Tomoyuki Sugiyama, founder of Digital Hollywood and author of the book, Cool Japan, believes that Japan's culture of cute has evolved as a result of a love for natural harmony. To him, "the Japanese are seeking a spiritual peace and an escape from brutal reality through cute things." The very gifted animation film director Hayao Miyazaki exercises this modern global image better than anyone else. His fantasies are of profound, vibrant characters in carefully contrived stories, featuring anti-war and power-of-love themes, as well as being socially, politically, and environmentally conscious. Moreover, his characters are masterfully created, infused with his own style—not like the huge-eyed characters with brightly colored, wild hair that Japanese animation is famous for, but rather with more realistic proportions found in the country's traditional artistry.

Hayao Miyazaki's love of art helped shape his life. Born on January 5, 1941, in Tokyo, Japan, Miyazaki was raised in a nurturing family by two interesting parents: his father was director of Miyazaki Airplane, and his mother was an avid reader who doubted what was normally accepted by society. From his father, Hayao formed a love for aviation and expressed that love by drawing airplanes, thus cultivating his artistic talent.

Miyazaki's thoughtful upbringing helped fuel a long and illustrious career. Besides being a director and filmmaker of animated films, Miyazaki is a screenwriter, character designer, and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, a production company and animation studio. In 1999, Miramax, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Company, released his Princess Mononoke in the United States, which brought him outstanding recognition in the West. Additionally, Princess Mononoke garnered the highest revenue in Japan until Titanic was shown, and it was the first animation to win "Picture of the Year" at the Japanese Academy Awards. But his most memorable film by far was 2008's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, which he drew freehand with watercolors rather than using computer generated imagery, thereby producing a delightful aesthetic effect. His greatest visual achievement, 2001's Spirited Away, won him the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, Best Film at the Japan Academy Awards, and the 2002 Berlin Film Festival's First Prize.

After finishing The Wind Rises in 2013, Miyazaki announced his retirement from making films, but a mind this creative can’t remain inactive for long, and he is said to be working now on a new movie set for release in 2021.

數位好萊塢大學創辦人暨《酷日本》的作者杉山知之認為，日本的可愛文化其實是從愛好自然和諧的心態演變而來。對他而言，「日本人欲透過可愛事物，來追求心靈上的平靜，以及逃離殘酷的現實」。才華洋溢的動畫導演宮崎駿，更是將此日本現代形象發揮淋漓盡致的箇中翹楚。他的奇幻故事意義深奧，生動的人物搭配精心布局的故事，多以反戰、愛的力量為主題，同時顧及社會、政治與環境議題等層面。此外，他以個人風格巧妙打造的動畫人物，與日本動畫著名的超大雙眼、鮮豔古怪髮色的角色不同，而是以日本傳統美學為基礎，呈現更符合現實比例的樣貌。

宮崎駿對藝術的熱愛形塑了他的人生。生於1941年1月5日的日本東京，宮崎駿在奇趣父母營造的溫暖家庭環境中長大。父親是宮崎航空興學的主任，母親則熱愛閱讀，常對普世通俗現象產生質疑。宮崎駿在父親的耳濡目染下，開始熱衷關於飛行的一切事物，並透過繪畫來抒發熱愛飛機的心情，進而培養了藝術才華。

父母的教養方式對宮崎駿造成潛移默化的影響，成為他打造長遠精彩事業的一大助力。除了擔任動畫電影的導演與製片人，宮崎駿更身兼編劇、人物設計師與吉卜力工作室（出品公司暨動畫工作室）共同創辦人的身分。1999年，華特迪士尼的子公司「米拉麥克斯」，在美國發行他的《魔法少女》動畫電影，就此奠定他在西方國家無人不曉的地位。此外，《魔法少女》一直位居日本影史票房之冠，直到《鐵達尼號》上映後才被擠下寶座，更是首部獲頒日本電影學院獎「最佳年度映畫」的動畫。不過他至今最讓人念念不忘的電影，就是2008年推出的《崖上的波妞》。他以水彩手繪動畫，而非使用電腦繪圖，因此呈現出討喜的美感。他最大的動畫成就就是2001年上映的《神隱少女》，獲得奧斯卡最佳動畫片、日本電影學院獎的最佳電影，以及2002年柏林影展金熊獎等殊榮。

　宮崎駿於2013年完成《風起》動畫後，宣布退休、不再拍片。但這樣一位創意鬼才不會甘於退隱過久的時間。有傳言指出，他已著手進行將於2021 年發行的新電影。