Why Miyazaki is a True Romantic

Is Miyazaki a modern day Romanticist? What makes Kiki's Delivery Service a particularly great film? This video is largely inspired by an essay by Brendan C. Walsh, which you can check out here: www.researchga...
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Thumbnail by Nick Woodcock
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Sources:
Brendan C. Walsh (2019) A Modern-Day Romantic: The Romantic Sublime in Hayao Miyazaki’s Creative Philosophy, Comparative Literature: East & West, 3:2, 176-191,
Kurita, Kyoko. “Koda Rohan and the Origin of Modern Japanese Romanticism.’” PhD diss. Yale University, 1992. Print.
Napier, Susan J. “Confronting Master Narratives: History as Vision in Miyazaki Hayao’s Cinema of De-Assurance.” Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique 9.2 (2001): 467-93. Print.
Okada, Akiko. Keats and English Romanticism in Japan. Bern, Switzerland; New York: Peter Lang, 2006. Print.
Unnamed Films (In Order of Appearance):
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
The Wind Rises (2013)
Music:
Glass Off - Bernie Leadon
Song of India - Andre Kostelanetz
Summer Rain - Suzanne Menzel
Background Painting:
Ships in a Storm - Ivan Aivazovsky (1860)
Instagram: / broey_deschanel
Twitter: / deschanelbroey

[@BroeyDeschanel]

cancelling myself for the wack pronunciation of Totoro :^( why did she do that

[@meowglab7702]

“ToRtoro”..... we forgive you haha :))

[@DIRTY-MERLIN]

now i want to go eat a torta

[@jxoosy]

my neighbor tortilla

[@frogcharm2566]

omg no it’s okay!!! It happens!! You have so many lovely ideas in this. I’m such a fan of Wordsworth and Keats, so I truly enjoyed this piece

[@sageybug3868]

I read this before watching the vid and I was like 'surely its not THAT bad :)' and then u really went and said tortoro 😭😭

[@DrWHO-jv5qi]

Also, at the end of the film, Kiki is never able to talk with her cat again. That symbolizes something really heartbreaking and real for me. It means she has lost a part of herself and her magic, her origins when she comes to the city. That one moment I realized how powerful this film really was when she never regained the ability.

[@Digitallavender2000]

I ALWAYS cry at that 😭

[@ventricity]

It means she has grown up. That is the theme

[@theartofjayden1761]

Actually, I don’t believe that is what Miyazaki intended with that at all. She has grown. Her cat could never talk, but that was something in Kiki’s imagination. Like you used to believe your dolls were real and your pets could talk and stuff like that. It is not sad at all, for this shows how much Kiki has grown.

[@JohannesWiberg]

@@theartofjayden1761 This two interpretations aren't fully in conflict, though. She came to the city and grew up, she lost some rural childishness and gained some urban savvy, and she can no longer connect to her cat friend on that deep, possibly imaginary level. It is certainly a loss for her, even if it was inevitable. I find it both sad and necessary.

[@jjfrenzy789]

I thought it came back after she got her magic back.

[@buriedtakethewheel2646]

It's worth noting that, in the original Japanese, it's unclear if Kiki is able to talk to Jiji again once she regains her powers. This connection to the natural world comes more easily as a child and though she has regained her sense of self by returning to nature something is lost. This process may be an inescapable part of growing up.

[@garrettbays6942]

One of the many reasons I absolutely hate the English dub of this film; the stupid lines they give to Jiji at the end, with the sing-song meow! That, and most of the English translation is a lot of horse dump, and the voice actors along with it. Most English dubs of Miyazaki films suck because of how the choices for certain words can change the whole meaning of the film entirely and not for the better. Also, the voice cast often has horrible line delivery. However, there are two marvelous exceptions, and they are the English dubs for Nausicaa and Porco Rosso. They keep the meaning and symbolism of the story intact and don't choose words that soften up the film (though the English dub for Porco Rosso takes out the dialogue about how he's in trouble for viewing p*rn).

