Legend

Although not much of a legend, Hayao Miyazaki is regarded as one of the greatest animators in the world with such films as Spirited Away (2001), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and The Wind Rises (2013). These films became succesful mostly under the name associated with Miyazaki; Studio Ghibli. This studio was co-founded by Miyazaki and served to be the studio Miyazaki animated with until his retirement.

Miyazaki is regarded as an amazing animator for his sense of creativity of recurring themes that mostly include the relationship in humans with nature and technology, feminism, and maintaining a pacifist ethic. A majority of his movies include strong, independent girls or woman. These include his characters: Princess Mononoke, Chihiro (Spirited away), Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind), and Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle).

Miyazaki and his films may be one of the reasons that such a large industry for Japanese animation exists, as his best movies were at the top of the Japanese Box Office, with Spirited Away remaining number 1 in total gross earnings ever since its release. His collaboration with Disney has also spread the Japanese animation industry to several other countries, as Disney has supported releases of his works into other countries, such as theatrical airings of Ponyo, The Secret World of Arriety and The Wind Rises in the United States. He may not be the only reason for such an expansion, but it is clear the Miyazaki was a very large influence into bringing Japanese animation to the rest of the world to share in his creativity and ideals.