The Art of the Boy and the Heron
By (Author) Hayao Miyazaki
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc
30th July 2025
United States
General
Fiction
Graphic novel / Comic book / Manga: Reference, guides and reviews
Hardback
328
Width 210mm, Height 298mm
943g
Celebrate the artistry of visionary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki with the official art book The Art of the Boy and the Heron.
In Studio Ghiblis Academy Awardwinning fantasy adventure film, The Boy and the Heron, young Mahito loses his mother and is plunged into a journey of discovery led by a mischievous gray heron. This gorgeous art book is filled with hundreds of pieces of concept art, storyboards, character designs, backgrounds, key animation, and more that illuminate the inventive vision of acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki.
This bookfeatures commentary and interviews from the incredible team that shaped this film and past Studio Ghibli masterpieces. Readers will gain insight into the extensive production process and the painstaking work that went into the creation of this film from supervising animator Takeshi Honda, art director Yoji Takeshige, background artist Noboru Yoshida, and many more. The book also includes the directors original memos proposing the creation of the film, the full script, and many other intriguing details.
Hayao Miyazaki is an animated film director. Born 1941, Tokyo. After graduating from Gakushuin University in 1963 with a degree in Political Science and Economics, Hayao Miyazaki joined Toei Animation as an animator. Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 with Takahata. Representative works include Nausica of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howls Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013), among others. His latest film is The Boy and the Heron (2023).
Spirited Away broke every box office record in Japan, and garnered many awards, including the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Miyazaki was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2005 Venice International Film Festival. In 2012, Miyazaki was named a "Person of Cultural Merit" by the government of Japan. In November 2014, the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented him with an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement.
Additionally, he was responsible for the original concept, planning, and production of the Ghibli Museum, which opened in Mitaka in 2001, for which he serves as Honorary Executive Director.