[@Michael-wp2vq]

I watched Kiki for the first time this year and, as a creative in a rut and feeling like my life is defined by others, it broke me. The beautiful artwork reminded me of the simplicity of nature and inspired a deep part within me. I’d never felt more in sync with a film in my entire life and, from beginning to end, it really revealed the ways in which , like Kiki, I too need time to breathe between the bouts of pressure. The ending was so true to life as she didn’t get her power back right away, and struggled back into swing with her passion. I could go on and on about this movie though.

[@Ronaldsframes]

I’m thinking now of Kiki too in regards to my life and rut now too. (I just discovered this channel, so I’m like 9 months late I guess .) What a great thing to share.

[@messypalette]

There's something so calming about the way you talk, it honestly makes every video such a pleasure to watch!

[@Animechick7797]

Miyazaki is the true king of animation

[@EyebrowCinema]

Beautiful work, and kudos for choosing a not so obvious movie to center analysis on.

[@BroeyDeschanel]

they very same to you!! :)

[@netraeng8676]

Sublime indeed!

[@sifatshams1113]

I often find myself fantasizing about an alternate universe in which the live-action Harry Potter movies don't exist and are instead replaced by 2D animated feature-length films by Miyazaki, who is a huge Potterhead.

[@BroeyDeschanel]

:o that would be amazing

[@MoMo-cf1qn]

Dude I want to live in that reality so bad

[@tvsonicserbia5140]

Well Steven Spielberg ALMOST made a 2D animated Harry Potter film, with Harry voiced by Haley Joel Osment, and in my book, Spielberg is basically the western Miyazaki

[@lunarmagpie619]

I’m begging you to read another series that isn’t written by an antisemitic transphobe ❤️

[@johnnyguitar8067]

@@lunarmagpie619 oh fuck off back to safe space.

[@lpssuperlove201]

I’m so grateful for kikis delivery service, I grew up watching it and I don’t think I’d be the same person without it. I’ve never thought about it like this beautiful amazing!! Incredible thinking every time I watch it I think I know everything but I’m always proven wrong!! Thank you

[@eranavni-singer9189]

I love how Kiki didn’t have some magical exceptionalism inside her that bursts out in the end and saves the day. She’s triumphs because she is herself and she isn’t trying to be some massive accomplishment like the blimp and she ends up stronger than the blimp ever could have been

[@DazzReviews]

This was interesting! Good stuff!

[@BroeyDeschanel]

Thanks so much :) yours was awesome too!!!

[@GPerla26]

Omg someone else bringing in Romanticism and the Sublime to Miyazaki 😭😭 I actually told a professor of mine for a Romanticism class to watch Princess Mononoke 👏🏽👏🏽

[@sammyvictors2603]

This is why Miyazaki is one of my inspirations as an aspiring writer. I consider myself a romantic, albeit an enlightened, liberal, open-minded and inclusive one.

[@abhiasokkumar8536]

@Ryan Scates same! i hope to write stories like miyazaki one day that conveys anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist sentiments that shows socialism through a soft romanticized lens that people would WANT

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

Yeah same. He’s one of the main inspirations of my writing

[@vandalsavage6743]

I was agreeing with you until you said "enlightened" Sounding pretty narcissistic

[@sammyvictors2603]

@@vandalsavage6743 in reference to the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment to the Romantic dichotomy.

[@vandalsavage6743]

@@sammyvictors2603 ok

[@BriarMB13]

I really needed this today, I've been so down since my cat died. Definitely gonna go watch these movies with a whole new appreciation, and go have a Good cry. Thank you💌

[@BroeyDeschanel]

I'm so sorry about your cat :(

[@BriarMB13]

@@BroeyDeschanel thanks dude, it's appreciated💜 Your videos are great, and genuinely have been a source of small joys in my life lately 😭

[@Sakyo597]

I hope gigi doesn't make you sad

[@BriarMB13]

@@Sakyo597 oh god no, gigi is more like my other cat, Michael Meowers. D.o.g. (childhood cat that we had to put down in november) was a monster of a cat, 20 lbs of straight muscle and Love. His mom was our neighbor's purebred siamese and his dad was the big ass, neighborhood tom cat. I miss my boy yelling at me to cuddle every day; the grief is there but the relief of knowing he's not in pain anymore really makes me happy.

[@Sakyo597]

@@BriarMB13 That's good to hear

[@mattjmjmjm4731]

It's sad that when most people hear the word romanticism they think it refers to love but it is a long built European way of life and philosophy, people should de more educated in such matters.

