In the wake of the critical and commercial success of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki's How Do You Live? aka The Boy and the Heron, new reports from Japan and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023 are indicating that this won't be Miyazaki's final film after all.
Studio Ghibli Vice President Junichi Nishioka told reporters on the TIFF red carpet premiere for the film that, "The Boy and the Heron is not [Hayao] Miyazaki's final film and that he is already coming into the office with new ideas."
Nishioka added, "Other people say that this might be his last film, but he doesn't feel that way at all. He is currently working on ideas for a new film. He comes into his office every day and does that. This time, he's not going to announce his retirement at all. He's continuing working just as he has always done."
Miyazaki, now 82, previously announced plans to retire in 1997 after the release of Princess Mononoke, again in 2001 following the release of Spirited Away, and again in 2013, when he stated that The Wind Rises would be his last go-round.
On The Wind Rises, Miyazaki stated, "If I said I wanted to [make another feature film], I would sound like an old man saying something foolish." He went on to add, "I have caused a stir in the past by saying I was quitting. But I am serious this time. There are things that I have always wanted to do, but it does not involve animation."
Well obviously, Miyazaki said (and did) something foolish as The Boy and the Heron just premiered at TIFF to rave reviews, ahead of its North American premiere. Special early screenings in select theaters will start on November 22 before the film expands into more theaters on December 8, 2023.
Miyazaki previously stated that he was unretiring to make The Boy and the Heron for his grandson.
Of course, no one is sad about Miyazaki not retirng as he's an unprecedented savant of the genre. Miyazaki's films are renowned for their stunning animation, which is frequently hand-drawn and filled with exhaustive detail. Characters, monsters, and environments are all portrayed with remarkable care and detail, generating a feeling of realism and awe. Films by Miyazaki are brimming with wonder and creativity. They take viewers to different realms and give them experiences they never would have believed imaginable. One of the qualities that distinguish Miyazaki's works and win over viewers of all ages is their feeling of wonder.
However, if you've been following Miyazaki's career for a certain amount of time, you likely didn't put much stock in his latest retirement announcement.
The real question now is what will Miyazaki do next?
A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning.
A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.