A good starting point reference to learn about Miyazaki
The book contains a preface, a note to readers, captions for the photos on the color pages, nine chapters, a filmography, notes, and a bibliography. Ms. McCarthy mentions in the preface that she had the opportunity to go to Japan to tour Studio Ghibli and to interview Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki.
The first chapter of the book talks about Hayao Miyazaki, and also provides a basic guide about animation techniques. The next seven chapters are devoted to the films that Miyazaki had directed up to the point the book was published (Castle of Cagliostro, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, and Princess Mononoke). The final chapter of the book talks about the merchandising done for Miyazaki's work, as well as the "On Your Mark" music video he worked on, and other projects he worked on. For the chapters about the films Miyazaki directed, they are broken up into five sections: Origins, Art and Technique, The Characters, The Story, and Commentary. It should be noted that in the section labeled, "The Story," Ms. McCarthy includes spoilers about the endings of each of the films that are talked about in the book. Each chapter has images included to help illustrate Ms. McCarthy's text.
Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation is a well-written book, and is easy for a more casual anime fan to follow. I would have to say that if I had to recommend a book for someone to read to learn more about Hayao Miyazaki and his work, I would point someone to this book over The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki. While this book may be missing a couple of the films that Miyazaki worked on after Princess Mononoke, this volume still gives you a good feel and understanding for Miyazaki and the themes that he puts forth in his work. Personally, I think this book should be part of any anime fan's collection.
Seriously Out-of-Date
Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Animation is a fine book. But it is seriously dated.
Ms. McCarthy has thoroughly reviewed Mr. Miyazaki's film work. However if you are not familiar with Mr. Miyazaki's film work, don't read it. Enjoy the films for themselves before read something like this. In order for the author to analyze his creative output, the plots of the movies are dissected. This would have seriously spoiled the movies for me if I had read them first.
This book should have been revised some time ago. Ms. McCarthy casually mentions Mr. Miyazki's next film being about a ten year old girl. That film is 'Spirited Away' released in 2001. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated feature and it is Mr. Miyazaki's greatest film. This book does not mention 'Spirited Away', 'Howl's Moving Castle' or 'Ponyo'!
The books content even misses Disney's re-dubbing and release of Studio Ghibli's catalog on DVD. One would think a book covering Mr. Miyazaki's career would include his greatest, absolutely brilliant masterwork (Spirited Away)as well as discuss the DVD release of his works to non-Japanese markets.
This book should be taken out of publication until it is properly revised. It is almost 10 years out-of-date. Mr. Miyazaki has not held still and neither should Ms. McCarthy.
A handsome coffe-table book with a big heart
I did not write the title of this review to be sarcastic. The handsome cover invites the eye to have a look inside, and those who do so will have a good time just browsing through. That said, this is a book written by a fan for other fans, and not a medular academic monograph. If you are also a fan, you'll probably enjoy reading it.
This is an introduction to the life and work of one of the great creators of animation, who has influenced this art form not just in Japan, but worldwide. The writer of this book has long been, and still is an enthusiastic promoter of Japanese animation (or Anime) in the UK, and is recognized as an authority on this topic. She has dedicated a good part of her life to the subject, and written several books about it. They include "The Anime Encyclopedia", coauthored with Jonathan Clemens, and of which a recently updated edition has been published by Stone Bridge Press (Berkeley, California). Unlike that book, the one discussed here is tightly focused on just one artist, Hayao Miyazaki.
WARNING: This book was published in 1999 (reprinted "with revisions" in 2002) so it ends with "Princess Mononoke", and it does not cover Miyazaki's later work, such as "Spirited Away" (2001), which won the Berlin Festival "Golden Bear" for Best Picture, and the second ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature (2003), among other prizes, and is one of the biggest movie hits of all times in Japan, and has been very successful abroad.
To help understand Miyazaki's work and his place in contemporary cinema, the author gives some background information on the development of contemporary animation in Japan, particularly after WWII. Central to Miyazaki's later work was the gradual coming together of a group of creators: himself, Suzuki, Takahata, Kono and others, that started, in the early `80s, the famous Studio Ghibli (pronounced "Ji-bu-ry"). Japanese animation is cooperative ensemble work involving several key players that often have known each other for a long time, worked together in various jobs at different times, and mutually influenced themselves in the process. Foreign artists, such as Herge--of "Tintin" fame--with his "clear line" style of drawing (inspired by old Chinese and Japanese prints), have also been influential on Anime in general, and on Miyazaki and his Ghibli colleagues in particular.
The contents of McCarthy's book are best described by the author herself in a "Note to Readers": "Each chapter of this book focuses on a particular title or aspect of Miyazaki's work...the origins of a movie; the main literary, film, or technical influences on it; character sketches; a story synopsis; a short staff list, including available details of English-language casting; and a critical appraisal or commentary. A brief section on how animated films are made is included...A Miyazaki filmography... [and a list of comic books he has worked on]...and notes appear at the back of the book."
If you are already a Miyazaki fan, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you are not one yet, maybe you could begin where Helen McCarthy herself begun her life-long passion: buying or borrowing a tape or DVD of Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro". If watching it does not do much for you, do not buy this book. But if the movie delights you with the beauty of the drawings, of the colors, of the music, with the contrast between the whimsical, magical creatures that live in the summer woods, and the uncannily realistic portrayal of little children, of how they see the world, with the breathtaking details of everyday life closely observed---the story is set in Japan in the 1950s, but if it rings true, it could be anywhere---then this book is for you, and so is Miyazaki's work.
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