Hikaru UchidaStudio Ghibli, one of the most famous Japanese film production companies in the world, has recently premiered a new film titled “The Boy and the Heron” (Original title: Kimi tachi wa dou ikiruka” meaning, “How do you live” in Japanese). Both the Japanese and global fans of Studio Ghibli had been paying close attention to this newly released film because they weren’t informed of any information. Despite the absence of a publicity campaign, it broke the studio’s records in its first four days.
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As thought-provoking and philosophical as “The Alchemist”
The film is said to be inspired by a well-known Japanese novel of the same title, written by Genzaburō Yoshino, a Japanese writer, journalist and editor. The novel has been so famous that it has been made into a manga though it was first published in 1937 when the world, including Japan, was moving slowly yet indeed forward to World War II. Under the watchful eye of the military government, the author used child literature not only to teach the young generation the importance of humanity and the value of thinking but also to instruct readers on the meaningful message that is still being told nowadays.
What is genuine wealth?
The story develops through a series of exchanges between Copper, a fifteen-year-old schoolboy and a main character, and a thoughtful uncle who lives in the same Tokyo suburb and watches him grow up in the place of his late father. His uncle digs deep into what Copper discovers throughout his daily life, which resonates with many people of all ages. For example, he learns about the relationship between producers and consumers when he finds out that his impoverished friend helps make tofu as a family business, and his uncle instructs him not to judge a person’s value by their wealth, appearance and education.
Society now and then despises producers and working-class people for their lack of education, but the producer holds and supports the world. We need to step aside for a while from capitalism and ask ourselves; what are genuine wealth, and what makes a person truly admirable?
What defines true heroism?
There is also a striking phrase, which his uncle uses to conclude his letters explaining the nature of greatness:
“The world is full of people who are not bad, but weak, people who bring unnecessary misfortune upon themselves and others for no reason but weakness. A heroic spirit that’s not devoted to human progress may be empty and meaningless, but goodness that is lacking in the spirit of heroism is often empty as well.”
I interpreted the sentences as a message that it is essential to stop, think and resist when a big wave is swallowing up society. War, discrimination, refugee crises and environmental destruction… Living in a world full of injustices, all of us are asked if we are or will become great people who cannot be defeated by the majority. Although I’m not sure how this novel inspires the newest Ghibli film yet, speaking as a fan of Studio Ghibli, it was very satisfying to learn that it was Miyazaki’s favorite childhood book.
