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[cj_iwakura]

There's assorted threads about Ghibli's many works, but none to discuss their films in general.

I'm by no means a Ghibli scholar, but I'll be as comprehensive as I can.

Nearly all of these films are available on DVD in some form or another, and the (recent) dubs all range from good to absolutely stellar.

Let's begin from the beginning.

Pre-SG, made by Ghibli staff

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro

The movie opens with Arsène Lupin III and Daisuke Jigen escaping in a Fiat 500 after robbing a casino in Monaco, only to discover that their entire haul is counterfeit. Lupin recognizes the distinctively high quality counterfeit bills from his early days as a thief when he was almost killed while searching for their source. He decides to seek out the source again, and the two head off to the rumored source of the bills, the Grand Duchy of Cagliostro.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - December 15, 1979

Gauche the Cellist

Gauche the Cellist (セロ弾きのゴーシュ Sero Hiki no Gōshu, also transliterated Gorsch the Cellist or Goshu the Cellist) is a short story by the Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa. It is about Gauche, a struggling small town cellist who is inspired by his interactions with anthropomorphized animals to gain insight into music. The story has been translated into English and Italian, and was adapted into a critically acclaimed anime in 1982 by Isao Takahata. It had previously been adapted to the screen several times.

Directed by - Isao Takahata
Original Release - January 23, 1982
Manga DVD Re-release - 2000

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

The film tells the story of Nausicaä, a young princess of the Valley of the Wind who gets involved in a struggle with Tolmekia, a kingdom that tries to use an ancient weapon to eradicate a jungle of mutant giant insects. Nausicaä must stop the Tolmekians from enraging these creatures.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - March 4, 1984
Disney DVD Re-release - February 22, 2005
Blu-Ray - March 8, 2011


Studio Ghibli

Laputa: The Castle in The Sky

In the movie's backstory, human civilizations built flying cities, which were destroyed during an unspecified catastrophe, forcing the survivors to live on the ground as before. Just one city, Laputa, remains in the sky, concealed by a thunderstorm. In the opening scene, an airship travels though the clouds. On board are a girl named Sheeta and Muska, the government agent who abducted her. Without warning, an air pirate gang led by an old but vivacious woman named Dola attack the airship. Like Muska, they want Sheeta and her stone.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - August 2, 1986
Disney DVD Re-release - 2003
Blu-Ray - May 22, 2011

Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓 Hotaru no Haka?) is a 1988 Japanese animated war tragedy film written and directed by Isao Takahata. This is the first film produced by Shinchosha, who hired Studio Ghibli to do the animation production work. It is an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, intended as a personal apology to the author's own sister.

Directed by Isao Takahata
Original release - April 16, 1988

My Neighbor Totoro

The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan. The film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize and the Mainichi Film Award for Best Film in 1988.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - April 16, 1988
Disney DVD Re-release - October 23, 2005
Blu-Ray - TBA


Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki is a 13-year-old witch-in-training, living in a village where her mother is the resident herbalist. It is traditional for witches to live for a year alone when they reach 13 years of age. In the opening of the story, Kiki takes off for the big city with her best friend Jiji, a loquacious black cat.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - July 22, 1989
Disney DVD Re-release - March 2, 2010
Blu-Ray - N/A


Only Yesterday

In 1982, Taeko is 27, unmarried, has lived her whole life in Tokyo and now works at a company there. She decides to take another trip to visit her elder sisters-in-law in the rural countryside to help with the safflower harvest and get away from city life. While traveling at night on a sleeper train to Yamagata, she begins to recall memories of herself as a fifth-grade schoolgirl in 1966, and her intense desire to go on holiday like her classmates, all of whom have family outside of the big city.

Directed by - Isao Takahata
Original Release - July 20, 1991


Porco Rosso

During the 1920s, Porco Rosso is a former WW1 Italian flying ace who works as a freelance pirate hunter. Formerly known as Captain Marco Paggot (Marco Rosselini, in Walt Disney English version[1]), he deserted Italian Air Force. He frequents the Hotel Adriano, where he spends time with Gina, the owner of the hotel and one of his closest friends.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - July 18, 1992
Disney DVD Re-release - [date TBA]
Blu-Ray - TBA


Ocean Waves

At Kichijōji Station, Tokyo, Taku Morisaki glimpses a familiar woman on the platform opposite. Later, her photo falls from a shelf as he exits his apartment before flying to Kōchi Prefecture. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly. As the plane takes off, he narrates the events that brought her into his life... The story is told in flashback.

