Both Hayao Miyazaki and Hideaki Anno are maestros in the anime industry. But did you know that both knew each other? Their relationship dates back to the 1980s when Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was released. Anno was a huge part of the project as a fresher.

Anno appeared almost like a savior just 5 months before the release of Nausicaa when the entire team was beset with delays. He was a curious fella and a recent dropout who had captured the attention of Miyazaki himself. But Anno’s weird way of dropping out of the sky made Miyazaki interested in him, which only increased once he saw Anno’s way of living and art style.

Hayao Miyazaki had a curious first impression of Hideaki Anno

When Anno first arrived at Topcraft, the studio which created Nausicaa before the creation of Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki had a curious encounter with Hideaki Anno.