My Creative Hero: Hayao Miyazaki
Mickey is a multidisciplinary creative specialising in art direction and design.
She has over eight years experience in international advertising agencies including Publicis Taipei and Ogilvy Dublin, before joining ACNE London. Netflix, Instagram, Ford, Diageo, Spotify are just some of the clients she’s made more eye catching and engaging. Outside of work, she's involved in many design and art projects for small businesses, always looking for the next fresh idea.
LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero?
Mickey> Hayao Miyazaki - legendary Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
LBB> How long has Hayao been important to you and what are your first memories of coming across their work?
Mickey> The first Studio Ghibli film I saw was ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ when I was six years old. And after recently googling as to when exactly the film came out, my mind was blown that it was in 1988 because it still looks so good in 2023!
I was instantly sucked into the rich, bright, watercolour universe, full of mysterious creatures and spirit. It was magical and I have been obsessed ever since.
LBB> How did you go about finding to learn more about them and their work?
Mickey> Although I would love to say I’ve met Hayao Miyazaki, unfortunately I can’t say I have - just yet anyway! But I have watched every single one of his films multiple times. I’ve watched documentaries, gone to many exhibitions, and I even visited the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo - it was incredible.
LBB> Why is the person such an inspiration to you?
Mickey> He created a number of films such as ‘Princess Mononoke’ and ‘Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’, which push the audience to reflect on environmental concerns such as climate change. His message of non-violence and pacifism is conveyed in movies like ‘Grave of the Fireflies’, and ‘Howl's Moving Castle’. But despite these heavier themes, his stories, which are full of imagination, resonate with people of all ages around the world.
When I re-watched these films as an adult working in the creative industry, I started really appreciating how the magic was created. It takes Miyazaki and his team a whole month to complete just one minute’s worth of animation and hundreds of thousands of hand-drawn frames - it’s a labour of love. He believes the tool of an animator is the pencil, and famously refused to incorporate CGI in his work. You can say it's stubbornness but I admire his guts and persistence.
LBB> How does this person influence you in your approach to your creative work?
Mickey> Growing up in Taiwan, we were lucky to have had access to animations and cartoons from all around the world. I loved Disney and was fascinated about the art of moving pictures. However, the stories about Princesses falling in love with white Princes seemed remote from my culture.
Mainstream film industry is a Western dominated world. It's inspiring to see films with Japanese and East Asian settings, scenery, local beliefs and traditions turned into amazing stories that feature dark haired Asian characters who can be loved and welcomed by so many different countries - his work has won an Oscar, seen concerts created from the collection, and inspired luxury fashion house like LOEWE to create a capsule collection. Pretty impressive!
Working in Europe as a first generation immigrant, I learnt the hard way that you’re supposed to fit in and adapt, but I’d love to tell my stories in the most authentic way, and include my upbringing and the culture I came from into my work just like Hayao Miyazaki has done. I also wish I can have as much passion and dedication for creative work just like him, smashing out one masterpiece after another.
LBB> What piece or pieces of this person’s work do you keep coming back to and why?
Mickey> ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ is still my absolute favourite. Who wouldn't want to come back to it every few years or so!? What’s not to love in a world with giant flying creatures and a fluffy cat bus that can take you places!
