The Secret to Miyazaki's Magic Hides in Plain Sight

              

I've been wondering, what makes me so fall in love with Ghibli films and whats so good about them. I personally think there's something unique when watching Ghibli films. They make the characters so real, and I don't know about others but I have become so attached to them.  

There's a quote on Tumblr somewhere that says "Disney movies touch the heart but Ghibli films touch the soul." As sentimental as that is, it's also astute. I think it is because those films focus more on a huge attention to details and appreciation for little moments and expressions.

Miyazaki's films are famous for their culinary scenes, showing characters either cooking or eating in silence. It's never just a dining scene, but rather a moment when characters bond with one another and also a moment that Miyazaki refers to as "Ma," meaning emptiness in Japanese. And It's there intentionally.

In one of his interviews, Miyazaki describes it as the time between a clap, explaining:
"If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness. But if you

take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension."

We can actually find these instances of Ma in all of Miyazaki's films. A moment when time just seems to stop. Nothing really happens, yet it feels that we are absorbed by its world. This is why Miyazaki's world feels so real. Because as magical as it is, there is a sense of space portrayed through time, distance, and scale. 

One of my favorite scene in Spirited Away is the rice ball scene because it feels so realistic. Chihiro finally has a moment to rest and Haku's soft behaviour with offering her food makes all her bottled up emotions come to surface and she cries because she is a little girl that got caught up in a life and death situation where even her parents' lives are at stake. She also went through the fear of losing her only ally when Haku acted so coldly against her. She went through a great emotional roller-coaster and now she finally lets it go. I think this is probably the most important scene because after this moment Chihiro has a lighter spirit and stronger heart. This is literally the moment we can see her transformation from the petrified girl she was to the brave heroine. 

Sooo I guess to me, Ghibli films are a pleasure to the eyes, bliss for ears, enlightenment for mind and watching their movies makes a world better place to live. They awaken emotions and help me forget all the stress and responsibilities I might have and they give me a chance to get out of this world, even if it's just for two hours. (◡‿◡✿)