The Feminism of Hayao Miyazaki and Spirited Away

<p>I'm a huge fan of most of Miyazaki's animated features: particularly Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Laputa Castle in the Sky. I'm a Japanese Canadian feminist queer author who's grown up in N. America. I had always considered Miyazaki's work as feminist and female-empowering. It was very interesting for me, consequently, to discover that young feminists in Japan (I had met at a Canadian Embassy function in Tokyo) did not consider his work to be feminist whatsoever. It's all a matter of the context of the audience and how we define feminism within our social culture. The young Japanese feminists I spoke with explained that Miyazaki's work was just an extension of the 'Mazakon" (mother complex) desire perceived in a Japanese male target audience. In their cultural context Mazakon males desire to have a female hero as a surrogate mother figure (someone who saves male characters/them) even as she fulfills a desire for a romantic figure. It was an eye-opening moment for me. I still view Miyazaki films from an N. American cultural standpoint so can *read Western Feminism* when I compare and contrast his work to animated films made by N. American production companies. However, it's important to note that there may have not been feminist intentions on the side of Ghibli Studios-- at least not in the way N. Americans may define feminism. Food for thought....</p>

i'm surprised that you know "some people" who'd call these films guilty pleasure. i know "some people" who'd call them hipster badge.

"Violence as a means of problem-solving is a masculine value" This feels like falling into the dichotomy trap of brawn/brain = masculine/feminine and having to choose which is better.

I also agree with the commenter that spoke of the mother complex thing which can actually be seen in the portrayal of the main antagonist's twin/ the good witch. I am probably agreeing because I am from South East Asia and I know how the strong mother image can be twisted into something sexist i.e. that's the only strong role a woman should play.

And yet you don't hear any stuff about ethnicity representation in this films. *cough Disney cough*

Great article. I've shared the hell out of it through Facebook.

When I first watched Howl's Moving Castle, I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting, but it was a genuinely surprising film. What first becomes noticeable are the anti-war themes - probably a meditation on the then recent Iraq invasion of 2003. The arc of Sophie's character from an introverted teenage hat-maker girl, to a much more confident person by the end is underlined by the changes in her animated appearance. This is partly to do with the fact that she comes to accept, and possibly even ignore the Witch's aging curse (intertwined with the common Ghibli theme of coming-of-age). I thought it was wonderfully sensitive and thoughtful for the film to explore these kinds of ideas in the midst of an exciting fantasy adventure plot.

Think what a Hollywood studio would likely do with a film like this - there would probably have to be a scene where Sophie has the curse lifted (which never actually happens - in fact, as perhaps Sophie does, the curse is forgotten about). The Witch of the Wastes becomes a sympathetic character by the end, where in a Hollywood feature, she would probably have to be burnt alive horribly or something!

Feminism is rarely the centric theme in these films - moreover, gender equality seems to be a norm woven into the fabric of the film's thesis. Another theme which I believe is also wonderfully moving in these films is the portrayal of unlikely heroes - awkward, shy, introverted teenagers who have to find their way (often alone) through a series of frightening challenges. I think that is much more what it is like to be a teenager than the predominant portrayal of them in American mainstream movies.

It all reminds me of something the comedian Stewart Lee said of TV shows made for children and teenagers - Something that great art can do is to make all the nerdy and socially awkward kids feel *less alone*. These films speak to those kids, in my honest opinion.

Thank you for very thought-provoking writing on these favorite films of mine!

Michael

The Miyazaki movies are incredible and I can't believe some people see them as guilty pleasures. I saw Kiki Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke when I was a young kid and they blew me away. Many of the themes I didn't catch until I got older but, the feminism themes can be seen when you watch the movies with older eyes.

Thanks for applying the feminist 'label' to a great artist. It was much overdue.

I love Miyazaki movies and I have watched a great number of them. That said, I noticed a slight difference in Howl's Moving Castle. I read both the book and watched the movie and the narratives are different enough for them to be two completely separate stories. On that note, I felt that Sophie in the book was stronger and more independent than in the movie. Whereas in the book Sophie has her own magical powers-- she talks life into things-- in the movie she doesn't. Yes, she saved Howl's life in the movie too and she made great sacrifices for him but it doesn't seem as it couldn't happen in any other common Western movie (for some reason, I think of the Little Mermaid). In the book, Sophie also has a slightly stronger personality, although she is very much fatalistic. I still love Howl's Moving Castle-- the images are great, the narrative is great. But Sophie is very different from Chihiro in that sense.

PS. I loved the Makon (I probably butchered that) comment.

Let us not forget the author of Howl's moving Castle by none only Diana Wynne Jones!

I feel saddened and offended when you say "Violence as a means of problem-solving is a masculine value".

You forgot Arrietty! This was one of my favs growing up (the book and BBC version), so I was thrilled when Miyazaki contributed to the new version. She sticks behind what she believes in, and is not afraid to be the first to move ahead when modernity and progress are essential to the change that lies ahead!

Strong female characters? You mean the ones whose sole ambitions are domestic? And count the number of panty-shots in your so-called "kid friendly" movies like Kiki's Delivery Service. Finally, read Miyazaki's own comments on how the advent of women in animation means the industry is doomed.
Sorry, but Disney produces better feminism these days than anything coming out of Japan.