Gundam Creator Reveals Beef With Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki

When it comes to anime, there are some brands which stand above others. Franchises like Pokemon are top-tier hitters, and the same can be said for all things Gundam. Still, that doesn’t mean the man responsible for the mecha franchise is satisfied.

No, not at all. As it turns out, it seems Yoshiyuki Tomino has one more grudge to settle, and it is with none other than Hayao Miyazaki.

Recently, the team at Sora News relayed comments which Tomino made during a recent lecture in Japan. The creator of the Gundam franchise spoke with students at Takara University, and Tomino said he is still not happy because he was never able to “crush” the Studio Ghibli director.

“I am still not happy,” the creator admitted. “Even when I think I’m going to be able to crush Hayao Miyazaki, I can’t. This is the thing that makes me the most unhappy.”

For those worried about a personal feud, you can brush the concern aside. According to Tomino, the beef is purely professional and was spurred on because he is such a fan of the director.

“Once you join the anime industry, you’re surrounded by deeply talented people… If there’s someone you want to crush nearby, it inspires you to chase after your dreams to a ridiculous extent… I was able to make something like Gundam because I met Miyazaki and [Isao] Takahata.”

Continuing, Tomino went on to tell students how anime production involves serious teamwork skills, and they should not look to him as a role model for such things.

“Anime production is an industry in which people with various roles work together,” the director admitted. “So you shouldn’t be an abrasive kind of person like I am. Being the kind of person who can be part of a harmonious ensemble is what will lead you to happiness.”

Even though Tomino feels like he’s not yet lived up to Miyazaki, it would be foolish to underestimate his contributions to anime. Not only is the artist considered the de facto father of robot anime, but he overhauled the mecha genre with Gundam. To date, Gundam is one of the highest-grossing franchises to come from Japan, and Sunrise Studios has confirmed it has plans for lots more anime series involving Tomino’s story.

So, are you surprised by this quiet anime beef? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most popular franchises in the world, and that popularity is only expected to grow as Sunrise continues to release new projects for the franchise. This includes new anime based in the original Universal Century storyline, which will next see a film trilogy based on the Hathaway’s Flash novels, a returning anime for its SD Gundam spin-offs, and even a brand new live-action movie coming to the West co-produced by Legendary, a studio who is currently in the midst of bringing a new take on Toho’s Godzilla franchise to the screen.

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