Studio Ghibli's films are a beautiful mix of adventure, fantasy, sci-fi and heart-warming tales based on Japanese folk-law, classic literature and characters straight from the imagination's of the great Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The name Ghibli came from the Italian World War II aircraft the Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli. The word Ghibli is roughly translated from the Libyan-Arabic name for the Sirocco, or Mediterranean wind, although the fighter jet was regarded as the 'desert wind'. Miyazaki is an aviation enthusiast (as seen in many of his films) but he picked the name as he thought that between them, their films would "blow a new wind through the anime industry". He was right. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was the film that launched Studio Ghibli, although it isn't technically a Studio Ghibli film. The Castle of Cagliostro didn't do that well at the box office and Hayao Miyazaki was soon looking for another project. This is when he was approached and encouraged by Toshio Suzuki, who was editor of Manga magazine Animage at the time, to keep going along the same vein and draw Manga cartoons for him. Miyazaki took his advice and although reluctant at first, agreed to develop his ideas into a film and after Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a success it marked the beginning of a beautiful working relationship and the animation studio that is loved around the world. Isao Takahata had worked alongside Miyazaki at Toei Animation and been a big influence to him. With a clear vision and money to back up an independent venture, Miyazaki and Suzuki formed Studio Ghibli and asked Takahata to join them. Ghibli's style of animation became quite popular in the west as a result of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind but production distributors didn't really know how to market it, the truth is they really didn't have to but New World Pictures bought it, cut it to ribbons taking out all the important aspects such as the environmental issues and what each character represented and renamed it. The narrative was completely lost and it made no sense at all and as a result Miyazaki enforced a 'no cuts' policy when creating Ghibli with his colleagues, sending the powerful producer Harvey Weinstein, who had a habit of editing foreign films, a Samurai sword with a note simply reading 'No cuts'. The message got through. This was integral to the studios on-going popularity and has had a big impact in the transfer of popular eastern culture in the west and not just in the animation world. It is hard to overlook the influence and impact early Ghibli films have had in the world of cinema, comics and motion animation. The birth of the most gentle of revolutions.
After a succession of hits, old age, retirement and the premature passing of director Toshifumi Kondo, Ghibli Studios has slowed down somewhat and has an uncertain future. However, its legacy will live on forever in their masterpieces.
The films:
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1979
***
The Castle of Cagliostro is Hayao Miyazaki's first full length animated feature and very much the beginnings of Studio Ghibli, even though it is based on a well established MANGA series and character. It's an action packed adventure, full of wonderful ideas, an animated delight but more importantly, it's Miyazaki blue print for Studio Ghibli. You can see so much of his later work here, the influence is quite evident. The characters Arsene Lupin III and Daisuke Jigen are a great double act, but this is a very different version of them. Some of the original comics are quite dark, indeed this is when MANGA became more focused on an adult market with quite explicit depictions of sex and violence and a questionably dark sense of humour. This is very much a Miyazaki family-friendly version, which although a huge disappointment for hard-core fans, something of a revelation to everyone else; feature cartoons can be just as good as live action films. I'd like to see a more authentic animated version of Lupin III but I'm not going to hold my breath. However, while I really enjoyed The Castle of Cagliostro it really isn't Miyazaki at his best, it is just an echo of what was about to come. The gates were now open and the possibilities endless. While it isn't a Sudio Ghibli film, it is an interesting beginning and a historically significant film in the world of feature animations. Interestingly, the English dubbed version has Bob Bergen of as the voice of Lupin. Bergen is the voice behind Wembley in Fraggle Rock, Luke Skywalker in the video games and Porky Pig and Tweety Bird, while Tasuo Yamada, the original voice of Lupin, was Clint Eastwood's voice in every film of his screen in Japan.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1984
****
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was the film that launched Studio Ghibli, although it isn't technically a Studio Ghibli. The Castle of Cagliostro didn't do that well at the box office and Hayao Miyazaki was soon looking for another project. This is when he was approached and encouraged by Toshio Suzuki, who was editor of Manga magazine Animage at the time, to keep going along the same vein and draw Manga cartoons for him. Miyazaki took his advice and although reluctant at first, agreed to develop his ideas into a film and after Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a success it marked the beginning of a beautiful working relationship and the animation studio that is loved around the world. Without wanting to sound obvious, it is the perfect introduction to both Miyazaki and Ghibli. The story is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy which incorporates elements of Lord of the Rings, Earthsea (which was later developed into a Ghibli film), Brian Aldiss's Hothouse, Issaac Asimov's Nightfall, as well as Japanese folktales, Homer's Odyssey and a bit of Buddhism (the central idea was developed further years later in Ghibli's highly popular Princess Mononoke). Quite the rich and eclectic mix of ideas and styles but this is very much a work of Miyazaki, who is a genre unto himself. The animation is vivid, colourful, highly detailed and absolutely stunning, Manga suddenly came to life and the world of animation was never the same again, with its popularity soaring soon after. The visuals, themes and music are all sublime and of a high quality that became quite typical of the studio and Miyazaki's work. This style of animation became quite popular in the west as a result of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind but production distributors didn't really know how to market it, the truth is they really didn't have to but New World Pictures bought it, cut it to ribbons taking out all the important aspects such as the environmental issues and what each character represented and renamed it Warriors of the Wind. The narrative was completely lost and it made no sense at all and as a result Miyazaki enforced a 'no cuts' policy when creating Ghibli with his colleagues. This was integral to the studios on-going popularity and has had a big impact in the transfer of popular eastern culture in the west and not just in the animation world. It is hard to overlook the influence and impact Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind has had in the world of cinema, comics and motion animation. The birth of the most gentle of revolutions.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1986
