Pan's Labyrinth

@somecoal Pan's Labyrinth is one of my favorites, so I'm glad to see it mentioned. That movie is always in the back of my mind whenever I watch "weird" fantasy. Thanks for actually writing out and sharing a detailed comparison.

I would like to add that the most interesting thing about putting these two side-by-side is what (I think) they're saying about the fantasy world.

(Pan's Labyrinth spoilers below:)

Mahito enters the fantasy world for the sake of his family, but he never really believes this world is as meaningful and important as the real world. The fantasy world is revealed to be an artificial one and a failure, and he even states that he's not "worthy" enough to shape and rule over it.

To me, it felt like Miyazaki was stressing the importance of tackling the real world head-on, instead of escaping into one's fantasy or imagination, no matter how alluring. I found it interesting that he would say that, since a huge draw to his movies is the fantastical settings and stories. Could he possibly have felt the need to "correct" how people view his movies? Is this feeling related to his "anime was a mistake" quote, where he felt that the industry that he helped grow was not engaging with the "real world"?

Even though both filmmakers tell fantastical stories that are still deeply human, it looks like they have very different feelings about what they've been doing until now, or at least what people think they've been doing.

I wonder if age plays a role in this, so that Del Toro will come to feel differently in the future? Or maybe he is aware but just hasn't made a movie in that tone? Or maybe he already has?

If Miyazaki makes another movie after this, what would he say about this particular issue (if he has it on his mind at all)?