Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki!

On today's date, many years ago, a little bundle of creative magic came into the world!  I've appreciated Mr. Mayazaki's work for many years. His movie Ponyo was included in my birthday plans a few years ago and I watched Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind for the first time in an old, deep bath tub with a dear loved one.


I think the beauty of his work is in the gentle, quiet pace of each story which is punctuated and accented by periods of chaos, noise and a rush of color and sometimes information. His movies have a subtle but distinct sense of ethics built into the plot lines that leaves you feeling like they're timeless classics from which you can gain something or explore a bit of humanity in each viewing.


My top 3 favorite Mayazaki films are: 
1 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
2 Princess Mononoke
3 Spirted Away


If any anime fans are reading list your favorite Mayazaki films in comments!