The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is not an anime. It is a documentary, but not necessarily about anime per se. It is more of a behind the scenes look at Studio Ghibli, and of course centered on Hayao Miyazaki.

The film shows Miyazaki and his staff at work on his final film, The Wind Rises. But we do not get the technical end of film animation. Instead we get the feel for the spirit behind the works of Studio Ghibli, and the atmosphere generated by Miyazaki.

As for Miyazaki himself, we see a man of energy who is still aging. His view of the world seems to have grown pessimistic, perhaps devouring the creative juices. The question as to if there is any point to making more films is answered when Miyazaki would announce his retirement at the time The Wind Rises was released.

I recommend The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness for any serious anime aficionado. The pacing does get dry at times. Actually the pacing of the documentary does seem to be at odds with the pacing of most Studio Ghibli films. But it does fit the portrayal of Miyazaki in the waning years of his career.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is currently available on Netflix streaming.