Ranking Studio Ghibli Films from Worst to Best
Studio Ghibli is not only the greatest animation studio ever, but it is the best STUDIO!!! PERIOD!!!! There films have changed the way I look at animation, film, and life in general and have inspired me so much!! Hayao Miyazaki, who has made the best films at the studio, is my faviorite director and he inspires me so much. Almost every film they make is amazing!! From the stories, the animation, the simplicity, the magic of everyday life, the food, to how characters eat food, and the beauty, Studio Ghibli is perfect in every way. GOSH, I JUST ADORE THERE MOVIES SO MUCH!!! Not even Disney and Pixar could ever come close to being as good as Studio Ghibli. I will add more to this list as I watch another one. Without further ado, lets begin.
20. Earwig and the Witch
A lot off people don't like this one due to its animation and weak story. I actually really like the animation. They where going for a look that was less detailed and they wanted it to feel like stop motion and puppetry. So instead of every individual hair being animated, it would be one big clump. The detail in the backgrounds and the food (off course) look gorgeous and the facial expressions are cartoony and fun. I like a lot of the characters. The tititualar Aya is a brat but a likable brat. Bella Yaga is not that great but that's forgivable. The Mandrake is super cool! I don't know why but Bella Yaga she just wasn't that interesting. The voice actor that did her just sounded bored the entire movie. The story is a bit clumsy like I feel like it repeated itself for like a good thirty minutes like I feel like they repeated lines (especially Bella Yaga). Aya doesn't really change after the movie and the moral is terrible. You can manipulate people and get whatever you want because of it is not a good moral. It also ends on a cliffhanger that was interesting and makes me want more but you know there not going to make a sequel. I think they should make a sequel! Despite all the problems it has, it still came out the other end as an ok film. It definitely felt like an experiment and I respect it for that. So overall, very eh film.
19. The Secret World of Arrietty
This is such a sweet, tender film that will warm your heart. The animation is gorgeous, the characters are wonderful. I mean, Arietty is great. She is your classic Ghibli girl and who doesn't love a good Ghibli girl! The creativity off like how the little people (called the burrowers) use different small items that are used like a clip to close bags or hang clothes is used as a hair tie, a needle is used like a sword. Lots of fun. I also love like the little dew drops on the leaves I thought those where very pretty. Very cute, sweet film. Oh, and I also got choked up at the end. Its a pretty emotional film.
18: Tales From Earthsea
Before Earwig came out this was considered by many to be the worst Ghibli film and to be honest, there wrong. Its not AMAZING by any means but like its good. In some ways I like it better then From Up on Poppy Hill which is considered Goro's best work in his filmography. The animation of course is gorgeous with beautiful skies and landscapes. There's this one really cool shot where Aaron (the main character) is riding on like a horse thing being chased by wolves, and the hill moves along with them. Thought that was cool even though that sort off thing was done better in other Ghibli films. I really like the characters in this one. Aaron is a very interesting character to follow and his pain and turmoil he feels is very interesting to see unfold. Sparrow Hawk who is Aaron's mentor is by far the best character and maybe even the best part of the movie. He has such a kind hearted personality and Christopher Lee's (Count Dooku) voice performance adds to it. I ship him and that one lady whose name escapes me lol. There's also this girl character who is very interesting. We have a rare villian in this film in the form of Lord Cobb who is a very sly, scary villian played brilliantly by Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin) who for this performance, instead of going all insane like he usually does, he gives him a quiet menacing voice that just sends shivers up your spine. The philosophy in this film is very interesting, about how the villian wants to have eternal life, but the heroes are like with "death is an important part of life" is a great message. Its a pretty good movie!
17: From Up On Poppy Hill
From up on Poppy Hill is such a wholesome film. Its this very sweet story about young love. I love the setting in this one its very cool. Having it take place in 60's Japan before the Olympics was VERY cool. How it shows the affects World War 2 had on Japan even after the war is very interesting to see. The clubhouse they hang out in is super cool with all the different rooms for the club houses and the elevators. There is one big elephant in the room though that was weird. The two main characters obviously have a crush on each other but then they find outside something about there parents and think there brother and sister. Yeah...so um I don't know how to feel about that. A lot of the side characters are a blast and the two leads are very likable. What helps is that the main boy is voiced by Anton Yelchin who played Jim in Troll hunters. Overall, very nice film.