*****
Laputa: Castle in the Sky represents the very first official Studio Ghibli film and it remains one of their best. With references and influences from The Bible, Hindu mythology, classic fantasy literature (Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels being the most obvious) and the Welsh Minor's Strike of 1984, Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a unique and varied adventure that raised the bar as far as adventure/fantasy animation went. It also helped the medium to become far more main-stream, although western distributors just couldn't seem to get their heads round it. When released in the UK and United States, the title was changed, more background sound effects were added and the film's score was lengthened and atmospheric silent scenes were drowned in booming orchestral pieces that just didn't suit the overall feel of the story. The main character Sheena became a mother figure to the Pirates in the original story, in the westernized dubbed version, Sheena became potential romantic interest for the Pirates, even though she is a very young girl. Thankfully updated versions correct this but all of the original references to Gulliver's Travels (apart from the name Laputa) and also Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, which I understand to be honest. The changes were an eye-opener to Hayao Miyazaki and the rest of the studio and after Miyazaki's first film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was cut to ribbons and renamed by New World Pictures, Ghibli began their 'no cuts' policy and became very protective of their work from then on. Laputa: Castle in the Sky set a precedent to how all Ghibli films were to be made from then on, from work ethics, budgets and time-frames. It also set the bar for which all future films would have to match, although only a handful have really achieved. Its mix of sci-fi and fantasy is wonderful and full of adventure. It has moments of tremendous action and also awe-inspiring beauty. The animation is superb and the film is littered with little special moments that I had never seen in a cartoon before and it took my breath away. It's something were now used to with the studio and something they generally always deliver, I loved Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind but for me this is where the magic really began.
Grave of the Fireflies
Dir: Isao Takahata
1988
*****
Picking a favourite Studio Ghibli film is near impossible for most fans. My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo and Porco Rosso come very close as personal favourites for me but I think Grave of the Fireflies is undoubtedly their greatest and most powerful achievement. It's not just Ghibli's best either, it's one of the greatest animations of all time. Much like when people discuss what is the greatest graphic novel of all time, the general answer is Alan Moore's Watchmen, which it true until you read Art Spiegelamn's Maus. It's rare that any film can have such an emotional impact as Grave of the Fireflies does, whether it's real or animation but rarely does an animated film provoke such feelings. Along with Watership Down, Grave of the Fireflies really did push the boundaries when it came to the power of cartoons and showed just how important animation is in cinema. Considered an anti-war film by most, Akiyuki Nosaka, author of the short story the film is adapted from, has stated that it is actually a look at living outside of society, isolation, something suffered largely by teens and those in their early twenties, Nosaka's target audience. The main characters, brother and sister Setsuko and Seita, are victims of war and it is the suffering that war brings to normal people that makes it an anti-war film but Nosaka, an staunch anti-war supporter who has criticized Japan for its conformity on many occasions, is focusing the attention on youth and how they are forced to fall in line during times of hardship that are of no fault of theirs. It's about kids of the world who are never given the chance to make anything of themselves and how conformity often kills a child's spirit and the cycle continues when they reach adulthood and have kids of their own. It is a heartbreaking film, historically important, wonderfully executed and rightfully regarded as the masterpiece it is. Not a typical Studio Ghibli production but as brilliant as you'd expect from them.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1988
*****
Picking a favourite Ghibli film is like asking a parent of identical quadruplets which of their children is their favourite. It's almost impossible but if I was forced to choose, I would have to say Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro wins by a whisker. I don't think I'm alone either, because when you look at Studio Ghibli's huge range of global merchandise, Totoro Soft toys seem to be the best seller. You can pretty much buy anything with either Totoro or Catbus on them and you can even buy a giant Totoro Bed which I have promised myself I will buy one day. The studio have adopted Totoro as their company logo, which pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the film and the character. It has topped so many animation polls, it's not only considered Ghibi's most popular but it is also regarded as one of the greatest animations of all time and rightfully so. It's a story of a university professor who moves with his two young daughters to the countryside to be closer to the hospital his wife is staying at after suffering with a long illness. The big empty house soon revels many mystery to the two girls who are often left to their own devises why their father works or visits the hospital. They discover a race of dust creatures (or Soot spirits) called Susuwatari. One day, the younger daughter, Mei (possibly the cutest cartoon character of all time), discovers a furry forest spirit and follows it into the woods were she discovers a similar looking but much bigger spirit and calls it Totoro, as that is the sound it makes when it sleeps. Mei falls asleep on Totoro's chest (now a memorable scene) but when her sister Satsuki finds her she is asleep on the ground. Satsuki becomes frustrated that she can't see Totoro but their father explains that forest spirits only reveal themselves when they think you are ready. A rather wonderful scene follows where the two girls wait for their fathers bus in the rain but it doesn't show up. Totoro reveals himself to Satsuki who is carrying her sleeping sister and keeps them both company, giving the girls seeds to plant. The girl wake the following day but are unsure if it had all been a dream although they find their planted seems had sprouted. The two girls worry about their mother's health and after an argument little Mei decides to walk to the hospital herself. Her disappearance causes a panic in the village and a search is called. Satsuki runs to Totoro and asks him to help with the search. Delighted to have been asked, Totoro calls his friend the Catbus (a giant Cat the shape of a bus) who takes her straight to Mei and then takes both girls on a magical journey to their mother’s hospital, where they leave corn at her bedside. Lots of different meanings have been associated with this, the real life Sayama Incident being one of the more famous ones whereby a girl went missing, close to where this film is set, and was found dead by her sister who later killed herself in grief. There is a way of thinking that suggests the two girls are actually dead and Totoro is a spirit helping them come to terms with it. It's an idea rejected by Ghibli but it's still rather nice. The fact that My Neighbour Totoro was released at the same time as Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies perhaps led people into thinking Ghibli had certain darker alternative meanings but Takahata and Miyazaki are very different story tellers. The double billing of both these films together has been referred to as one of the most moving and remarkable double bills ever offered to a cinema audience in film history, which I can't help but agree with. Both films are the two Ghibli directors at their very best. My Neighbour Totoro is one of the most magical films of all time, a superb classic and one of the main reasons that everybody loves Ghibli the way they do.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1989
