The time has come for the man behind many beloved childhood films that have inspired bouts of laughter and fits of tears to retire. Critically acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has finally put down the pen. This Japanese film director, animator, manga artist, producer, and screenwriter has had a legendary career spanning over 50 years. He has won an Oscar, touched the hearts of children and adults alike, created several of the highest-grossing Japanese movies in history, and changed the face of animation forever. The director has done the world a favor for staying in animation as long as he has, and for bringing such masterpieces into light as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Spirited Away”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “Ponyo”.

On Sept. 6, 2013, the 72 year-old Miyazaki formally confirmed that his “time for creating feature-length animation movies has come to an end.” Earlier at the 70th Venice International Film Festival, where his most recent film, “The Wind Rises”, premiered, it was announced that it would be Miyazaki’s last movie. At his Sept. 6 press conference in Tokyo, he addressed the reasons behind his retirement.

According to www.news. moviefone.com, Miyazaki said, “There are things that I have always wanted to do, but it does not involve animation.”

The director will leave the creative program at Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded, but has not specified what will be next on his agenda.

According to www.kotaku.com, his eyes were getting worse, making it harder for him to create his animations. He also needed to rest his eyes and take a break from the bright colors of his beautiful artwork on the screen. In his official retirement statement, the director wrote that he wants to work “for another ten years.” However at age 72, another decade of slaving away over the animation table may not be the best choice for Miyazaki’s health.

His universal themes of love, nature, and the importance of childhood combined with his whimsical style of animation make his movies appealing to all generations.

“His movies can broaden your imagination, bring you nostalgia, or make you feel depressed that you will never find love like that,” freshman Kristine Vo said.

In first grade, Vo stayed up at night watching Spirited Away over and over again, waiting for the Spirit Realm ocean liner to taker her away. She spoke of how American animation is lazily done when compared to his detail-concentrated work.

Miyazaki will be remembered for his deceptively simple style, patiently told stories, and subtle attention to the details that went into his movies. The man who brought some of the most heartbreaking and heartwarming moments in cinema will be recognized as one of the greatest animators of our time.