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Without a drop of doubt, Hayao Miyazaki has made himself a living legend in the world of animation. As the first Japanese film director to have received an Oscar (in fact two now), his films offer such cinematic experiences that have managed to capture the hearts of people around the globe.
In fact, what is exceptionally interesting about Miyazaki is that he never shies away from being his worst critic despite all his successes. He’s known to be extremely self-deprecating and often doubts his own work.
But one film that tested his doubts to the limit wasWhen Marnie Was There, which wasn’t even an original work by Miyazaki himself! So, what was it aboutWhen Marnie Was Therethat made Miyazaki so unconvinced?
Miyazaki was never satisfied with Marnie’s original character design!
Hayao Miyazakihad a major reservation regarding the film adaptation ofWhen Marnie Was Thereby Studio Ghibli, a studio that he has always been particularly proud of. So what was his complaint? In particular, he felt that Marnie’s design was too simplistic for a Ghibli film.
The fact that the main character’s (Marnie) look was retained from the original English novel, might have been what pissed Miyazaki off. Although it was one of his personal favorite novels,in his films Miyazaki always seeks originality. And that was missing in Marnie’s design.
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The filmmakers maintained Marnie’s blonde hair and blue eyes even though the setting of the story was changed from England to Japan. When asked why, they said this was because they wanted Marnie to be natural in terms of her appearance.
Miyazaki, however, was totally against this idea. He felt that Marnie’s Western appearance was too gimmicky. He thought the studio was depending on familiar stereotypes to grab the audience’s attention rather than more nuanced character design.
Marnie’s appearance was never meant to draw attention
Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura reportedthat Miyazaki was so critical of Marnie’s character design, that he even called it “plain outdated and cheesy“. But surprisingly, even after his strong criticisms, director Yonebayashi-san stayed strong to his original vision. And for certain reasons, that came out to be quite fruitful. (viaJapanToday)
Despite all of Miyazaki’s objections, Yonebayashi-san withstood a clear vision of the film, and it was more than simple storytelling! He wanted this film tospeak directly to lonely and isolated children in Japan, so they can take small steps towards connection.
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To do this, Yonebayashi had to ensure the intricate character movements and detailed backgrounds matched the experience of both Marnie and Anna. That’s why, keeping Marnie’s original design, with a similar background as that of the original novel was the solution out there.
In the end, the film was released as it was originally envisioned, which proved that even the legendary Hayao Miyazaki can be a bit off sometimes. The film ended up receiving much critical acclaim, as it is now a testament to the power of Yonebayashi’s vision and the Ghibli team’s dedication to storytelling.
When Marnie Was Thereis available to watch onNetflix.
Diganta Mondal
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :741
Diganta Mondal is an avid Content Writer at Fandomwire, specializing in anime and pop culture-related stuff. With over 600 published articles, he boasts his knowledge on this beloved media and strives to connect with fellow anime enthusiasts all across the globe.Despite having a non-journalism educational background, his love for shows like Vinland Saga, Violet Evergarden, and other Naoki Urasawa works constantly inspires him to share informative news, theories, and recommendations on almost all anime genres, aiming to create a shared platform for nerdy discussions.
