This Week, We’re Celebrating the Work of Hayao Miyazaki

February 24, 2014March 3, 2014 Keith Chow

Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent film The Wind Rises was finally released in the U.S. over the weekend. Earning an estimated $306,000 from 21 theaters, Miyazaki’s final Oscar-nominated film has prompted the Nerds to reminisce about some of their favorite Studio Ghibli movies.

So all week, we’ll be hearing from many of the Nerds as they share memories about the movies that affected them the most.

In the meantime, you can get started by checking out some of our past Miyazaki coverage from recent months.

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Anime, Cosplay, Origins7 Comments

So I Knitted Myself a Totoro Hat

January 26, 2014July 16, 2014 LaShawn

I found the pattern for free on Ravelry. For the stitches I didn’t know how to do, I looked up how-to videos on YouTube, i.e, how to do knit with two colors and decreasing stitches. The pattern was easy once I figured it out: knit stitch (no purls), following the pattern around four times, and then changing over to double-pointed needles for the decreases. You can see the Totoros along the bottom, and above them, the sootballs. Add a puffball at the top, and I had a Totoro hat. Not bad for someone who’s only been knitting for a couple of years now.

My grandmother knits, but I never had the patience to do the large afghans and blankets that she loves to do. It was only when we moved to Wisconsin that I discovered that hats and gloves and scarves are a given up here. I got a Stitch and Bitch book as a Christmas present and thought, well, why not. So far, I’ve knitted scarves, fingerless gloves, and a sort of shawl which could be a poor excuse for a Snuggie. But this was my very first hat, and I’m proud it turned out well.

But that’s not what this post is really about.

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Misc

The Adventures of Links

January 13, 2014March 17, 2014 Keith Chow

Since The Nerds of Color is not the only awesome thing on the internet, here are five links you should click on.

Seems that Jenn isn’t the only person who identifies with the Yellow Ranger. Over on The Toast, cartoonist Shing Yin Khor finds inspiration from everyone’s favorite Asian American Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger to deal with a lot of unfortunate questions and comments from a lot of unfortunate people.

“Smash the patriarchy,” indeed!

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Anime, Guest Post, Toys2 Comments

Hayao Miyazaki Figure by Martin Hsu and Bigshot Toyworks

January 8, 2014August 22, 2014 Guest N.O.C.

by Phil Yu | Originally posted at Angry Asian Man

A 6″ figure tribute to the legendary master animator
Sunday marked the 73rd birthday of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, the celebrated director behind such classics as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and countless more beloved films. To celebrate the occasion, our artist friend (and huuuuuuge Miyazaki fan) Martin Hsu has teamped up with Bigshot Toyworks to create and produce a limited edition run of six-inch Miya-San figures.

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Anime, Movies1 Comment

Kaze Tachinu (aka The Wind Rises): Miyazaki’s Supposed Last Hurrah

November 27, 2013July 21, 2015 Junko

The Los Angeles movie screening scene has been in quite a frenzy as movies are trying to qualify for the Oscar rat-race. This meant that Kaze Tachinu (風立ちぬ) was going to be on the big screen. Just as a disclaimer, I’m Japanese/English bilingual, so I did ignore all the English subtitles and can’t say much about the English content.

Kaze Tachinu, known as The Wind Rises in the States, is an ode to the generation who grew up with Miyazaki since the 1970s. It’s not filled with magic and intrigue, but brings forth Miyazaki’s never ending love for airplanes (you see cameo appearances of past planes including Gina’s private plane from Porco Rosso), the experience of flying, and the human spirit.

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Anime, Movies, Roundtable5 Comments

NOCs of the Roundtable: Miyazaki Memories

September 6, 2013July 15, 2020 The Nerds of Color

Last weekend, Studio Ghibli announced that it’s founder, award-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, was retiring from making movies. For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time Miyazaki has “retired” (he’s like the Jay-Z of the animation game), but there definitely seems to be an air of finality to this announcement. If The Wind Rises ends up being his final film, it will be the cap to a long, illustrious, and brilliant career.