[@untitled-8538]

and is the european way of life and philosophy so great that we should bother ??

[@mattjmjmjm4731]

@@untitled-8538 I think people should be educated on Western and Eastern philosophy and culture.

[@mattjmjmjm4731]

@UCpSD_TOuDafTY2z4su3EBWA I'm not saying European culture is better than Japanese culture. I am really confused?

[@vs-ej1qc]

@@untitled-8538 it’s not about it being european, it’s about broadening your horizons and your cultural baggage, you don’t “bother” to learn if you’re interested in the subject, and this goes for everything, if you’re interested in learning more about certain things do it, if you’re not, don’t do it.

[@untitled-8538]

​@@vs-ej1qc i am interested in learning about other cultures, but why bother promoting the over-glorified european culture while they continue suppressing and oppressing other cultures to this day. If their philosophies are great then they are clearly never implemented. An example is the extreme individualism and lack of basic community, which ALSO came into place by oppressing (and continuing to oppress) their own people!

[@motherrussia73]

Kiki's wasn't a movie that I truly appreciated for what it was until I got older (same story for Whisper of the Heart). Thank you for so beautifully articulating the ephemeral quality of these movies and how impactful they are!

[@aidanmoyer3383]

YES YES YES Kiki's delivery service has been my rock this year, it has just completely enraptured me. its far deeper than anyone gives it credit for.

[@MrBioBlue94]

Kiki is one of my favourites, I am glad that you covered it so well here.

[@internalilusion]

you make me feel so intelligent just by watching your content

[@BrokenDarknessfilms]

This is a great video! But I'd still disagree to some extent with your framing of miyazaki's perspective on nature. It may be true that romanticism and ideas of the sublime made its way into post-war Japan from the west, but I feel like Miyazaki's perspective on nature comes from a place that's more rooted in traditional Japanese spirituality. To me, this idea comes through the most in something like Princess Mononoke which is set in Japan, where different aspects of nature (water, forest, etc) have individual gods related to them, as is the case in traditional Japanese spirituality. To me, it seems like that's partly where Miyazaki's reverence for nature stems from but I definitely don't think a framing of romanticism is wrong either. Just a different perspective!

[@camilleisabel]

This video made me cry, the world doesn't deserve Miyazaki. Such a beautifully worded and well put together video essay. Brava

[@_sayen]

I'm so grateful for studio Ghibli. They make such great films and other animation studios like cartoon saloon or Pixar probably wouldn't be where they are today without Ghibli.

[@Imyourcherryybomb]

Oh wow im so early, i don't know what to say. Edit: i now feel the need to rewatch all of the miyazaki's films mentioned and just get in the feels.

[@robinsonfavour8450]

REAL LOVE SPELLS THAT WORKS am very happy today with the world, My husband left me for good 2 years now, and i love him so much, i have been looking for a way to get him back since then. i have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that darted me to Dr Agbaka a spell caster, who helped me to brought back my husband after 48hours. Me and my husband are living happily together today, That man is great, you can contact him via email Agbakaspelltemple@gmail. com… Now i will advice any serious persons that found themselves in this kind of problem to contact him now a fast solution without stress.. He is always hello, now i call him my father. contact him now he is always available, his page: facebook.com/DrAgbaka/ email (Agbakaspelltemple@gmail. com) or contact him on his whatsapp mobile line [phone]....

[@rennetakahashi1649]

i love this so much!! the simplistic yet oddly deep theme of Kiki's Delivery Service makes it one of my favorite Miyazaki films!! i love how Miyazaki is able to present deep themes of our society in such beautiful ways through his use of storytelling and animation..

[@cherrybepsi]

honestly i kind of did think of kiki's delivery service as boring the first time i watched it, probably a combo of the slow pacing and the themes of technological advancements going over my head, so your perspective really introduced another layer to it. loved the video! 💖

[@Frankiethenum1bunny]

This one made me tear up. So beautiful. You’re unreal.

[@BroeyDeschanel]

[@starry_skies]

Same TT it was very well done and now I wanna go rewatch a Miyazaki film.