Directed by - Tomomi Mochizuki
Original Release - May 5, 1993


Pom Poko

The story begins with a prologue set in late 1960s Japan. A group of tanuki is threatened by a gigantic and ongoing suburban development project called New Tama, in the Tama Hills on the outskirts of Tokyo. The development is cutting into their forest habitat and dividing their land. As construction continues, the story resumes in early 1990s Japan, during the early years of the Heisei era. With the amount of living space and food decreasing every year, the tanuki begin fighting among themselves for the diminishing resources of their habitat until at the urging of the matriarch Oroku ("Old Fireball"), they decide to unify against the humans to stop the development.

Directed by - Isao Takahata
Original Release - July 16, 1994
Disney DVD Re-release - [date needed]
Blu-Ray - TBA


Whisper of the Heart

Schoolgirl Shizuku Tsukishima lives in Tokyo, Japan with her parents Asako and Seiya. She is a bookworm and is keen on writing. One evening, she looks through the checkout cards in her library books. She notices they have all been checked out by the same person - someone named Seiji Amasawa.

Directed by - Yoshifumi Kondō
Original Release - July 15, 1995
Disney DVD Re-release - March 7, 2006
Blu-Ray - May 22, 2011


Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke is a period drama set specifically in the late Muromachi period of Japan but with numerous fantastical elements. The story concentrates on involvement of the outsider Ashitaka in the struggle between the supernatural guardians of a forest and the humans of the Iron Town who consume its resources. There can be no clear victory, and the hope is that relationship between humans and nature can be cyclical.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release - July 12, 1997
US Release - October 29, 1999
Blu-Ray - N/A


My Neighbors The Yamadas

This film is about the daily lives of the Yamada family: Takashi and Matsuko (the father and mother), Shige (Matsuko's mother), Noboru (aged approximately 13, the son), Nonoko (aged approximately 5, the daughter), and Pochi (the family dog).

Directed by - Isao Takahata
Original Release - July 17, 1999
Disney DVD Re-release - [date needed]
Blu-Ray - TBA


Spirited Away

The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood, becomes trapped in an alternate reality that is inhabited by spirits and monsters. After her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba, Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and escape back to the human world.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original release - July 27, 2001
Disney DVD Re-release - [date needed]
Blu-Ray - TBA


The Cat Returns

The story is of a girl named Haru, a quiet, shy and unassuming high school student who has a suppressed ability to talk with cats. One day, she saves a darkly-colored, odd-eyed cat from being hit by a truck on a busy road. The cat is Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom. As thanks, the cats give Haru gifts of catnip and mice, and she is offered the Prince's hand in marriage. Her mixed reply is taken as a yes.

Directed by - Hiroyuki Morita
Original release - July 19, 2002
Disney DVD Re-release - 2003
Blu-Ray - TBA


Howl's Moving Castle

Sophie, a hatter, is a responsible-yet-plain 18-year-old girl who on her way to the bakery to visit her sister encounters a mysterious wizard by chance. This encounter arouses the Witch of the Waste, who comes to the hat shop and curses Sophie, transforming her into an old woman. As the curse prevents her from telling anyone of her condition, Sophie decides to leave and seek out a cure.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original release - November 20, 2004
Disney DVD Re-release - [date needed]
Blu-Ray - TBA


Tales From Earthsea

The film is based on a combination of plots and characters from the first four books of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu; however, the film's title is named from the collection of short stories, Tales from Earthsea, made in 2001.

Directed by - Gorō Miyazaki
Original release - July 29, 2006
Disney DVD Re-release - March 8, 2011
Blu-Ray - TBA

Ponyo

/

Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ Gake no Ue no Ponyo, literally "Ponyo on the Cliff"), initially titled in English as Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is a 2008 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It is Miyazaki's eighth film for Ghibli, and his tenth overall. The plot centers on a goldfish named Ponyo who befriends a five-year-old human boy, Sōsuke, and wants to become a human girl.

