![]() While it lacks the visual vigor of most Ghibli films, there’s an interesting undercurrent of queer thematic narratives that the film never really digs into but that viewers have picked up on since its initial release. Directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, the film follows the character Taku Morisaki on his way to his high school reunion as he remembers his days at school and the love triangle he was involved in. Ocean Waves (1993)Ī peculiar film that never quite lands emotionally the way many other Ghibli greats do, Ocean Waves is notable for its restraint and humanistic rendering. In this case, Arriety befriends a human boy, with their friendship maintaining the heart of the story and imbuing this whimsical world with a necessary gravitas as he struggles with his health. Based on the novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton, the film follows the story of tiny people, most notably Arrietty, who live in a household occupied by average-sized humans as they borrow items in order to survive. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)ĭirected by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, The Secret World of Arrietty is a contemplative adventure film with fun, playful details that help make up this world. That said, the ghost story from director Hiromasa Yonebayashi is patient and contemplative with some gorgeous lakeside visuals, even if it fails to maintain interest for the entire duration. In an instance where the trailer for the film is ultimately more interesting than the final story When Marnie Was There isn’t without its attributes. Its enchanting nature and the dreamlike story that cushions it display a much more youthful tone than many other Ghibli films. Slight in its narrative with animation that doesn’t truly come alive in the slower moments, the film is at its best when animating the cats themselves, each of which is given distinctive personalities through physicality and movement alone. The fantasy adventure film The Cat Returns, directed by Hiroyuki Morita, acts as a bite-sized prequel to 1995’s Whisper of the Heart. As is the case with Earwig and the Witch and Tales of Earthsea, From Up on Poppy Hill lacks the inventiveness of other Ghibli properties. Based on the 1980 manga of the same name illustrated by Chizuru Takahashi and written by Tetsurō Sayama, the drama is relatively self-contained, with two high schoolers working to protect the school’s clubhouse. ![]() Goro Miyazaki simply doesn’t possess the same keen eye for whimsy and wonder as his father, and it’s evident even in his most stripped-down film, From Up on Poppy Hill. The main downfall though is the animation, the 3D jarring despite the talent on board. Despite the magical setting, however, very little of it exudes in the film itself. The story follows an orphan girl named Earwig who is thrust into an adventure when she’s forced to move in with a witch and immerse herself in a world of magic. Earwig and the Witch (2020)īased on the novel of Dianna Wynne Jones, Earwig and the Witch, another Goro Miyazaki misfire, combines music and 3D animation for a messy production. With flat animation and soulless characters, the film lacks the necessary, fantastical spark. Le Guin’s Earthsea series along with his father’s, Hayao Miyazaki, manga series Shuna’s Journey, the film possesses little to no personality. Based on the combination of the first four books of Ursula K. Sometimes it’s okay to not be a completist and simply skip out on the films directed by Goro Miyazaki that make up Studio Ghibli’s oeuvre. The first film released by the studio would be in 1984 with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.) ‘ 24. (Note: While Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) was directed by Miyazaki, it was not released through Studio Ghibli. If you’ve enjoyed Studio Ghibli films, there are plenty of other studios and projects worth seeking out but there’s no doubt the studio has had an indomitable presence and influence on modern filmmakers. It’s not just that they’re the best of their medium - they make the correct case that animation is just as viable an art form as live action, producing works of fiction that are emotionally universal yet singular in their particular stories. Often working with hand-drawn animation in some forms with immersive artistry that utilizes fantastical realism, the best of the studio’s films have forever changed the landscape of animation. ![]() Led by titans Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, the studio has produced works of art and expanded the language of animation worldwide. Studio Ghibli have released some of the finest animated films in history. With the soon-to-be release of Hayao Miyazaki’s latest, The Boy and the Heron, on the horizon, we’re ranking all of the Studio Ghibli movies. ![]()
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