[@realbharbiexoxo]

Hayao knows that women are more inteligent but that men and women can coexist to bring something good to the world and I think that’s his dream, he want us to see, that together we are better than alone, love your vids so much, you are quality 🤍✨ hope you happy!!!

[@mattjmjmjm4731]

"women are more intelligent" he said that?

[@realbharbiexoxo]

@@mattjmjmjm4731 he clarify that on his movies and if you see his interviews he explain it all the time lmao

[@mattjmjmjm4731]

@@realbharbiexoxo Interesting to know :)

[@antonb5504]

I REALLY don’t think he ever said such a thing and if he did, he might’ve said it as a metaphor, and that’s coming from someone who has seen all of the documentaries on ghibli, and some interviews. He rather thinks they are equal which he wants to highlight in a world where men often take the spotlight

[@mcbclmnop1751]

"danger that humanity and technology pose to our earthly home" Elon musk- 'Let's colonise Mars'

[@mle97]

miyazaki's films are really a gift to NP personalities

[@dreamingblue3939]

INFP here. I feel very lucky to have grown up on Studio Ghibli's beautiful movies. They're likely the biggest inspiration for my own stories, art, and music.

[@yeseniatecaxco7545]

you are sooo right! I'm an ENFP and now it makes more sense why I have such a huge obsession with his movies and why they resonated so deeply to me. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@sophie7780]

omg just realized you put captions on your videos!! accessible queen!!!!

[@brian5258]

If we're to talk about underrated Ghibli, when's that analysis on Whisper of the Heart coming? 😉 You bet I recognized the channel's picture.

[@starry_skies]

Yess, I would love to see a video on Whisper of the Heart! one of my fave films.

[@josephbursese7801]

Very good! but no mention of Shintoism? Feel like much of his philosophy draws from it.

[@morgacl]

Kiki’s Delivery Service actually helped me recognize and deal with some of my own insecurities as a kid, and I think that speaks to the quality and impact of Miyazaki’s artistry. Excellent analysis, btw!

[@italadz57]

Why are literally all your videos so good? You’re definitely my favorite video essayist :)

[@CultPopture]

So great, so academic. I am smarter for watching this.

[@th2030]

Caricakes brought me here !!

[@marvel096]

amazing essay! kiki's delivery service is one of my favorite ghibli movies, it's in my top 3🥰 whisper of the heart is my number 1, i'd love to see some day a video about it since you have shizuku on your pfp

[@fictionalfinesse]

Casper David Friedrich deserves a mention. His art is used over and over in this video. An important influential romantic painter

[@sujalthapa7887]

This video didn't really connect with me. For a variety of reasons. Kiki's delivery service was when I first watched it, a movie about alienation. Its well known that Miyazaki was a Marxist at the time the movie was being made. And its a romanticism not only of Nature but also labor and the fruits of passionate labor. And it's weird to see a video about kiki's delivery service which does not focus on the "delivery service" part of the movie. Sure there are some subliminal qualities highlighted in the movie but I'd say its a far call from the embrace of the sublime. Again, Kant's definition of the sublime is weird. According to kant the sublime is overwhelming, it's not beautiful it is sth different from beauty altogether. Overall, I do agree with the point that Miyazaki is some form of romantic maybe even that he is a "true romantic" whatever that means. But I find the presentation and points made to be somewhat misinformed. I'd really suggest reading the article by maddy ward on the eco-socialism of Ghibli and the youtube video "Miyazaki's marxism" by Zeria. Also sorry if I sound a bit harsh. Twas an enjoyable video and appreciate the work you put into it. So Thank you XD

[@matthewlugo2417]

If he was a true romantic i would think he would love his son and not publicly embarrassed and shun him for wanting to be more like his dad. I like his movies but miyazaki is a bad dad

[@MellanClear]

Thank you for your always very enlightening videos. It's a true pleasure to listen to you

[@Arowrath]

Comment for the algorithm

[@charlottecoville3147]

The dude announced he was stopping animation multiple times but the previous times came back to it, he just loved his job too much...

[@agustinagomez3587]

Kiki is my favorite Miyazaki film. I loved this video, it was very well thought out and researched. Thank youu and all the team that makes these videos!

[@tristeno9618]

Kiki is my favorite Miyazaki film. Love the video!

