Miyazaki has been called a feminist by Studio Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki, in
reference to his attitude to female workers. This is evident in the all-female
factories of Porco Rosso and Princess Mononoke, as well as the bath-house
of Spirited Away. Many of Miyazaki's films have strong female protagonists that go
against gender roles common in Japanese animation and fiction. He is convinced that
societies which give more power to women succeed more.
In this article (shortened), Priscilla Ahn (who musically participated in Miyazaki's
last movie) explains how his female characters touched her.
<< The stories he tells are not solely of love and romance, nor are they about pretty,
perfectly proportioned teenage girls being saved by a handsome young Prince. Most of
his works are about a young female girl, who is strong, compassionate, and beautiful
inside and out, defining the word "heroine".
The girls in these films (Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away) weren't just falling
in love; they were saving the world. They were discovering themselves, and changing
the lives around them. Unlike the Disney heroines, who I mostly wanted to look like,
Miyazaki's heroines are the kind I wanted to be like. >>
Traduction en français