The truth behind the “anime was a mistake” quote by the legendary filmmaker is complicated.
In an infamous 2014 interview, Hayao Miyazaki criticized the anime industry for being staffed by “otaku” fans and attributing many problems of Japanese animation to a lack of creators with a deep understanding of human beings and human interaction. While it’s easy to dismiss his criticism as the words of a grumpy old man who refuses to move with the times, it’s impossible to completely discard them. After all, if anyone knows anime, it’s Miyazaki.
First, what does he mean by “otaku”? In its most negative sense, the Japanese word refers to people with an obsessive interest in popular culture (video games, manga, anime, idol groups) to the point of using them as a substitute for real life experiences. The “otakufication" of anime and manga, then, means the industry has become overrun by people whose main point of reference is fictional fantasy lands.
Miyazaki has a point: the last decade saw the rise of isekai and adjacent genres whose main function is to provide the viewers with an escape from reality instead of challenging them to think or actively engage with the story. A lot of modern anime is built on familiar tropes and clichés, with characters interacting in entirely predictable ways. Here, various “dere” archetypes come to mind.
Fetishistic wish-fulfillment fantasies with harems and power-up scenes show the audience what they want to see instead of reflecting some deep truths. Multilayered depictions of the human psyche are only possible when drawing on real life, and Miyazaki’s anime movies excel at that. For him, art is created out of love for life, which is why he so adamantly insists that good artists need to observe reality and find beauty in the casual attributes of modern life.
Unfortunately, Miyazaki’s complaints are relevant to most creative industries out there. We live in the age of hyper-segmentation, where every type of art, no matter how niche it is, has been turned into a marketable product. There’s a difference between targeting young men or women vs. making content aimed at self-identified otaku fans. The former just want a good story, while the latter already have a set of expectations it wants you to fulfill.
By shackling itself to its fan base, the anime industry has written itself into a corner. However, according to Hayao Miayazaki, there’s a way out for young artists: take a look around you, and let your observations inspire you.
The truth behind the “anime was a mistake” quote by the legendary filmmaker is complicated.
In an infamous 2014 interview, Hayao Miyazaki criticized the anime industry for being staffed by “otaku” fans and attributing many problems of Japanese animation to a lack of creators with a deep understanding of human beings and human interaction. While it’s easy to dismiss his criticism as the words of a grumpy old man who refuses to move with the times, it’s impossible to completely discard them. After all, if anyone knows anime, it’s Miyazaki.
First, what does he mean by “otaku”? In its most negative sense, the Japanese word refers to people with an obsessive interest in popular culture (video games, manga, anime, idol groups) to the point of using them as a substitute for real life experiences. The “otakufication" of anime and manga, then, means the industry has become overrun by people whose main point of reference is fictional fantasy lands.
Miyazaki has a point: the last decade saw the rise of isekai and adjacent genres whose main function is to provide the viewers with an escape from reality instead of challenging them to think or actively engage with the story. A lot of modern anime is built on familiar tropes and clichés, with characters interacting in entirely predictable ways. Here, various “dere” archetypes come to mind.
Fetishistic wish-fulfillment fantasies with harems and power-up scenes show the audience what they want to see instead of reflecting some deep truths. Multilayered depictions of the human psyche are only possible when drawing on real life, and Miyazaki’s anime movies excel at that. For him, art is created out of love for life, which is why he so adamantly insists that good artists need to observe reality and find beauty in the casual attributes of modern life.
Unfortunately, Miyazaki’s complaints are relevant to most creative industries out there. We live in the age of hyper-segmentation, where every type of art, no matter how niche it is, has been turned into a marketable product. There’s a difference between targeting young men or women vs. making content aimed at self-identified otaku fans. The former just want a good story, while the latter already have a set of expectations it wants you to fulfill.
By shackling itself to its fan base, the anime industry has written itself into a corner. However, according to Hayao Miayazaki, there’s a way out for young artists: take a look around you, and let your observations inspire you.