*****
One of Studio Ghibli bigger hits, Kiki's Delivery Service is actually based on the book of the same name by Eiko Kadono. I found the original to be that little bit darker than Hayao Miyazaki's version, and while I like both, I still find it to be an unusual adaptation, given the tone of the book and its illustrations. It's rather telling that this was the first Ghibli film to be distributed in the west by Walt Disney, as it certainly feels more like one of theirs rather than one of Ghibli's. Kiki is a young Witch but this never feels like a Witchy sort of story, it's bright and colourful and Kiki certainly isn't of the green-skinned and wart-ridden variety. The Witch thing is really just a tool to portray a meaning, as well as giving the character the opportunity to fly and talk to her pet cat. Witches appeal to younger audiences for various different reasons, Kiki appeals because instead of using her powers selfishly, she uses them for a better purpose. Miyazaki has since said that Kiki explores the gulf between independence and reliance in teenage Japanese girls. Witches have to adhere to rules, just as everyone does, but even though she has powers she also feels isolated and struggles for her own independence. She uses her power of flight and magic to better herself and move on to adulthood, a far cry from what you expect from Witches but it captures the very real growing pains and vulnerability felt by youth in general. There are times during the film whereby Kiki loses her power of flight and can no longer talk to her cat Jiji during bouts of self-doubt, when her confidence takes a hit. This is a great lesson for kids in understanding that vulnerability is an important aspect of self-realization and not a reflection of failure. I suggest this is more Disney than the other films but I say that only because of the style it adopts, it's still very much a Ghibli fantasy and Disney's preachings are generally a little less accurate than this. Kiki's Delivery Service is far more of a character driven animation than the other Ghibli films. The story is fairly simple, which is half of the appeal, Kiki herself is quite complex and far from being two dimensional. Similar Ghibli themes arise and it is easy to see some of the studio's films that were made before and after in one way of another but the mood and structure is something pretty unique among their animations. It's not just an adult friendly cartoon for the kids, it is a cartoon FOR the kids, something that will mean something to them as well as enjoy. I believe it to be something rather special, although everything that is great about it is also rather subtle. Jiji the talking cat was enough for me to love it, everything else is an added bonus. I know they've said that BeWitched was the inspiration but I can't help but think Kiki was responsible for Sabrina The Teenage Witch.
Dir: Isao Takahata
1991
****
Studio Ghibli's fifth official film and Isao Takahata's second as director, Only Yesterday is like a Studio Ghibli version of a Yasujirô Ozu film. However, it's never at the top of people's favorite Ghibli list even though most fans like it, but following classics such as Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki's delivery Service, it was a very different direction for the studio to take. Although Grave of the Fireflies was a serious film, there was a otherworldly feel about it, while Only Yesterday is real with no fantasy element whatsoever. The animation is beautifully detailed to reflect the story's maturity, there is no Cat Bus, talking animals or mythical beings here, this is quite serious but mostly reflective. It is also incredibly nostalgic and somewhat melancholy, which I think is the reason for its appeal. Our protagonist is an unmarried 27 year old women wanting to escape the City, it is Ozu to the core although it is based on the manga of the same name by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone. The story intertwines with irrelevant childhood memories and present day philosophical daydreams, it gets a little dull toward the middle of the story and some of the childhood memories are hardly the sort of thing a 27 year old would be worrying about but the pace, the excellent animation and the wonderful ending certainly make up for it. An animated Ozu essentially and every bit as lovely as that sounds. Ghibli at their most sober and uplifting.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1992
*****
Porco Rosso is one of those wonderfully bizarre mix of genres that only Hayao Miyazaki could come up with. The question of which is one's favourite Studio Ghibli film comes up a lot and it is almost impossible to answer. I would say My Neighbour Totoro is certainly a contender, Grave of the Fireflies is definitely their most striking film and I would find it hard to choose between Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away andWhisper of theHeart but generally, if I want to sit down to enjoy a good Ghibli film at the end of a hard day at work, I'm more than likely to reach for Porco Rosso first. It is the story of an ex-World War I fighter pilot who now works as a bounty hunter, policing the Adriatic Sea, looking for sky pirates. The film is narrated by the pilot (and our protagonist) very much in the same style as the 1940's film-noirs, particularly as is seen in Howard Hawk's The Big Sleep. It is essentially a Japanese film, set in Italy, with a Philip Marlowe type character, who flies a plane and is a pig. Like I said, only from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki. Porco Rosso (or Red Pig/Crimson Pig) started life as a Manga written by Miyazaki and the film almost seems like an extended continuation of the story, although it was intended originally to be a short cartoon to be used for advertising purposes on Japanese Airlines. It really does feel like an old aviation film, mixed with film noir and a bit of swashbuckling adventure thrown in. The only real mythical element is the fact that Porco Rosso, who was a human called Marco Pagot, is turned into a pig due to a curse. Porco Rosso is the first Ghibli film that really let Miyazaki explore his two great passions; Aviation and politics. Miyazaki would go on to make his big Aviation masterpiece in 2013's The Wind Rises, inspired by his father who worked in Airplane manufacturing during World War II and although it angered the far right in Japan, Porco Rosso was a little less subtle. When the sky pirates are hired by the newly formed government, Rosso quips "I'd rather be a pig than a fascist" and goes on to shoot them all out of the sky. I love the characters, the format, the action and the humour, it is Hayao Miyazaki at his most light-hearted and at his most serious in many respect. The underlying message of redemption is pretty subtle but it's very effective. He has been critical of it himself in the past but of all of Ghibli's films, this is the only one he has considered making a follow up film to. Even though I thought the ending was perfect, I would love that to happen.
