“I do believe in the power of story. I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings, that they can stimulate, amaze and inspire their listeners.”

I wanted to convey the message to children that this life is worth living.

Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things to exist.

There are all kinds of values within the films but I don’t make message films.

I find it pointless sitting in my house not working, though I like to go on extended vacations from time to time.

Humans have both the urge to create and destroy.

Problems begin the moment we’re born. We’re born with infinite possibilities, only to give up on one after another. To choose one thing means to give up another. That’s inevitable. But what can you do? That’s what it is to live.

When I start creating a villain, I start liking the villain and so the villain is not really evil.

People in Japan have experienced many tsunamis and various earthquakes throughout the ages.

The love of weaponry is often a manifestation of infantile traits in an adult.

In the middle of hatred and killings, there are things worth living for.

Since I am a person who starts work without clear knowledge of a storyline, every single scene is a pivotal scene.

You may not like what’s happening, but just accept it, and let’s try to live together.

My process is thinking, thinking and thinking – thinking about my stories for a long time.

I think we should stop using nuclear power plants because it’s an old system that we can’t control.

Do everything by hand, even when using the computer.

Yet once being born there is no turning back.

I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that won’t let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion.

I believe in the person I want to become.

I believe that you see something that you want to get done, you cannot give up, and you cannot give in.

The care of God for us is a great thing, if a man believe it at heart: it plucks the burden of sorrow from him.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.

I am still learning – how to take joy in all the people I am, how to use all my selves in the service of what I believe, how to accept when I fail and rejoice when I succeed.

Instead of weeping when a tragedy occurs in a songbird’s life, it sings away its grief. I believe we could well follow the pattern of our feathered friends.

You are braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, And smarter than you think.