Studio Ghibli, spearheaded by Hayao Miyazaki, was a valuable part of many childhoods. One of my earliest memories was watching vivid illustrations of humanized pigs coming to life through traditional animation techniques, or Howl’s clunky castle making its way across the screen. This animation studio has been praised by many for being able to convey a certain nostalgic feeling to its viewers, its top-tier artistry, and subtle themes that do not interrupt the storyline. It is almost impossible to rank these movies based on merit alone, which is why favorites vary widely depending on certain memories associated with it. Therefore, this ranking of the “best” Studio Ghibli films is based solely on personal preferences, of the five films that I have watched.
- Howl’s Moving Castle
For a movie released back in 2004, the animation certainly looks ahead of its time. The story begins with Sophie, a girl who works in a hat shop, meeting the wizard Howl. She finds herself cursed by the Witch of the Waste out of envy, and relies on Howl’s knowledge to help return her youth. Aside from the variety of expressive and interesting characters, the world feels expansive and rich in history. It is no wonder that “Howl’s Moving Castle” is one of the most popular works among fans, and it was captivating to watch too. By no means is it a lackluster story, but I do not feel any particular attachment to it.
- The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Princess Kaguya, from the Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter, is one of Japan’s most popular legends known overseas of a widely sought after girl born of a cut bamboo stalk. My introduction to the story that this film is based on was back in elementary school, when “Big Bird in Japan” was shown during class. Despite the outrageously bright color of Big Bird, there was still a muted and melancholic undertone to the story of Princess Kaguya. Studio Ghibli’s rendition of it keeps a similar atmosphere to it. Unlike the rest of the films here, however, it is not as widely known in America. This can be because the art style might seem off-putting, but I think the hand-drawn ink style of the frames makes it more unique and adds a dramatic touch. Perhaps the reason why it is in the lower half of the list is because I watched it (relatively) long ago.
- The Wind Rises
From the perspective of someone who does not know a lot about aviation, this work makes me believe I do. “The Wind Rises” is a biographical film of Jiro Horikoshi, the chief engineer of many Japanese fighter designs of World War II, told through a fictional lens. Although one of the main storylines of this film is the relationship developed between Jiro and his wife, Naoko, the parallel of this with his love of aircrafts and flight gave it a more permanent presence in my mind. It is a story which explores the life of a man in a world already well-lived in, but portrayed in such a way that it feels mythical.
- Grave of Fireflies
“Grave of Fireflies” is known among Studio Ghibli films to be particularly depressing. Taking place during World War II, the story centers around older brother Seita and younger sister Setsuko as they navigate trying to live on their own after a firebombing. Immediately, the beginning gives away what happens at the end. But it is easy to forget about that as you watch the film to learn how they got there, balancing twists and turns with an emotional narrative. Much like “The Wind Rises”, it takes place in a more realistic setting but is nonetheless as captivating as any fantasy world. Were it not for the film taking first place on this list, it would be my all-time favorite for its range from depicting the tragedies of war to more lighthearted moments between the siblings.
- Spirited Away
I do not think it is any surprise that this ended up at the top of my list. “Spirited Away” is, likely, the most famous work of Studio Ghibli. A story following ten-year old Chihiro, she has to navigate by herself through a seemingly abandoned amusement park – which turns out to be a resort for spirits to relax in, and where she has to work to survive. Although based largely on Japanese culture, its narrative of childhood adolescence and adventure is one that many can connect to. I won’t deny that my liking of “Spirited Away” is heavily impacted due to the nostalgia factor, but if I were to recommend any Studio Ghibli film that appeals to a wide audience, this would be it.
Hi Alice, I also love Studio Ghibli films a lot and they’re also a huge part of my childhood!! Your blog post was really fun and also interesting to read, because I have quite different rankings haha. I agree with you that Spirited Away is #1 though; there’s just something so captivating about that film, and I think the storyline is the best written (from the Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen)! It’s my favorite, and has been for a really long time. I also really like Howls Moving Castle, and would rank it #2. Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, The Castle in the Sky, and Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind all have special places in my hearts because I watched them countless times when I was younger. Also, for Grave of the Fireflies, I tried watching it 5 times but it was too sad and I stopped watching every time… I plan on actually finishing it soon though!
