Economic's loss was anime's gain. Hayao Miyazaki graduated from Gakushuin University with a twin degree in Economics and Political Science.
Yet, instead of donning a suit and plunging into the world of macro-economics and the theory of diminishing returns, the 22-year old Miyazaki chose to join animation company Toei Doga in 1963.
After a series of stints in various anime companies, Miyazake directed his first TV anime serial Mirai Shonen Conan - or Future Boy Conan to give it its English name - in 1978. The serial proved to be a stepping-stone to bigger and better things.
"Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the
Wind was the first anime I saw. It was shown one Sunday afternoon and I remember just staring slack-jawed at the whole thing. The animation, the story, the characters ... every thing just knocked me out. How was it possible that someone could come up with some thing that good?"
It must be noted that the images used here are the copyright of Masamune Shirow and his publisher.
Miyazaki directed his first full length feature anime in 1979. This was the cult classic Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, an animated feature that had what Steven Spielberg was quoted to have said, "The best car-chase scene ... ever!"
However good Lupin III was, however, it would pale in comparison to Miyazaki's magnum opus, Kaze no Tani no Naushika or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Internationally, it was released as Warriors of the Wind.
It told the tale of post-apocalyptic world where humanity lives in pockets of civilization surrounded by vast deserts and toxic jungles protected by giant insects called the Gorgons. The movie, however, only told a small slice of the tale.
Miyazaki continued to explore the world of Nausicaa in manga form between 1982 and 1994. As it stands now, there are seven volumes in the series.
The success of Nausicaa allowed him to establish Studio Ghibli for which he has directed five feature-length films and produced another three between 1986 and 1997. All of them were critical and box office successes.
One of his latest, Mononoke Hime, - or Princess Mononoke - received the Japan Academy Award for Best Film. It is the highest grossing local Japanese movie of all time with a box-office intake of about US$150 million. An English-dubbed version utilised the voices of respected young Hollywood talents Minnie Driver and Claire Danes.