Have You Watched Them All? 10 Highest Rated Studio Ghibli Movies
10. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) - 94%
The movie is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi. It is based on the book ‘The Borrowers’ by Mary Norton. The plot is about small people living among others undetected. The size contrast is used extensively in the visual style. The plot is about coexistence and fragility. The movie has significant environmental sound design. The screenplay is by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie did well in overseas markets.
9. Whisper of the Heart (1995) - 95%
The director is Yoshifumi Kondō, and the film is about adolescence and creative aspiration. The story is about a schoolgirl finding her interest in writing stories. The film does not have fantasy until the final brief instances, which symbolize the characters’ experiences instead of occurring in the world to shape the characters that the story has built up to that point. The film emphasized hard work over talent. It brought the idea of artistic discipline to animated films. Kondō died very early, which made this the only film he worked on for Ghibli Studios.
8. Porco Rosso (1992) - 96%
The director is Hayao Miyazaki, and the movie takes place between the World Wars. The plot hinges on a former pilot who is cursed to look like a pig. The aerial battle sequences feature historical designs on planes. The storyline expresses the director’s skepticism about nationalism. There is no slapstick comedy or wordplay here. The romantic and political moments do not overpower each other. This remains one of the most personal movies from Ghibli.
7. Castle in the Sky (1986) - 96%
This was the first official feature-length film produced by Studio Ghibli. Hayao Miyazaki was the director, and it involved two kids on a quest for a lost flying city. The animation integrates airplane technology with folkloristic elements. Environmental elements can be detected through industrial conflict. Collaboration and stewardship are key aspects in this story. Joe Hisaishi was pivotal in setting the music identity for Studio Ghibli through this work.
6. Spirited Away (2001) – 96%
The film is directed by Hayao Miyazaki and tells the story of a young girl who is held in a bathhouse for spirits. Emphasis in the story is placed on labor adaptation and identity. The world in the film has its own rules that can be inferred but are not explicitly stated. This film became the top-grossing Japanese film upon its distribution in cinemas. It received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature film. Its success in other countries enhanced the global fame of Studio Ghibli. Many scenarios in this film center on the concept of labor instead of action.
5. The Boy and the Heron (2023) - 96%
This is Hayao Miyazaki’s first work after a long hiatus from filmmaking. The story revolves around a boy’s struggle with grief and the death of his mother. The narrative intermingles fantasy, autobiography, and memory. World-building is for the purpose of giving meaning to these themes and emotions. The animation is rooted in director Miyazaki’s own experiences. The movie received a restricted promotional campaign. The animation won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
4. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) - 98%
The film is directed by Hayao Miyazaki and revolves around a young girl who is a witch living alone for the first time. This is because it has no conflict revolving around it. Kiki undertakes to start delivering to earn her living. This is because it is set in a city that is influenced by Europe and is therefore common in Hayao’s films. This film characteristically has ease.
3. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) - 100%
Isao Takahata is the film’s director, and it took place in Japan during the concluding months of World War II. The plot revolves around two children uprooted by air raids and starvation. The narrative is based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s semi-autobiographical short story. The struggle for survival takes precedence over the conventional development of the plot. The film neither makes any political statements nor explores the civilian aftermath, but is grounded in historical detail and is very realistic.
2. Only Yesterday (1991) - 100%
This movie represents a transition in Ghibli's films to adult storylines. It centers on Taeko Okajima, a young woman of 27 years, as she looks back at her childhood during a visit to the countryside. There is a lot of contrast between her youthful choices and her adult choices today. Realism is employed in terms of there being no fantasy elements whatsoever in this movie. It is directed by Isao Takahata. "Only Yesterday" is only available globally after many decades since it was first shown in Japan.
1. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) - 100%
This is a movie directed by Isao Takahata and is based on a traditional Japanese folktale. The movie is characterized by a watercolor technique of hand-drawn pictures. The movie is about a girl who is found inside a bamboo and is later raised as a member of royalty. The movie is more about what is expected of a person socially and what is lost personally, instead of being a fantasy adventure. The movie took about eight years to complete. The movie was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.
