Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japans most beloved animation directors. In 2005 he was awarded the Venice International Film Festivals Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and his Studio Ghibli received the festivals Osella Award for overall achievement in 2004. Miyazakis films include Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, all of which have received great acclaim in the U.S. Miyazakis other achievements include the highly regarded manga series Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Starting Point: 1979-1996, a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Both are published in English by VIZ Media.
