You see, whether you can draw like this or not, being able to think up this kind of design, it depends on whether or not you can say to yourself, “Oh, yeah, girls like this exist in real life.” If you don’t spend time watching real people, you can’t do this, because you’ve never seen it.

Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves. Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It’s produced by humans who can’t stand looking at other humans. And that’s why the industry is full of otaku!

:miyazaki-laugh:

To take things even further I think that the objectification, flanderization, comodification and "othering "of female characters in anime has resulted in it almost exclusively catering incels and otaku that see women (and disturbingly, underage girls) as dolls to fetishise.

Which is frustrating because there is good anime out there that isn't like this, but I can't really say I'm an anime fan without people thinking I'm into moe crap or otakus gatekeeping me because I don't like their moe crap.

I just wanna talk about how cool Full Metal Alchemist is...

  • geikei [none/use name]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Here is a more nuanced take from Miyazaki that also acknowledges that he himself was obsessed with an anime girl at a young age and sees that as understandable

    What I'm saying here is that when young people feel attracted to the heroes of a drama, whether in animation or other media, a type of narcissism is really involved. This attraction they feel is a surrogate emotion for something they have lost. From personal experience, I can say that I first fell in love with animation when i saw Hakujaden (The Tale of the White Serpent), the animated feature produced by Toei Animation in 1958. Because i can still remember the pangs of emotion I felt at the sight of the incredibly beautiful, young female character, Bai-Niang, and how I went to see the film over and over as a result. It was like being in love, and Bai-Niang became a surrogat girlfriend for me at a time when I had none. I used to draw her over and over. It is in this sense that I think we can achieve a type of satisfactioin by substituting something for the unfulfilled portion of our lives. Th something can be a movie, music, or a novel, and it can include animation. Those in their teens, who are so passionate about anime today follow the same way

    Miyazaki later on even kind of admits that later heroines of his had attempts to recreate her and his waifu feeling. Of course the take OP posted is more extreme cause he is trying to be edgy for a documentary and also talking specificaly about animators and creators in the industry and from the viewpoint of an animator and creator. Miyazaki himseld did have idealized anime waifus in the 50s, 60s and 70s both as a fan and as a creator but he also made a point of observing and engaging real life and real interactions to inform his creation philosophy so thats the main point he is making

    But even on that point idk. Most animators and anime creators work 10 hours a day ,every day in small rooms with 15+ other staff members. They socialize and look at other humans as much as Miyazaki did or was able to do, beyond that they simply dont have the energy and time to have extended social interactions and circles .Its not a choice