Hayao Miyazaki’s work reaches beyond Japan’s borders. In one imagined scene, The Witch’s Delivery Service unfolds in an unnamed European city, while the sweeping landscapes of Porco Rosso echo the Italian coast. Russian artists Dmitry Alekseev and Sergey Kozlov challenged themselves to picture what a painting about Russia in the early 2000s might look like, bringing a distinctly regional vibe to a global icon’s universe.
In the video, familiar elements appear: panel houses, bustling kiosks, and a round, pot-bellied TV featuring Chip and Dale. The frame sometimes glimpses characters from Miyazaki’s original works, offering a nostalgic touch. The soundtrack is an orchestral rendition of It Happens in Life by the group Dots, providing a melodic thread throughout the visuals.
The piece was created using Midjourney for the image generation and After Effects for the motion and effects, blending algorithmic art with cinematic polish. Viewers responded warmly, expressing gratitude to the creators for rekindling fond memories and shared moments from beloved films.
One observer noted that if a hypothetical film of this kind ever existed, it would likely dominate local viewership and spark broad conversations about global cinema. Others offered praise for the effort, calling it very cool and enjoyable. A few comments recalled personal touches, like a worn-out storefront or familiar rooms, and how those small details resonated with long-ago, near-forgotten scenes.
In June, Miyazaki released a new cartoon titled How are you? as part of a late-career arc for the artist. The film made its way onto local screens, though the exact premiere date in Russia remains unclear to the public schedule. The project stands as a testament to Miyazaki’s enduring influence and the way his world invites reinterpretation and memory, even when seen through a different cultural lens.
Hands on display in the dialogue between games and cinema—Nier: Automata’s 2B even appears as a design reference, illustrating how contemporary media cross-pollinates with classic animation to spark new conversations around character, form, and narrative tone. The dialogue surrounding the piece continues to unfold through trusted outlets and fan communities alike, each voice contributing a personal memory to a broader cultural mosaic.