16: My Neighbors the Yamadas
15: The Cat Returns
The Cat Returns is funny! Like really funny! It is Studio Ghibli's funniest film. Characters like the Cat King and Muta are stand outs supplying plenty of comedy! Its fun to see Studio Ghibli do a comedy. I love all the things that tie into Whisper of the Heart. This is the story the main character writes in that movie. There are characters in that movie that are in here like the Baron and Muta, the main character, Haru, is very similar to the main character in Whisper of the Heart, Shizuku. Her character growth is very similar as well! I think that is so clever! I don't mind that this film is on the shorter side. Usually Ghibli films are 2 hours, this is a 1 hour and 15 minute long film, but they pack it with tons of fun. This is also one of the only Ghibli films to actually have a villian. The others being Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky. This is probably the best villian they've created. What I like about most of Ghibli's villains however is that they are trying to do what's right but there doing it in a way that gets in the way of the heroes and they do some questionable things. Overall, a very fun Ghibli film.
14: The Tale of Princess Kaguya
One off the most visually stunning films period, The Tale of Princess Kaguya is an artistic masterpiece to behold both in its story and its visuals!! The visuals are made to look like Japanese water color paintings. It looks like a rough pencil test come to life! It's literally every 2d animators dream! It shows the beauty of the pencil line. Another thing that's great about this style is that the lines will convey the emotions of the characters. For example, there is one scene where Kaguya is running in the woods and she is super mad and upset, so the lines get all rough and scratchy to convey that emotion. The story is based off of an old Japanese fairy tale about a bamboo cutter who finds a princess living in one of the bamboo stalks and him and his wife decides to raise her as there own. The film feels like your reading a bed time story with the narration and the illustrative look. Its very relaxing. The characters, especially Kaguya and her childhood friend who I forget his name, are amazing. I watched the English dub and actress, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Kaguya perfectly. She has this cute little rasp in her voice that makes her sound like a kid. Also, this movie is very sad. I almost cried. Go watch it, its amazing. Be warned though, and I was not expecting this, but in the beginning, the mom breastfeeds Kaguya and you...um...get a close up off her...boob. Twice. Yeah, I don't know why that's in the movie. I get that that's a natural thing, and at least there not doing it in an overly sexualized way, but showing her boob in a close up, no thank you. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. Luckily its quick and doesn't ruin the movie by any means. Such a gorgues film.
13: Only Yesterday
Only Yesterday is a beautiful slice off life film that is such a comforting, relaxing film like so many of Ghibli's works. This is also the first Isao Takahata film I've seen. Outside of Miyazaki, Takahata was the other big director at the studio and I can already tell that his movies are a lot different then Miyazaki's. Where as Miyazaki's films are more fantastical, Takahata's films to be more grounded in reality. I'm just going off of one of his movies without seeing his others but I can already get a feel for the kind of director he is. I like how this movie doesn't have a fantastical story set in a magical world but what happens is magical. Kinda like Whisper of the Heart. I also love the animation in this. The movie has two distinct styles, one is a more realistic style where the characters have realistic cheeks that I really like, and then when the main character, Taeko, is reminiscing about her childhood, it takes on this less realistic look. Not everything is colored in and it has this haze around the frame that shows us that this is a memory. I love that!!! The characters are also EXTREMLY lovable and I am interested to see what happens to them. The story is beautiful told in how the memories have something to do with what's going on in the main characters present. That is some great filmmaking. I thought the exchanges between characters was great to!!! Just overall, this is another Ghibli MASTERPIECE that I adored.
