Studio Ghibli films are well known to have a nostalgic, calming and healing atmosphere.

It's honestly hard to explain to a non-anime fan or like most of us who are exposed to otaku culture (except that they've never seen these movies in full, and it's not those GIFs, still images, or fan-made videos all over social media).

What's the movie that comes to your mind when someone mentions this anime film studio that's been here since the 80s?

Before we talk about the movies, here's a little background check on the production house we know and love:

1. Based in Koganei, Tokyo, this anime studio has a strong presence in the industry and has expanded its portfolio over the years to include various remarkable media, like short films, TV commercials and TV movies.

2. Totoro, from the titular movie My Neighbor Totoro, is their iconic mascot, characterized as a giant spirit derived from raccoon dogs and cats.

3. It was founded on June 15, 1985 by the directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki.

Studio Ghibli's movies are iconic for their romanticisation of everyday life in Japan. Though most of their movies are in the realm of the fantasy genre, it's always filled with perfectly hand-drawn "real life" elements like house cleaning and preparing food.

What other facts do you know about Studio Ghibli movies?

We've already talked about Totoro being the icon, or the face of the studio in that sense because it's the first character we see whenever we're about to watch a Ghibli movie. Now let's take a deep dive into this adorable creature's own film.

My Neighbor Totoro

This 1988 film revolves around the sisters Satsuki and Mei moving house with their father to look after their sick mother. They soon discover a forest inhabited by racoon spirits called Totoros.

Its feel good and sentimental ambiance make it wholesome. It's a slice of life fantasy, and therefore, a great watch for the entire family.

Spirited Away

The most well known Ghibli film was the award winning Spirited Away from 2001. It revolves around young Chihiro who wandered into the spirit world after moving into the suburbs. When a strange curse gets cast on her parents upon alighting the abandoned amusement park, Haku takes her to the spiritual bath house to work for Yubaba, entertaining the ghosts under the name Sen, in hopes she could bring them back to normal.

It's a magical adventure and a heartwarming journey at the same time. The movie will resonate with kids and adults alike.

Howl's Moving Castle

When Sophie, a hatmaker, suddenly turns into an old woman after being cursed by the Witch of the Waste, and due to her involvement with the wizard Howl Jenkins, she must find a way to break this spell. Ending up at Howl's mysteriously moving castle, she meets young magician Markl, a turnip-headed scarecrow, and a fire spirit named Calcifer who surprisingly lives with this gentleman in so many errands. It's a fan favorite that mixes thought-provoking social commentary with magical realism.

Princess Mononoke

Prince Ashitaka was banished from his kingdom after his right arm got cursed by the boar spirit. He ends up in a mysterious forest where a feral wolf princess resides, protecting her habitat against the humans that threaten to destroy it.

Like Howl's Moving Castle, it provides social commentary but was more intended for mature audiences due to its graphic nature. It kept itself faithful to Ghibli's perfect brand of nostalgia and fantasy.

While we've covered three movies with characters getting cursed, there's a Ghibli film that talks about a blessing in the middle of a disaster.

Ponyo

Ponyo is a mermaid that turned into a human after healing Sosuke's wound on the cliff by the sea. This strange phenomena caused the entire world to be submerged into water. Its feel good vibes doesn't make it look like an apocalyptic film, rather it has a more hopeful happy ending for humanity, especially for the young, beating hearts of a human boy and a half-fish.

Who is your favorite Ghibli character?

Aside from these fantasy films, Ghibli offers some slice-of-life stories which will tug on our heartstrings and stay with us forever. Namely the sappy teen romance Whispers of the Heart, the satisfying renovation in From Up on Poppy Hill, the heartbreaking war flick Grave of the Fireflies, and many more.

In the end, we all need to see that one Ghibli film in our lifetime.

Let us know which one of these is your favorite and if we missed another timeless Ghibli reel, please comment down below.

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Sources:

Studio Ghibli - Wikipedia

Why Studio Ghibli is so popular and how it exports Japanese culture | SOAS

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) - Plot - IMDb