Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is known for iconic anime like My Neighbor Totoro. He's also known for telling it like it is. If he thinks using the iPad looks like masturbation, then he's gonna damn well say that. But this time, he's talking about voice acting—cutesy voice acting that he finds "unbearable".


Recently, Miyazaki divulged his thoughts on voice actors. According to the director, the animators must rely on the skill of voice actors. They're necessary! "But, of course, at times it can be frustrating in some respects," Miyazaki added (via Excite). In particular, Miyazaki explained, it can be frustrating when the voice actors want their presence to be felt by others.


(It sounds like Miyazaki is frustrated when the voice actors don't try to sell the character, but try to sell themselves instead.)

"Especially the young women's voices," Miyazaki continued. "It seems like they're all speaking with an 'Aren't-I-so-cute?' voice. That's unbearable. I always want to do something about that."

And for much of his career, Miyazaki has, sometimes chooses non-voice actors to star in his films. And when he does use voice actors, whether they are male or female, Miyazaki is able to get natural sounding performances from them. His upcoming picture, Kaze Tachinu, looks—and sounds—to be no exception.

宮崎駿は、声優のスキルについてどう考えているのか [Excite]