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John Lasseter Gave A Heartfelt Speech About Miyazaki
posted on by Bamboo Dong
John Lasseter, the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studio, and DisneyToon Studios, gave an hour-long speech at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Lasseter spoke at length about his respect for Studio Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki and Miyazaki's films.
Lasseter showed several photographs of his younger days, including a visit to Studio Ghibli where he saw early sketches of what would eventually become My Neighbor Totoro. He admired the warmth that Miyazaki's hand-drawn animation exuded, as well as his subtle pacing.
He also expressed appreciation that Miyazaki films were for audiences of all ages, something that back in the 1980s he felt Disney animated films lacked. Said Lasseter, "[Miyazaki] and these films were my greatest inspiration."
Throughout his career, he often found himself turning to Miyazaki, saying, "Whenever we get stuck at Pixar or Disney, I put on a Miyazaki film sequence or two, just to get us inspired again."
Speaking on Japan, Lasseter had appreciative words to say about the country's juxtaposition of modern and traditional, giving examples of bustling modern cities with the occasional quiet garden, and video-capable vending machines next to bamboo fountains.
For more in-depth coverage of Lasseter's visit to Tokyo and speech, check out the pieces by Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
Image from Walt Disney Studios
