I have James Gurney to thank for bringing this one to my attention. The following clip features edited (and subtitled) excerpts of a joint interview with Moebius and Hayao Miyazaki in Paris on the occasion of a joint art exhibit. Both men say all sorts of interesting things, but Gurney is quite right that Miyazaki has the bits that stick with you.



Here are two quotes from Miyazaki in particular that resonate with me very much.

"The 21st Century is a tricky time. Our future isn't clear. We need to re-examine many things we've taken for granted, whether it's common sense or our way of thinking. We need to reconsider each norm in the field of entertainment and children's films, too. We must question the format we've been following. You can't just create a baddie from a mould, then beat him. We must not make a film in the easy way."

And...

"Inside me I have negativity, despair, or hopelessness; in fact a lot of hopelessness and pessimism. But I don't feel like expressing it in my films, which children see. I'm more interested in what drives me to make a happy film or what makes me feel happy."

This is a much better way of expressing my current philosophy towards my own writing, which I in my hamfisted way have instead formulated as "Cheer up and have fun."