Directed by - Hayao Miyazaki
Original release - July 19, 2008
Disney Release - August 14, 2009
Blu-Ray - TBA

The Secret World of Arrietty

Arrietty (titled The Borrower Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ Kari-gurashi no Arietti?) in Japan and The Secret World of Arrietty in North America) is a 2010 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa and produced by Studio Ghibli, based on Mary Norton's novel The Borrowers. The film tells the story of Arrietty, a young Borrower, who lives under the floorboards of a typical household. She eventually befriends Sho, a human boy with a heart condition since birth, who is living with his great aunt, Sadako. When Sadako's maid, Haru, becomes suspicious of the floorboard's disturbance, Arrietty and her family must escape detection, even if it means leaving their beloved home.

Directed by - Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Original release - July 17, 2010
Disney Release - February 17, 2012
Blu-Ray - May 22, 2011


And, food for discussion!

Favorite Ghibli Films
1. Princess Mononoke, also my first.
2. Whisper of the Heart
3. Porco Rosso
4. Castle in the Sky
5. Nausicaa

Least favorite
That I've seen, Spirited Away.

Best Dub
Princess Mononoke, followed by Whisper of the Heart.

I haven't seen most of the recent ones, but hope to fix that soon.

Discuss away, and if you've seen these films before, tag spoilers, and if you haven't, post your thoughts.

Screens encouraged!

 

[DECK'ARD]

Awesome thread.

Totoro, Mononoke and Laputa are my favourites. I think Totoro is basically perfect actually.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Good thread, although you should add From Up on Poppy Hill and some of the older titles like Future Boy Conan and Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

 

[shadyspace]

Kiki's Delivery Service is the best film they've done.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Laputa is the perfect adventure film.

 

[Kazzy]

I have a wierd trend of seeming to prefer quite a few of the less celebrated Ghibli works. The Cat Returns is definitely amongst my favourites.

For some reason I never could abide Spirited Away, but it was first exposure to Ghibli and I went in extremely cold. I'd be curious to see what my take is on it now.

 

[DrForester]

Mononoke, Laputa, and Whispers are my favorites, but they're all good (even Tales of Earthsea)

 

[cj_iwakura]

Good thread, although you should add From Up on Poppy Hill and some of the older titles like Future Boy Conan and Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

They appeared to be shows, so I opted to focus on the films, but I'll add an extra section if there's desire for it.

 

[watkinzez]

Nice work! I'd include some of Miyazaki and Takahata's pre-Ghibli television work as well. Future Boy Conan, Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Hound, Lupin the 3rd. That last one is getting a US release next month!

Looking forward to seeing Poppy Hill soon too. Supposed to be a lot better than Goro's previous film.

 

[shadyspace]

yeah, most of miyazaki's work is excellent. Is it bad that I haven't seen any non-Miyazaki Ghibli?

 

[DECK'ARD]

yeah, most of miyazaki's work is excellent. Is it bad that I haven't seen any non-Miyazaki Ghibli?

You need to see Grave Of The Fireflies.

Very powerful for an animated film.

 

[shadyspace]

I own Grave of the Fireflies. How did I not know that was a Ghibli film.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I have a wierd trend of seeming to prefer quite a few of the less celebrated Ghibli works. The Cat Returns is definitely amongst my favourites.

For some reason I never could abide Spirited Away, but it was first exposure to Ghibli and I went in extremely cold. I'd be curious to see what my take is on it now.

We feel the same way. Spirited Away just didn't register with me.


Princess Mononoke changed everything for me. It was the first anime I ever saw where the dub surpassed the original in every way.

Also, Cary Elwes is on fire in the Disney dubs. He's in at least three of them. They also got Patrick Stewart in Laputa(I think). God-tier VA talent.

Disney is really the best thing to happen to Ghibli films.


I tend to prefer their 'intimate' stories like Whisper of the Heart. I need to track down Ocean Waves and Only Yesterday to give them a watch.

 

[shadyspace]

I would give anything to have Kiki's life. Girl had breeze for days.

 

[DECK'ARD]

I didn't like Spirited Away either.

 

[DrForester]

While I regard all the Ghibli Dubs highly, the only one I will easily put above the original is the English dub for Kiki, and that's almost completely due to Phil Hartman as Jiji.

 

[Subprime]

The nausicaa manga makes it really hard for me to enjoy the movie. It really pales in comparison.

 

[PhiLonius]

Amazingly I've never seen a Ghibli film even though I hear nothing but good things.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Amazingly I've never seen a Ghibli film even though I hear nothing but good things.

Just start anywhere and go from there.

Amazingly consistent, and the imagination shown in them is incredible. Nothing but respect for Studio Ghibli.