[@lias2768]

thanks for always putting out great content :)) your videos are a true bliss to watch ! and i just finished a miyazaki binge yesterday, this must be a sign

[@sgtclover]

i’m such a whore for romanticism tbh, thank you for the great video + analysis

[@VtheWanderer]

Wondrous work, as always. I am glad Kiki's Delivery Service is getting more love, it is quite the masterpiece and often gets overlooked. Also, random weird remark: I could listen to you talk for hours, your voice is so calm and comforting. For me it's like listening to rain pattering on my window, it's just wonderful and relaxing.

[@arcie3716]

Just finished watching all the Ghibli movies with a friend. Love his work

[@guadarossifedyszyn9319]

I truly learnt a lot out of this analysis! I always felt attracted to Romanticism, and eager to learn about its ideals. But the definitions you can find online tend to lack the depht and meaning thay you've put in your video. Moreover, you chose to exemplify Romanticism with my favorite Ghibli film! I am thankful, speaking of which, since Kiki is often overshadowed for some reason. I am no one to make any value judgement but, great job! ♡

[@grmgt]

You should do a video on Satoshi Kon -another legendary Japanese director!

[@gray1665]

damn miss caroline polochek telling me what’s up

[@rzLLAMAS]

Miyazaki's preoccupation with the connection between the spiritual inner world and the natural world would have been a good place to start a conversation about Shintoism and its effect on Miyazaki's work. This animistic, earth-honoring tradition goes back thousands of years in Japan, and so probably has more of an influence on Miyazaki movies than Western Romanticism. That said, thank you for your perspective and a beautifully-produced video essay :D

[@crewmatewillthrowthesehand7600]

His personality could also be why he and his son butt heads at times and cannot make peace on their creative differences. They don't see the world the same way and therefore get frustrated with each other because of it. Him being the romantic and masterful storyteller while his son being more practical since high school and choosing landscape architecture as a career.

[@Torus2112]

Just FYI a dirigible has a frame, a blip is inflated; so for example the airship in the movie is a dirigible. Points for not calling dirigibles Zeppelins though!

[@earpleaserentertainment5533]

Please give us an analysis of The Red Turtle ..

[@mewithyouu]

Love this video! I’d like to point out that Kiki eventually supports Tombo’s flying machine because he invented it out of a passion for flying. Like her own flying, his flying is caused by an innocent drive and his inventiveness, not as a symbol of power.

[@papanugget2368]

Seeing Baby miyazaki was a pleasant surprise

[@pookaverse]

To me, Ghibli movies are like a euphonic phantasmagoria of whimsy and the sound of rain, the loving embrace of warm lights, the soft melodies overflowing with nostalgia and pleasantry. That childlike wonder captured and bottled into one sequence of piano notes. So simple, so kind, yet so very melancholic, so very wonderful.

[@Ronaldsframes]

Watching your great video I begin to think there’s a secret theme connecting a lot of stories I really like. The association of the sublime, and nature, and Magic and the more quiet modest thing of confidence in oneself , when one feels at home with oneself, when one likes oneself. I watched Berberian Sound Studio recently, which is sort of randomly congenial to Kiki. (That’s a sort of gentle Giallo, if that’s possible, about sound post production on an Italian Horror with a mousey Toby Jones.) There’ s Malick’s The New World too. I’m working on a monologue now, from the play Uncle Vanya, for an acting class I’m in, and even with that I’m making connections. There’s a sad selfless doctor, who drinks too much, whose hobby is mapping trees in a nearby estate/forest. He comes back to himself doing that. And Vanya the character I play is obsessed with his failure to be a capable esteemed person. If he could just relax a bit and let go of his bitterness, his feeling of being betrayed, I wonder if he could find some inspiration, The very happiness right under his nose.I really relate to Kiki’s plight in this film, and I love the pacing and the subtlety of it as you point out.

[@4-kathryn]

Lovely video, studied art history at university awhile ago yet I completely forgot about the 'Romantic' period for artists. Good comparison. Kiki's was my 2nd film I saw from their studio; I was a pre-teen at that time, made an impression on me.. may've influenced my decision to take an ecological-sustainabity university course.