Dir: Tomomi Mochizuki
1993
***
Ocean Waves is a melancholy adolescent drama from Studio Ghibli about love in the class room. I hate Japaneses high-school dramas even more than I hate (non-1950's era) American high-school dramas. I didn't however, hate Ocean Waves. It's got that Ghibli charm that I just can't resist. The animation is, as always, absolutely brilliant and for once I could see it as a real story with substance rather than a fantastical example of what doesn't happen in the last years of school. Released on Japanese TV in 1993 as a project for the younger Ghibli employees to learn how to make a film on a limited budget and in a structured about of time, Ocean Waves ironically ended up going over budget and over schedule. It influenced a heap of mind-numbing melodramas, animated and live action, but remains the best of its kind. The animation is of a high quality, probably the reason it was over budget and over schedule, the younger artists clearly wanted to prove themselves visually. It was the first Ghibli film to feature a director that wasn't either Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata but I think the 34 year old Tomomi Mochizuki was a little out of his depth.
It's not my favorite Ghibli, give me a giant furry monster and talking cats any day and the work of Makoto Shinkai is far superior within the same style and sub-genre of work but it is quite lovely all the same.
Dir: Isao Takahata
1994
****
With its roots firmly in folk-law, Pom Poko is one of the more bizarre additions to the Studio Ghibli collection for anyone outside Japan. Pom Poko is the sound that Tanuki (a sort of Raccon type dog) makes when they beat their own bellies like a drum. This ancient and mythical drumming is called Tanuki-bayashi and has been written about in Japanese legend and while it remains a mysterious phenomenon, Ghibli declare that it was the Tanuki all along. The Tanuki are fun, playful and somewhat mischievous and have the power to transform into whatever they like, thanks to their understanding and skills in 'illusion science'. How this 'illusion science’ works is never explained but it generally involves the creatures pulling out their testicles and wrapping themselves in their own ball sacks. This is genuinely from real Japanese folk-law. Unlike other shape-shifting animals, particularly foxes, the Tanuki are not threatening and are a peaceful species. The Tanuki generally keep their natural appearance when in the company of humans and are anthropomorphic most of the time unless they're being playful, they are then given a more cartoonish appearance by Ghibli's animators. It's a strange one this. The film starts in the 1960s where we find the Tanuki's home under treat from humans building a residential development right next to them. Thirty years later, the problem has increased. This is typical of Ghibli, they often make films about environmental issues but this one isn't just about the physical diminishing of Japan's wildlife, it is also about how modern lifestyles and ways of thinking are destroying the country’s history which is steeped in mythology and magic. What makes the film even more unique compared to the other Ghibli animations is that while it is generally a cutesy comedy, the Tanuki do actually kill people, albeit by mistake. While the Tanuki sabotage the developments, they also try to drive people away by turning into monsters and scaring the living daylights out of them. What starts off as a sweet cartoon, soon turns into a surreal tale that would have most kids turn to their parents with that 'Are we still allowed to watch this'? look on their faces. Some of the Tanuki soon turn into eco-terrorists and fight the human developers, while others give up or change into humans for good. It's quite a sad tales really but it does have quite a uniquely happy ending as the audience is challenged directly by one of the characters. As a kid in the 80s environmental issues, recycling etc was a hot topic but most of the lessons were samey and uninspiring. I like to think I'm green minded now as an adult but I wonder whether Pom Poko would have been a far more memorable and therefore more effective reminder. Studio Ghibli is lots of things, often surreal but mainly fantastical, beautiful, full of sci-fi and mythical wonder. Pom Poko is all those things but with plenty of added nuts.
