 Directed by Isao Takahata, with whom Miyazaki would continue to collaborate for the remainder of his career, the film was highly praised, and deemed a pivotal work in the evolution of animation.Under the pseudonym , Miyazaki wrote and illustrated the manga "People of the Desert", published in 26 installments between September 1969 and March 1970 in .He was influenced by illustrated stories such as Fukushima's .