Castle In the Sky. Porco Rosso. Kiki's Delivery Service. My Neighbor Totoro. Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away. Howl's Moving Castle. Ponyo. The Wind Rises.
Maybe you're a longtime devotee of Hayao Miyazaki and recognize every title on that list. Maybe you're barely aware of Miyazaki's legendary contributions to animated film. Either way, you can't deny that Miyazaki is a maestro in the world of hand-drawn animation.
In 2013, after the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki announced that he was retiring from filmmaking, leaving a void in the animation world and a hole in the hearts of his fans. His work will never be forgotten, particularly thanks to disciples like this one.
An animator who goes by the handle "Dono" on Vimeo — which is literally all we know about him — is clearly a serious fan of Miyazaki's. It's easy to see that Dono's own work was tremendously influenced by his love for Miyazaki's films, because he took the time to create a lavish tribute that's utterly astonishing.
Dono delicately clipped characters out of various Miyazaki films and placed them into a beautiful 3D environment of his own creation. The characters are seen in some of their most memorable moments as if they live in Dono's perfect world, and the whole thing is accompanied by Joe Hisaishi's lovely piano work.
Imagining the time and effort it must have taken to assemble this video is a staggering notion, and the fact that it all comes together so seamlessly is a genuine act of pure devotion.
Enjoy.
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