El reino de los sueños y la locura

Overall, I really liked this documentary, but it does have some problems I can't ignore. As someone who loves Studio Ghibli, it was really cool to see how the films I love are made, even if it only shows creation scenes from The Wind Rises. Seeing how animation legends like Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata go about their days, I felt, were fairly interesting. What I didn't like, however, was that it didn't go super deep into how other Ghibli films were made, it doesn't go that deep into how the company was formed, and Miyazaki and Takahata never really talk about their own films. I would have loved to hear what inspired them to make those films and what it meant to them personally. But, then again, I don't think they were even going for that. I just think the movie would have been more interesting if they had done what I wanted. Anyway, despite these flaws, I would still recommend this movie. Only to those who love Ghibli though. Everyone else will be quite bored.

A very impressive and honest portrayal of the great Japanese animation creator/director Hayao Miyazaki. Documentary director Mami Sunada shadowed the animation director as he created his latest work – When the Wind Rises. Sunada seemed to have full access to the studio and home of the director, taping company meetings, interviewing and recording some of the 400 employees at work at the Ghibli Studio in west Tokyo. Interspersed in the latest development of the script and creation process were the complicated relationship, partnership and friendship between Miyazaki and Isao Takahada, who bought Miyazaki into the field of animation years ago. He was directing the animation The Tale of Princess Kaguya which was scheduled to show in Japan the same year as When the Wind Rises. Never to be missed was the portrayal of micro- managing producer Toshio Suzuki who had been working between the two giants for more than half of a century.

It is moving watching archive footages of these three young men working closely for and dedicated more than half of their lives to this field. Long terms friends and work partners, they have gradually grown into three graceful yet a little stubborn artists. You cannot help but admire their respect for their passion. Also valuable was how candid Miyazaki was in front of the camera, revealing his philosophy, emotions, contradiction, hesitation and imagination. At 72, he is still lively and fun as a child and dreams of all kind of crazy ideas. Excellent editing here to insert clips of the animation which made his dreams come true. We also see his deepest respect for life and ordinary things around him. In many ways, he reminds me of the grandfather in Heidi: A Girl from the Alps, directed by Takahata in 1974, particularly when Miyazaki has his apron on almost all the time.

I watched this after visiting the exhibition on Studio Ghibli Layout Designs: Understanding the secrets of Takahata and Miyazaki Animation at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. It was much less interesting than the visit to the Ghibli Studio in Tokyo but the exhibit offered a closer look at some of the tediously detailed hand-drawn artwork which I later saw in this film.

Similar to Miyazaki's animation work, the studio was warm and filled with natural light. The work style is informal, fun and loving though Miyazaki can be hard to work with at times. It looks like a fun place to work. Now, having learned more about how Miyazaki created his various animation works, I would sure watch his work again in new lights.

THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS is a documentary exploring the dying days of Studio Ghibli and in particular lead animator Hayao Miyazaki. Set during the making of THE WIND RISES, this is a reflective journey, tinged with sadness and nostalgia, that sees the famed cartoonist looking back over his life and work as well as discussing the challenges of both present and future.

Needless to say, this is a must see for anybody who considers themselves a fan of Studio Ghibli. Unlike western-made documentaries, this takes the straightforward approach of simply grabbing a camera, following Miyazaki and his crew around, and asking the occasional question. The unobtrusive approach works well, somehow getting you into the heart and soul of the studio, and it feels refreshing for there to be no talking head interviews, no movie clips interspersed into the narrative. Somehow, THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS manages to capture a little of the Studio Ghibli magic itself.

Wonderful and insightful movie about Hayao Miyazaki's life and work at the famous Studio Ghibli, responsible for animation classics such as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away", during the making of Oscar-nominated "The Wind Rises", his most personal work to date and presumably the last. The documentary offers many personal views from the director, with plenty of photographs and archive footage, and also incredible shots of the strenuous process of making traditional hand-draw animation. At 72 years old, and facing a possible retirement, Miyazaki still manages to instill hope for more to come. Beautifully done.

Mostly magical movie of my life. I cried when he wrote that letter. Miyazaki is on of the few artists in this modern world and we need to appreciate him for that. Legends never die.