Mobile Fantasy: Miyazaki’s Transnational Magic

Chan, Hiu Man (2013) Mobile Fantasy: Miyazaki’s Transnational Magic. In: Mobility and Fantasy in Visual Culture. Routledge Advances in Art and Visual Studies . Routledge, pp. 91-101. ISBN 978-0-415-82129-2

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Abstract

Since the 1960s, anime on both film and television has become a part of global screen culture. It is Miyazaki Hayao who may take the credit for being the most highly regarded anime filmmaker known across the world. The global popularity and success of his films encourage us to link his works to transnationalism. But is Miyazaki transnational only because of his global popularity? There is another perspective in which we may take Miyazaki’s transnationalism: through film aesthetics and narrative, for his works may be said to enable mobile fantasy. While discussing transnationalism, many film studies scholars focus on the discussion of film production, distribution, exhibition and reception in relation to economic globalization. Mette Hjort points out the complication and sometimes confusion in the way that transnationalism is defined. She argues the term transnationalism is often used to describe “a series of assumptions about the networked and globalized realities that are those of a contemporary situation.” These assumptions, however, do not define transnationalism explicitly. The reality of economic globalization is a space we are well aware of. I am more interested, however, in studying how cinematic transnationalization takes place in the space of an imaginary. Apart from political, cultural and economic enterprises, transnational magic is also embedded in film aesthetics, narrative and its psychological effects on audiences. It is in this connection that I propose a notion of what I will call mobile fantasy.
This chapter will first re-conceptualise the theory of transnational cinema in order to link transnationalism to a notion of imaginary space and to mobile fantasy. It will then focus on Miyazaki’s works as a case study, by looking into two main characteristics of his films – the question of a surreal world, and the theme of childhood.

Item Type: Book Section
Dates:
DateEvent
11 September 2013Published
Subjects: CAH24 - media, journalism and communications > CAH24-01 - media, journalism and communications > CAH24-01-05 - media studies
CAH19 - language and area studies > CAH19-04 - languages and area studies > CAH19-04-06 - Asian studies
CAH25 - design, and creative and performing arts > CAH25-01 - creative arts and design > CAH25-01-04 - cinematics and photography
Divisions: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media > Birmingham Institute of Creative Arts > Birmingham School of Art
Depositing User: Hiu Man Chan
Date Deposited: 04 Dec 2017 14:50
Last Modified: 12 Jan 2022 16:57
URI: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5370

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