Hayao Miyazaki is often revered as one of the greatest animators of all time, an uncompromising visionary who champions traditional hand-drawn animation and artistic purity. But beneath the surface of his carefully curated image as a master artist lies a deep hypocrisy—one that exposes him as a shill for nostalgia and an inconsistent critic of the very industry that made him famous.
The Man Who Hates His Own Industry
Miyazaki has made it clear in countless interviews that he has a deep disdain for modern animation, often bemoaning the current state of the industry and claiming that "anime was a mistake." He’s criticized young animators for lacking life experience, dismissed CGI as soulless, and painted himself as the last bastion of true artistry. Yet, despite his never-ending complaints, he remains one of the biggest benefactors of the very system he condemns. His films are financed by major corporations, his merchandise floods stores worldwide, and his works are propped up by the same industry he constantly tears down.
If anime was a mistake, Miyazaki had every opportunity to walk away from it decades ago. Instead, he stayed, profited, and continued to push his own brand while slamming everything around him. He thrives in a system he claims to despise, yet never steps aside to let new creators take the stage.
The CGI Hypocrisy
Miyazaki’s hatred for CGI is well-documented. He has infamously dismissed it as inferior and lacking human touch. However, that hasn’t stopped him from using CGI in his own films when it suits him. The Wind Rises (2013) and The Boy and the Heron (2023) both utilize CGI, yet Miyazaki remains quick to mock others who rely on it. It’s easy to call modern techniques soulless when you have an entire studio of underpaid artists meticulously crafting your vision for you.
Furthermore, his Studio Ghibli co-founder, Toshio Suzuki, has admitted that Miyazaki understands the necessity of CGI and uses it when it benefits his work. This means his public disdain for the medium isn’t based on principle—it’s a carefully maintained persona to keep him in the good graces of those who romanticize his approach to animation.
The AI Art Controversy
Miyazaki has also gone on record saying AI-generated art is an insult to life itself, calling it "disgusting" and claiming it lacks humanity. But let’s be real—Miyazaki’s career was built on the shoulders of countless animators who drew the frames he envisioned. His personal style of animation, while brilliant, is still a product of many artists working together under his strict direction.
The argument that AI removes the human struggle from art could just as easily be applied to any technological advancement in animation. At one point, people resisted digital animation tools, yet today they are industry standards. The same could be said about AI. If anything, Miyazaki’s refusal to engage with new technology only reinforces his status as a gatekeeper—one who refuses to evolve while simultaneously ensuring his legacy remains untouchable.
The Capitalist Anti-Capitalist
Miyazaki presents himself as a critic of corporate greed, yet Studio Ghibli operates like any other major animation studio, profiting from an endless stream of merchandise, theme park attractions, and international licensing deals. The Ghibli aesthetic—once considered an artistic statement—has been commodified to an extreme degree.
Miyazaki claims to hate mass consumerism, but he has no problem allowing Ghibli-branded products to be sold at premium prices. If he truly believed in preserving the integrity of art over profit, he could have kept his works away from the merchandising machine entirely. Instead, he allowed it to flourish while maintaining the illusion of an independent, anti-commercial spirit.
Conclusion: The Miyazaki Illusion
Hayao Miyazaki is undeniably a genius, but he is also a hypocrite. He scorns the modern anime industry while profiting from it, dismisses CGI while using it, and condemns capitalism while benefiting from its fruits. His status as a revered master has allowed him to escape real scrutiny, but the truth is clear: Miyazaki’s biggest strength isn’t just his artistry—it’s his ability to cultivate a myth around himself while doing the very things he claims to hate.
At the end of the day, Miyazaki isn’t the last great artist standing against a corrupt industry—he’s simply the most successful at playing both sides.
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