Hayao Miyazaki says PM Aso Should Keep His Love For Manga Private

Hayao Miyazaki, Japan’s most successful and influential animator, said Thursday that Prime Minister Taro Aso should keep his publicly claimed fondness for “manga” comic books and other aspects of pop culture private.

Miyazaki, 67, told a press conference when asked by a reporter about Aso’s avowal, “It’s embarrassing” adding, “That is something you should do in your own time.”

Aso has gained popularity among young people particularly as a fan of Japanese pop culture, especially as a manga comic book enthusiast.

Miyazaki also expressed his concern about the future of children and the country, saying that many children are living in a virtual world and losing their senses and capability to understand the real world.

“Everything about the environment children are enjoying now is virtual, including the animations that we produce. They go through television, games, e-mail, mobile phones or comic books,” he told the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

Miyazaki stressed that the most important task of the government is “to create a proper environment for future generations.”

Miyazaki confessed that he faces a dilemma every time he launches a new project because what he does professionally seems to contribute to depriving children of their natural ability to cope with the real world.

“While we question ourselves about the situation, it’s good if children can feel there is at least one film they will not forget for the rest of their lives and that truly makes them happy. It is my intention to continue with this work,” Miyazaki said.

Miyazaki’s 2001 film “Spirited Away” won both the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2002 and an Oscar for the Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards in 2003.

Source: BreitBart.com