By: Haley Lane

Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, is a visionary filmmaker known for crafting animated films with rich storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and strong female protagonists who challenge traditional gender roles.

Hayao Miyazaki stands out as a feminist filmmaker, as he consistently portrays female protagonists as complex, independent, and resilient. These are qualities often overlooked in traditional anime, where female characters are frequently driven by male character leads. Alaska Raine, a feminist and admirer of Miyazaki’s work, stated, “Hayao Miyazaki stands out as a feminist because he does a phenomenal job depicting female characters, often young girls in a very age-appropriate way when designing their clothing designs. He often makes the main characters female, and yet always avoids gender roles, making them warriors, and adventurers.”

Unlike many other beloved anime, which often reinforce gender roles or rely on a love interest to drive female narratives, Miyazaki’s films center on young women navigating personal growth, adversity, and self-discovery without relying on romance or male saviors. His heroines, like Chihiro in the film Spirited Away and Kiki in Kiki’s Delivery Service, emphasize journeys of empowerment, intelligence, and strength.

Miyazaki acknowledges the complexity of the female experience across all stages of life. From nostalgia and innocence to wisdom and morality. Characters like Nausicaä from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Lady Eboshi in Princess Mononoke challenge traditional roles by leading their people, while mother figures in his films, such as Kiki’s mother in Kiki’s Delivery Service, offer supportive role models. In The Secret World of Arrietty, the main character is a young girl named Arrietty whose family’s livelihood is threatened, as she sets out to save her family with the help of the main protagonist named Shawn. “This movie displays how young girls can be curious, strong, and achieve great things”, stated Raine.

Miyazaki also avoids the hyper-sexualization of female characters within his art style. He presents his characters with real, natural designs and clothing that is conservative, colorful, and representative of their character. His stories often highlight feelings of nostalgia and curiosity from a female perspective, accounting for things like friendship, self-discovery, and girlhood. By prioritizing agency, depth, and emotional resilience in his heroines, Miyazaki challenges the male-dominated landscape of anime and reshapes the possibilities for female representation in animation.

“Many of my movies have strong female leads – brave, self-sufficient girls that don’t think twice about fighting for what they believe in with all their heart. They’ll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.” — Hayao Miyazaki

   

Photo by Nicolas Guerin, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures