Studio Ghibli: I Get It Now

Move over, Western cinema.

For years I have heard people extol the greatness of Studio Ghibli movies and, more specifically, director/writer Hayao Miyazaki. So I finally got a couple movies from the library, watched ‘em, got a few more, and then more. Now I can tell you, from least favorite to most favorite, what I thought about these movies.

12. Princess Mononoke

I am not an environmentalist. I am not a man-hater. So since this movie features those points quite heavily, I really didn’t like how this story unfolded. The main guy is fine, but all the women are SOOOO annoying and snide and bossy and demeaning of those around them (i.e. all the men). This is weird because most of the women in Ghibli movies are good, but not in this one.

11. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Perhaps I should clarify: I am not an environmentalist, but I do like nature. However, I don’t like being beaten over the head with the “nature is more important than humans” message and that’s always the vibe I get with environmental stories, and that vibe bothers me. So no, not a fan of the overall “embrace the bugs” thing going on in this one.

I do think the world-building in the first ten-ish minutes is really intriguing and it’s a very interesting world to look at and explore.

Her airplane is pretty cool too. I want one.

10. When Marnie Was There

So this girl is depressed and reclusive and gets sent to visit some relatives. While exploring the new place she sees this other girl and forms a bond with her but oh no! she might be a ghost.

I was annoyed for most of this movie because I thought they were going for a lesbian romance; their bond is almost love at first sight and overly affectionate. But no, the two girls are actually very closely related, so then I was disturbed and confused. The reveal at the ending is sweet and emotional, but it clashes with the execution of the rest of the story.

The music’s good though. And I like the seaside setting.

Also, that is not a grain silo; it’s more like a broken-down windmill.

9. Kiki’s Delivery Service

Aside from the weirdness of sending a thirteen-year-old girl off alone so she can find a job in a foreign city, this one’s pretty good. I think Kiki’s a bit annoying though.

It does have a cracking good opening song.

8. The Secret World of Arrietty

This is about itty bitty people living under a house and my favorite part of it is seeing ordinary objects transferred to a small person’s life. Like, a single sugar cube lasts them a long time and a cat is basically a T-rex to them. It’s really creative and cute. AND the girl’s parents are alive and involved in the story, so kudos to that.

7. The Wind Rises

Wistful and sad. That about sums up the overall feeling of this story. Another story heavily centered around flight, the main guy designs airplanes. But it starts with an earthquake in Tokyo where the guy helps these two women escape, only to meet and fall in love with one of them much later. Though he would rather be with his girl, WWII is approaching and with it the need for better planes. Espionage and illness mire their happiness, and…well…I won’t say what happens at the end.

If this wasn’t so sad and war-ish, I’d say it’s a pretty chill story with mostly believable interactions between characters. A common occurrence in these movies is that whenever there’s a romance, I don’t really buy it because there never seems to be enough time spent on building the relationship. It ends with someone saying “I love you” and that’s somehow supposed to be all that’s required for the romance to make sense. This one probably has the most effort put into it, but I’m still left wanting more.

6. My Neighbor Totoro

It’s obvious why Totoro is the mascot/emblem for Ghibli. Who doesn’t love a big, hairy…thing that smiles at you and loves umbrellas? And he has a catchy theme song, so even better.

Two things surprised me in this movie. One: the first fifteen-ish minutes is just these two sisters exploring their new home, and I didn’t mind it at all. Two: when the sisters see these soot gremlins (I think that’s what they’re called) and Totoro, and the dad is informed of these encounters…he believes them. That shocked the living daylights outta me. Normally, in Western stories, when the kid sees something magical/extraordinary and they go tell the adult, that adult doesn’t believe them. Like, ever, unless they get brought into the adventure too. It’s great that this dad instantly believes and supports their story. I guess it’s because the Japanese culture is more outwardly mystical than the Anglosphere and it’s perhaps expected that unusual things would happen in daily life. Whatever the reason, I really wish parents/adults believing children would be more common.

5. Castle in the Sky

Are you looking for a wholesome fantasy adventure? Then do I have the story for you.

After a girl falls from the sky and her magical necklace prevents her from becoming a pancake, this boy finds her and then the two have to go on the run as all these people show up to catch the girl. There are sky pirates, overpowered robots, multiple chases, and, of course, a castle in the sky.

I want more standalone adventures that feel as well-rounded as this one.

4. Howl’s Moving Castle

I started my Ghibli journey here and I think it’s a good introduction; it’s not too Japanese or crazy, but it also showcases how unique they are. (I know it’s based off a book so they can’t take all the credit, but I believe it’s pretty different, so creativity was involved.) There’s a very likable female lead, a very likable cast in general (dog included), colorful world-building, fun humor, a couple twists in characters, and a vibrancy in every aspect that is a wonder to see in today’s bleak cinematic landscape.

3. Whisper of the Heart

This one hits a little close to home. The main girl spends a lot of time reading and people kinda criticize her for that and I’m over here thinking, “I have never felt more seen in my entire life.” She wants to be a writer but is really unsure of her skills until a guy reads it and he says that it’s a rough gem and just needs to be polished. She spends most of the movie not knowing what she wants to do with her life and by the end she’s set her goal on being a writer and the more I think about it, the more her journey means to me.

It’s a slice of life that isn’t boring or needlessly fractious and the girl decides to follow her dream while supporting the dream of her boyfriend and it’s really sweet and soothing.

I never expected to hear “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in a Japanese movie, but now that I have, I need more violin/cello/lute/flute music bands in my life. Please send recommendations.

2. Porco Rosso

So many Ghibli/Miyazaki movies heavily involve flying, so it’s no surprise that there’s one dedicated to a WWI pilot. It just so happens that for reasons never explicitly stated, this pilot looks like a pig, and I mean that in the literal sense. What makes that so hilarious and weirdly perfect is this pig dresses like Humphrey Bogart, acts like a hard-boiled noir character, and is drawn/animated in the cutest way possible. Anime is a distinct style, but a pig doesn’t really fit in with that style, so the two combined is strange and yet so charming. I love Porco and the other characters are likable, even the girl, who I wasn’t sure about at first. It’s a fun adventure and I wish the movie was longer.

1. Spirited Away

This movie. THIS MOVIE. AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I love it so much!

It is, I think, the most Japanese of all these, and the shock my Western palette experienced is what helps set it apart from all the others. It’s creative and has some welcome twists, the main girl is likable, the supporting cast is really good (I love the baby), and it’s so unique and cool and wonderful.

I don’t want to say anything about the plot because I think if you want to watch it, it’s better if you go in blind. But it’s the type of story that has many aspects that I love: interesting world, a main character who works hard and doesn’t make stupid mistakes, fun side quests, heartwarming interactions, unexpected humor, and a good ending.

This is one of my favorite (new to me) movies that I’ve seen in the last several years.

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What do you think of my list? Agree? Disagree? Have no intention of watching any of these movies and you don’t even know why you’re reading this? Let me know!

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