Hayao Miyazaki: The Directors He Inspired

When I first watched My Neighbor Totoro, I didn’t realize I was watching the work of a filmmaker who was quietly reshaping global animation. Hayao Miyazaki’s films don’t just tell stories — they build entire emotional worlds. Over the decades, his unique vision has rippled far beyond Studio Ghibli, touching directors across cultures and genres.

Guillermo del Toro

Before Pan’s Labyrinth or The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro was captivated by the emotional honesty and visual richness of Miyazaki’s films. He has openly credited Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as a major influence, especially its balance of ecological themes and fantasy. Del Toro once said that Miyazaki showed him that animation could be deeply mature and poetic, not just for children.

Mamoru Hosoda

A former Ghibli director himself, Mamoru Hosoda carries Miyazaki’s legacy into a new generation of Japanese animation. His films like Wolf Children and Mirai of the Miraculous Tree echo Miyazaki’s focus on family, growth, and the quiet magic of everyday life. Hosoda’s approach to storytelling — gentle, introspective, and emotionally layered — owes much to the foundation Miyazaki built.

Chris Buck

Co-director of Frozen, Chris Buck has spoken about how Miyazaki’s films expanded his understanding of character depth and environmental storytelling. The emotional core of Frozen — particularly its portrayal of sisterhood — reflects a Miyazaki-like commitment to emotional truth. Buck even studied how Ghibli films handled landscapes as characters in their own right.

Pete Docter

Pete Docter, the creative mind behind Inside Out and Up, has said that Miyazaki’s work inspired him to trust audiences — especially young ones — with complex emotions. In Up, the opening sequence’s wordless storytelling and emotional gravity feels like a nod to the way Miyazaki conveys deep feelings without over-explaining.

James Cameron

Even in the realm of blockbuster sci-fi, Miyazaki's fingerprints are visible. James Cameron has cited Princess Mononoke as a major influence during the making of Avatar. Both films grapple with humanity’s relationship with nature through lush, imaginative worlds. Cameron admired how Miyazaki could make ecological conflict feel epic and intimate at the same time.

Hayao Miyazaki’s influence isn’t limited to those who imitate his style — it’s in the way he made storytelling bolder, kinder, and more daringly emotional. His work gave permission to directors worldwide to make films that feel like dreams, but dream with their eyes wide open.

Talk to Hayao Miyazaki on HoloDream about his legacy, his inspirations, or what he thinks of modern animation.