When news broke out that Hayao Miyazaki was retiring, fans everywhere wished it was simply a false rumor. For years, Miyazaki brought us whimsical animations such as My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke. In 2003, the Ghibli studio co-founder won an Oscar for his breathtaking feature film, Spirited Away.
Although Miyazaki has shown a mastery of his craft, he has firmly stated that he is done with films. The 72-year-old confirmed that his film The Wind Rises is his last. The film, which focuses on a fictional biography of Japan’s Zero airplane creator Jiro Horikoshi, has already become a box-office hit in Japan since its release in July.
With a handful of awards, critical acclaim, and worldwide recognition, Miyazaki will retire knowing that he achieved what he set out to do. According to CBC News, Miyazaki commented, “I wanted to convey the message to children that this life is worth living. This message has not changed.”
While our hearts are saddened by the finale of a talented individual, his work continues to live on. In this case, it does so in quite an adorable way. The giant red bow, stuffed animal cat, and magic broomstick are all part of this adorable cosplay of Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service.
The animated film follows a young witch, Kiki, who must navigate through her adolescent years. As cute as the animated version was, we have to admit that the real version of Kiki is even better.
