In Week 11, I spent more time refining my research topic and narrowing down the focus of my project. After thinking about my earlier ideas, I decided to concentrate on two films by Hayao Miyazaki: Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
At the beginning, my topic was still quite broad and included different forms of animation and cultural contexts. As I continued researching, it became clear that this approach would be difficult to manage within the word limit. Focusing on two specific films allows me to look more closely at details rather than making general statements.
I chose these two films because they both centre on young protagonists and experiences of growing up, but present them in different ways. While Spirited Away places the character in a highly unfamiliar and symbolic environment, Kiki’s Delivery Service focuses more on everyday life and emotional change. Comparing these two films gives me a clearer framework to explore recurring themes without expanding the scope too much.
Another reason for this decision is that both films have been widely discussed, which makes it easier to find relevant academic sources. At the same time, there is still room to develop my own interpretation by focusing on specific elements such as narrative structure and visual atmosphere.
This week helped me realise that narrowing a topic is not about limiting ideas, but about making the research more focused and workable. Having a clearer direction also makes the next stage of research feel more manageable.
