• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The Films of Studio Ghibli |OT| Creating New Worlds

Clov

Member
Fucking A. I really hope Discotek or Sentai Filmworks decides to bring these stateside.

I'd rather it be Discotek, personally. Their Blu-Rays tend to have better video quality than Sentai, and I don't like Sentai's big yellow subtitles.

Out of all of those, I really hope that Gauche the Cellist gets brought over the most. Absolutely love that film. Given that Discotek has released two other pre-Ghibli Takahata films on DVD, it would be a nice pick-up for them. Of course, I'd prefer it on Blu-Ray, so if they did release it hopefully they would make one for it.
 

omgkitty

Member
I'd rather it be Discotek, personally. Their Blu-Rays tend to have better video quality than Sentai, and I don't like Sentai's big yellow subtitles.

Out of all of those, I really hope that Gauche the Cellist gets brought over the most. Absolutely love that film. Given that Discotek has released two other pre-Ghibli Takahata films on DVD, it would be a nice pick-up for them. Of course, I'd prefer it on Blu-Ray, so if they did release it hopefully they would make one for it.

I would assume it would be GKids if anyone. They have the relationship with Ghibli already doing some recent releases and getting the theater rights. They're the ones who've been touring the retrospective.
 

Clov

Member
I would assume it would be GKids if anyone. They have the relationship with Ghibli already doing some recent releases and getting the theater rights. They're the ones who've been touring the retrospective.

Yeah, it's very possible that they could get most of those. Panda Go Panda might be off limits though, since Discotek released the DVD of it.
 

omgkitty

Member
Yeah, it's very possible that they could get most of those. Panda Go Panda might be off limits though, since Discotek released the DVD of it.

Yeah outside of Only Yesterday and Ocean Waves, everything else seems like it would be right up Discotek's alley. They already have Sherlock Hound as well.
 

omgkitty

Member
The Ghibli blu-rays I ordered from Japan shipped yesterday.....and will be here (in Tennessee) TOMORROW! My mind is blown. I've had things ship from the same state take longer!
 

LuuKyK

Member
Yeah I love stuff like Ocean Waves and Whisper of the Heart. It's the kind of stuff I feel like it doesn't seem that interesting until you actually watch it.

I still haven't watched Ocean Waves, Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday. Working on that though. Which one should I watch first?
 

omgkitty

Member
I still haven't watched Ocean Waves, Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday. Working on that though. Which one should I watch first?

Whisper of the Heart probably. I would say Only Yesterday is my least favorite of the three, but I enjoy it well enough. Ocean Waves is essentially just an early 90's slice of life film that happens to have been made by Ghibli.
 
I think it depends on what you order? I think they won't ship things like games to the US. This is the first thing I've ordered from them.

Oh yeah, you are probably right. The only thing I've attempted to order off Amazon JP were games and I was denied. I guess I thought they blocked everything from shipping to the US.
 

omgkitty

Member
I just watched Ocean Waves again after the talk here, and I still like that film though it definitely has some flaws. Mostly the issues seem to be with how short it is. It's only a little over an hour, and it feels like there are scenes missing. I know it was a television movie and it went over budget, so that could possibly make sense why. I think that it probably would have worked a lot better as an OVA series of 6 episodes. There's a relationship going on, but a lot is just sort of implied, and there are months skipped at a time. Still though, I think it comes together pretty well at the end and is a nice sentimental film.
 

LuuKyK

Member
Whisper of the Heart probably. I would say Only Yesterday is my least favorite of the three, but I enjoy it well enough. Ocean Waves is essentially just an early 90's slice of life film that happens to have been made by Ghibli.

Whisper of the Heart is one of Ghibli's best, top 5 easily. The other two are just okay, imo.

Thanks guys. Whisper of the Heart it is then! I will work my way to a copy so that I can watch it this weekend.
 

javac

Member
You've got some great films ahead of you to watch. Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday are my favourite Ghibli Films, and two of my favourite films in general. In terms of top three Ghibli films I'd rank them as:
  1. Only Yesterday
  2. Whisper of the Heart
  3. Porco Rosso
Ocean Waves is one of my favourites too.
 

BorkBork

The Legend of BorkBork: BorkBorkity Borking
Made a little tribute in pottery class. Glaze ran, but I think it still turned out OK:
uW6PTxo.jpg
 

totoro'd

Member
Made a little tribute in pottery class. Glaze ran, but I think it still turned out OK:
uW6PTxo.jpg

Wow i love it, great job!