Hi Alice,
I also watched a few Studio Ghibli movies myself, and I really liked them. On your list, I have only watched The Wind Rises and Spirited Away from your list, and I was planning on watching Howl’s Moving Castle some time in the near future. I agree with you that the animation of Studio Ghibli gives a unique feel to its stories and allows them to express a whole set of new emotions. I was surprised you didn’t put My Neighbor Totoro on the list. I remember this being the first Studio Ghibli movie I ever watched and I thought it was really good. I’ll take some of your recommendations from this list, however, and see if I can watch them when I have time.
Judson
Hi Alice! I really enjoyed reading this blog! I started watching Studio Ghibli films at a young age with my younger sister. Out of the films you’ve listed, I’ve only watched Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away. These two films are definitely within my top favorites! Like you said, I think that Howl’s Moving Castle’s animations are crazy. They’re done so well, and some of the scenery is really beautiful. One of my phone decoration widgets is a picture of the meadow landscape from Howl’s secret haven. I’ve heard of Grave of Fireflies, but never got around to watch it. I know it’s really sad, and because of that I’ve been scared to watch it because I don’t really like sad films as much. I’m also surprised you didn’t put Totoro on this list! That was one of the classics for me that I enjoyed very much. I also have a stuffed Totoro in my house somewhere.
Hi Alice, I really enjoyed reading your blog. I love the Studio Ghibli films and have seen almost all of them. I found it really interesting how your opinions on the best one differed and were similar to my own. My personal favorites are Howl’s Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke. I found the characters the most complex and the problems the characters face relate to real world issues. I have seen all the movies on your list except for The Tale of Princess Kaguya so I will have to give that one a try.
Hi Alice,
I really enjoy Studio Ghibli films as well! My first Studio Ghibli movie I watched was “Spirited Away.” The first time I watched it, it was in Japanese dub with Chinese subtitles so it was safe to say I didn’t completely understand the story. However, I watched it again in English and I’m definitely not surprised that you ranked it first on your list. During this past summer, I also watched “Howl’s Moving Castle” and I’m a little sad that it’s ranked 5th on your list (but of course your opinion is valid). I really loved the soundtrack of that movie and enjoyed the whimsical fantasy aspects of it (especially Calcifer). I haven’t watched any of the others on your list, but I’m planning on watching “Grave of the Fireflies,” even if I do shed a few tears. I would recommend the movie “Ponyo” if you haven’t already seen it. It’s also a Studio Ghibli film and reminds me of summertime!
Hi Alice,
I was so excited to see that you wrote about this topic! While I haven’t watched a Ghibli in a while, they were a large part of what I enjoyed watching in middle school. Actually, my first exposure to a Studio Ghibli film was Ponyo on DVD. My parents had bought the DVD without really knowing what it was about and it proceeded to confuse the heck out of both and my family but I loved it anyway. I find that a common theme within Ghibli films is that you might not understand everything the first time watching it but the animation is so stunning that you can’t find it in yourself to care. Plus, it makes it more fun to rewatch to see if you can understand more. I’ve actually only watched Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away on your list but have heard of the others. This blog has actually inspired me to watch some of these recommendations because I know they won’t disappoint and the animation style is just so beautiful to me.
– Maya Sharon
I can definitely relate to nostalgia from Studio Ghibli films! I used to watch Totoro with my family a lot when I was younger. The animation and music is really good in Totoro. I’ve never watched any others, though, and I’m looking forward to trying a couple out! In particular, Spirited Away must be a pretty great movie to make it to the top of this list, so I am definitely going to look for that one.
Hello Alice!
Studio Ghibli movies have always had a place in my heart because I also grew up watching them and I think they’re part of the reason I had such a wild imagination as a child. I honestly love your ranking, Grave of Fireflies and Spirited away are two of my favorite movies of all time (I literally consider them my comfort movies) because of how beautifully made they are: the music, the imagery, the colors, and of course the stories themselves. Although I will admit Grave of Fireflies completely tore me apart 🙁 Overall, I think this is a great post and I can’t wait to hear more of your movie rankings.