Written by Alex Dudok de Wit
Translator: Yi Ersan
Proofreading: Issac
Source: Sight & Sound (March 25, 2021)
In 1978, Toshio Suzuki stumbled into the world of animation. As a fledgling journalist, he was invited to serve as the editor of an advanced Japanese anime magazine, although he knew very little about the field and had to be introduced to him by a group of teenagers. He learned quickly through his work and became acquainted with directors Hayao Miyazaki and Takahata, whose work he highly admired in magazines. The three later co-founded Studio Ghibli, which Toshio Suzuki joined in 1989 as an animator.
Toshio Suzuki
Decades later, toshio Suzuki, 72, is arguably the most successful producer in the history of animation, having worked on almost all of Ghibli's films (three of which are in the top 10 of The Japanese box office record). He curated many films, guided many of the directors' ideas, and launched epic and sometimes counterintuitive marketing campaigns. He never left the core of the company's operations, led the company to remarkable success after a short break, and is now in the stage of brand building and internal management.
Ghibli's new film, Aya and the Witch, is probably their boldest attempt to date: the film was made entirely in three-dimensional CG technology, in a style far from the hand-drawn style that Ghibli is known for. The choice of medium was Toshio Suzuki's idea.
Aya and the Witch (2020)
His career as a journalist helped him to become a talker. Toshio Suzuki is far from being the driving force behind what some people claim, and he is a very famous public figure in Japan. He is a regular on television and radio shows and is largely seen as the brand ambassador for Ghibli. Through interviews and press conferences, he has been keeping the public informed of the latest developments in Ghibli Park, which is being built near his hometown of Nagoya.
Studio Ghibli recently posted online a set of high-resolution stills of its creations, with his signature next to them. There's also a previously popular video that shows how to draw the cute totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's Totoro. This is one of Miyazaki's most iconic characters, but in the video it was drawn by Suzuki himself (he himself is a fairly sophisticated manga artist).
Totoro (1988)
Good news for all those who are keen on studying Ghibli, Toshio Suzuki recently published several lighthearted and interesting books on the company's history. "I feel like talking about Ghibli is part of my job," he said in an interview with me through Zoom, alongside a huge plush cat bus that originated from Totoro. "I've been telling studio Ghibli stories for the past decade. However, I also received a lot of criticism. Most of it revolves around the fact that I never talk about myself." In response, Toshio Suzuki wrote a new book, which he held in front of the camera: the title was "All About Toshio Suzuki," and the thick-looking pages hinted at his unusual career.
Totoro (1988) Totoro (1988)
Aya and the Witch is produced by Toshio Suzuki and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Wu Lang is an experienced landscape architect who served as director of the Ghibli Museum. In 2006, he officially entered the directing line with "Legend of the Earth Sea", which was adapted from Ursula Legian's "Earth Sea" series; in 2011, he released the nostalgic romance film "The Hillside of Yu Beauty Blooming".
The Hillside where Yu Meiren Blooms (2011) The Hillside where Yu Meiren Blooms (2011)
Toshio Suzuki recognized his painting ability and management skills, and carefully planned film works for him. However, Goro faced intense pressure from the public that he could not live up to his surname, and Miyazaki himself had reservations about his son's entry into the industry. Some journalists and audiences have shown greater interest in this Oedipal complex meta-narrative than in The Wulang film itself, which is often unsatisfactory (and, I think unfairly) compared to his father's work.
Following on to The Hillside where Yu Meiren bloomed, Wu Lang directed the Ghibli co-produced TV anime Ronya (2014-2015), which used cartoon rendering (cel-shading, a technique that mimics the 2D style), but also CG technology. Through the use of this medium, Goro and his father were slightly separated, after all, Miyazaki's experience was mainly hand-drawn animation.
Ronya, the Thief's Daughter (2014-2015)
He was very happy with the technique and wanted to use it again in his next film, Aya and the Witch, but Suzuki persuaded him to abandon cartoon rendering. "Goro doesn't want to alienate existing Ghibli fans by using 3D CG technology entirely," toshio Suzuki said. "As a producer, my job is to push the director to challenge himself."
The result is a wonderful blend of Ghibli design with stereoscopic models and sets. What made Aya & Witches fit into Ghibli animation was its story: a vibrant orphan who, after being adopted by a witch and her demonic partner, begins to explore his potential magical abilities. This backdrop is typical of the Ghibli style — the film is actually based on the novel of the same name by British writer Diana Wayne Jones, whose other work was also the inspiration for Miyazaki's 2004 film Howl's Moving Castle.