Ghibli has been disappointing in the past couple of years (in my opinion). The last movie from them that i truly liked was Arrietty. Both The Wind Rises and Tale of Princess Kaguya just didn't blow me away (although i loved the music from the former, and the animation style of the latter). I didn't like Kaguya's story that much either, and had several parts where i actually got bored, which is rare for me in a Ghibli film.

I had high hopes for When Marnie Was There, and actually for most of the film i was completely enthralled and blown away, because it seemed Ghibli was taking a completely different direction and being progressive, as
i thought they were actually going to feature a lesbian relationship lol, guess i should've known better. As well as it being a "ghost story" of sorts, and scary, was kinda different for Ghibli
. But then the ending and the "plot twist" really turned me off
that Marnie was actually her grandmother (?) like wtf, i mean, she was infatuated/had a crush on her own grandmother? weird. Also i didn't like the whole story of Marnie's life that was told at the end either.
 

BorkBork

The Legend of BorkBork: BorkBorkity Borking
Thanks all for the kind words. I might add a bit to it, need to get my hands on some craft wire...
 

LuuKyK

Member
I know I mentioned that I still had to watch Whisper of the Heart but in reality I already did some weeks ago and completely forgot. I even posted in the Films You've Watched for this month. lol

I thought it was ok, not really one of my favorites. It got better by the end, but still felt it dragged on for too long.

Anyway, having already watched that I went after Ocean Waves and/or Only Yesterday. Could only find the later. It was a cool little reminiscence movie but I am not so sure it will stay with me like other Ghibli movies.

Btw, was I the only one bothered by the weird way the cheeks were drawn in Only Yesterday? Was it that way to make the character look older or something? I don't remember seeing it in any other of their movies.

Edit: talking about this (you can see it on the left side of her face in the image):

only-yesterday-e1332534867194.jpg
 

omgkitty

Member
I know I mentioned that I still had to watch Whisper of the Heart but in reality I already did some weeks ago and completely forgot. I even posted in the Films You've Watched for this month. lol

I thought it was ok, not really one of my favorites. It got better by the end, but still felt it dragged on for too long.

Anyway, having already watched that I went after Ocean Waves and/or Only Yesterday. Could only find the later. It was a cool little reminiscence movie but I am not so sure it will stay with me like other Ghibli movies.

Btw, was I the only one bothered by the weird way the cheeks were drawn in Only Yesterday? Was it that way to make the character look older or something? I don't remember seeing it in any other of their movies.

Edit: talking about this (you can see it on the left side of her face in the image):

only-yesterday-e1332534867194.jpg

Yeah her cheeks annoy me in that movie. Makes her look old, when I believe she's only supposed to be in her 20's?
 

RangerBAD

Member
Only Yesterday has a lot of impact if you're around her age or older. You can relate with her a lot more. I cried hard during the ending.
 

LuuKyK

Member
Next up on the list is When Marnie Was There. Will watch it tomorrow.

Know nothing about it, so I am excited.

After that I still have to watch The Cat Returns, Cagliostro, Pom Poko, Ocean Waves and Earthsea. Then I am done watching all of them, still deciding on the order.

Btw, anyone here bought any of these art books? I am really interested in the three I linked, was wondering about the quality of them/if they are worth importing.
 

omgkitty

Member
Next up on the list is When Marnie Was There. Will watch it tomorrow.

Know nothing about it, so I am excited.

After that I still have to watch The Cat Returns, Cagliostro, Pom Poko, Ocean Waves and Earthsea. Then I am done watching all of them, still deciding on the order.

Btw, anyone here bought any of these art books? I am really interested in the three I linked, was wondering about the quality of them/if they are worth importing.

I don't own any of them but I've heard nothing but good things about all of them.
 

ec0ec0

Member
Help me GAF :p

In some days, i have to do a little presentation for an english course that i'm doing, and i thought that it would be great to introduce some people to Ghibli's films. It would be great if i could convince some people to give them a try.

So, i have to put their appeal into words. Hopefully, looking around the internet will help me with that. Any particular place that could be helpfull?
 

Sushigod7

Member
Next up on the list is When Marnie Was There. Will watch it tomorrow.

Know nothing about it, so I am excited.

After that I still have to watch The Cat Returns, Cagliostro, Pom Poko, Ocean Waves and Earthsea. Then I am done watching all of them, still deciding on the order.