 

[DrForester]

Oh, and for the OP. Arrietty, and Whispers came out on Blu-Ray in the US last week.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Amazingly I've never seen a Ghibli film even though I hear nothing but good things.

I would recommend starting with one of the older films. Porco Rosso is a good one to start with, I think.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Amazingly I've never seen a Ghibli film even though I hear nothing but good things.

May as well start with the best.

 

[Jintor]

Whisper of the Heart is god-tier.

 

[DECK'ARD]

May as well start with the best.

Such a beautiful film.

Sticks with you for a long time.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Would anyone be down for a weekly film and discussions and such? Give me reason to put those DVDs* to work!

*

Spoiler

I have Mononoke on VHS. Need proper DVD release now!

 

[Ultima_5]

May as well start with the best.

Close, just a small correction...

Mononoke was a bit to heavy handed with Miyazaki's views on the environment in my opinion

Would anyone be down for a weekly film and discussions and such? Give me reason to put those DVDs* to work!

*

Spoiler

I have Mononoke on VHS. Need proper DVD release now!

I'm game. Gotta do something this summer. Possibly in release order?

 

[Kazzy]

We feel the same way. Spirited Away just didn't register with me.

I tend to prefer their 'intimate' stories like Whisper of the Heart. I need to track down Ocean Waves and Only Yesterday to give them a watch.

Judging by your tastes these two will certainly please you. So understated, and yet they made me nostalgic in ways I was never expecting.

 

[Replicant]

Really love the artstyle of "My Neighbour the Yamadas"

 

[shadyspace]

Would anyone be down for a weekly film and discussions and such? Give me reason to put those DVDs* to work!

*

Spoiler

I have Mononoke on VHS. Need proper DVD release now!

I'm down.

 

[Ostinatto]

there is a documental on youtube about the making off Princess Mononoke

first part http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi3LRn7EKx8

where i can find this !!!

 

[cj_iwakura]

I'm game. Gotta do something this summer. Possibly in release order?

I can go with that. Haven't seen Cagliostro, good reason to.

 

[Tuck]

Some truly great films, though I find some of them lose direction towards the end - but that may just be because of translation.

Totoro is the greatest cartoon animal ever created. Perfect mannerisms. I wish there'd be a sequel, but that likely won't ever happen (And no, I don't mean that mini film with the kitten bus)

Ponyo was created. Really cute. Lupin was surprisingly fantastic (I wasn't fan of the art style at first but it grew on me).

Spirited Away was just so full of imagination.

Kiki's was alright, but not my favourite. She was really mean to that boy.

Howl's Moving Castle was interesting, but this is one of the ones I felt fell apart at the end.

Princess Mononoke was fantastic. Such a vivid world. Valley of the Wind as well (Again, the ending suffered, IMO).

Need to watch castle in the Sky and Secret or Arriety. Very excited.

If I hadn't already chosen Trev as my avatar, I'd repick as Totoro I think. He's great.

 

[shadyspace]

Cagliostro is fucking awesome and it's the only Lupin I've ever watched.

 

[Kazzy]

Ditto. I watched most of the films fairly recently, as I bought the entire collection late last year. It pretty much acted as my gateway drug to the wider world of anime in general (as I'm sure it has done for a few others), so I'd love to enter into some discussion about Ghibli.

I'd be especially curious with what peoples take on some the more obscure entries will be.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Some truly great films, though I find some of them lose direction towards the end - but that may just be because of translation.

Totoro is the greatest cartoon animal ever created. Perfect mannerisms. I wish there'd be a sequel, but that likely won't ever happen (And no, I don't mean that mini film with the kitten bus)

Ponyo was created. Really cute. Lupin was surprisingly fantastic (I wasn't fan of the art style at first but it grew on me).

Spirited Away was just so full of imagination.

Kiki's was alright, but not my favourite. She was really mean to that boy.

Howl's Moving Castle was interesting, but this is one of the ones I felt fell apart at the end.

Princess Mononoke was fantastic. Such a vivid world. Valley of the Wind as well (Again, the ending suffered, IMO).

Need to watch castle in the Sky and Secret or Arriety. Very excited.

Oh my gosh, you haven't seen Castle in the Sky? DROP EVERYTHING and do it now!

BTW, just watched The Cat Returns. Couldn't finish it. I honestly couldn't believe how bad it was.

 

[Finaika]

I've watched all Ghibli anime.