Hal's Moving Castle (2004)
Miyazaki considered directing Aya and the Witch himself, but Toshio Suzuki persuaded him to continue directing the feature film he was currently working on, inspired by Genzaburo Yoshino's novel What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live. (Miyazaki's contribution to Aya and the Witch is reflected in the "planning" level.) ）
Having never produced a CG film before, Studio Ghibli inevitably needed to assemble the necessary resources and personnel from scratch. Have you considered hand-drawn "What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live"? Suzuki explained that the studio was actually divided into two camps on this matter: "Miyazaki Team" and "Miyazaki Goro Team". He added: "I'll be honest with you: I think the Wulang team is better. There are younger, more talented people on this team."
Aya and the Witch (2020) Aya and the Witch (2020)
The crew members reflect not only the age structure of the CG industry, but also its international composition. The film's animation director, Tan Se Ri, is Malaysian, as well as people from the United States, France, Indonesia, Thailand and around the world. "They treated me very bluntly," Toshio Suzuki said of the foreign artists. "A lot of Japanese employees will hesitate to talk to me, while foreign people will come up to me and talk to me. It was a very friendly atmosphere... Reminds me of when we first started studio Ghibli."
So, in that sense, Studio Ghibli may be back to square one, as CG animation is still on its agenda. In recent months, Wu Lang has been confident in the direction of Ghibli, telling the media that he believes the studio should continue to produce both CG and hand-drawn animation. Suzuki revealed to me that he also agreed that the company should continue to develop CG animation.
I asked Toshio Suzuki what miyazaki's qualities as a director were, and his answer was very enlightening: "There are a lot of directors who focus on storytelling, but one of the very important qualities of being a director is to direct people and be able to adapt to different types of films... That's the trait I think really needs, especially now." Toshio Suzuki uses the word "sakka" to refer to "storyteller", which can also be translated as "writer", and he often uses the word to refer to Hayao Miyazaki and Takahata.
"Wu Lang is like a producer and director," he continues. "He's the kind of guy who can decide what he wants to do and make it happen." I think it's a pretty remarkable compliment to say it from the mouth of a producer. "He also has a talent for being a producer, and he knows when to use what talent."
Aya and the Witch also breaks with Ghibli's traditions in another way. In Japan, the film was not released in theaters, but was broadcast directly by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), which also co-produced the film. And this is only Studio Ghibli's second television film after Hear the Waves (1993). Toshio Suzuki said: "I really feel that the Japanese film industry has changed a lot. Cinema screenings are different from the past: fewer and fewer people are going to the cinema to see movies." Incidentally, the decision to opt for television shielded the film from the effects of the pandemic era on cinemas.
Suzuki's words remind me of a notable comment he made in a 2017 book. He thinks audiences are starting to lose interest in fantasy and allegorical films, which Studio Ghibli has been a strength for decades. He wrote that when Ghibli temporarily suspended work in 2013 — the immediate cause was Miyazaki's retirement (albeit a short time), his concern about audiences changing tastes was also a factor. Does he still hold this view?
"Nowadays people want to see a fantasy world that is connected to the real world in some way," he said. And before, you were like being taken to a completely different world, immersed in it, and after experiencing it, you immediately returned to the real world, and you were inspired by that experience. But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. People need something more familiar."
It's not hard to see how Aya and the Witch meet this standard: although the story is about magic, it unfolds almost entirely in a house that resembles a village in England. But my attention also turned to another animated film that was recently released in Japan: Devil's Blade Theatrical Version of Infinite Train, which was a huge success.
Ghost Blade Theatrical Edition Infinity Train (2020)
Its supernatural behavior occurred mainly on a train during a specific historical period (the Taisho period of 1912-1926). Spirited Away was the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, but last December, Spirited Away was replaced by Ghost Blade. Suzuki hasn't seen Ghost Blade yet, and he doesn't plan to watch it.
Spirited Away (2001)
How is "What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live?" Toshio Suzuki did not reveal details of Miyazaki's next film, though he called it a "grand, fantastical" work. When Miyazaki tells Toshio Suzuki that he wants to make a comeback, Suzuki thinks his comeback must be justified, most likely to try something new. As a result, Miyazaki continues to work at his own pace, regardless of the usual deadlines and budgets.
The film, which is expected to be 125 minutes long, is now only half animated, and Toshio Suzuki believes it won't be released for three years. This open-ended approach obviously doesn't lead to a sustainable business model, but it's novel. "What kind of life do you want to live" may be seen as Miyazaki's farewell work, recreating what he does best. However, it was also another major experiment for a creative, restless studio.
Beyond that, Ghibli's near-term prospects seem guaranteed: it has another film in development, though no details have been released yet. The studio may face not a second shutdown or even closure, but a change of guard. Takahata died three years ago. Trying to predict Miyazaki's next move is also a fool's errand — he never really fulfilled his vow to retire — but he's 80 years old.
Hayao Miyazaki
When I asked Suzuki what ambitions he had, he smiled and replied, "I think it's time to retire." Discussing what Studio Ghibli would look like without two founders is simple. For some reason, I found it hard to imagine Ghibli without Toshio Suzuki.