When's the new Miyazaki film coming out? I can't wait...

Animal Sidekicks

The most successful animated films all have protagonists with some kind of animal sidekick. The most notable studios, Disney and Studio Ghibli, have films that almost always have animal sidekicks, especially if the main character is a heroine. Disney's Tangled has a chameleon companion, and Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service has a black cat as the trusty friend. Pretty much almost all of Miyazaki's works has an animal sidekick. What is the importance of including an animal sidekick? Is it because Miyazaki's films send the message of being one with nature that he finds it necessary for the protagonists to be always physically close to nature's creatures? Or is it simple because audiences react well to the cuteness and appeal of animal sidekicks?

Kiki's vs Howl's

A for long while, Howl's Moving Castle was my favorite Miyazaki film. It was the first Miyazaki film I watched, and the story and romance was appealing to me. However, the moment I watched Kiki's Delivery Service, I knew that my favorite had changed. Kiki's is not only unique, but it centers a lot more on the main protagonist's freedom and worries than Howl's. I guess because Kiki's focuses all on Kiki and Howl's focuses on both Howl and Sophie, that Howl's feels more divided in attention. For me, Kiki's has a lot more detail in the characters and story that just makes me tingle with longing for a world similar to hers. However, one major aspect that Howl's is better in is the music. Regrettably, Kiki's doesn't really have any music that you can consider memorable, which is kind of strange, because virtually every Miyazaki film has a wonderful theme song. Howl's theme song is by far my favorite and I can't wait for the day when I will learn how to play it on the cello. All in all, Kiki > Sophie.

Memorable Moments

What makes such moments in films memorable? The images that you see on screen are not from your own memory; yet, you remember them as if they have certain value. For a film to be truly successful, not only does it have to draw in its viewers, but also cause viewers to relate themselves/care for the characters to the point that the characters' actions become the viewers' own. Hence, a memory shared by both film and viewer.

Ponyo

I watched this film the first time in theaters. It is the first film of Miyazaki's that I've seen on the big screen. Regrettably, it is also one of my least favorite films of Miyazaki. The main problem that I have with this film is that it seems like they're having a wedding for two little children. Also, Ponyo seems to be centered for young audiences, as you can tell from the young main characters and the "lack in plot." Unlike Totoro, which also contains young heroines, Ponyo did not have as much of a serious/mature tone to it. I must admit, I lost interest at some points and only began focusing on the animation of the film. This is not to say that it's a bad film, just not what you'd expect from a renown filmmaker like Miyazaki.

7.7

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle is my personal favorite out of Miyazaki's films. And I must say, out of Miyazaki's typical female protagonists, Sophie is definitely my favorite. She's typical in that she learns to take command of a situation at the end of the film, similar to how Sheeta does in Castle in the Sky. However, she is unique in that she is the most dependent female protagonist of Miyazaki's works (besides Lana from the anime Future Boy Conan). She pretty much admits that she wouldn't be the same without Howl, showing how devoted she is to him.
Even though the film is named after Howl, and even though Sophie is the main protagonist, I would have to argue that it is Calicifer who keeps the story together. This is symbolized by how he keeps the castle together and moving. So in a way, Calicifer is the storyteller, while the Castle is the story. The castle starts off as a mysterious place. Then as the climax arises, the castle falls apart, and at the most critical point in the story, it crumbles, with only a single board left moving. And at the end, when everything is solved, the castle returns to its original state and even flies off into the distance.
Miyazaki's films are known to end not like mainstream films, with a flashy conclusion and everything being perfect. His films usually end with things almost returning to its original state, nothing beyond then how it started. Therefore, the implication at the end of Howl's Moving Castle, with the characters forming a family unit and with the castle being able to fly, shows that Miyazaki is branching off in this film to become more mainstream. Majority of people do like happy, reassuring endings and that is exactly what Howl's Moving Castle has. Perhaps this is why it made so much and why it is considered one of Miyazaki's most successful film.

9.5

Spirited Away

Spirited Away was the first film of Miyazaki's that I watched. I remember watching it way back when and I had no idea what was going on. Upon watching it again, I realize that it is another one of Miyazaki's masterpieces. Just like all of his other films, so much goes on in the plots and between characters. It is very similar to Totoro, in that the girl, Chihiro, becomes lost in another world that could be just her imagination or part of the real world. Miyazaki always includes some sort of imagination conflict in his films. You never know for sure if it's real or not, such as Jiji's ability to talk.
When I watched Spirited Away back in middle school, I remember being creeped out by No-Face. Watching it now in college, I'm still creeped out by his unusual gestures, but I must admit, he is my favorite character in the film. Not only is he the coolest monster in the film, but he also makes a pretty nice (but brief) side-kick for Chihiro. I still don't understand why No-Face was ok with the idea of staying behind with Obababa's twin sister. I mean, he seemed so set on impressing and being close to Chihiro. Why the sudden change?

9.0

Princess Mononoke (round 2)

“When a man is shooting a handgun, it's just like he is shooting because that's his job, and he has no other choice. It's no good. When a girl is shooting a handgun, it's really something.”
-Hayao Miyazaki

It is pretty clear of what Miyazaki means by this quote. In his films, he always tends to use something amazing and exciting, like shooting a gun, and add something a little special and different to bring it to a whole new level.
It is no wonder Miyazaki tends to put more emphasis on his female characters. He may be considered sort of a mainstream animator due to his popularity and influence through his films, but he definitely incorporates unusual aspects into his film.