Hayao Miyazaki  

Hayao Miyazaki was the second of four brothers born in Akebono-cho, part of Tokyos Bunkyō-ku. During World War II, his father Katsuji directed Miyazaki Airplane, which made rudders for A6M Zero fighter planes. This experience sparked a lifelong fascination with aviation in Hayao, which later manifested as a recurring theme in his films. His mother was an avid reader who questioned socially accepted norms, and this trait is believed to have been inherited by Hayao. She underwent treatment for spinal tuberculosis from 1947 until 1955, leading the family to move frequently. This period is depicted in Hayao's film My Neighbor Totoro. Hayao attended Toyotama High School and developed an interest in animation after seeing Hakujaden, "the first-ever Japanese feature length color anime." To become an animator, he had to learn to draw the human figure, as his prior work focused on airplanes and battleships. After high school, Hayao studied political science and economics at Gakushuin University before working as an in-between artist at Toei Animation. He was a leader in a labor dispute soon after his arrival and later became the chief secretary of Toeis labor union. In 1965, Hayao married Akemi Ota, an animator who left work to raise their two sons, Gorō and Keisuke. Gorō is now an animator and filmmaker, having directed Tales from Earthsea at Studio Ghibli. Keisuke is a wood artist who has created pieces for the Ghibli Museum and made the wood engraving shown in Whisper of the Heart. Hayao's dedication to his work has sometimes been reported to have negatively impacted his relationship with his son Gorō, as he does not wish to create a dynasty of animators and believes that his son must establish his own name.