Btw, anyone here bought any of these art books? I am really interested in the three I linked, was wondering about the quality of them/if they are worth importing.


I have the Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Totoro art books they are all amazing. I refer to them a lot for drawing reference.
 

LuuKyK

Member
Help me GAF :p

In some days, i have to do a little presentation for an english course that i'm doing, and i thought that it would be great to introduce some people to Ghibli's films. It would be great if i could convince some people to give them a try.

So, i have to put their appeal into words. Hopefully, looking around the internet will help me with that. Any particular place that could be helpfull?

This thread itself is a great source. :p

Try to find some reviews people wrote about some the movies here. They are great.

Some google search won't hurt either. Just looking and I found this site that put together some reviews of most of the Ghibli movies. Here. But there are many others out there.

Btw, reading the review from Only Yesterday there, even if the movie wasn't really one of my favorites, the Pineapple scene was indeed the most remarkable one when you think about it.

I have the Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Totoro art books they are all amazing. I refer to them a lot for drawing reference.

Thanks, I will probably buy the Spirited Away one to see what it looks like and then if I like I will just go for some of the others I want.
 
J

Jotamide

Unconfirmed Member
I just watched Nausicaa for the first time. It is probably among my top 3 Ghibli movies of all time now. I found amazing how they presented a rather convoluted story in such a tight way; Miyazaki even points out that
Nausicaa's clothes changed at the end for a reason
. Lovely film, watching this after Mononoke and The Wind Rises gives me some serious Deja Vu though.
 

Asbel

Member
I just watched Nausicaa for the first time. It is probably among my top 3 Ghibli movies of all time now. I found amazing how they presented a rather convoluted story in such a tight way; Miyazaki even points out that
Nausicaa's clothes changed at the end for a reason
. Lovely film, watching this after Mononoke and The Wind Rises gives me some serious Deja Vu though.
It is a great movie. It's only about one chapter of the manga which is the greatest thing Miyazaki ever created.
 

Fjordson

Member
I recently watched Totoro with my niece and nephew. They loved it. It was magical, reminded me of when I first saw it as a kid. Miyazaki still one of the greatest.
 

LuuKyK

Member
I had high hopes for When Marnie Was There, and actually for most of the film i was completely enthralled and blown away, because it seemed Ghibli was taking a completely different direction and being progressive, as
i thought they were actually going to feature a lesbian relationship lol, guess i should've known better. As well as it being a "ghost story" of sorts, and scary, was kinda different for Ghibli
. But then the ending and the "plot twist" really turned me off
that Marnie was actually her grandmother (?) like wtf, i mean, she was infatuated/had a crush on her own grandmother? weird. Also i didn't like the whole story of Marnie's life that was told at the end either.

I just finished watching Marnie for the first time some minutes ago, and before I answer to your post I just wanted to say that it was one of the most touching Ghibli movies for me, probably the closer I came to tears after Grave of the Fireflies, which is saying something.

About the implied
lesbian relationship between the kids you mentioned: of course it was not that. I mean, it did sound awkward at times and some of their talks could be taken as someone who was slightly confused and sexually interested in each other (this is so weird to say, considering they were both 13 yo, ugh, I would rather say they were in the process of discovering themselves or whatever but ok)
, and that would be fine as you said, but honestly as I see it, and I noticed since the beginning,
Marnie was just a creation of Anna's head (she was a very creative yet isolated, child, seen by her incredible drawings), and she used this to find part of her soul that was missing, she was just so connected to Marnie that she didn't want to let go. She was not envy of Marnie's boyfriend, she was just afraid of letting go of that which was the only thing that could bring happiness and reason to her life.

It was a matter of finding the joy of living again, thats why she moved away form the city, and she found that again by creating memories of her childhood and remembering the love of her grandmother and by accepting her past, instead of just hating whatever destiny imposed to her.

I really loved the story. I would easily rank it in my top 5 somewhere. Gotta finish watching them all (now just Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, Cat Returns, Cagliostro and Earthsea left) and then try to make a list, but its up there for sure.

Btw, the music was fantastic, as always.

I recently watched Totoro with my niece and nephew. They loved it. It was magical, reminded me of when I first saw it as a kid. Miyazaki still one of the greatest.

Indeed! Its such a feel good movie, I desperately want to rewatch it, but gotta finish my Ghibli completion list first. :p
 
Top Bottom