My Neighbors the Yamadas

Isao Takahata is a Japanese anime filmmaker that has earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the... romantic-drama Only Yesterday, the ecological-adventure Pom Poko and the comedy My Neighbors the Yamadas. Of these Grave of the Fireflies is considered by film critic Roger Ebert one of the greatest war films ever made. Unlike most anime directors, Takahata doesn't draw and never worked as an animator before becoming a full fledged director. According to Hayao Miyazaki, "Music and study are his hobbies". He was born in the same town as fellow director Kon Ichikawa, while Japanese film giant Yasujiro Ozu was raised by his father in nearby Matsusaka. Takahata graduated from the University of Tokyo French literature course in 1959. Takahata was originally intrigued by animation after having seen the French animated cartoon feature Le Roi et l'oiseau based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.
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