On July 25, Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki will make a rare U.S. appearance to accept a lifetime achievement award from the Berkeley Center of Japanese Studies, joining the likes of Clint Eastwood and Ang Lee as the latest world-class filmmaker to grace the UC Berkeley campus.

In an illustrious career that began in the 1980s (”Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,” “Castle in the Sky”), prospered through the 1990s (”Princess Mononoke”) and maintains its brilliance through the 2000s (”Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle”), Miyazaki single-handedly redefined the possibilities of film animation. Brimming with inimitable wit and pathos, his works are the embodiment of excellence – labors of love with the power to move audiences regardless of age or cinematic preference.

Bottom line: If you’re going to be around for the summer (unlike myself, regrettably), don’t miss out!

Image Source: Tim Boucher