Dir: Yoshifumi Kondo
1995
*****
It was terribly sad that director Yoshifumi Kondo passed away after directing just one film but what a fantastic legacy he has left. It was hoped that Kondo would succeed Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata after their retirement and his death shocked the studio to its core. His death was thought to have been caused by over working and Miyazaki's work ethic changed dramatically as a result which effected the future of the studio greatly. It's clear to see why he was chosen as Hayao Miyazaki's successor when it would come to it, I do wonder if the nods to previous Ghibli films were indeed his idea and the mutual respect is evident in Ghibli's later films, with many characters returning in back-ground cameos. It is also the only Ghibli film to have it's own spin-off, which is as close to a sequel as fans are ever likely to get. Whisper of the Heart is not really my kind of Ghibli film if I'm being honest, I'm more a fan of the fantastical films and the ones with funny little animals although the detail of the animation here is quite breathtaking and it has elements that I adore. I have a gripe when it comes to Japanese romance films involving school kids too, but that is a personal thing, this is quality Ghibli and in a way a blueprint to future films. There is so much of the future classics in Whisper of the Heart and it also utilizes themes from the earlier films. It's a greatest hits film in some respects, probably why I don't love it as much as the other films that I see as originals but why it's one I've re-watched most as all the important Ghibli boxes are well and truly ticked. For starters, Shizuku is a strong female character, something that the studio built on following Kiki's Delivery Service. It is also filled with magical subtleties that would become one of the studios signature moves. The fantasy vs melodrama is also at its most balanced here, with one never overpowering the other, it's almost the perfect (or should I say essential) Ghibli film without being the best, if that makes any sense at all. Certainly a game-changer for the studio for more reasons than one.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1997
*****
Princess Mononoke is a faultless masterpiece, Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli at their very best. Exploring similar themes to that of 1983's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke is a sci-fi fantasy adventure with environmental issues central to its story. However, unlike Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke is set in the late Muromachi period (between 1336 and 1573) and deals mainly in mythology rather than technology. It is the first of Ghibli's film to explore more violent themes with a much darker tone. A young Emishi warrior and last prince of his people named Ashitaka finds himself caught between a battle between the gods of nature and fellow humans who are consuming the planet's resources at an accelerated rate. Miyazaki first came up with the idea of a Princess living in the forest back in 1970 but suffered from writers block. Elements of his original idea were used in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and also in 1988's My Neighbor Totoro but after another decade of ideas, he finally reached his final draft and it was well worth the time spent. Were Ghibli films are either adaptations or a mix of influences, Princess Mononoke is rich with original ideas and medieval Japanese mythology. It also explores ancient and modern ideologies when it comes to stigma and marginalizing certain groups. Sexuality and disability are the two main themes here and are represented by prostitutes and leprosy, two themes predominant in historical writing/scriptures, whether religious or not, these can be found in all cultures. The overall story isn't a clear cut case of good vs evil either, with an ambiguous moral conflict between preservation and development, Princess Mononoke suggests that there are always two sides of every conflict and there is good and bad in all of us. It's pretty subjective and is an interesting and intelligent look at war from the view point of an anti-war studio. It marked yet another ground breaking chapter in Ghibli's history and for my money I think it is their joint best film (with about four other titles I can think of). Animation at it's most beautiful, storytelling at it's most magical and Ghibli at their sharpest. It's bizarre to think that FernGully was more popular at the box office and was made only five years earlier.
Dir: Isao Takahata
1999
***
Released between two of Studio Ghibli's best and most successful films to date (Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away) My Neighbors the Yamadas is a strange addition to the portfolio of work but it isn't an unwelcome change of style. Without wanting to sound stupid and obvious, it is very Japanese. Based on a popular comic strip, Isao Takahata wisely keeps a short-story vignette format and a comic-strip aesthetic to keep up momentum, to give each character their fair share of screen time and give the film a certain authenticity, even though it is a departure from the studios usual style of animation. Each story has a moral tale attached to it, some are clearer than others and some are just completely unfathomable. Based on the Manga cartoons of Hisaichi Ishii that appeared daily (four cells at a time) in Japan's daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun from 1991 to 1997 until the format was dramatically altered to concentrate on just one of the characters and renamed Nono-chan. The animation is simple but charming and incorporates a watercolour style but surprisingly, this is actually the first Ghibli film to be 100% digital. Not quite what hardcore fans of Ghibli want or come to expect but a big hit among fans of the original comic-strip. It's a nice one off but probably my least favorite from the studio but that is largely because I was unaware of the original comic, have come to expect something else from the studio and understood only half of the story that I believe looses something through translation. I would argue that Isao Takahata is capable of much more than this also.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
2001
*****
2001's Spirited Away was Studio Ghibli's big one. They had a huge following already but Hayao Miyazaki's fifth feature animation with the studio was the one that made them a household name and the film went on to win countless awards, including the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and an Oscar for best animated film at the 75th Academy Awards. By this point Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli were in high demand, Disney paid for 10% of the production cost just to secure first refusal for the international distribution rights. It is certainly one of their greatest films, although it covers similar themes to some of the studio's older films. There are elements of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Pinocchio (with an Orwellian 1984 twist) but the story really is 100% from the mind of Miyazaki. Inspired by holidays spent with friends who had teenage daughters, Miyazaki would spend time with the girls and realized they had no good role models. He would read the teen magazines that they would leave behind in their guest house and become frustrated that the girl's lives were essentially dictated to them, unlike boys who were encouraged to explore and push themselves. Miyazaki had made films for children before but not specifically for 10-14 year old girls and he decided he wanted to make a positive film just for them. Each character in the film can said to resemble a different aspect of society and something one encounters in youth. Chihiro, a young 10 year old girl and the film's main character, is on a journey of self-discovery. It is a fantasy adventure on the outside but this is really about the rights of passage and coming of age of young girls. Miyazaki is reaching out to these girls and giving them an alternative viewpoint in life. This has had a huge impact, with Japanese girls now adopting a range of various popular alternatives, I can't help but think Miyazaki is partly responsible for them now being a hugely creative global force. This has been hijacked somewhat but suffice to say, Spirited Away's magic has been hugely influential. The appeal isn't just met by teenage girls, the underlying message that you alone can make things happen - go out a do whatever it is you need to do, has been picked up by kids and adults around the world. I personally love the metaphor used in regards to Chihiro's parents. After they are trapped in a spirit world, her parents turn into pigs after scoffing loads of food - acting like pigs. Chihiro then tries to find a way to get her parents changed back into humans, at least, that what it looks like on the face of it. The reality is that the film encourages the youth to not turn into their parents, to find their own paths. Again, the Studio/Miyazaki manage to project these messages, through loud and colourful fantasy, with the greatest of subtlety. Sublime animation, rightly regarded as one of the best ever made.
