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Susan Jolliffe Napier
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Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art Paperback – Illustrated, November 19, 2019

by Susan Napier (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 298 ratings
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The story of filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's life and work, including his significant impact on Japan and the world—"an essential work in anime scholarship.” (Angelica Frey, Hyperallergic)

A thirtieth‑century toxic jungle, a bathhouse for tired gods, a red‑haired fish girl, and a furry woodland spirit—what do these have in common? They all spring from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki, one of the greatest living animators, known worldwide for films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and The Wind Rises.
 
Japanese culture and animation scholar Susan Napier explores the life and art of this extraordinary Japanese filmmaker to provide a definitive account of his oeuvre. Napier insightfully illuminates the multiple themes crisscrossing his work, from empowered women to environmental nightmares to utopian dreams, creating an unforgettable portrait of a man whose art challenged Hollywood dominance and ushered in a new chapter of global popular culture.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    344 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    November 19, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0300248598
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0300248593
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Packed with interesting details about the filmmaker’s life, interests, and inspirations.”—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post

“The celebrated Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki came out of retirement last year, making this compact study of his life and work especially timely.”—John McMurtrie, San Francisco Chronicle (Holiday Gift Guide selection)

“Susan Napier eloquently defines Miyazaki as an auteur who creates immersive animated realms that vary from film to film but are joined by a consistent (albeit evolving) worldview and tropes . . . An essential work in anime scholarship.”—Angelica Frey, Hyperallergic
 

“A laudably well-informed look at the life and works of Japanese animation luminary Hayao Miyazaki . . . enlightening . . . the labor of both a consummate scholar and an avid fan.”—Publishers Weekly

“Engaging and insightful . . . enlightening . . . extremely accessible.”—Dylan Hysen, Overly Animated

“A great biography of legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki that not only discusses his life, but also delves into each of his films.”—The Verge (Holiday Gift Guide)

“An excellent overview of Miyazaki's work, its meaning and impact . . . [that] combines biography with cinematic analysis in a manner that is as accessible to the general reader as it is satisfying for the more engaged scholar.”—Hans Rollmann, Popmatters

“If you’ve seen any of [Miyazaki’s] movies and felt the strange attraction they exert, this is the book for you.”—Titus Techera, University Bookman 

"Napier does not disappoint. . . . [She] clearly adores her subject, but is ready to cite some entertainingly dissenting views."—Jonathan Clements, Science Fiction Studies

“A refreshing, intimate, highly original look at Miyazaki Hayao’s oeuvre, including early anime features, mainstream hits and the many-volumed manga, Nausicaa. Miyazaki is placed firmly on the world stage, including both local roots and global impact.”—Rachael Hutchinson, University of Delaware
 

"An insightful, fascinating, and revealing study of Miyazaki and his worlds by one of the world’s foremost experts in Japanese animated films, Miyazakiworld is a true achievement."—Karen Thornber, Harvard University

"Providing expert guidance to the radically inventive mysteries of Hayao Miyazaki’s films, Susan Napier shows exactly how Japan’s master of animation taps into the wonders of the natural world yet also faces down our demons, exploring trauma, crisis, and the willful destruction of our made world.  Like his literary and cinematic forebears, Miyazaki creates a form of wonderlore that reveals the power of art to animate, not just his characters and landscapes, but also his audiences."—Maria Tatar, author of The Annotated Brothers Grimm

"In Miyazakiworld, Susan Napier demonstrates her gift for narrative and passion for enchantment in exploring the spacetime between the fantasy worlds of Hayao Miyazaki’s creation and the grittier worlds that created him."—Jennifer Robertson, author of Robo Sapiens Japanicus

“This wonderful, lively book introduces the whole life and career of Miyazaki via commentary on the narratives and themes within his films, and some manga, and his personal life.”—Sharon Kinsella, The University of Manchester

About the Author

Susan Napier is the Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric and Japanese Studies at Tufts University. She is the author of Anime from Akira to “Howl’s Moving Castle”: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation, among other books.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press; Reprint edition (November 19, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300248598
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300248593
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 298 ratings

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Susan Jolliffe Napier

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
298 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Donald M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2023
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Good book with info.
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Fumitaka Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars Napier knocks it out of the park
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019
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Susan Napier has been writing about animation for years, and she has a special place in her heart for Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. That passion shows through in this volume. If you have any interest in Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, or any of their works, this is a must-have book.
14 people found this helpful
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Vivi Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2019
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Insightful biography of an incredible auteur. I decided to rewatch his movies as I’m reading about them—I recommend this to anyone who wants a more scholastic understanding of miyazaki’s work
8 people found this helpful
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Thomas Wolf
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for the Laymn as well as the Scholar
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2018
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As someone new to Miyazaki, I wondered whether this book by a recognized scholar would be for me. But I needn't have worried. The book is accessible and insightful -- something to keep on the bedside table.
9 people found this helpful
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fran
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and dense
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2021
This book was fascinating to me as a huge fan of Ghibli films. I’m not going to lie, it took me about six months to finish because I got busy and I did not always feel like reading something so dense. It was packed with information and parts about Miyazaki’s career as an animator went a little too deep according to what I was interested in. But each chapter on the different films was endlessly interesting.
I’ve watched almost every single Ghibli film with the exception of a couple of the Isao Takahata films such as Pompoko and My Neighbors the Yamadas. Miyazaki’s films touch me deeply, so I found much of the analysis intriguing. Therefore, I would recommend this book for a true ghibli fan who just can’t get enough of the worlds Miyazaki has created. But, I think to enjoy this book you should also be someone who enjoys reading and at least occasionally likes non-fiction.
Like I mentioned above, this book is packed with information, so it’s not an easy read. In some ways it is almost like a textbook (except it’s on a cool topic). I even used it to write a speech about Castle in the Sky for a communications class.
In short, you can expect to learn a lot from this book, so if you really aren’t interested in an in-depth analysis and background knowledge of the films and Miyazaki, this isn’t for you. You’re going to need a long attention span and self motivation to stick with this book if you are not a frequent non-fiction reader, but it will be worth it in my opinion.
4 people found this helpful
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MJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Coffee Table Book
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2020
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Delightful for art and pages are crisp. Perfect as a coffee table book for a Miyazaki lover!
2 people found this helpful
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Mary Sears
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know about H. Miyazaki!
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
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What a beautiful book! Thorough and full of information while still very readable. A must-read for fans of Miyazaki's films. Love the color plates in the middle.
9 people found this helpful
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LR
5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2020
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Bought for a birthday present and now I need to order for my boyfriend lol
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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irene lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars Good for a 16 yr old.
Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2022
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The child receiving this book...loved it.
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Mariarita Caracciolo
3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful but arrived folded in the corner
Reviewed in France on April 6, 2021
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Amazing gift for studio ghibli lovers and arrived very fast. But it arrived half broken. All pages (from half of the book) were folded in the corner and it was hard to give back the original format.
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Khadeeja Naqvi
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommend to anyone who is a fan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2021
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Get this book if you love Miyazaki and aspire to be someone great one day.
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Jonas Wernstein
5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr komplex und tiefgründig
Reviewed in Germany on February 22, 2024
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Sehr gut recherchiertes, tiefgründiges, komplexes und dennoch einfach zu lesendes Buch
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Annie
5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Magic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2021
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A pure joy to read.
One person found this helpful
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