states? To be occupied by a truly "alien" people, the loss of the guidance & control taken for granted before given to them by the godlike emperor and to be set alone adrift in the mysteries of life without the tradition of individuality as we have here in the states. All this creates a sense of ambivalence, which is really just a fundamental belief in fatalism that doesn't have the guidance of the sense of individual control, but rather a lost soul as a cog in the larger machine that they are too small as individuals to see in it's entirety. This is the essential sadness that exists in ALL Japanese films & animations before the phoenix-like emergence of a "new" Japan in the '80s & '90s. Since their recession in the early 2000s, that theme has begun to emerge once again as a society, for example, that is no longer interested in sex or marriage (etc). A "one-way ticket to the unknown"... says it all.

[@brynking2527]

eeww! that English dub.

[@LauraVolpintesta]

This video is so awesome. I appreciate your insights. It helps me “put my finger on” what I’ve felt and experienced. These movies mean so much to me.

[@sols4102]

Great work! Really appreciate your detail.

[@beckyekg]

I watch this almost every time in comes up in my suggestions. So well done. Thank you. ☺️

[@l3oatman]

Please make your video as long as you'd like, I enjoy them very much, express all you can, its priceless :)

[@cariesinger]

Very pretty video, as a storyteller it’s always interesting to see other people’s work discussed and analyzed like this!

[@phoebebertran8600]

this was very beautiful done, and you somehow put everything i feel when watching a miyazaki movie into words :)

[@lemonchild826]

This is also my favorite scene and I couldn't tell why, thank you for this video!!

[@pm2881]

really nicely put!

[@sonofsun8315]

Good vid, liked how u explained everything. Keep it UP!

[@selamabunu8253]

Well thought and well spoken. Been a Miyazaki fan most of my life, and your insight definitely enhanced my feelings about the films.

[@kyesol]

I watched this a month ago for a film class. Thanks for analyzing it and I love your work!

[@ottaviamerlin9256]

Great video and explanations!

[@rinmatsuoka5839]

Amazing work!💕 your video made my day 💜

[@ArkansasGamer]

This is an amazing analysis 👍