persistence

His protagonists consistently face overwhelming obstacles yet persevere through quiet determination, as exemplified in Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.

He obsessively explores characters driven by singular visions who endure physical and psychological torment to achieve their goals, most powerfully in The Wrestler and Black Swan.

His films celebrate human resilience and the triumph of perseverance against fate and adversity, notably in Seven Samurai and Ikiru.