family protection

His films consistently center on protective parental bonds and characters defending their loved ones against external threats, most notably in Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.

His filmography deeply explores family dynamics, sacrificial love, and the lengths parents go to protect and provide for their children, particularly in Shoplifters and Like Father, Like Son.

Many of his directorial works examine fathers protecting their families from danger and moral corruption, as seen in Gran Torino and The Gauntlet.