Fans of the animated films of revered director Mr. Hayao Miyazaki were stunned last week to read of his retirement. At the age of 72, with popular and acclaimed films dating back to 1979, nobody will dispute that Mr. Miyazaki has earned a good rest. Most fans, though, will feel sad and disappointed that after his most recently directed film, "The Wind Rises," released this year, another will not be forthcoming.

Mr. Miyazaki's career is one that made Japan's animated films a worldwide phenomenon. Not only did his films do well at the box office but also they received critical accolades. They were the kind of films that kids watched over and over, all over the world. More than a few students coming to study abroad in Japan first learned about Japan through his films, not to mention the constant crowds at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, a highlight for many foreigners' visits to Japan.

Mr. Miyazaki started working in animation in 1963 and later cofounded Studio Ghibli to produce his films. Among the 11 films he directed were "My Neighbor Totoro" (1988), "Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989), "Princess Mononoke" (1997), "Spirited Away" (2001), and "Howl's Moving Castle" (2004), among others. Each of the films was a work of great artistry, on which Mr. Miyazaki worked meticulously, often redrawing many of frames himself.