Miss Hokusai - A Modern Masterpiece

In this episode of Beyond Ghibli I take a look at Miss Hokusai, a truly special piece of cinema about Japan's most famous artist and the daughter that lived in his shadow.
PATREON: / beyondghibli
TWITTER: / beyondghibli

[@vaibhavjain3234]

Man!! This movie was incredible. Her love for her little sister, the way she caresses her is so beautifully depicted.

[@AGR04]

I love this film more than words can say. And thus, I am always disheartened when I see reviews from people dismissing it as "boring". So I am so happy to see more people giving it the praise it deserves, and finding out that they see same fascinating wonder I see in it myself. And since it is a coming-of-age story of a young woman, I am always excited to know of more men liking this movie too. Thank you for getting the word out and brining more people's attention to this work of art!

[@wolf25633]

In this corner of the world. Doesn't get talked about enough. Understandably as it came out in the same year as koe no kadachi and kimi no na wa.

[@mahnoorkhan7845]

I agree, In This Corner of the World needs to be talked about so much more

[@tayyabaqaiser8602]

@Stellvia Heonheim i Hate that i know what you're talking about

[@tayyabaqaiser8602]

@Stellvia Heonheim its called being a man of culture

[@di7209]

René Hauptmann It’s so good I got all of it recorded a while ago and the style is so beautiful.

[@thepriest8173]

Grave of the fireflies is the fantastic movie up to now.

[@AurelUrban]

I love this channel. I am way too tired to explain why right now, but I do love it.

[@Lorry_Draws]

As a wannabe illustrator, this is super inspiring. Another great upload

[@BeyondGhibli]

In his 80s and 90s, Hokusai lived in his blanket. He would wake, grab his brush and paint from bed until he grew tired, swapped his brush for his pillow and fell back to sleep surrounded by his work. If ever there was a man who embodied 'practise makes perfect' it was him - he was still getting better and better every passing year until he died. Good luck on your own quest :)

[@razagan1343]

@@BeyondGhibli thank you, and you on yours

[@sabatheus]

6:00 That last scene you showed from the film has me choking. I'm not crying! You're crying!

[@huntercuddles]

I can't believe I never heard of this film until this video. Thank you so much for bringing more attention to it.

[@BeyondGhibli]

+apologija so glad to hear my recommendation had an effect! I hope you like it if you check it out :D

[@citycrusher9308]

Beyond Ghibli We need more of these. I regret not buying Millennial Princess when I had the chance. Have you seen about Paprika? A great film that many people have not heard about yet.

[@Esplodiamoinallegria]

@@citycrusher9308 Millennium

[@citycrusher9308]

@@Esplodiamoinallegria Did I say ''Millenial''? - lol

[@ENAIRAMA1]

I just cry like a little baby every time I watch a good anime/manga... The music...the mood... it just transports me to another space and timeline... agh... my heart aches...

[@electronat1on]

You deserve a much larger audience - this series is absolutely amazing.

[@redserpent]

What a beautiful video. It inspired me to look for my brush and paint again, at 63. Pila maye(thank you)

[@benb405]

What I love about Hokusai is that, by all accounts, he was a genuinely good person. He strived to uplift the work of his hundreds of students, he emphasized that his work should be accessible by all classes of people, and he was a kind person. That's rare for someone that had such a profound impact on not just Japan's culture, but revolutionized artistic expression around the world as well.

[@dmolinari]

Have been wanting to find more Japanese animation besides Ghibli, so glad found your channel. So many beautiful recommendations that I would otherwise have never heard of!

[@samtheanthro]

When I sat down and watched Miss Hokusai I was expecting something a bit artsy. Something with long scenes of characters just sitting and talking about their art and such. I was expecting to nod and say that it was a good film but it wasn't something that I could actually watch again. What I wasn't expecting was to be completely charmed by the film. Oi was just incredibly likeable and I enjoyed watching her even through the mundane moments. This is a movie I could see being remembered as a masterpiece

[@BeyondGhibli]

I had absolutely the same preconceptions and reaction, which is why I had to make this video!

[@nataliakoodziej2582]

I am really happy that somebody besides me likes this movie ;) Slow-paced as it is, everything that happens throughout its run is meaningful. Not a single scene is out of place. It manages to do what even the best slice of life stories struggle with - to capture the essence of ones everyday life, both magical and monotonous elements of it. Honestly, after watching Miss Houkusai I want to watch the world with my eyes wide open and use the time I have here the best I can, and i think this is a testament of how amazing this movie is.

