A feast for the spirit No-Face in 'Spirited Away' | Studio Ghibli This browser does not support the video tag. But there's another layer to why they're important, and it's tied to Japanese food traditions. His food scenes resonate because they're beautifully drawn and are deeply connected to the characters. Miyazaki - who recently came out of retirement to finish yet another project - is revered as one of the pillars of foodie film, from the Euro-focused meals of The Castle of Cagliostro and Porco Rosso to the Asian food feasts served at Yubaba's sentō (or bathhouse) for spirits in Spirited Away. Miyazaki-focused Tumblr accounts, meal recreations, listicles, travel guides, and how-tos all serve to honor the director's love of eating and cooking, and a clip of Miyazaki himself making Poor Man's Salt Flavored Ramen for his burnt-out crew on deadline has amassed more than a million views.
This includes the United States, where English-dubbed and subtitled versions of his movies are screening at select theaters across the country as part of Studio Ghibli Fest, an annual celebration of the prolific filmmaker's output.Īmong the many recurring themes that are central to the plots of his work, including 1988’s My Neighbor Totoro and the 2001 Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, one trope in particular continues to generate endless fan appreciation: his obsession with food.
Known as " the Walt Disney of Japan" and widely considered the greatest animator of our time, Hayao Miyazaki is beloved worldwide.