Hayao Miyazaki is arguably the most renowned anime director ever, though he is also famous for being a harsh father, at least professionally. This was again highlighted recently as it was revealed that Hayao Miyazaki opposes the idea of his son, Goro Miyazaki, becoming the next Studio Ghibli head.
The anime world was rocked recently by the news of Ghibli becoming a subsidiary of a Japanese media giant.
Studio president Toshio Suzuki revealed that they were looking for a new head for Ghibli, but Goro declined to become so. Thus, the acquisition deal was made.
Hayao and Goro Miyazaki’s Well-Known Strained Relationship
It’s fair to say that Hayao Miyazaki is a titanic figure in the anime industry. After all, the films of Studio Ghibli (which Miyazaki co-founded) are iconic all over the world. Miyazaki’s films, in particular, are revered by many.
Hayao’s son, Goro, also followed in his father’s footsteps as he also became a director at Ghibli. Despite his father’s misgivings, studio president Toshio Suzuki encouraged Goro to helm Tales from Earthsea.
Goro has since directed three films for Ghibli, including From Up on Poppy Hill and Earwig and the Witch. Both these films had the support of his father, though that wasn’t always the case.
In an NHK documentary about the elder Miyazaki, it was revealed that Hayao was incredibly harsh on his son’s first work. A clip showing Hayao’s bitter reaction to a screening of Earthsea is well-known among Ghibli fans.
Since then, it seems that Hayao may have softened his stance on Goro. However, the recent news revealed that he still retains some doubts about his son’s future role at Ghibli.
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Hayao Miyazaki Does Not Want His Son to Be Next Studio Ghibli Head
The recent Ghibli acquisition by Nippon TV was driven by president Suzuki’s wish to find a successor for himself and Hayao Miyazaki. After all, the two are already aged 75 and 82, respectively.
Suzuki initially wanted Goro to take over as the Studio Ghibli head. Despite being approached by Suzuki many times, Goro declined all offers.
Despite Suzuki wanting Goro to take over, Hayao opposed this idea, as reported by Oricon.
This doesn’t mean Goro won’t play any role in Ghibli’s future though. After all, the younger Miyazaki is an executive producer in The Boy and the Heron. Not to mention that he was the lead designer of Ghibli Park.
For now, it’s unclear what exactly Goro’s future in Ghibli will hold given that the studio becoming a subsidiary marks the end of an era.
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Source: Oricon via Anime News Network
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