[@jxoosy]

she needs to do a video about that vegan teacher

[@caterpilllllar]

Nice work plagiarising someone elses essay (A modern-day romantic: the romantic sublime in Hayao Miyazaki’s creative philosophy by Brendan Walsh) but using a less effective example to explore their ideas since kikis delivery service is an adaption of someone else's work, not entirely from the mind of Miyazaki Also, it takes 5 seconds to look up "Miyazaki planes" and find out that he grew up with aviation in both a positive and negative light hence his fascination + caution which couldve easily helped your point

[@BroeyDeschanel]

The essay is fully quoted twice in this video and cited in the description. This is a video largely and very obviously inspired by Walsh's essay. You can disagree with my thesis but please don't accuse me of plagiarism.

[@anitalong1215]

I burst into tears when you mentioned Kiki as the highlight of your point. I didn’t see Kiki until I was 18 bc of religious parents, when I did see it, I felt so connected to Kiki, and a part of me was angry my parents couldn’t see the message of the movie bc Kiki is a witch. I continuously feel as though this is one of Miyazaki’s most important movies for children. Idk I’m attached af to Kiki 😭💕

[@HiKONiCONiCO]

This was sooooo CUUTTTE! Is it weird to apply that word to dense critical theory? Great job!

[@pinkrose8272]

While I watched Kiki’s delivery service during a Ghibli film festival, we we got to the scene where Kiki can’t talk to her cat anymore. Everyone in the theater was silent and engrossed in the moment. Then a little kid sitting in the back row blurted out “He can’t talk he’s a cat.” And everyone bursted out laughing.

[@berniekatzroy]

I've always enjoyed Miyazakis films not just for the animation but the mix of western and eastern aspects.

[@therese1246]

Studio Ghibli films are my comfort films

[@hippynoize]

Do you think that Miyazaki should be problematized as part of a tradition within Japan that critiques society as a whole instead of coming to terms with its own history? I've seen the arguement made that some aspects of the pacifist, modern-society rejecting traditions within Japan are actually fairly nationalistic in their own right and are often unwilling to criticize the actions of Japan during the second world war, prefering instead to simply write off the nation's atrocities as the simple reality of industlized society as a whole. I hope my question is clear- its a bit wordy.

[@jamiewilson1532]

No nation has truly dealt with all their wrong doings yet. Especially not capitalistic ones. Because there are still many wrongs being committed today. Nations don't want to admit fault until so much time has passed that almost nothing can be done.

[@pierrenelson8199]

I LOVE kiki's delivery service 🥺

[@KnightofEkron]

Based and romancepilled.

[@demonpirate5453]

Kiki is my favorite movie ever. I can not even count how many times I've watched it, yet this video opened my eyes to stuff I never realized. Great video and a great movie :)

[@NickJerrison]

You just described why Kiki's Delivery Service has been my favorite Miyazaki film, maybe second only to Laputa. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this channel.

[@aralila9304]

Beautifully done! Articulated exactly what I took away from Kiki's Delivery Service - and what some other reviews have failed to.

[@fauxhawklad]

I like an intellectual comment as much as the next guy, but KIKI, DO YOU LOVE ME? ARE YOU RIDING? SAY YOU'LL NEVER EVER LEAVE FROM BESIDE ME CAUSE I WANT YA, AND I NEED YA AND I'M DOWN FOR YOU ALWAYS

[@awesomedawsonmg1940]

No that's a Zepplin

[@aliciaescoto]

Thank you so much💜

[@veralunafritzlevit4462]

I was having second thoughts about getting a tattoo of the radio in the first scene of Kiki, but this video made me very happy and also very convinced

[@Jujuoak]

I’ve been binge watching Miyazaki movies, and each time I watch them I see or realize something new. But I love to watch these videos that give further insight into what the films are about

[@redblaquegolden]

Kiki's Delivery Service was the first time I learned about burn out. I will forever love this movie for that reason.

