Studio Ghibli Films

The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are amongst the most highly regarded in the movie industry. Their films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new release a guaranteed box-office smash. Yet this highly profitable studio has remained fiercely independent, with the studio's founders, long-time animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, producing a stream of imaginative and individual animations. Although their films are distinctly Japanese, their themes are universal: humanity, community and a love for the environment.

Toshio Suzuki has devoted himself to Studio Ghibli for some thirty years, producing such world-renowned animated classics as "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited away." Early in his career he met the two genius directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and gained their confidence. Working with these two inimitable directors, he experiences the joys and sorrows of filmmaking, and he continues today to guide the studio. Based on his innate inquisitive nature and the accumulated resources of thirty years, Suzuki has recounted in this book the story not only of Miyazaki and Takahata but also the other figures working at Studio Ghibli or in connection with it. It is a fascinating tale, told with penetrating insight and heartwarming humor"--Dust jacket