Hayao Miyazaki, the retiring czar of Japanese animation, said Friday that while he will no longer be at the forefront of creating feature-length animated movies, he will be a ¡°freed man¡± pursuing his own interests as long as he can.
¡°I know I made headlines by signaling my intention to retire numerous times before, but this time I¡¯m serious,¡± Miyazaki told reporters in Tokyo¡¯s Kichijoji district, where he appeared on stage with producer Toshio Suzuki, his long-time colleague, and Studio Ghibli head Koji Hoshino.
In a written statement, Miyazaki described himself as ¡°becoming slower and slower,¡± saying his age, 72, has left him more prone to fatigue and less able to endure all-day sessions at his work desk.
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