Hidetaka Miyazaki is a producer who definitely deserves a place in the history of Japanese gaming.
And he can be considered a late bloomer who carried on the past and ushered in the future.
Born in '75, he didn't switch to the gaming industry until he was 29, but he was soon able to stand out in the industry, carve out his own path, and quickly ascend to the top tier of producers in the shortest possible time.
He relied on his extraordinary talent and an unconventional understanding of games.
Joining a small company, being able to turn his imagination into reality, and gaining a large fanbase because of the excellent quality—one can imagine just how strong this person's abilities are.
Hidetaka Miyazaki is most famous for the "Souls" series, followed by the massive hit "Sekiro," and then "Elden Ring."
Even in 2023, Hidetaka Miyazaki remains one of the most brilliant game producers in the world.
The only thing that makes players both love and hate him is that he never plays by the rules. His games are of extremely high quality, but they are also incredibly difficult, tormenting players thousands of times over in his action games. This is especially true of his notoriously hated "dirty" enemy designs—
They'll suddenly sneak up and stab you in the back.
Even a minor enemy can make your life miserable.
That's why Hidetaka Miyazaki is often called "Old Thief Miyazaki" by players.
But even after being tortured countless times by the "Old Thief," players still love his work. Large-scale discussions often break out online even before his next game is released.
Being able to guess and accurately predict Hidetaka Miyazaki's next project is a rare pleasure for players.
This also shows that Hidetaka Miyazaki is indeed a highly capable person.
He belongs to that rare breed of genius producer who can thrive anywhere, even in the wild, without needing much cultivation.
So, when Aoki Haruhi really thought about it, he felt it was necessary to bring "Old Thief Miyazaki" on board.
My god!
A company that brings together Gen Urobuchi, Jun Maeda, Makoto Shinkai, and Hidetaka Miyazaki—what kind of company would that be?
It's practically like walking into a den of thieves, isn't it?
Aoki Haruhi couldn't even begin to imagine it.
After some screening, the little HR, Ayase Akane, identified the person Aoki Haruhi was looking for. However, just like with Shirakawa Atsushi last time, she brought back bad news.
"I can't believe you even know a name like that," Ayase Akane said, breathless and looking distressed as she returned to the company. "He's about to graduate from high school, and his mother said Hidetaka Miyazaki is currently waiting with him for him to attend Keio University."
"Huh?!"
Aoki Haruhi felt just as miserable upon hearing this news.
Damn it.
That guy Hidetaka Miyazaki actually has such good grades.
After Akane's explanation, Aoki Haruhi finally remembered: Hidetaka Miyazaki was indeed a "straight-A student."
In his past life, Hidetaka Miyazaki had genuinely studied at Keio University for several years, and even after graduating, he had worked as a programmer for a few years at a big-name foreign company like Oracle. It was only because he couldn't let go of his obsession with games that he eventually switched careers to become a game developer.
In Japan, the number one ranked university is arguably the University of Tokyo, followed by Keio University (it slid quite a bit later, falling to 9th place by 2023, but it's still quite impressive).
These two are roughly equivalent to Tsinghua and Peking University in China.
The college entrance examination system in Japan is quite different from China's.
Anyone who has seen the movie Flying Colors will probably understand this.
Admissions exams are set by the schools themselves.
If you want to apply to a specific school, you have to go to that school's designated exam venue to take the test.
There are even differences in exam timing and content between different departments within the same university.
This is why Kasumi Arimura in Flying Colors was able to take the entrance exam for Keio University twice; although she originally applied to the Faculty of Letters, she had a stomach upset that day and didn't pass.
However, she was accepted when she later took the exam for the Department of Political Science.
As for Hidetaka Miyazaki, although he has a passion for making games, this is a major life-altering decision.
After all, Keio is one of the top universities, and it would be a huge waste for someone with Hidetaka Miyazaki's grades not to attend.
Oh, right.
Jun Maeda is the same.
Aoki Haruhi suddenly remembered that if he hadn't interfered with Jun Maeda's life trajectory, this guy would be heading to the University of Tokyo next year to study psychology.
"Anyway, isn't Hidetaka Miyazaki planning to apply for Keio University? Let's wait until he gets to Tokyo."