12. Ponyo
Ponyo was my first Ghibli film without realizing it was a Ghibli film. Dang its a great movie!!! The animation is hands down some of the best animation the studio has ever done. This movie will have you smiling the entire time!! Its magical, lyrical, and is an homage to childhood. This was the second movie I saw in the movie theater and the one scene that stayed with me so vividly, was the scene with the ramen. When I watched again for the first time in years, it was like a great dream you had a long time ago that all off a sudden, you remembered. Even though there are better Ghibli films, this one will always hold a special place in my heart and is one off my favorites.
11: When Marnie Was There
This film touched me and I was blubbering at the end. Studio Ghibli has never made a film this poignant or this emotional. The story was just masterfully crafted and well put together. It gradually reveals itself as it goes along and it is just beautiful. This is a beautiful story of friendship and the love friends have for each other and how they help us grow. A friendship I feel like I don't see often and wish I did. A story doesn't work without great characters and oh my gosh you guys, these are such lovable characters that I just absolutely adore. Anna is a character I feel for so much and goes through INCREDIBLE character development. She is this sad, lonely, depressed girl who finds happiness in her new friend Marnie, who makes her feel happy and she is just a completely different person by the end! Marnie is this mysterious, carefree spirit filled with life. The bond the two girls share is beautiful. The other characters like the aunt and uncle are hilarious! The animation is some of the most fluid and crisp Studio Ghibli has ever done, with the movement looking it like it was animated on ones at some parts. Overall, this is one of Ghibli's greatest achievements and also there saddest, I was just bawling my eyes out. Its a MASTERPIECE. I know I sound like a broken record but it is.
10: Nausicaa and the Valley Wind
9: Porco Rosso
Now where really getting to the good stuff! This is what happens when Hayao Miyazaki does Indiana Jones. You got the gruff hero, the brawls, the damsels, the bars, SOLID GOLD. I love action adventure movies so this is my cup off tea. The characters are awesome in this movie!! Porco Rosso is so likeable and the fact that Michael Keaton (Batman 1989) plays Porco Russo in the English dub. Mwah! Chef's kiss. Oh and it takes place in Italy! Oh, and its also very funny. The comedy in this one is very sharp. I also like the concept a lot. A bounty hunter during World War 2 that just so happened to be cursed to be a pig. Very unique. This film feels like a 30's film like Casablanca. The animation is something else to, balancing realism and cartoony movement flawlessly. The themes and subject matter in this film are also very good talking about things like what it means to be human, and deep stuff like fascism. Overall, it is such an AMAZING film!!
8: The Wind Rises
This film absolutely took my breath away. It has some of the most stunning animation. There are so many small details in the film I love. Like how every blade of grass moves, how the bread looks when its being teared, how Judo (the main character) looks at the bone of a maceral, how the earthquake looks like waves, and how the smoke off the plane moves. Its just beautiful infinitesimal things like that that are just so special in Miyazaki's films. This is the only film Miyazaki has made that is not set in a fantasy world. In fact, its a true story! But he is able to take this story and put his own little Miyazaki flair to it by using the dream sequences. That's where the traditional Miyazaki fantastical element comes in. The movie, like most Ghibli films, feels like a dream. They are able to make the mundane beautiful. So even outside of the dream sequences, it still feels magical. That's the power of Miyazaki's films. I love the characters, especially the boss who is literally Miyazaki as a cartoon. The grumpy guy who has a heart of gold. Caproni is a ton off fun as well. Mostly because he is Italian. This film is also very emotional. I got very choked up at the end! There was one scene in the film that really stood out to me. There are always scenes like that in Ghibli films. The two leads stop to look at a rainbow after they get out off a small little drizzle of rain. Judo says "Wow, I forgot what a rainbow looked like." And then Nahoko says, "Isn't life Beautiful?" That makes me love the simple things in life even more.
7: Howl's Moving Castle
My sister's faviorite Ghibli, Howl's Moving Castle is SOOO good!!! It will have you on the floor, dumbfounded by the beauty of the film, the scope of the story and the animation! Just look at that castle! Its amazing! Its a beautiful, masterful work of art. Its a very intricate story that you really need to pay attention to to get. But once you do, you get it and you admire its genius. This film is very fantastical with a lot of really magical, colorful, and just all around stunning scenes. Oh and the breakfast they make in the film looks very tasty! Howl himself is a very complex character with a lot off layers like an onion. Overall, Howls Movie Castle is an expertly crafted masterwork.
