The Magic Behind Studio Ghibli's Animations
If you've watched a Studio Ghibli film, you understand its allure; there's something so inherently magical about the animations and the stories behind each unique character that stays with you long after you've watched it. But if you've yet to watch one and are curious about why they're so highly raved and beloved, here are 10 reasons that might convince you—and 10 top classics you must check out.
1. Gorgeous Animation
Studio Ghibli films are created through painstaking hand-drawn animations—every single frame, in fact—which gives them their unique, distinctive charm. Just watching the movies makes you appreciate the time, dedication, and effort that was put into the work before your eyes.
2. Compelling Stories
The storytelling in Studio Ghibli films often focuses on different perspectives and lives of various creatures and characters, and draws focus on the mundanity of everyday life, giving the story depth, intrigue, and fluidity. You might not realize what's going on until everything subtly clicks into place, and you're left in awe at the end.
3. Immersive Worlds
The world-building in Studio Ghibli films is unlike any other. They're so detailed and immersive, with realistic and memorable characters to boot, which is why it's so easy to be drawn in by its allure. Every setting feels lived-in and alive, like you could step right into them.
4. Relatable Protagonists & Characters
Not only are the protagonists and characters in Studio Ghibli films memorable, they're also realistic and relatable. They might have simple motivations, goals, and ambitions, and their authenticity is what makes them so likable.
5. Timeless & Complex Themes
Common themes you'll often see come up in Studio Ghibli films are childhood, love, family, war, and friendship. These themes are often told through the view of unexpected characters and protagonists, allowing you to get a realistic sense of how the story and world unfolds in their eyes.
6. Slice of Life
Something that makes Studio Ghibli films so captivating isn't, surprisingly, the dramatic or thrilling moments. Instead, it's in the quiet portrayal of everyday life, and how simple scenes can hold so much emotional depth and meaning without a single word being said.
7. Life Lessons
Many Studio Ghibli films also teach valuable life lessons that viewers can carry forward with them. And because some stories are open to interpretation, it gives the audience a chance to reflect deeply on the message and what certain scenes mean beyond the surface visuals.
8. Beautiful Soundtrack
Studio Ghibli films not only boast gorgeous animations and visuals, they also feature beautiful soundtracks that pair incredibly well with the animations. They're bound to evoke a sense of nostalgia every time you replay certain songs.
9. High Rewatch Value
Because Studio Ghibli films include so much detail and layered storylines, rewatching them gives you a chance to catch things you didn't the first time around. Plus, the stories are so timeless that you won't get tired of marathoning them back-to-back.
10. Hint of Nostalgia
Many Studio Ghibli classics were created some 40 years ago, and most of them you may have watched as a kid. Rewatching them now hits you with a sense of nostalgia because you have that memory, and because the animations have a sort of vintage quality to them.
Have we made you want to watch (or rewatch) some Studio Ghibli films? Here are what we think are must-sees:
1. Spirited Away
Spirited Away is widely considered Studio Ghibli's enduring masterpiece. Centered on a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro who gets trapped in a spirit world after her parents turn into pigs, she must work at a bathhouse and learn responsibility in order to set her family free.
2. Princess Mononoke
Environmentalism is the main theme in Princess Mononoke, and it has earned much critical acclaim for its message. The film follows Prince Ashitaka, a young warrior who is stricken by a curse and must find a cure by journeying to the west. There, he becomes embroiled in a war where a girl, raised by a wolf-god, is fighting to protect the land from being ravaged by humans.
3. Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle tells the story of a young woman named Sophie who falls in love with a magician. Cursed by a witch and turned into an old lady, Sophie seeks refuge in Howl's castle, while helping him confront his own fears and insecurities amid an ongoing war.
4. My Neighbor Totoro
You likely recognize My Neighbor Totoro even if you've never watched the movie before, and that's likely because Totoro is Studio Ghibli's mascot. Touching upon themes of family, childhood, loss, and nature, this film revolves around two sisters who move closer to their ill mother in the countryside, and meet a cuddly forest spirit who brings them on magical adventures.
5. Kiki's Delivery Service
Thirteen-year-old Kiki is a young witch who sets up a delivery service in a coastal town. Along with her cat, Jiji, she soars high above the skies—only to struggle with self-doubt and insecurities, which causes her to lose her powers. To regain them, she must restore confidence within herself.
6. Grave of the Fireflies
Studio Ghibli's most heartbreaking film is the Grave of the Fireflies, which follows the life of two siblings in the aftermath of a bombing during World War II, separating them from their mother and leaving them orphaned. They learn to rely on each other as they fight for survival while the world continues to collapse around them.
7. Ponyo
Inspired by The Little Mermaid, Ponyo tells the tale of a goldfish-princess who aches to become human and befriends a five-year-old boy. As her wish comes true, her magical world threatens to endanger the human village, showing that disruptions in nature can have frightening consequences.
8. Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso centers on an Italian World War I veteran pilot who is cursed with an appearance that makes him resemble an anthropomorphic pig. He rules the sky and battles with pirates in this film that touches on themes of war, loss, and survivor's guilt.
9. Pom Poko
Another Studio Ghibli film that focuses on environmentalism, Pom Poko follows a group of raccoons who fight to protect their home from being overrun by urban development and deforestation. They employ their magical powers to scare humans away and sabotage the project.
10. The Boy and the Heron
Despite announcing his retirement on and off, Hayao Miyazaki came back to the big screen with The Boy and the Heron in 2023, which, according to producer Toshio Suzuki, is the most expensive film produced in Japan to date. The film follows a grieving boy who enters a magical world through a heron, and draws heavily from Miyazaki's own childhood.