Aoki Haruhi thought about it carefully; after all, it was the same for Makoto Shinkai—he continued his studies while still managing to make games without much delay.
They could help out while still in school, and then seamlessly join Pokeni right after graduation. That would be even better.
Furthermore, Aoki Haruhi was deeply convinced of Miyazaki's passionate heart for game development. Just think about it: a 29-year-old programmer quitting his job to switch careers and make games for the sake of his dream—what kind of persistence was that?
Ayase Akane glanced at him, rolling her eyes in her heart.
President, you really are something else.
"He clearly has a bright future at Keio University, why do you have to drag him into making games?"
"Hmm?!"
Aoki Haruhi narrowed his eyes, scaring the little HR girl into taking a few steps back.
"I'll give you ten seconds to reorganize your words and say that again."
"Uh... President, I was wrong," Ayase Akane said, shaking her head. "Although Keio University is great, it's obviously more promising to make games with us."
January 24, 1993.
Tokyo suburbs, Koganei City.
Studio Ghibli.
Aoki Haruhi arrived as scheduled with Ayase Akane.
They hadn't walked far after getting off the car when Aoki saw it—
A two-story building that wasn't very large, its exterior walls wrapped in leaves and vines, simple and natural, perfectly in line with the style of Ghibli's works.
The old master, Hayao Miyazaki, was already waiting at the entrance.
No, perhaps it's too early to call the 50-something Miyazaki "the old master."
But at just one glance, Aoki noticed that even though he was only 51, his hair had already turned completely white.
Today, Hayao Miyazaki was clean-shaven and wore a simple pair of black-rimmed glasses, looking only a short distance away from the person Aoki remembered.
Yes, the only difference was the beard.
"That's great, you must be President Aoki Haruhi, right?"
Seeing Aoki and Ayase from a distance, Miyazaki said with a smile while standing at the entrance.
Aoki hurried forward a few steps.
"I am Aoki Haruhi, it's a pleasure to meet you for the first time," Aoki said, then turned back to introduce Ayase Akane. "This is my assistant, Ayase Akane."
"I am Hayao Miyazaki, it's a pleasure to meet you both."
After everyone exchanged greetings, Hayao Miyazaki led Aoki Haruhi into the building.
Once inside, Aoki Haruhi's eyes lit up.
It was less like an office and more like a villa.
Although divided into rooms and a main hall, plush toys from My Neighbor Totoro and Porco Rosso could be seen everywhere, and the floors were covered in wood flooring.
Today's filming was taking place in the dining area.
The director, cameraman, editor—various staff members had already set up their equipment and were waiting for Aoki Haruhi.
The Studio Ghibli staff canteen was decorated with many Ghibli character toys, with a round coffee table placed in the center.
It also served as a conference room for meetings from time to time.
Surrounded by greenery and lined with bookshelves, the room had a rich artistic atmosphere.
If no one had told him this was a company, he would have certainly mistaken it for a great vacation spot.
Damn, this is the ideal work environment.
Compared to cold, impersonal cubicles, Aoki Haruhi fell in love with this place instantly.
"Today is just a casual chat, feel free to speak your mind, no need to take it too seriously."
Hayao Miyazaki invited Aoki Haruhi and Ayase Akane to sit down, then took a transparent coffee pot from the side and poured a cup of coffee for each of them.
Reseating themselves, everyone looked at each other and laughed.
The director frowned slightly.
Miyazaki made it sound simple, but that wasn't really the case.
In fact, the interview had been scheduled after Porco Rosso was finished, but they hadn't known that the person Miyazaki invited was Aoki Haruhi.
The name Aoki Haruhi was too uncommon, and he had no real fame to speak of.
But Miyazaki was a stubborn old man, and if he said he was inviting you, there was nothing anyone could do about it.
The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, narrowing the gap between them.
The director handed two prepared booklets to Hayao Miyazaki and Aoki Haruhi.
"President Aoki, could you please read a couple of lines for us?" the director asked.
"Sure."
Aoki nodded as he took it.
He swallowed silently.
Truth be told, this was his first time being surrounded by a semi-circle of cameras pointed right at his face, and with all the staff members watching him, he felt quite a bit of pressure.
Aoki looked down at the exquisite booklet—or, more accurately, it was a Ghibli art book.
Printed on hard cardstock, each page featured a beautiful scene from a Ghibli animation.
