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Miyazaki's hit animation faces uncertain reception in U.S.

Isabel Reynolds

Friday, February 22, 2002 at 17:30 JST
TOKYO — "Spirited Away," the highest-ever grossing film in Japan scooped up the top award at the Berlin Film Festival last Sunday, but critics say box office success in the world's other major film markets is far from assured.

Some fear the animated epic, with its distinctive combination of the cute and the grisly, may suffer the same fate as director Hayao Miyazaki's previous domestic hit, "Princess Mononoke."

After grossing $150 million in Japan, "Princess Mononoke" passed almost unnoticed by U.S. film-goers. It took in only around $2.3 million in the United States, despite rave reviews and an English-language soundtrack performed by Hollywood stars including Billy Bob Thornton and Clare Danes.

Japanese earnings for "Spirited Away" have leapfrogged those of "Princess Mononoke" and even "Titanic" to reach a mammoth 29.4 billion yen ($219 million).

"The images are amazing. I don't think anyone in the world can equal the techniques achieved by Miyazaki and his team," said one magazine film critic, who declined to be identified.

The film's financial success, echoed in smaller Asian markets, cemented Miyazaki's position as Japan's most successful director of any film in terms of domestic box office returns.

This week's award of a Golden Bear at Berlin, the first-ever for an animated film, perhaps goes some way to recognizing how influential Miyazaki's visual style has been for U.S. animation directors.

"Spirited Away" follows the adventures of young Chihiro and her parents, who lose their way in a forest and happen upon a mysterious gateway leading to a parallel world of bizarre gods and monsters.

After her mother and father are transformed into pigs by the human-hating goblins, Chihiro is forced to work as a maid in a busy spa resort catering to stressed out supernatural beings. With the help of some of the more friendly gods, she tries to muster the courage to rescue her parents and escape.

"Spirited Away" is the latest in a long line of domestic hits for director Miyazaki, born in Tokyo in 1941. His name and that of Studio Ghibli, the animation team he founded, have become household words in Japan.

The question remains as to whether Miyazaki's stunning, but peculiarly Japanese vision can pull in mass audiences in other countries.

One of the problems faced by "Princess Mononoke" in the U.S. was that its target audience of children was deterred by its PG-13 rating, indicating parents were strongly cautioned the film might contain material inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Japanese are much more relaxed about how much violence their children see...'Mononoke' was recommended for children, even though you actually see a samurai's head being cut off for example," said Daisuke Onitsuka, a film critic and university lecturer.

Ironically, Miyazaki has often tried to differentiate his own work from that of other contemporary Japanese animation directors, whom he criticizes for their excessive focus on sex and violence.

Because of their subject matter "there is a chance that the spread of Japanese animation overseas might only lead to embarrassment," he told a news conference this week.

"Spirited Away" is less violent than its predecessor, but still includes disturbing images, such as characters being swallowed whole by a faceless monster, that would probably shock an audience of Disney fans.

"I think it is more suitable for young adults than for children," said the magazine critic. "I've heard a lot of my friends' children cried because they found it frightening."

The theme of a young girl working and taking responsibility for her parents might also be difficult for children to understand, she said.

In his home market, Miyazaki benefits from the general popularity of animation and printed cartoons, known collectively as "manga," with Japanese of all ages. Commuting businessmen often read cartoon books on the train and historians trace the origins of manga back to comic picture scrolls created more than 1,000 years ago.

At a recent weekday lunchtime showing of "Spirited Away," the audience consisted almost entirely of adults.

"Up until now I thought manga was for children, but I wanted to see this film because it had become such a talking point," said housewife Atsuko Hiyoki, who praised the film for its dream-like quality.

However, manga remains a minority interest for grown-ups in many countries, limiting the audience for Miyazaki's latest blockbuster.

"I think it will go down well with the critics, but may not do so well at the box office," said Onitsuka.

U.S. distribution details for the film are to be announced shortly, Studio Ghibli said. (Reuters News)

© Reuters 2001    

Post Your Opinion!

Princess Mononoke 005  (Feb 23 2002 - 03:24)

You know, a nonexistent ad campaign and releases dispersed throughout several weeks could have killed the movie's chances here in the U.S. too. I mean, if NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT THE MOVIE OR WHERE AND WHEN ITS PLAYING, I would expect that movie to bomb. Common sense, no?

i agree omicron777  (Feb 23 2002 - 05:20)

i remember seeing a clip on access hollywood a few months before its scheduled "release" and couldnt wait. i had completly forgot about it untill i saw it on DVD! not a SINGLE ADD!!!! how do they expect a film to do well, if NO ONE knows about it? all they need to do is ramp up the advertising budget a little, and all the anime otaku will crawl out of their holes to see it, and if its good, the general population will to. they dont even need to re-dub it. look how well crouching tiger hidden dragon did, and that was subbed.

not so bueno Bueno Vista? genki  (Feb 23 2002 - 07:51)

I believe the problem lies in Studio Ghilbli's over-reliance upon Disney's Bueno Vista to do quality PR for them. I wish the studio would stop trying to make Miyazaki fit a Disney cookie cutter and just let him and his works be what they are -- absolutely wonderful. I also wish they would stop dubbing them over and simply subtitle the films. Japanese SEIYUU are so much better than non-Japanese voice actors (even if they happen to be famous).

I think the main problem... Einhander  (Feb 23 2002 - 09:26)

With Princess Mononoke was that it was bad. There are plot holes littered throughout the movie. I saw enough ads for it but wasn't inspired to go out and see it. When I did see it, on DVD, the plot was so mangled that I fell asleep, as did others. I don't know who's fault it was...Miyazaki's original story, or whoever translated it over into English was asleep at the wheel. I'd also recommend subtitling as opposed to dubbing. I really don't think Billy Bob Thornton's character was supposed to have that voice.

PG-13? megumi  (Feb 23 2002 - 10:14)

That rating would be OK for "Princess Mononoke", which is rather violent, and with a difficult plot anyway. But "Chihiro"? The monster scene is no more frightening for little kids than, say, Cruella in the "101 dalmatian"... One of my (american) friends went to see "Chihiro" in Yokohama with his two children (age 7 and 5), and they just enjoyed it. This rating is a pure nonsense. >"At a recent weekday lunchtime showing of "Spirited Away," the audience consisted almost entirely of adults." Well, aren't most children at school at this time?

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