Early Life
Hayao Miyazaki was born in Akebono-cho, Tokyo, Japan on January 5, 1941 and was the second of four brothers. In his early years he gained his inspiration and love for planes and aviation since his father was the director of a airplane manufacturer. His mother was also an inspiration with her critical outlook and questioning of society.[1]
Education
Miyazaki attended Toyotama High School. In his third year there he saw the film Hakujaden, which has been described as "the first-ever Japanese feature length color anime." His interest in animation began in this period; however, in order to become an animator, he had to learn to draw the human figure, since his prior work had been limited to airplanes and battleships.
After high school, Miyazaki attended Gakushuin University, from which he would graduate in 1963 with degrees in political science and economics. He was a member of the "Children's Literature Research Club," the "closest thing to a comics club in those days".
Career
In April of 1963, Miyazaki got a job at Toei Animation, working as an in-between artist on the anime Watchdog Bow Wow (Wanwan Chushingura). He was a leader in a labor dispute soon after his arrival, becoming chief secretary of Toei's labor union in 1964.
In October of 1965, he married fellow animator Akemi Ota, who later left work to raise their two sons; Gorō and Keisuke. Gorō is now an animator and filmmaker, and has directed Tales from Earthsea at Studio Ghibli. Keisuke is a wood artist who has created pieces for the Ghibli Museum and who made the wood engraving shown in the Studio Ghibli film Whisper of the Heart though he does not have much other media presence.
Hayao Miyazaki's dedication to his work has often been reported to have impacted negatively on his relationship with his son Gorō, as well as having a negative impact on his health due to overworking.