Hayao Miyazaki's life before joining Ghibli | A 22-year timeline from Toei Animation to the founding of Studio Ghibli

When mentioning Hayao Miyazaki, most people immediately think of "My Neighbor Totoro," "Castle in the Sky," "Spirited Away," and Studio Ghibli. But before Ghibli was established in 1985, he had already accumulated over 20 years of hands-on experience in the animation industry.

Hayao Miyazaki did not become a master the moment he started. He began as a junior animator at Toei Animation, participating in unions, producing television animation, adapting manga, and directing films, while also experiencing setbacks in box office performance and production. This long "pre-Ghibli period" is the key to understanding his work and creative attitude.

When did Hayao Miyazaki join the animation industry?

Hayao Miyazaki joined Toei Animation in 1963 at the age of 22. He started from entry-level animation work, participating in extensive drawing and production processes. The Japanese animation industry at that time was in a period of rapid development, but workloads were heavy, production schedules were tight, and the treatment and creative space for animators were limited.

This experience taught Miyazaki that animation does not rely solely on drawing skills, but is a team project requiring departments such as screenwriting, storyboarding, key animation, in-betweening, backgrounds, art, and cinematography to work together.

1958 to 1985: Hayao Miyazaki's Pre-Ghibli Timeline

1958: Establishing creative aspirations in his youth

In his youth, Miyazaki was deeply influenced by manga and animation and began to think about what he wanted to create. He initially hoped to become a manga artist, but later gradually shifted his focus to animation. This choice was not made overnight but was slowly established through repeated viewing, copying, and creating.

1963: Joining Toei Animation and starting from the bottom

After graduating from university, Miyazaki entered Toei Animation. He did not enter the industry as a director but began from the front lines of animation production. This path of accumulating from the basics ensured that even after becoming a director, he continued to place great importance on character movement, spatial settings, and the details of every shot.

1964: Participating in unions and building team and labor awareness

Miyazaki actively participated in the Toei Animation labor union and held related positions. This experience allowed him to come into direct contact with the working environment, collective collaboration, and rights issues of animators, and deepened his reflections on organization, power, and the value of labor.

In Miyazaki's later works, audiences often see characters establishing their identity through work, such as bathhouses, mines, flight workshops, and rural communities. Labor is not merely background, but part of character growth and social relationships.

1968: The important training of "The Little Norse Prince"

"The Little Norse Prince" (Horus: Prince of the Sun) was directed by Isao Takahata, with Miyazaki participating in production, scene design, and key animation. The film's production process was arduous and its commercial performance was not ideal, but the work holds an important place in the history of Japanese animation.

More crucially, Miyazaki and Takahata built a profound collaborative relationship during this period. Despite their different personalities and methods, they continuously stimulated each other, later working together to promote many works, which eventually became the essential foundation for the establishment of Ghibli.

1971: Leaving Toei and seeking creative space across companies

After leaving Toei, Miyazaki and Takahata participated in projects and productions at different animation studios, including works related to "Lupin III." He did not start his own business immediately, but continued to experiment across different production systems and genres.

1970s: "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" and television animation training

Miyazaki participated in scene setting and visual composition for television animation such as "Heidi, Girl of the Alps." Television productions aired weekly required strict control of time and resources, also demanding that creators clearly convey characters, geography, and emotions through a limited number of shots.

The convincing villages, houses, vehicles, and natural environments in Miyazaki's later works were not born of imagination alone, but originated from long-term observation, research, and training in scene design.

1978: "Future Boy Conan" displays directorial style

"Future Boy Conan" is an important work for understanding Miyazaki's early directorial style. Elements such as youthful adventure, flying machines, the collapse of civilization, restoration of nature, and anti-authoritarianism were already quite distinct here. The work also proved his ability to integrate characters, world-building, and long-form storytelling.

1979: "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro" first attempt at film direction

"Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro" was Miyazaki's first feature-length animated film as director. While it may not have immediately become a sensation upon release, its action design, use of space, pacing, and character charisma were widely recognized later.

This film reminds creators: the value of a work is not necessarily fully realized the moment it is released. Some works require time to build a reputation and influence.

1984: "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" becomes the key to establishing Ghibli

"Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" originated from a manga created by Miyazaki, with Isao Takahata serving as producer. The work combined ecology, war, flight, a young female protagonist, and complex moral conflicts, achieving significant resonance and proving that Miyazaki's original worldview had commercial and artistic potential.

1985: Studio Ghibli is officially established

The success of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" led to the establishment of Studio Ghibli in 1985. Miyazaki, Takahata, and key partners in publishing brought years of accumulated creative methods, talent, and production experience into the new studio.

Ghibli is not the starting point of Miyazaki's story, but the result that emerged after 20-plus years of refinement. Without the basic training at Toei, union experience, collaboration with Takahata, the production pressures of TV animation, and the successes and failures of early works, there would be no Ghibli.

What creative lessons does Miyazaki's first half of life provide?

• Master the basics first: Miyazaki began from grassroots animation work, gaining a deep understanding of how each shot is completed.
• Good work relies on a team: Animation is a collective creation; Isao Takahata and various production partners played vital roles.
• Setbacks are not the end: The box office or critical reception of early works may not be ideal immediately, but experience can be transformed into the foundation for the next project.
• Changing jobs is not the same as starting a business: After leaving Toei in 1971, Miyazaki continued to accumulate experience across different companies and projects for many years before founding Ghibli in 1985.
• Building your own world takes time: Motifs such as flight, nature, war, female protagonists, and labor were all gradually formed over years of work.

FAQ

At what age did Hayao Miyazaki join Toei Animation?

Miyazaki joined Toei Animation in 1963 at about 22 years old, starting from entry-level animation production work.

When did Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata start working together?

The two began collaborating during their time at Toei Animation, with "The Little Norse Prince" being a significant early shared experience. They continued to work on many projects thereafter and became the core figures in the development of Ghibli.

Did Hayao Miyazaki found Ghibli in 1971?

No. Miyazaki left Toei Animation in 1971, but Studio Ghibli was not officially established until 1985, an interval of about 14 years.

What was Hayao Miyazaki's first feature-length animated film as director?

It is generally considered to be 1979's "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro."

Is "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" a Ghibli work?

"Nausicaä" was released before Studio Ghibli was officially established, but its success directly spurred the studio's creation; thus, it is usually regarded as an important work for understanding Ghibli's history.

Conclusion: A master is also made one step at a time

What is most worth remembering about Miyazaki's experience is not that "a genius was finally discovered," but that he remained on the front lines of creation for a long time, accumulating skills frame by frame. From entering Toei Animation at 22 to establishing Ghibli around age 44, there were collaborations, conflicts, job changes, failures, and fresh starts.

When we see the level of perfection in "My Neighbor Totoro" or "Spirited Away," we should also see the 20-plus years of preparation behind them. A so-called master does not often appear suddenly, but keeps drawing frame by frame even on days when no one guarantees success.