The page he had opened to was from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
On it, written in small text, Aoki read aloud softly—
"Fire can reduce a forest to ashes in a single day, but water and wind take a hundred years to create one."
He turned another page.
"Humanity just keeps repeating the paths of the past.
Everyone thinks they are right, and then sin begets more sin, sorrow begets more sorrow, and they can never find a way out."
"There is also darkness in my heart. If this is the forest within me, then this desert is also part of me... If that is true, then he is also a part of me."
"Life is a light flickering in the darkness."
Reading that last sentence, Aoki Haruhi felt a sudden stirring in his heart.
How should he put it?
Even though he had almost forgotten Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, his heart still trembled when he read these lines. Words have power.
This power is rooted in the human heart.
Images also have power, and these all originate from humanity.
When he looked up, Hayao Miyazaki was watching him with a kindly gaze.
He seemed satisfied with Qing Zhiyuan's expression and reaction.
Uh...
Damn it.
The old man really got him.
But Qing Zhiyuan understood him well; after all, it was Miyazaki's own work.
If he could, wouldn't Qing Zhiyuan also enjoy watching someone else play a game he had made?
Everyone listened, smiled slightly, and didn't seem to have the slightest intention of asking Aoki Haruhi for his comments.
"Could you please read a few lines as well?" the director asked Hayao Miyazaki.
"Huh? Me too?"
Miyazaki was taken aback, seemingly not having expected this.
"Yes, please," said the director.
So, Miyazaki reluctantly picked up the booklet, flipped through a few pages at random, and began to recite:
"Do not associate with the mundane. Even if it is a curse you have placed upon yourself.
Oh, flyer above the clouds, could you take off your sunglasses for me and let me see your true face? As long as you step into this secret garden, you can easily capture me.
From then on, a clean little table, a glass of blushing wine, quietly from the past to the future in the sunset over the distant mountains.
Comrades, lovers, flowers, honors—the most shining days of life have already passed. You know the hypocrisy of reality, which is why you treasure the existence of innocence so much."
The lines Hayao Miyazaki recited were all from his newly released work, Porco Rosso.
Porco Rosso can be considered a quite heavy and realistic animated film; it's not particularly child-friendly, yet it possesses extraordinary depth and significance.
It belongs to the category of films that one needs to wait ten or twenty years for—until the years have passed and one has experienced the vicissitudes of life—to truly appreciate upon rewatching.
"The ones who died are the good guys, and who knows if that place is hell anyway."
"A pig that doesn't fly is just a useless pig."
After reciting them, Miyazaki himself started to chuckle.
"Ah... reading my own work in front of others is truly embarrassing."
"Not at all, not at all," Qing Zhiyuan shook his head, " Porco Rosso is truly a remarkable piece of work."
At this point, Qing Zhiyuan suddenly began to understand the process.
It had to be said that the production team's standard was quite good; using this relaxed and evocative approach allowed you to completely unwind while simultaneously steering the conversation into the official topic.
"Porco Rosso is a bit too profound for me," Aozora said, "but at the very least, 'Porco Rosso' can ignite a fire within one's heart, telling us that we should resist. This is in the same vein as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind."
Hayao Miyazaki is an animation producer with a communist spirit, and in Porco Rosso, one can see many subtle hints of the Paris Commune. Even in the background of some scenes in Porco Rosso, you can see posters of laborers resisting, hammers and sickles...
In this work, Porco Rosso, although it depicts the question of what choice a "pig" should make under the tides of a grand era, the answer in Miyazaki's heart is incomparably firm—
[A pig that cannot fly is just a pig.]
One must have a spirit of resistance and, at the same time, not succumb to powerful authority.
The critical spirit and courage of the left-wing were still abundant in Miyazaki.
Aozora analyzed it thoroughly, leaving the director a bit tongue-tied.
Damn it, is this stuff that can actually be broadcast?
On the other hand, Miyazaki was very happy. Looking at Aozora, his eyes were shining, his face clearly saying—
You understand me.
"Aoki-san, do you know? Before playing your game 'Your Name', I had thought countless times whether there was something that could replace or express the animation in my heart in a completely new form.
After that, I discovered that games might be a good medium."
Hmm?
Aozora sat up straight immediately.
So we're getting straight to the point?
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