My top 6 Studio Ghibli movies

[smahala1991]

Me and @DizzyDesii both put out a list of animated movies that we like. However, my last list was non Ghibl and Non Disney films. Now, I am posting my top 6 Ghibl films.

6. Castle In the Sky

In this film 2 Teenagers try to discover the lost city of Laputa (similar to a certain dirty word in Spanish) whilst battling air pirates and a corrupt bunch of government officials. An adventure movie that later influenced "Treasure Planet" for Disney.

5.Ponyo

Loosely based on "The Little Mermaid" this movie follows Souske and a goldfish turned human named Ponyo after a big Tsunami takes over their town. This is a really magical movie and even features Betty White the last original Golden Girl as well as Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Lily Tomlin, and Liam Neeson.

4. Porco Rosso

This is a underrated film. A WWI fighter pilot is turned into a pig. He is a womanizer, fights pirates, and his rival is an American pilot. Along the way he learns to respect women and manages to escape the government of Fascist Italy. This movie has some funny moments and good dogfight scenes.

3. My Neighbor Totoro

Totoro is to Ghibli as Mickey Mouse is to Disney. This is one movie I can put on and relax. There is also a Catbus! Plus The Fanning sisters play off each other naturally here. It's not plot heavy but is still a great film

2.Howl's Moving Castle

A masterpiece, visually stunning, and a great film to watch over and over. This movie is based off a Novel by Diana Wynne Jones. Features a voice cast of Christian Bale, Josh Hutcherson (pre Peeta in Hunger Games), and Billy Crystal. This film was also in a way a criticism of President Bush and the Iraq War by Hayao Miyazaki.

1 (Tie) Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away

Kiki is a heartwarming classic. A true coming of age and adulting story of a young witch and her cat moving out from rural life to a big city to make it on their own. However, Kiki discovers she has to find her own creativity and hold on tight to her dreams in order to prevent burnout. This film is as relevant todays world as it was when it was released in 1989.

Spirited Away is one of the best Animated movies of all time, bar none. The asthetics are just superb. There's a 2 minute scene of Chihiro and No face being on the train to the spirit world where there is no dialogue, just relaxing music. The colors in this movie also pop out. Even non anime fans such as myself love this movie, and it's not hard to see why. And as of this date is still the only Anime film to ever win an Academy Award for Best Animated Picture.

I have also seen From Upon Poppy Hill, Princess Mononoke, and Arriety. I will have to rewatch Mononoke, and Arrietty was my least favorite so far. I still have a few more to watch, but as of now these are my favorite Ghibl films.

#StudioGhibli

#animation

[Twinrova]

Good list and summaries/analysis. I also agree that Porco Rosso was underrated. It is certainly an upper-tier Ghibli film. Porco actually happens to be my favourite Ghibli character because of his bad-ass one-liners. One of the more famous examples the one-liners is when he says to his friend "I'd rather be a pig than a fascist".

[smahala1991]

By the same voice as Batman no less

[Twinrova]

The Wind Rises and When Marnie was there are also upper tier. Watch em both when you find the time. Just a heads up: the latter film is a slow-starter, but do not be deterred because the second half is magnificent. It has a very emotionally impactful ending; it is the only film to make me cry in my adult life.

[smahala1991]

I've heard mixed things about When Marnie was There. I've heard it's good but really slow like you said

[Twinrova]

I have also heard mixed things, but I really truly loved it. Go in knowing as little as possible about the film. My girlfriend and I both cried while watching it.

[smahala1991]

Mononoke was ok but lacked a lot of the whimsical humor and stuff Ghibl is known for.

[Jjpayne]

Have you seen all of the studio ghibili movies yet?

I have a feeling your list might get bigger 😊

But these are all great pics for sure!

There is another movie about a cat that I'm pretty sure you will like too

[DizzyDesii]

Also watch Whisper of the Heart which was kinda cool. Up on Poppy Hill had me questioning incestual intent for a second there lmao.

[smahala1991]

I intend to see that next. Poppy Hill had a good voice cast though

[Lokibebe21]

I think whisper of the heart is overrated. Poppy hill is interesting to watch, has sone funny scenes.

[Lokibebe21]

How about Grave of the Fireflies? Saddest movie I have ever watched. I cried a bucket of tears. GotF ranks first on my list.

[smahala1991]

Haven't seen it but heard all about it

[Lokibebe21]

Prepare tissues if u ever plan to watch it.

[lil_will_12]

yeah, i completely agree about porco rosso, its just a random ghibli film that i feel not a ton have watched or appreciated. ok, well here´s my list of top 6, I've never ranked ghiblis films before, and i also think that they are all great (basically, if these were on a tier list, they´d all be on S tier)


6: only yesterday - i really like this one, and im not quite sure why, i think there's a lot of stuff in it i dont yet understand, but its just a really good movie, i loved the transitions between her childhood and her grown up.

5: my neighbors the yamadas - i loved this one because of A: the artwork! its so good! and B: its awesome message about family and sticking together. also pretty funny, which isn't always in ghibli films

4: grave of the fireflies - these last ones are super close on my list, if i could, id group them all into one spot :( this one is sad, it gives you the facts, even if they are horrible and terrible. it shows ww2 in a completely different perspective. also they use this crazy film technique where the beginning is the end :() whaaat. (amazing movie)

3: the wind rises - beautiful, amazing movie. and what and amazing message, ¨all planes are destined to become machines of war¨ or something like that. I don't know why, but i love this one.

2: secret world of arrietty - amazing artwork and scenery! this one made me cry. a really amazing take on the borrowers.

and 1: princess mononoke - by far the best ghibli film ever made (in my opinion) its got it all, wolf girl, curses, gods and demons, old japan, people getting their arms chpped off, people getting their heads chopped off. jokes aside though, its a beautiful film about hate and rage (and gods and demons)

i hope you liked my list, and i know i didn't put spirited away up there, and here's why: i loved spirited away, its the very first ghibli film i watched, however, as i watched more and more, i actually liked the more realistic ones, with ww2 and japan, like grave of the fireflies or the wind rises. but spirited away is still an amazing movie

[spuitkaas]

I really like the tale of the princess Kaguya. I hear nobody talking about it, but I loved the art style and I like fairytales. It reminded me of my youth where my parents would read me fairytales.

[JessieBellll]

Oh wow, sorry but I absolutely hated Howl's Moving Castle.

There were so many plotholes and I hated Sophie, she made such dumb decisions and I couldn't relate to her.

My worst Ghibli movie.

I found Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away the best.

[kibbenkat]

I'm a big Howl's Moving Castle fanatic