Dir: Hiroyuki Morita
2002
***
Following the international hit Spirited Away that firmly put Studio Ghibli on the main-stream map, The Cat Returns seemed to be a bit of a light follow up. While I would agree that it isn't one of the studios greatest achievements, it is however, one of their funnier films. The film was first developed for a Japanese Theme Park who wanted Ghibli to develop a cartoon that would act as an introduction to their planned 'Cat land'. Hayao Miyazaki made a short film and used popular characters from Ghibli's earlier hit Whisper of the Heart, a film the studio had often pondered making a sequel of. The Theme Park soon pulled out but Miyazaki was left with enough to develop his own stand-alone film out of. The story is a cross between Alice in Wonderland and the bit in Pinocchio whereby all the little boys go to the fun island and turn into Donkeys. Although it isn't my favourite Ghibli film there are moments I absolutely adore, such as when our main character, a school girl called Haru, saves a cat from being hit by a truck and is offered mice, catnip and said cat's hand in marriage as a way of thanks. Apart from the mysterious adventures in all things cat, the film is really about empowering young women. There are several times when the film makes a point of Haru's new-found confidence, with the cat king telling her "I respect women who stand up for themselves" and the Cat Baron stating that "Just for the record, I admire a young women who speaks from the heart". Empowering the young is another of Ghibli's reoccurring themes, particularly in young girls. It's also a good lesson in karma. The animation is solid and the characters are wonderful, I thought Hiroyuki Morita did a great job as director and there is plenty about it that made me smile. I just can't help but think there could have been more to it. Ghibli is often at its best when it is at its most subtle but I can't help but think more could have come from a project that took three years to complete. That said, Ghibli's lesser films are better than most animation studios best films and enjoyed it very much.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
2004
***
I remember reading Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle back when I was in school. I was bewitched by the original cover artwork that made it look like a sci-fi fantasy horror, which I was really into at the time. However, it was not the Isaac Asimov/Philip K. Dick novel I had thought it might be, or the Joseph Millard/Andre Norton book I really hoped it would be. I remembered little about it other than the lesson that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. So when in 2004 Studio Ghibli released Howl's Moving Castle, I thought maybe it was a coincidence or maybe it was named out of tribute, as Hayao Miyazaki often does for those that have inspired him. But no, this is an adaptation, Miyazaki clearly saw something in the story that no one else did and I have to say it is a remarkable achievement. That said, I didn't like it all that much, especially compared to Ghibli's other films. I thought that the story was far too similar to some of Ghibli/Miyazaki's earlier films and I thought many of the themes had already been covered by them in a much more creative manner. Miyazaki has declared that this is his favourite film of his, personally it is by far my least favourite of his, even though his underlying themes appeal. They're not initially obvious though, I did see the film as anti-war in places but he has declared many times that his version of Howl's Moving Castle is a direct reference to the US's invasion of Iraq in 2003. Miyazaki was 'enraged' by the war and said he wanted to make a subliminal film about it that would be hated in America. It wasn't hated but it is no one’s favourite other than his, so it kind of backfired but was also somewhat of a success at the same time. The original book dealt with the class system and challenged gender stereotyping but the film concentrates more with themes of old age. Stop fighting and cherish life is the overall message but it does seem to take a rather convoluted route in getting it across. I think a really strong sci-fi fantasy has been weighted down somewhat with too many musings and moral preaching, something Ghibli has often done but their beautiful subtlety that is something of a signature of theirs is absent without leave. To be blunt, I didn't care much for the style or animation either. However, I did like many of the various characters and I liked Miyazaki's intentions. He has made a rather dull book into a exciting and mysterious adventure so credit due. He is a visionary and this is another great addition to his work but it isn't the genius that we've become used to.
