From mystical forests, ancient river gods, to giant post-apocalyptic bugs: Studio Ghibli’s poignant environmentalism

Well-known for his beautiful, animated movies, Hayao Miyazaki has dedicated himself over the years to creating worlds of incredible warmth and poignant humanity that have haunted childhoods internationally. But, floating within the whimsical wonder of his films, Miyazaki’s politics can be felt, woven into the very fabric of his storytelling.

As a young animator Miyazaki was influenced by socialist thought. Though later rejecting Marxism for its potential reduction of right and wrong along class lines, in 1964 he served as the general secretary for the Toei labour union, demanding fairer pay and better working conditions at Tokyo’s main anime studio of the time.

Having experienced the aftermath of war as a young child and a series of imperialist violence in his lifetime, Miyazaki is known to be sharply critical of warfare. When Spirited Away (2001) was nominated for the Academy Awards in 2003 he refused to attend in protest, stating, “I didn’t want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq.”

Be it fighting to prevent an ecocide or being forced to work lest you’re turned animal- Miyazaki approaches the problems of our current world with an overwhelming sense of hope

Deeply intersectional in his consideration of human and ecological issues, Miyazaki’s work is more relevant than ever (I need not mention the climate crisis or Palestine). But despite his films’ often upsetting happenings – be it fighting to prevent an ecocide or being forced to work lest you’re turned animal – Miyazaki approaches the problems of our current world with an overwhelming sense of hope. So, before we all start doomscrolling our anxieties away, you might find some stay in a few of Miyazaki’s films and their responses to our ecological and humanitarian woes.

Here are some of my favourites…

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Set during the Muromachi period of Japan, the film begins with young Emishi prince, Ashitak, becoming infected by a curse of hatred when he kills the boar god Nago to protect his village. Exiled from his lands, he heads west in search of a cure and arrives at the crossroads of conflict between an ancient forest, which is stewarded by the wolf goddess Moro and her human daughter San, and the industrial settlement Irontown, led by the charismatic Lady Eboshi and the encroaching imperial forces of the Emperor.

Miyazaki strikingly conveys both the beauty and the sheer power of nature treated badly

Hopeful yet nuanced, Princess Mononoke is one of my favourite films ever. It contains breath-taking hand drawn scenery, from sweeping mountains to looming green forest and an incredible film score. Miyazaki strikingly conveys both the beauty and the sheer power of nature treated badly. But what I love about Princess Mononoke is that while it never condemns either side as wholly irredeemable or good, it is certainly not a neutral film. It begs the question; who aims to benefit from the violent feud between Irontown and the forest gods? Does anyone benefit from such a feud?

Showcasing the aftereffects of bad decisions made under class oppression, Miyazaki offers an answer to such a cycle of violence. Unwavering in his moral principles, Ashitaka’s pragmatic pacifism and steely dedication to see with “eyes unclouded by hate” allows him to look past animosity. Princess Mononoke is both a warning to the destruction that division can bring, but also a promise that, at the end of the day, unity saves all.

Spirited Away (2001)

One of Miyazaki’s most popular films, Spirited Away tells the story of young Chihiro, who, on one summer’s day, stumbles across a supposedly abandoned amusement park. As night falls, Chihiro finds her parents turned into pigs and herself whirl-winded into the fantastical world of the bathhouse, lorded over by the sorceress Yubaba. To save her parents and avoid the same fate as her mother and father, Chihiro is contracted into unwaged work as the bathhouse attendant Sen.

Although less ecologically concerned than Princess Mononoke, themes of environmentalism still hang in the wings of this film. From the building over of Haku’s home river for apartment buildings to the old river god’s regurgitation of unwanted human trash midway through the film, Miyazaki acknowledges the impact of excess and upon the environment. Spirited Away can be read as a critique of consumer capitalism, to which Miyazaki responds with the value of identity, bravery and the value of others in life over material goods. Although, most importantly, Miyazaki focuses on resilience in times of hardship.

Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1987)

The film that put Miyazaki’s name on the map, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind is a fiercely ecological piece. Set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by human warfare, the scarce remaining habitable land is at risk of being contaminated by spores released by the poisonous jungle that has arisen in its place. Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind is fascinated by the toxic jungle and its giant murderous insects, known as ‘ohm’. But when her kingdom is invaded by the Tolmekia empire, which intend to burn the world to start anew, she goes on a journey to fight for understanding between the humans and the hostile environment they live in.

Nausicaä warns against this eradiation of the undesirable pieces of nature to suit our needs

Blending medieval aesthetics with sci-fi tech, Nausicaä is a haunting piece of art. It offers valuable commentary on the importance of humans recognising their relationship to nature. Like in Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki presents nature in all its beauty and its ugliness, but it is often this fear or misunderstanding of ugliness in our current societies that drive several of our damaging environmental practices. Be it the overuse of pesticides within western agriculture down to mowing our lawns to keep it “tidy” and “orderly”, Nausicaä warns against this eradiation of the undesirable pieces of nature to suit our needs. Whilst Miyazaki showcases the shocking violence humans can inflict, he also exemplifies how practising care in a world that disregards it, can give rise to actions that make all the difference.