Studio Ghibli Fans Pay Tribute to Hayao Miyazaki for His 81st Birthday

Hayao Miyazaki hardly needs an introduction. Whether or not you like anime, the artist has influenced the media you consume and art you love. The Studio Ghibli co-founder and director has personally overseen some of the greatest animated films to date. And today, the world is wishing the artist a very happy 81st birthday.

As you can see below, all of social media is taking time to honor the artist on his big birthday. Hundreds of well-wishes and sketches have been posted as a tribute to his work. But if we had to guess how Miyazaki is celebrating, well – it would be with work.

The director is known worldwide for his dogged work ethic, and there is no way his birthday would interrupt his flow. Hopefully, his family and friends were able to celebrate with the Miyazaki one way or another. But with a movie on the horizon, the Studio Ghibli director may have felt best celebrating behind a drawing board.

For those who don't know, Miyazaki came out of his 2013 retirement to work on a brand-new movie. The project was formally announced in 2016 as How Do You Live?, a story based off a popular tale in Japan all about growing up. Studio Ghibli has focused its staff on this film for a few years now, and the most recent reports suggest How Do You Live? may be finished sometime in 2023.

Have you shared your birthday wishes for Miyazaki yet? Which one of his films do you consider your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.