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Today brings us some rather major breaking news, as it's being reported that Studio Ghibli's world-renowned director Hayao Miyazaki is to step down from directing any further feature films at the age of 72, making his current work Kaze Tachinu his last film in such a role.

There's little requirement to expound upon Mr. Miyazaki's legacy – a simple look through Studio Ghibli's back catalogue, or his work prior to that on the likes of Future Boy Conan and Lupin III movie The Castle of Cagliostro, gives you an idea of the huge worldwide influence and popularity of his work.

The news, revealed in a press conference at the Venice International Film Festival, seems to suggest that Hayao Miyazaki will continue in some role at Studio Ghibli, in a supervisory capacity or possibly even directing short films and the like, but this marks an interesting line in the sand for the studio of which he is such a huge part, and no doubt all eyes will be firmly trained upon Ghibli to see how it proceeds over the coming years. This also isn't the first time that Miyazaki has announced his retirement, so it also remains to be seen as to whether it will be a permanent move on this occasion.