[@lieutenantkettch]

Thank you so much for this video. I will definitely look this film up. I was also inspired to look up Katsushika Oi and was pleased to discover she was recognized as an accomplished artist in her own right and had her own distinctive style separate from her father's. Her "Night Scene on the Yoshiwara" showed a mastery of lighting and contrast, and in some way reminds me a lot of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks."

[@tubeyou89119]

I was so glad to find this movie's DVD in my local library and loved it. Thanks for introducing it to us.

[@guchikura]

You have a way with words and a great voice to transmit them. I get a real sense of the emotional content you put into these reviews, and the feeling that you only put up material about work which has really moved you. Thanks very much for this.

[@13eleno]

i had goosebumps throught this whole video , great job! Truly made me want to watch the movie ...

[@ItsDannyRobbins]

I am SO GLAD I discovered your channel today!!! I'm about to have the greatest cinematic experiences for the next several weeks and it feels like my birthday.❤❤❤

[@marujimena]

This was a great film! I loved it! Everything, from the animation style, the storyline, the depiction of every day life, and the views of the city! Beautiful! Thank you for your video!

[@slbwoy]

So glad your best anime directors video was recommended. Loving this content, well done.

[@BeyondGhibli]

+slbwoy thank you! So am I :)

[@lebarosky]

It's stunning. It's unforgettable. It's romantic and realistic, at the same time, if that's possible.

[@zucchini3D]

I'm taking an art history course on Edo Japan, and we watched this film today in class. It was amazing to see the world of Edo built so well, with 40-page chapters on the Yoshiwara and Ryogoku bridge realized as physical spaces and not just descriptions for, at best, murky mental images. I know the concept of "world-building" is usually attributed to fiction (and technically this is a work of fiction) but goddamn there are so many spot-on details and icons of Edo culture. I fully agree with you calling this film a modern masterpiece. It's certainly an important film; I feel like that final match cut of the old Ryogoku bridge to the modern day version was meant to kinda commemorate and preserve the rich and fascinating history behind it. lol im in love with this film. Great essay too! Glad I found this channel, curious to see more.

[@BeyondGhibli]

+Jeffrey Ryan that final shot is one of my favourites in the movie. It really slams home the difference between Edo and Tokyo as we know it now - and in less than 200 years. It's bananas. It's awesome to hear this film is being used for education too!

[@athenassigil5820]

I loved this one, I've been a fan of the original artist for years. A brilliant and beautiful film! To Oi!

[@mar201480]

Thank you for putting out genuinely interesting and beautiful content.

[@gideonm.7425]

The scene with The Great Wave off Kanagawa was amazing, and blended well in the movie!

[@jung.o.2080]

This movie perfectly combines supernatural and realistic views. It ties them in a believable way, putting us in the perspective of the citizens. Something that nowadays gets lost since plots tend to either be real or fantasy. But Miss Hokusai blends it so well.

[@tarsilaguimaraes]

This review is a masterpiece too. Love it!

[@gabzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

I only watched your review and im already crying 😭 i will deffo watch the movie, your channel is amazing 💙

[@samidejong106]

I just watched the film thanks to this video, and it was beautiful! Thanks for the recommendation.

[@inkajoo]

It's nice to see anime with characters that have actual faces instead of the samey cutesy cyphers we see on many shows these days. The most egregious culprits of which being your average shoujo, echi, or moe fodder.

[@Andreseme23]

Agreed, but you forgot shonen here, since dragon ball they’ve been getting more and more simplistic and deformed too. Just like what happened to occidental animation, they just aim for making it fast and half hearted, so it’s quantity over quality. A shame, really.

[@awkwardorangedrawz5914]

I know right!? And I LOVE the THICC eyebrows and how natural the faces look!

[@carlosluismendez7392]

you need to read more manga dude. The art in this anime follows the manga is adapting. Manga has a lot of art styles and the moe thing or whatever is not bad in the same way the Glenn Keane designs for Disney are not bad. They have a purpose.

[@Kathy12Ray]

KZbin is trying to teach me to be cultured and diverse in my knowledge of all forms of art and vast in my awareness of the content this platform contains. I did not know anything except hollywood animation, but after watching this(understanding nothing), I feel oddly improved already. Thank you KZbin algorithm!

