Animism
🔹General: Animism (from the Latin anima = soul, breath) is the belief that everything in the world has a soul—not only humans and animals, but also plants, stones, rivers, mountains, and even objects.
🔹Religion & ethnology: The term was coined in the 19th century by Edward B. Tylor and refers to the oldest form of religious thought. Animists believe that spirits or souls control natural forces and can interact with humans.
🔹Worldview: Humans and nature are not in a hierarchical relationship, but are part of a living, spiritually connected network.
Animist according to Hayao Miyazaki
Miyazaki's “animism” is not a strictly religious term, but rather a poetic, artistic attitude. In interviews, he emphasizes that he is not a believer in animism in the classical sense, but his work is strongly influenced by it.
🔹The soulfulness of nature: In films such as Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro, nature is depicted as full of spirits, gods, and energies. Forests, rivers, and even soot particles have a life of their own.
🔹Moral dimension: For Miyazaki, animism means not only that “everything has a soul,” but also that humans bear responsibility toward this soulful world. The destruction of nature (industry, greed, war) is synonymous with spiritual injury in his films.
🔹Everyday magic: Even the small and seemingly mundane (e.g., household appliances, a piece of bread, the breeze) has value and dignity in his world. This is a kind of everyday animism.
🔹Innocence & respect: Children (like Chihiro in Spirited Away) are often the ones who are still connected to this animated world. Adults lose this perspective through the pursuit of power or routine.
Miyazaki's animism is therefore aesthetic, ethical, and narrative—less a doctrine of faith and more a worldview that conveys respect, wonder, and humility toward all living things.
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Common definition: Animists believe that everything (people, animals, plants, objects, natural forces) has a soul or spirit.
Miyazaki: Animists are people who perceive the world as alive, valuable, and worthy of respect—an attitude that they transform into stories to show the balance between nature and humanity.
