u/WhisperOfTheDark

When Studio Ghibli is mentioned, people often think of Hayao Miyazaki. This is, of course, well deserved, as Miyazaki is the face of Ghibli. But looking back at Ghibli’s library, I find that some of my favorite films are actually the ones directed by Isao Takahata. I’ll try to put into words how I view both of them and how I think they differ from one another.

Miyazaki is unmistakable. He is defined by subtlety. His stories are soft, nuanced, and often left open to the viewer’s interpretation. What a character is experiencing frequently projects itself onto the world around them, like Kiki losing her powers or Porco turning back into a human. He uses metaphor and allegory to tell stories with underlying layers of meaning, though his films can also be deeply ideological at times. His imagination is incredible. You see things in his films that you will not find anywhere else. His movies could not exist in any other form; they could not be made into live-action films without losing most of their value. He may begin with one story in mind, but the story changes along the way. He is a master of imagination.

Takahata’s storytelling, on the other hand, feels more deliberate and controlled. His films are often more grounded and structurally coherent than Miyazaki’s, but emotionally and philosophically they can be just as layered. He knows what the viewer should feel and what they should take away from the film. This is where he excels. He is an incredible storyteller. He understands people and human emotion. He understands pain and hardship, and wants us to learn how to overcome them. He understands happiness and what truly makes a person happy. He understands the weight of time and how it shapes us. That is why his films carry such an incredible emotional impact. He is a master of emotion.

Girls at the beach

[TOMT][Music] What is the Japanese song playing in this video?

How I interpret Miyazaki and Takahata

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