Dir: Gorō Miyazaki
2006
**
Gorō Miyazaki's adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea tales was probably Studio Ghibli's first big miss, at least with western audiences. It is certainly my least favourite Studio Ghibli film to date and I knew nothing of Ursula K. Le Guin's fantasy books before watching. Fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin had been reluctant to sell the film rights of her novels and had denied the requests of Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki on more than one occasion. She was finally persuaded by the studio after a string of successes but instructed Gorō Miyazaki that it should be his film. Indeed, on first screening she stated that it was his film, not her book but that it was a good film. However, on reflection she admitted she was disappointed with the finished piece and wish she hadn't sold the rights. It was not a smooth production. Hayao Miyazaki had wanted to make the film but he was busy making Howl's Moving Castle when Le Guin finally agreed to the film. Toshio Suzuki, head of studio Ghibli, suggested that the film would be a great debut for Gorō Miyazaki, Hayao Miyazaki's son. Miyazaki senior disagreed and father and son did not speak to each other during the entire production. Miyazaki senior has since praised his son's efforts despite that fact that he received the worst director award in Japan's version of the Raspberries while Tales from Earthsea received worst film of 2006. A bit harsh but then Ghibli set the standard high and they weren't living up to it, it was however nominated for best animation at the Japanese Academy awards but it lost out to the far superior The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Goro Miyazaki has a long way to go before he can fill his father's shoes, that and the fairly dull story make this film an overall disappointment. It sells itself as a great fantasy adventure but it really isn't, although it feels like sacrilege saying so, but it's sadly true. The only element I liked about the film is extremely similar to a 1983 graphic novel Hayao Miyazaki wrote and illustrated called Shuna no Tabi (The Journey of Shuna) and as much as I will always defend and support the studio as a whole, you do have to wonder if it is all about two talented artists but mainly Miyazaki himself.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
2008
****
Although 2008's Ponyo had the widest distribution in Ghibli's history at the time and was met with critical acclaim across the board, it is still never considered as one of the studios best. I think this is somewhat unfair, as I believe it is one of the studios last real examples of magic. All of Ghibli's films are beautiful but no other theirs is as cute as Ponyo is. Ponyo, the main character is utterly adorable as a little goldfish who wants to become a little girl. She is the daughter of a once human wizard who turned himself and his family into fish after becoming detached and fearful of the human world. One day Ponyo decides to go on an adventure and hitches a ride on a jellyfish but becomes trapped after an incident with a trawler. She is eventually saved by a little boy on the shore who gives her name and keeps her as a pet. Once Ponyo's father discovers she's missing, he asks the wave spirits to find and fetch her, which they do, leaving Ponyo and the little boy Sosuke both heartbroken. Ponyo then argues that she wants to be a human girl because she loves Sosuke and due to her magic she begins to transform into a girl and swims back to shore. She finds Sosuke to his great surprise and everything is good until the universal balance of things is disrupted. This is where the film's wonderful mythology and fantasy come in to play, as before it just seemed like a very cute version of The Little Mermaid. Ponyo seemed to be a rather personal film for Hayao Miyazaki, as he drew nearly all the waves and water in the film as well as Ponyo herself and the character of Sosuke was modelled on Miyazaki's own son when he was of that age. A record 170,000 separate images were drawn during production. While there are other Ghibli film's higher on my favourites list, when it comes to Ghibli characters Ponyo is certainly in my top five, somewhere between Totoro, Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service) and Seita and Setsuko (Grave of the Fireflies). Whereby I usually love most Ghibli films, Ponyo is the one I adore.
Dir: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
2010
***
The Secret World of Arrietty or just Arrietty, is a great adaptation of Mary Norton's wonderful tale of The Borrowers brought to life from Studio Ghibli - a name you can always rely on. It isn't however, your typical Studio Ghibli film. There are no Japanese mythical creatures, folk-law or odd-ball characters we've come used to from Hayao Mayazaki and company but Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Ghibli animation director in his directional debut) and his team have done good, they've kept to story and kept its western origins. I'm not sure why there is an American English and an English English version, I saw the English English version and thought the voice cast were well suited (the great Olivia Colman in particular). To be totally honest I like my Ghibli films better when they are 100% theirs but if anyone is going to adapt children’s stories, then I'd rather it was them every time. In a world were kids are bombarded with 3D CGI headache inducing animated films where dogs skateboard and swear at cats, and the moral of most stories is that popularity is most important - it is a very welcome relief. The animation is, as always, in glorious 2D, is utter beautiful and sticks to story but also adds to it in its own unique way. Ghibli's founding members Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki had wanted to adapt the story for over forty years so it was nice to see it finally happen and for them to give the opportunity to one of their best animators to make it. The music is also one of the studio best soundtracks by far.
From Up on Poppy Hill
Dir: Gorō Miyazaki
2011
***
From Up on Poppy Hill is a sweet and more straight-laced Studio Ghibli film that follows the likes of Only Yesterday and Whisper of the Heart in temperament and style. Personally I like the Ghibli films that are based on Japanese folk law that have talking animals and bonkers characters but I do like them both. This is only Gorō Miyazaki's second Ghibli feature, his first being one of my least favorites; Tales From Earthsea. He has big shoes to fill but I think he'll do well as his Father's replacement. From Up on Poppy Hill is just as uplifting as you'd expect from the studio, I was concerned when the unexpected issue of incest popped up but rest assured, in Ghibli you can trust. Hayao Miyazaki co-wrote the script and is influence in the project is clear, not that everything Ghibli has to be all about him but I think above all else, he gets the serious issues right. Miyazaki takes influence from the films of the great Yasujirô Ozu and also of his own past, his father's involvement in the war and his own accounts of student activism. I'm sure it was quite special to see his own son take on what I'm sure was an important film for him. It's almost a total mix of Only Yesterday and Whisper of the Heart, dealing with war, it's aftermath and nostalgia although I don't think it has the impact of either. The animation is stunning as always, I loved the music and the story, there was just something not quite Ghibli about it. Maybe it's because the story has its roots in a MANGA story that was the problem but it didn't hold me as much as their films usually do. Still, their lesser films are still much better then most people's and From Up on Poppy Hill is still a wonderful addition to the studios collection.
