Hayao Miyazaki: Intense workaholic

“New Yorker’ magazine have posted a detailed and interesting interview with Margaret Talbot, someone who has interviewed (and often writes about) the much loved Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke). Thanks to Jon for alerting us to this article.

• “It’s true that Miyazaki does not like to give interviews, even in Japan, where he is really famous and beloved. I think one reason is that, while he certainly feels that he makes good movies, he feels some ambivalence about contributing to the sort of animation glut in Japan, and so is reluctant to go into promotional mode. But probably the bigger reason is that he is an intense workaholic, and resents anything that takes him away from his work. His producer and friend Toshio Suzuki told me that in the early days of their studio, Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki would work from 9 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., and that in recent years he has mellowed somewhat and goes home at midnight.”

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