So you are looking to become a Studio Ghibli fan. Great choice, because the animation company is beloved throughout the world. It has been celebrated for its beautifully animated films and captivating stories. Nostalgic, heartwarming, magical, and youthful are all excellent adjectives to describe the feel of Studio Ghibli movies. I myself am a fan of Studio Ghibli films because of the unique world the films create and the magical and compelling stories.
I have compiled a list of five Studio Ghibli films that every beginning fan needs to watch. If you are looking to dive into the world of Studio Ghibli, try watching a few of these movies to get a taste of what this amazing animation studio brings to the animation industry. Or, if you are already a hardcore fan and are trying to get your friends into it, these are great introductory films to get your friends to love Studio Ghibli as much as you do.
1. "Spirited Away" ("Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi") - 2001
This is probably the best known film from Studio Ghibli. Released in 2001, "Spirited Away" immediately captured audiences around the world. It was awarded the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003, the Japan Academy Prize for Best Picture of the Year in 2002, the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Asian Film in 2002, and more than 10 others awards within 2002 and 2003. The story follows a 10-year old girl’s journey to save her parents when they all become trapped in a world run by witches, spirits, and gods. The girl, Chihiro, must work at a bathhouse for spirits and gods as she tries to find a way to save her parents from being eaten. If you love magic, Japanese-style environments, and stories about finding one’s inner strength, this is a great film to start with.
"Spirited Away" was the first film from Studio Ghibli that I ever saw. After watching it, I knew there was no turning back. The film is beautifully executed. The animation is gorgeous and detailed and the musical scores are so good they will give you chills. The story seamlessly weaves together topics of friendship, growing up, family, and love while keeping the viewer entertained and invested in Chihiro’s story throughout the while film.
Rating: PG
Length: 125 minutes
IMDb: 8.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
2. "Howl’s Moving Castle" ("Hauru no Ugoku Shiro") - 2004
Another well-known Studio Ghibli movie is "Howl’s Moving Castle", which is based off of the fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones with the same title. This film is about Sophie, a hat maker that lacks self-confidence. She is changed into an old woman when a witch curses her, and she must enlist the help of the infamous young wizard Howl to help break the curse while the world around them is in the middle of a war over a missing prince.
This is a great film, again with beautiful animation and entertaining plots. It has a strong anti-war message, but it also shows the importance of compassion and that life is more worth living than we think. This film is a fan favorite, and is well received by most that watch it. If you enjoy stories containing magical wizards, early 20th century environments, and love, then this would be a great watch for you.
Rating: PG
Length: 119 minutes
IMDb: 8.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
3. "The Cat Returns" ("Neko no ongaeshi") - 2002
This is the movie I always show people who have never watched a Studio Ghibli movie before. Studio Ghibli films can be long, slow paced, and serious sometimes, and that isn’t always the ideal introduction. So this movie is a great option if you want the opposite of that! "The Cat Returns" is a spin-off film of an earlier Studio Ghibli film, "Whisper of the Heart". While that is a great movie and you should definitely watch it, it isn’t necessary to watch in order to understand "The Cat Returns". In fact, the only similarity the two have is the cat figurine, The Baron, who fans of "Whisper of the Heart" loved so much that they demanded a film based on him be made. And so we got "The Cat Returns"!
The story follows high school student Haru, who saves a cat from being run over one day and it turns out that this cat was none other than the prince of the cat world. As thanks, she is given presents by the kingdom of cats until they offer for her to marry the cat prince as thanks. She goes to find the Cat Bureau and enlists Baron to help her from being brought to the cat kingdom permanently. It is a fun story and keep viewers laughing at the hilariously absurd cats and situations that Haru is surrounded by.
Rating: G
Length: 75 minutes
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
4. "Ponyo" ("Gake no ue no Ponyo") - 2008
"Ponyo" is an adorable movie that shows the beauty of childhood love and friendship. It is a modern day rendition of the classic story “The Little Mermaid”. Ponyo, a goldfish that is the daughter of a human turned sea wizard and a sea goddess, swims away from home and is found by 5-year old Sosuke. Ponyo ends up liking Sosuke, and in order to be with him she uses her father’s magic to turn into a 5-year old girl. This magic ends up upsetting the balance of the world, and things start to go haywire.
This movie has funny moments and heartwarming moments, and the childlike wonder of "Ponyo" leaves me nostalgic of my own childhood. If you enjoy children’s movies, adorable adolescent characters, and stories about friendship, then this is a good movie for you to watch.
Rating: G
Length: 101 minutes
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
5. "Princess Mononoke" ("Mononoke-hime") - 1997
"Princess Mononoke" is one of the more serious movies Studio Ghibli has animated. It is a story of a young, cursed warrior named Ashitaka who is trying to find a way to break his curse. On his journey to find help, he comes across a mining town, who is at war with the gods of the forest. Princess Mononoke, who was raised by the wolf-gods of the forest, and the mining town both see each other as threats, while Ashitaka sees the good of both sides and tries to stop the fighting. The story is a depiction of the devastation humans can cause ecologically, and is essentially trying to show how nature and humans can coexist with enough effort and understanding from both sides.
I included "Princess Mononoke" because it gives viewers an introduction to the more serious side of Studio Ghibli. This film includes a heavy topic of ecological preservation, and other Studio Ghibli films take on similar heavy topics. While the preceding 4 films on this list are not as heavy handed in trying to get a statement across to their audiences, Studio Ghibli has some fantastic movies that illuminate relevant world issues and take a more serious approach. This is a great movie if you enjoy stories that discuss serious topics, war, love, and the environment.
Rating: PG-13
Length: 134 minutes
IMDb: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
(All ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes are from 1/5/2017)