[@supermr123454321]

Just moved it in my watchlist from the mid low end to near the top! :D thanks, this looks awesome

[@BeyondGhibli]

So glad to hear that :) you won't be disappointed.

[@RadioReprised]

I have been obsessed with the Great Wave for over 50 years and own several examples......it defines all that I love about Japan.

[@scalabrineplayoff3pt46curr7]

I want to love this and highly praise it buts hard choice. The scenes and some dialogues and analogies were so beautiful and authentic, genuine, poetic and intelligent showing the perspective of life and culture in Japan as an artist filled with loneliness, love for nature, sexuality, and also spirituality through art. At the same time, the ending and closure was a bit quiet and weak. The movie remained at constant slow pace entirely with no ups and downs but sophisticated and complex. I do believe this films is the prime epitome of why Japanese anime will and always remain unique and distinguish from any other cultures' form of animation. They told a true story with no action and fantasy but only real life and I can see this succeed as a live action and winning some Oscars and golden globe awards

[@RikkuTakanashi]

The beautiful thing I've always loved about anime is they can express a great deal of emotion in something as simple as one's hair being picked up by the breeze. The Japanese seems to understand emotions on a truly deep level and know how to express them on such a deep level that it draws out the deep emotions within us, the viewers.

[@ruskasielu6261]

Same here, I liked the movie, but I found it lacked a little something for it to have a real impact on me....

[@atlantisthelostcontinent4598]

@@RikkuTakanashi its only applied to those of silence lover

[@BoughtByTheBlood]

I just had the wonderful privilege of watching this amazing film right before watching this video again. As usual, the only thing more beautiful & captivating about the wonderful movies & shows Joe recommends is the way he truly captures all that is best about them in his videos. I find myself putting off watching these movies & shows sometimes for months waiting to be in just the right mind frame & head space to fully appreciate them before taking them in, sort of how you'll put off eating a favorite food until you can savor & enjoy it. Beyond Ghibli is my all-time favorite anituber & the longer I've been watching anime & reading manga, the richer & deeper his videos become to me, probably because as I become more seasoned & experienced with this art form, the better I am able to appreciate Joe's genius in critiquing it. Great job, Joe! Keep up the good work! 💙

[@serpz123]

I'm really enjoying this video series. Thank you for introducing me to these films!

[@BeyondGhibli]

Isaac Mackenzie thank you for watching!! Hope I don't let you down :p

[@jacobmortimore]

Take your time and please don't rush your videos because of the pressure from your growing subscriber base(including myself as of yesterday) bide your time as all the directors and artists you revere did. The world will be a better place for it. Thank you so much for your incredible videos, I've lost 5 hours of my life in one 24 hour day engrossed in your in depth analysis and philosophical interpretations of these artistic masterpieces,and i don't regret a second of it,this is time well spent as far as I'm concerned. Safe

[@samchaloner1472]

I've recently discovered you channel and I'm honestly perplexed. Every video is just stunning not only accredited to the wonderful narration but the stunning editing and narration by yourself, Joe. Hokusai is by far one of my favourite artists and I missed an opportunity to see his work in London. So this film is everything I could possibly need. Thank you 🙏

[@sundawg911]

Definitely will watch!!! I haven't heard this but I purchased his piece while visiting Japan. Never realized how important his daughter was to his work.

[@tarantosheur5443]

Your voice is so knowledgeable. Thank you.

[@kandycrush6433]

Ur videos are amazing....thankyou so much for giving us a window into Japanese anime

[@mikeethier8858]

Just finished the film and all i have to say is, Wow! Thanks for the recommendation Ghibli. This is a film i'm gonna be thinking about for a while.

[@electrofonickitty823]

I saw this recently and it was just amazing. My fiance and I talk art often and I want more prints of his artwork.

[@AdlusAdams]

40 minute video please!! Just finished watching all the eps. So good!

[@BeyondGhibli]

Wow 40 minutes? the 20 minute episode took me forever and I was worried a lot of people would get bored of that one :P There should be another 20 minute 'Beyond Ghibli' episode coming very soon... thank you for watching and commenting :)

[@bieuxyongson]

That was beautiful. I will have to check this one out.

[@sleepingbackbone7581]

This was so beautifully narated...so full of feelings.