6: My Neighbor Totoro
How can anyone not like this movie. Like, how! Its like the movie that will never fail to make you grin from ear to ear. Probably Studio Ghibli's most iconic film, My Neighbor Totoro has creativity and joy seeping out off every frame of gorgeous animation. There's a cat bus in here. A CAT BUS! The two girls, Satsuki and Mei are ADORABLE and they are so sweet. This is another Ghibli film like Kiki, doesn't really have much off a plot but it keeps you so invested. There are a lot of beautiful moments in this movie, like them waiting for the bus (picture), to eating vegetables, when Satsuki bites the little nub on the top of the cucumber and spits it out. Just pure art. This movie will have you longing for the good ol' days.
5: Kiki's Delivery Service
A lesson on growing up, Kiki's Delivery Service is an extremely relatable film with an extremely relatable, sweet, and fun protagonist who is just a big sweetheart. I mean, it's gotta talking cat! What's not to love! What I love about this film is that its very slice off life. It doesn't really have a plot. Its just about a witch trying to live in the big city away from home and growing up through her adventures. This film like most Ghibli anything will leave with a big smile on you face. Oh, and Kiki is really cute! This is an outstanding Ghibli film everyone should see!
4: Princess Mononoke
One off Ghibli's most masterful of all there creations, Princess Mononoke is what happens when Studio Ghibli mixes Lord of the Rings with a Disney princess. You get one off the greatest films ever made. It is a masterpiece. A masterpiece. This is everything I wish animation could be today. A lot of animation is for kids! This is for teens and adults! There is swearing and blood and gore. There's heads being chopped off, arms and legs being ripped off, tons and tons off blood. You wouldn't think that animation could be that way because in America, we think animation is a market for kids. In Japan, they take it a lot more seriously and see the possibilities and no where is it more prevalent then in this film. The music in this film is also one of there best as well! It is so beautiful! The music has you floored with its beauty. This movie is EPIC. This was an animated film made for teens that teens will love!!
3: Castle in the Sky
Wow. Just wow. I feel that Castle in the Sky doesn't get talked about as much as the other Ghibli films because that is a SHAME. Just like Porco Rosso, it is also another example of what happens when Indiana Jones meets Miyazaki, but its better then Indiana Jones!! That's saying something because Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my faviorite films! SOLID GOLD. Just absolute solid GOLD. The characters are so likeable and fun that you root for them till the end. Dola and her band off pirates make for some excellent comedy. I LOVE Pazu and Sheeta and I LOVE there relationship and how it kind of pushes towards romance but doesn't get there. It kind of makes you think they have a romantic relationship when there older. This another rare instance where there is a villian in a Ghibli film and unlike some the other ones, he has no redeeming qualities, isn't really doing what he's doing for others more towards himself, and (spoiler) doesn't turn good at the end. He is just straight up evil and intimidating and a fantastic and scary villian. I love the robots! There is a specific moment with one of the robots (picture up there) that got me choked up. It was so beautiful. That's the power of these films. There are so many lovely moments in this film. It is hands down one off my favorite films off all time.
2: Whisper of the Heart
Whisper of the Heart, like Castle in the Sky, doesn't get the attention it deserves. Which is awful cause its one of my favorites!! It's not even directed by Hayao Miyazaki and I love it!!! Its one of the absolute best!! I love how simple it is and how down to earth it is. It's very relatable and how it talks about chasing your passion and just going for it. The main character, Shizuku, is very relatable and how she is kind of upset that this boy, Seiji, knows what he wants to do with his life and she is not so sure. It pushes her to pursue what she is really good at, writing and she puts her all in to it. It shows the creative process beautifully and shows that its ok to fail. A lot of Ghibli films are very magical, this one is magical without all the magic by showing the simple things. Its pure, simple beauty. It is the most charming and delightful film and is one off my all time favorite films. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!
1: Spirited Away
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