One of Hayao Miyazaki's very first memories is a bombing that he witnessed when he was just four-and-a-half years old.

He remembers waking up in the night, seeing his city in flames, and fleeing while holding on to his father's hand.

Despite the danger, he was unafraid, because seeing the light from the burning buildings meant the sky was as bright morning.

Miyazaki created vivid worlds for many to remember that stems from his stirring childhood.

This is why Studio Ghibli is more than just an animation company.

It became home to millions of people who choose to believe in something more.

But what's the secret to Miyazaki's creativity?

And how do his stories come alive with such a vigor, hope, and fragility?

As much as discipline and perseverance play the backbone into all of his works, there's one important ingredient he, and many artists, embrace.

Imagination.

It's true, the most creative geniuses are the ones who never really grow up.

The world can be a scary and dreadful place.

Children are smart enough to understand that when the lights go out every night, but they are also resilient enough to stand up to those monsters.

When they witness something terrible happening, they can't help but combat it with their creativity, to make their sadness and fears go away.

It's a curious thing, how playing keeps the brain young and healthy.

Miyazaki states: "The greatness of a mind is determined by the depth of its suffering."

Creativity had two phases: intuition and analysis.

It's not so much about finding a muse, but rather, research shows, it's about exposure and experience.

It's only from experiencing pain, pleasure, and everything in between that allows an individual to understand other perspectives, problem solve, and come up with new ideas.

So, what helps Miyazaki stay focused?

One word: escapism.

It's only when the individual observes the world and recognizes monotony in darkness, that they feel an urge to cling and absorb to a different reality.

Although Miyazaki lived through the terrors of World War II, he still treasured the idea of flying.

Spellbound by his father's company that manufactured fighter planes for the war, he didn't see them as destructive weapons, but escaped these harsh reality through his dreams instead.

This is where make-believe comes in.

Erase the idea that imagination always stems from rainbows and butterflies.

Research shows an individual is more likely to tap into their imagination in response to traumatic events.

At first glance, looking at the colorful animations of Miyazaki, one might assume that he's a cheerful jokester, but Miyazaki has admitted to being quite pessimistic.

Still, he wants to persevere hope in his films for kids, to build the courage to face to world in all its horror.

Miyazaki states: "When one of my staff has a baby you can't help but bless them for a good future."

"Because I can't tell that child, 'Oh, you shouldn't have come into this life.'"

"And yet I know the world is heading in a bad direction."

"So with those conflicting thoughts in mind, I think about what kind of films I should be making."

Portraying emotions truthfully is probably the greatest asset he has brought to his films.

As his characters always search for something, whether it means making a delivery, discovering their talents, or finding their parents, Miyazaki does his best to illustrate the complexity in the simplest of actions.

He had a talent of finding adventure within the mundane, and relentlessly held onto hope, despite what he grew up seeing.

Without the power of flexibility, he wouldn't have opened doors for us to explore his mind that learned resilience through the creative arts.

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Which film resonates with you the most?

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