Hayao Miyazaki Talks Futures... and This Time, Retirement Isn't on the Tip of His Tongue [Source: aicn.com]

Nausicaa.net has translated highlights from Cut magazine's extensive interview with widely hailed animated film director Hayao Miyazaki. As plans now stand, retirement doesn't seemed to be in the card for the 69 year old director of Oscar winning Spirited Away, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo.


Miyazaki aims to develop two films over the next three years (as in preparing a project proposal paper, forming the staff, and writing a script). Rookie directors may helm the film productions.
On one hand, Miyazaki has some thoughts for what he'd like to do if his home base at Studio Ghibli flourishes with its next slate of films. A "Last Sortie" follow up to 1992's Porco Rosso is on his mind. That more adult mind animated movie followed a once World War I fighter face living as a pig faced bounty hunter on the Adriatic Sea.

"I'm not thinking about a movie of a girl."
"I think that I must think about only a movie of a boy."
"I do not need to make a movie if it is not a tragic story of a boy."
"So I want to escape to "Porco Rosso: The Last Sortie". I have all its materials."
"It should be interesting."
"It is set for Spanish Civil War."
"If next two films succeed and [studio president Toshio] Suzuki-san lets me make it (Porco) while saying, 'It cannot be helped because it's a hobby of the old man', I'm happy. It's my hobby."

On the other hand, if the studio fairs poorly, he and Suzuki have developed a "dissolution program for Ghibli."
"For example, Ghibli should be able to continue with about five staff members as a copyright management company even if we smash the studio. So, Ghibli can say 'We stop film production. Goodbye'. I do not have to be there."