[@charlieduhadway6675]

Some of the most informed and and well manicures anime related content on the internet. Thank you.

[@joergen86]

Thank you for these great episodes.

[@ariellelionessofYah]

I just watched this the other night and loved it! I loved that many scenes were straight out of Hokusai’s repertoire. Truly stunning visuals and the thing that got me instantly hooked was the very beginning when that rock song started playing as Oi walked over the bridge. I was like...okay this is cool. Really really lovely film and great review you did!

[@filipsjostrand3885]

Watched the movie after seeing this video, loved it. I greatly appreciate your channel, led me onto a lot of good stuff thx!

[@jaidynm3442]

I’m so surprised that you don’t have more subscribers, these videos are amazing! Keep up the good work!

[@BeyondGhibli]

+Iso M thanks for the kind words , I'm very happy just having this many! I consider myself very lucky.

[@Dogsnark]

Wonderful! I have been ignorant of this kind of anime beyond Ghibli and am so happy to know that there is more. I’m looking forward to seeing more on this channel.

[@jamesmonahan1819]

I had fun here. Anything beyond Ghibli is worth looking at.

[@mitchellstuckey1903]

I love, love, LOVE your videos soo much

[@dchikenalaking]

I love that your closing spiel is sounds professional.

[@MeganABarns]

Stumbled across your channel and watched all your videos. Sought this film out because of your recommendation. Just finished the film and am in love. So happy I found this channel and, by extension, this movie. Thank you for the recommendation! Would never have found this otherwise.

[@BeyondGhibli]

Wow! So glad you've gotten so much from this! Really happy to hear you liked Miss Hokusai too :) thanks for watching.

[@bedal2002]

Your interpretation of life and the japanese is very close to my swedish experience. I am +50 and have experienced old swedish culture. It connects so well to these anime and your comments. Why?

[@BeyondGhibli]

bedal2002 haha that's so interesting! Could you explain more?

[@Cloudstrife112233]

So, I've been debating watching this and you have made up my mind. This looks amazing.

[@BeyondGhibli]

+Deadrift89 let me know what you think!

[@Adam.montef]

Really good series. Haven't seen much else like it. Hadn't heard of a lot of the directors you talk about in the series before I found your channel. Thank you!

[@5yenwishes66]

I have been interested in this movie but for some reason I had always been hesitant to press the play button. Now I will watch it and enjoy the ride thank you for this video, keep them coming :)

[@biggloop7015]

Holy crap I just looked at your subcount and oh my god??? Channel's with a million don't even have their videos so nicely put together! ! My god good work man good work

[@wordreet]

Yes! I watched Miss Hokusai, for the first time recently. Absolutely brilliant, both in the artwork and the story line! I rarely watch full length anime movies, but I could not stop watching this one.

[@TailsThewolfcat]

This movie seriously made me cry. Like, jeez. It's not fair.

[@alert_alert]

miss hokusai just went straight to the top of my watch list!

[@quantafreeze]

Neat! Thanks for the video!

[@amateurtakeongaming4298]

It's directed by the guy that directed 'Colorful' One of my fav movies of all time, any one of you that liked this should definitely check that movie out too

[@normawingo5116]

I’ve gotta see that one, thank you for the great review.

[@kforest2745]

Very beautiful production and presentation

[@mycotinafulica8896]

You had a very unique taste sir! And it's definitely very exciting to know there are other films on the same quality as Ghibli out there!

[@bellaalimot9308]

literally 1:30 into this video and i just go and find this movie to watch and i am quite significantly changed. a good film and you sir are very good at what you do. thank u x

[@ssnarashi]

I just saw this a couple of days ago. Got me curious on the real life Hokusai, both father and daughter.

[@PETBOY]

Animation is a fantasy story. In fact, Hokusai is a mysterious figure.

[@ktcworks]

Daughter Hokusai was good at drawing sexy ladies from female point of view.

[@Gameboymug]

This sounds like a book i read called ghost brush is it one in the same?

[@rabidcentrist]

Thank you for this series.

[@BeyondGhibli]

Thank you for watching :)

[@atsukorichards1675]

Thank you for picking up this wonderful work! I was so happy when I saw Miss Hokusai on Netflix some time ago. I think they did a quite good job to put the story onto screen. To anyone who likes this, I do recommend to read the original manga, Sarusuberi (百日紅), by late Hinako Sugiura (杉浦日向子). (I am not sure that there is English versions.) Her knowledge about Edo era, her storytelling and especially her style of drawing are very unique, both subtle and bald, humorous and sad, and wonderful. (More than the movie.) And there are some more episodes that had to be cut from the movie.

