Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation

This book is great for any fan of Miyazaki. I bought it as a gift for my husband (21) last year and he loved it. It is informative enough and at the same time doesn't go over the head of someone new to anime like me. We both enjoyed reading it. This book is what it is, a description of the Hayao Miyazaki movies, with maybe a few extra features such as a brief bio of Miyazaki himself. Good for a younger audience as it is entertaining, colorful and easy to understand. But if you've already watched every Miyazaki movie many times and have already researched every aspect of Hayao Miyazaki then this may not be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

An excellent appraisal of anime's master craftsman, from the author of the superb Anime Encyclopedia. I wish there were more books like this about other Japanese directors, but McCarthy has picked the cherry from the top when she got Miyazaki. Better than Disney, better than Spielberg, better than... I guess I'd better stop. Just buy it.

I can't even begin to grace this book on one of Japan's most famous creators of anyone's time. A book dedicated to his works along with tidbits of outstanding information about his views and ideas, it is about time that one was created. I have been a fan of his for quite some time and now there is a great guide to his movies from character bios, to story lines, personal thoughts on each of his movies, and more to come. If you really want to know an anime genius, this is a book for you.

As the first English-language study of one of the most (I'm using superlatives already) important figures in Japanese animation, Helen McCarthy's book is long overdue and an indispensable addition to the literature on anime. Other books have been written covering the field, (Antonia Levi's Samurai from Outer Space for one) but none have focused on a single artist. McCarthy, unabashedly writing as a very enthusiastic fan, details Miyazaki's career and his seven major films from Lupin III: Cagliostro no Shiro (The Castle of Cagliostro) in 1980, to Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke), the most successful Japanese film of all time, released in 1997. While not as comprehensive of all his works as a true otaku might expect there is still much to admire here, not least being the genuine delight McCarthy takes in describing the sheer joy of seeing Miyazaki's films. Some may suggest that this leaves little room for harsher criticism or detached discernment (we rarely spend much time exposing the flaws of our favourite artists) but when the works under discussion are Miyazaki's, superlatives seem inadequate. I am as dumbstruck by the sheer talent of the man as McCarthy and equally keen to praise his films as highly as possible. For any serious fan of anime it is a given that you will want this book. Hopefully it will help raise more awareness of Miyazaki's films (and manga) in the West. And if you think McCarthy hasn't done a good job, do as she suggests and write your own book. It would be difficult to run out of things to say.

McCarthy has done us all movie lovers a great favor by filling this "first" book on Miyazaki with perceptive critical insights, generous illustrations, up-to-date news, and fascinating behind-the-making tidbits in a very eye-catching and reader-friendly edition. It is both an ideal intro for a new visitor just entering Miyazaki Universe, and an indispensible guide for a long-time fan like myself, who not only finds the book a fun read but also a fine study into the depths and richness of an artistic genius' work that I've treasured for years. For those millions of people out there who still haven't experienced Miyazaki, I envy you guys of "the magical first time" you're about to have. Go catch the movies and the book now!