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After 12 films, its abundantly clear that there are certain things that Hayao Miyazaki really loves.
Capable, hardworking young women!
Japan, but also a lot of European aesthetics!
With so many weird little guys running around Miyazakis filmography, it seems time to honor and celebrate them.
Not every creature in a Miyazaki movie is a weird little guy.
We love Totoros of all sizes and we had a fox-squirrel pet of our own, like Nausicaas Teto.
A key aspect of Miyazakis weird little guys is how numerous they are.
Their designs are quite simple, but their meaning frequently is not.
They also keep Chihiros shoes and clothes clean and safe when she doesnt need them.
How weird and little are they?Quite.
Theyre spirits that inhabit trees, and Miyazaki reimagines them as children of the forest.
In a rapidly changing Japan, such forests and their ancient, magical trees are increasingly scarce.
And yet, the film ends with a moment of grace.
As the land begins to heal, we see the reemergence of one kodama.
But, nature can and should endure.
How weird and little are they?Profoundly.
Theyre very helpful, schooling around Ponyo and helping her to escape to the human world.
Thankfully, they return to normal at the end of the movie, preserving their weird-little-guys status.
(For the purposes of this list, guys is gender-neutral.)
How weird and little are they?Extremely.
The warawara, as new life waiting to be born, are a clear metaphor for this.
How weird and little are they?Yes.
But, when they leave the tower, they turn back into normal birds.
So they can be weird guysorlittle guys, but not both at the same time.
They need to return to nature, in this case once again becoming normal birds.
They also poopa lot, which isa whole subject on its own.
How weird and little are they?Debatably.