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
2013
*****
The Wind Rises is a glorious addition to the Studio Ghibli collection but also a sad one, as this is to be the last film directed by studio founder, Hayao Miyazaki, who has arguably made the best of the Ghibli films and is one of the world’s greatest animators. The Wind Rises is a fictionalised biopic of Dr. Jiro Horikoshi who designed aircraft in Japan, most famously the Mitsubishi A6M Zero that was used by the army in the Second World War. The Jiro in the film designs aircraft for the armed forces but is totally against War, this was true in life but is where the similarity ends. It's an odd thing to do really, making a fictitious biography of a real person but ethics aside, it truly is something wonderful and never defamatory. There is a dreamlike peace about Hayao Miyazaki's films and never so much as in his final masterpiece. As with many of his film, this was a huge passion of the great directors, one that turned into something of an obsession, the pressure of it being his last film only emphasising his person strain (captured in the fascinating Ghibli documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness). His passion of airplanes comes from his father who built aircraft and can be seen in many of his past films. It is as visually stunning as you'd expect from the studio, a little like Porco Rosso in style (although Miyazaki has since stated that he dislikes the film), aviation being an obvious passion of the director. However, the usual mystical fantasy and playful style of the director is absent in his last film, this is one of the serious Ghibli films, which aren't always the most popular. There is a strong element of fantasy though, instead of mythical creatures we have Giovanni Battista Caproni, another real aircraft designer and possible influence on Horikoshi. Both designers meet in each other’s dreams and dance along the wings of their own aircraft. This is pure Miyazaki fantasy and him, for the very last time, exploring the balance of reality and fantasy quite perfectly. His swansong is an unsurprising masterpiece but didn’t come without controversy. It is seen as being an anti-war film, which in many respects it is and Miyazaki’s outspoken disdain for Prime Minister Shinzo has seen him ridiculously labelled a traitor. To his worldwide legion of fans he will be sadly missed but what a wonderful legacy he has left.
Dir: Isao Takahata
2013
*****
Isao Takahata has made one of my least favorite Studio Ghibli films, 1999's My Neighbours the Yamadas. Compared to the usual visual flare you can expect from the studio, Takahata's animations are a bit too simple and dare I say, almost dull in comparison to their other great work. When I think of Ghibli and what I love about it, it is the mix of simplisity but with great regard to detail. However, while The Tale of The Princess Kaguya isn't always very colourful, it is bright and very striking and certainly never dull. Takahata's simplistic style is used far more effectively than in his previous work, the detail growing at the same speed as Princess Kaguya and the overall story. The detail, or lack of, gives the film a wonderful fluidity, which works perfectly for what it is. Based on the 10th Century Japanese Buddhist folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Isao Takahata's dream like style gives the film a certain level of timelessness and the story some reverence. The story is easily one of Ghibli's finest, mixing folk-law, Buddhism and fantasy beautifully and in a somewhat more mature way than you might expect. It's the best example of the notion of idealism I've ever seen, both children and adults could learn a lot from it, whether they're Buddhist or not. The last scene is nothing short of sensational, even more so than you'd expect from the studio. I'll be honest, I'd much prefer to watch My Neighbour Totoro or Princess Mononoke over this if I had the choice but there is no doubt that it is one of Ghibli and Takahata's most faultless masterpieces.
Dir: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
2014
***
The future of Studio Ghibli is uncertain following 2014's When Marnie Was There and I'm not sure if this was the best film to pause on. It follows a couple of the studio's strongest offerings, The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, both released in 2013. I don't believe the studio is lost without Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata or producer Toshio Suzuki but I do wonder whether this is an indication that it has lost its way somewhat. Ghibli films can be categorized in two different types; Fantasy and Melodrama. Most films are both but usually leaning dramatically towards one of the other. When Marnie Was There is one of the more serious of their films, it has fantastical elements about it but at its heart this is an emotional tale. I believe the wider audience wants a Catbus, a flying pig and general Japanese folk-law fantasy from their Ghiblis, personally I think films such as Whisper of the Heart, Only Yesterday and in particular Grave of the Fireflies are where the studio's real talents lie but it is all generally good. I didn't love When Marnie Was There though. Compared to most Anime melodramas it is miles ahead but I found it to be fairly lacklustre considering those involved and what the studio is capable of. The story itself is extremely predictable which shatters most of the illusion. None of the characters are particularly memorable either, which is quite unlike Ghibli. It is a relatively faithful adaptation of Joan G. Robinson's 1967 novel, except the story takes place in the city of Sapporo, Japan, rather than Norfolk, England. That said, and I don't know if this is simply something lost in translation or if I read too much into it, but I don't remember the strong suggestions of lesbianism in the book that seems quite clear in the animation. If I am mistaken, then the melodrama has been overcooked, even for a Ghibli film dealing with angst, adolescence and depression. I can see how past work has been influenced by this kind of story but much like Hiromasa Yonebayashi's 2010 The Secret World of Arrietty, I don't think the studio should be making adaptations like this as it never plays to their strengths. For all the years of working alongside great story tellers, surely someone left at Ghibli has a great idea of their own? It may sound like I'm being unnecessarily harsh on When Marnie Was There but to be fair it fell very short of my expectations and I know the studio can make far more captivating films than this. I liked the story and the twist ending a lot, even though I saw it coming a mile away. I just didn't like the forced and rather relentless melodrama, maybe young teens would disagree but I always felt Ghibli films were for everyone. When Marnie Was There has me fearful of the future of a studio I love.
Other Ghibli-connected Films to consider:
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