FromSpirited AwayandKiki’s Delivery ServicetoHowl’s Moving CastleandPrincess Mononoke, the films of legendary animatorHayao Miyazakirun the gambit of wholesome slice-of-life portraits to full-fledged historical epics, all of which are infused with fantastical elements peppered throughout.One storytelling element that is prevalent throughout more than a few of his works is romance, or rather, the casual allusion to or near omission of it.Miyazaki’s work is famous for being highly romanticized and lovingly sentimental, but traditional romance itself is not the driving force of the narrative, despite being a clear and present element in the likability of some of his most popular stories.
‘The Boy and the Heron’ Review: Hayao Miyazaki’s Latest Isn’t His Swan Song, But It Sure Feels Like It
Miyazaki’s newest film is a testament to the overwhelming creativity and ambitious storytelling that makes him one of the greatest directors ever.
While Miyazaki’s films depict a more subdued and even ambiguous approach to romantic relationships when compared to the likes of modern romantic comedies or even classic Disney Princess fables, they do so to greatly benefit the focus of the story and the autonomy of their characters.In most films with a romantic center, the love between the two leads and how their relationship grows is the principal driving force of the story and is what the film aims to explore and resolve by its ending. A film built solely on its romance can only end with either a “happily ever after” or a tragic parting, robbing the characters of their agency to do anything more than be an object of affection.
How Miyazaki Does Romance Differently
For Miyazaki, romance is not a matter of story, but of character.The intentions of the story and the themes it explores are paramount to whatever the relationship between the characters is. Chihiro wants to return home with her parents and survive working in a spirited bathhouse, Kiki wants to become an independent witch in the big city, andAshitaka wants to bring peace to the forestand lift his curse by seeing with eyes unclouded by hate. These motivations prevail with or without the characters becoming romantically involved with anybody. The story goals of the main characters are what propel the film. Miyazaki’s romances are the product of character dynamics and how they evolve within the story, not in place of it. Their narratives are not motivated by love, but love strengthens their motivation.
Traditional expressions of romance are not the focus of Miyazaki’s films narratively, butlove itself helps serve the growth of the characters and the exploration of themes.Many of Miyazaki’s protagonists are young adults coming-of-age and the romances they encounter demonstrate their emotional growth into maturity. As Chihiro, Kiki and Ashitaka navigate their stories driven by their motivations, the love they find along the way is the result of their own growth as characters and crystallizes the themes of their stories. Namely, in the case ofPrincess Mononoke, the love between Ashitaka and San is not the reason the story is being told, but their love helps champion the story’s theme of man coexisting with nature.
Why Romance Means More in Miyazaki Films
Romance means more in Miyazaki films than visually physical displays like hugging or kissing and traditional “lovey-dovey” sentiment.Love is expressed between characters in more subtle and interpersonal way through actions that support each other scene-to-scene, tangibly illustrating their connection by kindnesses such as sharing a meal, offering help and expressing emotional vulnerability. In this way, romance is depicted no differently than acts of friendship or teamwork that work within the character and happen to serve the story, as opposed to the story and characters serving as vehicles for romance.
Miyazaki’s films do not begin and end with a romance.Love blooms within the story organically as a byproduct of endearing character relationships and dynamics that don’t feel like a plot device or a justification for the story. Much like love itself, it feels most true when it is natural and is born out of mutual friendship.
