https://criterionproduction.s3.amazonaws.com/WSwNpQO6Sw943dILMFwaHObShxp142.jpg Ive always had a special feeling towards Miyazakishttps://anilist.co/staff/96870/HayaoMiyazaki films and more broadly Studio Ghibli films. Having discovered them at a very young age its like coming back to a classic they have something comforting about them. Being an animation enthusiast I was already aware of the production of a new film by the master of Japanese animation based on the novel of the same name written by Genzabur Yoshinohttps://anilist.co/staff/136846/GenzaburouYoshino. I was already somewhat interested in his life at the time and just by seeing the title of the film I began to grasp where Miyazaki wanted to take us. And I wasnt disappointed. Miyazaki had already tackled themes that were more than complex to depict in an animated film such as war love and environmental stewardship among others. In his last film released a decade earlier Kaze Tachinuhttps://anilist.co/anime/16662/KazeTachinu/ he attempted to explore much more mature themes than usual. It is only natural then that he continues down this path especially for the release of a film that is marketed as his swan song. https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wpcontent/uploads/2023/09/miyazakiheron.gif Once seated in front of the screen we find ourselves as usual for a Ghibli film in a world teeming with details. In a world where most studios embrace digital methods Miyazaki as always true to himself predominantly employs analog techniques which lend their charm to the films he creates and How Do You Live? is not an exception. The film takes its time giving attention to seemingly unimportant details and we marvel at the facial expressions of the characters which as always are depicted with great richness. The world depicted is neither good nor bad this nuanced tone present in every film by the director is taken to the extreme in this movie where there is no real antagonist or hero. Only Mahito who tries to live in the way he chooses and to accept the death of his mother. As is often the case in Miyazakis films we find the strong female character embodied by Kirikohttps://anilist.co/character/314614/Kiriko but more broadly its the maternal figure that is constantly brought to our attention throughout the film. Mahitohttps://anilist.co/character/310139/MahitoMaki seeks this maternal figure and the love he has lost in each of the female personalities we encounter. I cant help but draw a parallel between the main character and Miyazaki himself. https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wpcontent/uploads/2023/09/miyazakiheron3.gif But How Do You Live? is above all a film depicting the profound nature of humanity and prompts reflection on how we live and perceive the world. From Miyazakis perspective the film is almost autobiographical and is certainly the one where he shares his most personal thoughts. Hayao Miyazaki poses a simple question to us here: How do you live? Carrying a message of hope for todays youth. What kind of world will you build? An unstable tower or a tower with strong foundations where peace and harmony reigns. How do you want to live as a human being? How do you live? https://jolstatic.fr/www/captures/6928/1/164761.jpeg