Raised in Tokyo, Japan

Hired to work as an in-betweener at Toei Douga; worked on the TV series "Okami Shonen Ken/Wolf Boy Ken" and the feature "Wan Wan Chushingura/Watchdog Bow Wow"

Spent three years working on the animated feature "Prince of the Son", directed by Isao Takahata

Left Toei Douga to join Takahata at A-Pro

Accompanied Yukata Fujioka to Sweden in vain attempt to secure rights to "Pippi Longstocking"

Directed or co-directed episodes of the animated TV series "Lupin III"

Left A-Pro and joined Zuiyo Productions

Visited Switzerland as research for "Heidi: Girl of the Alps"

Traveled to Italy and Argentina for inspiration for "Three Thousand Miles in Search of Mother"

Became chief instructor for animators at Telecom; used company name as pseudonym on some TV directing assignments

Launched the manga serial "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" in the magazine "Animage"; completed in 1984

Wrote, directed and storyboarded the anime feature version of "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind"; after being edited, released in USA as "Warriors of the Wind" in 1986

Founded Studio GHIBLI

Wrote, designed and directed "Tenku no shiro Laputa/Laputa: Castle in the Sky"

Designed, wrote and directed "Tonari no Totoro/My Neighbor Totoro"; an English-language dubbed version was released in the USA in 1993

Produced, wrote and directed the anime "Majo no takkyubin/Kiki's Delivery Service"; dubbed English version released direct-to-video in the USA in 1998

Served as producer on Takahata's "Omohide poro poro/Only Yesterday"

Crafted the WWII-era romance "Porco Rosso/The Crimson Pig", about a fighter pilot who is turned into a pig

Produced and scripted "Mimi wo sumaseba/Whisper of the Heart", directed by Yohifumi Kondo

Directed and provided story for the rock duo Chage & Ake's music video "On Your Mark"

Wrote and directed the anime "Mononoke Hime/Princess Mononoke"; Disney and Miramax purchased US distribution rights and spent two-years preparing English dubbed version featuring an all-star cast led by Billy Crudup, Claire Danes and Minnie Driver and released in 1999

Enjoyed a box-office hit in Japan with the anime feature "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi/Spirited Away"; reportedly his last feature film

Helmed the animated adventure "Howl's Moving Castle"; received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature