On June 16, Hayao Miyazaki had this banner placed on the roof of Studio Ghibli to protest nuclear power, in wake of the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Ghibli's banner declares, "Studio Ghibli wants to create animated films with non-nuclear electricity."
I'm guessing there was an expectation that Miyazaki, as Japan's most beloved figure, would publicly endorse Japan's nuclear power, in an effort to calm public fears ever since the earthquake and tsunami. Instead, this sudden and very public protest - ah, hell yeah!
I just love that Miyazaki-san is 70 years old, and he's still sticking it to The Man, just like the glory days of the Toei labor union in the '60s. Passive Americans could learn a thing or two.
9 comments:
Good for the Ghibli Studio! Although, I think it's a bit inaccurate to paint a picture of Miyazaki as some kind of rebel. He's really become more of a conservative (politically anyway) over the recent years.
"Conservative" by Japan standards is "extreme left" compared to what we have in the United States. Today's American conservatism is a special breed of drug-fueled insanity...but that's another topic altogether.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to breathe heavily into this paper bag.
My apologies Daniel, it was not my intent to make you barf, nor was it my intent to imply that Miyazaki-san is a Republican. :P
I was thinking more about how he dropped his Marxist views towards the end of writing the Nausicaa manga.
And yes, I'm aware that the words "conservative" and "liberal" have different meanings in different countries, (and times). I'm Canadian, so Republican isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when I think Conservative.
Oh, that's okay. I was thinking more of breathing into the paper bag to stop the panic attacks, heh heh. It's kind of tongue-in-cheek.
It's true that Miyazaki was a Marxist in his younger days, and he forsake it by the end of the Cold War. We can all appreciate how his worldview has grown more nuanced and complicated as he aged. I think that's probably the smartest approach. You learn to think outside of those cultural icons, and appreciate the greater importance of actual human relationships. Friends and family are what count most. Everything else is just a sideshow.
Anyway, that's my take, blah blah blah.
So he's fine with creating animation by poisoning the air with fossil fuels and carbon dioxide?
complete with a happy strawberry and smiley sunshines, miyazaki doesn't need to stick it to the man, miyazaki IS the man!
mikanmikan, hmm, I don't think he ever said that. I'll take it the sunshines in his poster means he's going with solar energy..... and strawberry energy?
Keep in mind that Miyazaki's man-sticking-to-it-ness includes calling touchscreen technology "masturbatory" and setting up his museum with profitable exclusive content and a prohibition of photography while claiming to be anti-consumerism ($10+ per visit @ 1 screening per visit + gift shop purchases = kaching!). His views are far, far more complex than just "he could show the liberals here a thing or two."
Also, looking at the stats, there are 104 nuclear reactors in the US supplying around 20% of the nation's power, all of which were started in the 70's. Around 64% of Americans are against building more reactors and all plants are undergoing a critical review mandated by the president. Prior to the tsunami, about 15% of Japan's power was nuclear (I couldn't find current figures on number of reactors). Of course there is now a massive rexamination of nuclear policy and upwards of 80% of Japanese people claim to be anti-nuclear. For Japan, about 81% of power was supplied by coal, oil and natural gas, and for the USA it is about 84%. Considering this, I'm not sure that the US is that far off of Japan on these issues.
Or were you saying that, just in general, Miyazaki is showing people how it's done by... uh... putting up a banner? Don't people put up banners and stuff in America?
Miyazaki= MASTER :) MY ROLE MODEL...
That's a wonderful idea.. i hope all the japanese were like him..
GREEN-GHIBLI :)
Post a Comment