[@natuvampire]

A beautiful analysis, thank you! I'd love to hear more about Miyazaki's work from you ^_^

[@dancingheart6224]

Magic (which to me means putting dreams, inspiration, or desires to action), existentialism and depression, and sublime/romanticism and the almost surreal inexplicable metaphysical benefits humans receive from nature. Wow, what a movie! And what a movie analysis! You really did this movie justice! This entire movie analysis really put things into perspective for me as a college student who enjoys making music and art (but is studying something less creative for money's sake and not for my own desire) who never really paid attention to the messages of this movie as a child (but knows it by heart enough to approve of this video---my sister watched this VHS movie on repeat back in the day) and is now depressed and super interested in philosophy.

[@Pedro-jy2xk]

kiki is my favorite miyazaki's film !

[@Dystisis]

Romanticism can be nationalistic AND individualistic? Haha. Those are contradictory.

[@vodkatonyq]

Kiki is indeed a masterpiece. Miyazaki's second best after My Neighbor Totoro.

[@nuran5537]

Another great example of this is Miyazaki’s early work on “Future Boy Conan”

[@masudashizue777]

Although I love Miyazaki's works, I'm not enamored by his overuse of flight. In real life, we hardly ever take to the sky, and his works are at odds with our lives. I would love to have him spend more time on the ground. "Kiki's Delivery Service" was my first Miyazaki film. However, I'm not sure if Tonbo, as well as the blimp, fits into the story. I would have liked to have it go in a less spectacular way, but that's just my opinion.

[@thiswillnotdo6027]

i cannot express how much i love his films. Its come to the point where if someone asks me what my favorite movie of all time is, all I can say is "studio ghibli" because I can't choose one.

[@jUQMtDmf]

I love Miyazaki, but dedicating 1 month to 1 director is such a lame idea. Analyze subjects you're GENUINELY interested about, I don't think any viewer want's to see multiple videos at once about a single director, especially not when the creators are forced to make an essay about them. Also, who decides the next director? So many 'great' directors getting forced down your throat within the film industry, it's a huge circle jerk. I want to learn NEW things and creators.

[@iikimida]

Like🙏🙏🙏 grateful to have met Kiki in my childhood 🧹

[@simpleton3781]

Maybe someone would read, maybe they won’t. My last class in my undergrad was a Studio Ghibili film focus class. I read texts that gave important insight that made this film my favorite amongst his works. Written during a time when women - specifically young women- in Japan started making disposable income for vacation and travel. Many women focused on excessive working to then see the women. Miyazaki created the film with these women in mind. Watching it when I was younger, the themes flew over my head. But now as the same demographic Miyazaki made the movie for this film had me in tears. I too was ambitious and ready to see the world only for my new environments to drain me of my passion. I stopped to even think “are there flowers here?” Let alone think to smell them. Entering school I lost my passion for reading , something I did like i needed it to breathe, and writing. I remember staying up to read in my closet as to not disturb my sisters until the late night/ early morning. And the countless (although cringy) fanfics and short stories I wrote. This film in my final year made me stop and ask myself “where did we let our passion go? And are we okay with our answer?” This film (and ponyo) never fail to make me feel so grounded / regrounded in the moment. It just never fails to deliver

[@stevonico]

When we say the past was unenlightened, isn’t that just from our temporal-centric perspective?

[@kiki11111-f]

I feel like Romanticism and the sublime is still dividing man v. nature. Its a concept that came out of the industrial revolution and the decline of Christianity. whereas Shintoism depicted in Spirited Away and Totoro is a Japanese religion that includes man as a part of nature. There is no power hierarchy between man and nature. So its a little bit different. But I understand your point 😊

[@alpacathunderproductions5412]

Awesome video! In terms of western philosophy, I wonder if Miyazaki is closer to Heidigger (science and its potential abuse of nature) and less about the sublime. Only in that, the terror most sublime experiences have seems absent in his work.

[@astonbean]

I've spent the last day bingeing your channel and heck I really love all your videos

[@catman4859]

May i ask what the background music is at the end of the video? It was soo beautiful.

[@lightsubterfuge]

Very well done video! Kiki is my favorite Ghibli film and I still learn new things about it!

[@OrtegaSeason]

I can’t help but think that if Miyazaki’s films were basically all the same but he was American instead of Japanese, no one would care about them.

[@bluesphere7]

Well done, I love how many forms of history can apply Ghibli films, especially the ones that draw from European settings

[@thomasfrancis3766]

You're gonna be big, kid. Just you wait. Keep up the good work.