[@katywuste9054]

Your review was succinct and beautifully told, thank you

[@mlum]

Thank you for this reccomendation. It moved me and I am definitely going to watch today. I look forward to watching the rest of your work!

[@Reachforitify]

She had an amazing life and this movie captures parts of it well. It is a wonderful movie and must be watch with subs to really appreciate the dialog. The sound production is some of the best in any anime production as heard in the bridge transition in this video. Production IG its best.

[@paulmorgan274]

What a beautiful piece of work narration against the art was perfect, and it's good to see someone look at Japanese film making through different eyes. please accept my thanks for sharing your art and look forward to seeing more of you. Kind regards Paul from London UK

[@elviskleber10]

It's really a great movie. I like that this channel is focused on uncovering underrated anime films, as the name "beyond Ghibli" suggests people sometimes underestimate the other studios and creators beyond studio Ghibli (in terms of anime film at least). Please talk about Princess Arete a hidden gem made by the director of In this Corner of the world.

[@lemaro1977]

I wanna thank you for the recomendation. Saw about this masterpiece in other video of yours, and really loved this movie. Thanks!

[@BeyondGhibli]

This has made my day :) So glad you enjoyed it!!!

[@rcjic26]

Thank you for an astounding look at this movie. I will now ensure to watch Miss Hokusai, experience her wonderful life, and in the process enrich my own.

[@chris92S]

Holy crap man, why don't you have more subscriptions this channel is fantastic!?

[@BeyondGhibli]

Aah thank you! Honestly I'm very pleased with the subs I have. I haven't shared the channel around because I don't like shilling myself :P it feels weird.

[@duncanross9884]

this was actually fascinating to me lol, kept me going all the way through and I was about to bounce to another vid.

[@jaojao1768]

Thanks for making a video on this, it piqued my interest

[@formam1022]

I some times get so carried away with watching your stuff, I forget to like it

[@graces8824]

Amazing video as always! I love how you manage to go so in depth with spoiling films, I'm always excited to what you recomand. Even if I watch the movie many times before, you add to the experience. You're channel definitely does make people look at more than just Studio Ghibli. I would love more about the unique cultural influences and when focusing in on a specific film, the cinematic elements, like the bit about the music.

[@BeyondGhibli]

Thank you! I do try my absolute best not to spoil anything, I am making these in the hopes more people will watch them so it would be a waste to spoil them :)

[@Donvier98]

Thank you so much for introducing me to this movie. It was such a moving and unique experience. I haven't watched a movie like it before. I can't wait for the next one.

[@GabrielGriffin82]

Your videos are a blessing, thank you for sharing your passion.

[@LtColShingSides]

I really loved this movie

[@Bones12x2]

What a great review. I just finished watching the movie and it was amazing. There are very few movies that manage to hit every emotional peak and valley in such a relatable way. Its a wonderful film about life. But you added a little bit of extra insight and information to make me appreciate it even more.

[@Zeitgeist6]

Love your stuff man. It's nice to see someone focussing on anime movies instead of shows.

[@thecarpenterhouse8782]

My GOD I love your videos!

[@BvsMAcosh]

beyond ghibli but still close enough, you can smell it.

[@Armonis]

Fine fine, this is maybe your fifth video I've seen and this one for some reason resonated with me so deeply that I started crying a little, when you started quoting this man who created so much, still being his own biggest critic on his deathbed. Maybe it's this booze talking, but now I'm subscribed.

[@Petty_Omen]

Thanks for the recommendation! I love this channel

[@toastiepostie3761]

Awesome! Just discovered this series. Love it.

[@BeyondGhibli]

thank you :) New Beyond Ghibli coming soon. Hope you dig it :)

[@Ashutosh_Dahia]

Really great content and editing, would really love to see more of it

[@karlaquevedo5786]

I watched this movie with someone because I love it and they didn't really like it. I think they found it boring. I'm glad that there are other people who like it as much as me.

[@mariacalix2557]

This deserves more comments, loved it.

[@Treehamallama]

I love your channel, and your voice. Thank you for being a kind presence in the world