Hayao Miyazakiof Studio Ghibliwho has been at the forefront of Japanese animation for years, stated that the golden age of anime has passedand that there are few new things left to explore in the industry.

Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, received a historic Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time a company has won this award. Speaking to the French media outlet 20 Minutes, Miyazaki said of Studio Ghibli's future: "It's all very confusing when it comes to the studio's future. And I don't really know, but I think my dad has ideas for a new feature film.“, he continues, “He's happy with the award, but believes the golden age of Japanese anime is over and there's not much new left. He feels this award symbolizes the end of his career.».

Ghibli fans are understandably skeptical of Miyazaki's intentions to retire. Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki revealed earlier this year why Miyazaki no longer goes out in public, apparently embarrassed about telling people that “Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises)” would be his last film. This was before he returned with his Oscar-winning "Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka (The Boy and the Crane)." Other comments from Goro at Cannes further suggest that Miyazaki is working on another title, as the director doesn't even divulge his latest film ideas to other animators because "Everyone is a rival, whether they are younger than him, the employees who support him, whether they are inside or outside the company.».

Fellow Ghibli animator Shigeo Akahori supports Miyazaki's view that the golden age of anime is over. In offering a solution to a "weakened" anime industry, Akahori claims that younger anime creators are more like "craftsmen," who are more rigid in adapting manga accurately, as opposed to older anime creators with older talent.They were able to freely use their ingenuity, which resulted in many masterpieces, and seeing this, even more talented people entered the anime industry.».

Akahori suggests that creators should first follow the path of Makoto Shinkai's short films before branching out into feature-length films. "Mobile Suit Gundam" creator Yoshiyuki Tomino also challenged younger creators to "crush" Miyazaki and the old guard, adding: "Young creators shouldn't take this lightly. They can't surpass Miyazaki or One Piece without truly dedicating themselves.».

Source: Catsuka