 

[Cranzor]

I've only seen Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Secret World of Arrietty and My Neighbor Totoro. You guys really don't like Spirited Away? That's my favorite one. The ones I really want to see still are Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service and Nausicaa. I want to see all of them of course but those ones stick out as ones that I've missed. Great thread!

 

[watkinzez]

Whisper of the Heart is god-tier.

My favourite Ghibli film, heck, my favourite film. It manages to inspire as much wonder as some of their more fantastical concepts, but does so in urban Japan, which makes it much more intimate. I love love love how you can see the inspiration for Shizuku's story in her everyday life on repeat viewings.

 

[Tuck]

Oh my gosh, you haven't seen Castle in the Sky? DROP EVERYTHING and do it now!

Now you have me curious - gonna watch it tomorrow or wednesday and report back.

 

[not psycho]

The Castle of Cagliostro, Nausicaa, Laputa, Grave of the Fireflies, Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Ocean Waves, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Ponyo are probably my favorites. If I had to choose a single super-favorite, it would be Princess Mononoke followed by Whisper of the Heart and Spirited Away.

Arrietty and The Cat Returns are very, very good but not god tier. Howl's Moving Castle is good but has some significant problems. Pom Poko I think it's my fault for just not "getting it". Earthsea is a flat out bad movie. I also watched Future Boy Conan which I would rank alongside the favorites.

 

[Krev]

I'm always weirded out when people say they don't like Spirited Away. I think it's magnificent, and the best Miyazaki film.

 

[Kazzy]

BTW, just watched The Cat Returns. Couldn't finish it. I honestly couldn't believe how bad it was.

 

[DrForester]

Castle of Cagliostro is still on Netflix Streaming.

 

[Wandering Leopard]

Very nice OT.
Princess Mononoke and Howl's moving castle are my absolute favourites, though most of the movies are so damn good, it just comes down to your opinion.

Reminds me, isn't a Rosso sequel in development too?

 

[SecretMoblin]

Kiki's Delivery Service is the best film they've done.

It has begun!

I'm actually surprised at all the disappointment I hear from friends about Spirited Away; I really loved it. Perhaps it's inevitable when a film receives the kind of overwhelming universal praise that it did prior to its release overseas.

Though it was the first Ghibli film I saw as a kid (along with many - and perhaps most - American kids), I do think My Neighbor Totoro is a weaker film than the other Ghibli films at that time, and I don't think history has been as kind to it as it has to Laputa, Grave of the Fireflies, and Kiki's Delivery Service.

 

[Fireye]

Nausicaa, Gauche, and Lupin should be marked as non-ghibli, but involving Ghibli staff. Since this is the Ghibli OT, should be accurate. LOTS of information is available on Nausicaa.net.

My favorite Ghibli piece is On Your Mark. It's purpose in life was to be a testbed for Ghibli's CG processes, in preparation for Princess Mononoke. Some day I'll find a cel from this amazing music video, they HAVE TO BE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE *shakes fist*.

Music Video here, there used to be good quality copies on youtube, but I'm having zero luck finding them. I don't think it's been released in the US, but the it did make it to DVD in japan. Would love to see it released as an extra on one of the Ghibli blurays.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Arrietty and The Cat Returns are very, very good but not god tier. Howl's Moving Castle is good but has some significant problems. Pom Poko I think it's my fault for just not "getting it". Earthsea is a flat out bad movie. I also watched Future Boy Conan which I would rank alongside the favorites.

Can you guys believe that the Academy gave Howl's Moving Castle "Best Animated Feature"?

It's a good film, but it's not THAT good. Maybe it was simply the best that year for animation, which sounds quite likely given that it was, what, 2006?

 

[DrForester]

Can you guys believe that the Academy gave Howl's Moving Castle "Best Animated Feature"?

It's a good film, but it's not THAT good. Maybe it was simply the best that year for animation, which sounds quite likely given that it was, what, 2006?

It didn't. Spirited Away is the only Ghibli Film to win an Academy Award. Howl's was nominated, but lost to Wallace and Grommit.

 

[Fusebox]

Ghibli? Yes. Everything. Over and over.

The Ghibli Museum was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan.

 

[DECK'ARD]

I'm always weirded out when people say they don't like Spirited Away. I think it's magnificent, and the best Miyazaki film.

It's incredibly imaginative, but usually with Ghibli films you lose yourself in the world and Spirited Away just didn't grab me like the others.

I far preferred Mononoke in terms of grander Ghibli films, and Totoro is still the best for me.