17 Ghibli cartoons - 11 full-length films by Hayao Miyazaki + 6 more films by other animators (17 photos)

You can watch these cartoons endlessly.

1. "The Castle of Cagliostro" (1979)





Hayao Miyazaki's first full-length animated work, created before Studio Ghibli, is based on a series of books by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The main character is the famous swindler Arsene Lupine III, who gets into trouble after stealing a large sum of money from a casino. The stolen bills turn out to be counterfeit - and the unlucky thief goes to the Principality of Cagliostro, where, according to rumors, they were printed. This exciting adventure, full of humor and optimism, bears little resemblance to the director’s later films, and therefore definitely deserves your hour and 40 minutes (especially if all the cult films have already been watched to death).

2. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)



“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” is based on the manga of the same name by Miyazaki himself and raises questions familiar to all fans of Ghibli films about ecology and the destructive influence of humanity on nature. The action takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where warring kingdoms fight not only with each other, but also with the environment, which, after a nuclear war, has been overrun by giant mutant insects. In this bleak series of wars, a glimmer of hope appears when the brave and compassionate Princess Nausicaä, who rules the Valley of the Wind, embarks on a dangerous journey to save her planet. The team that worked on this anime would open the Chibli studio two years later.

3. Laputa Castle in the Sky (1986)





Studio Ghibli's debut project follows a girl named Sheeta and apprentice engineer Pazu as they go in search of the legendary Laputa. Sheeta possesses a mysterious crystal pendant that can show the way to a lost city, making her a target not only of sky pirates, but also of government soldiers seeking to gain power on Laputa. The events of the film take place in an alternative reality, and Miyazaki borrowed the very idea of ​​the sky castle from the English classic Jonathan Swift, who described a similar flying island in his Gulliver's Travels.

4. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)



At first glance, this is a surprisingly touching tale about true friendship that will remind every adult how important it is to cherish the “inner child.” The film is about two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move with their father to an old village house. And although the premise sounds like the beginning of any classic horror film, instead of ominous ghosts, the girls meet the magical spirits of the forest, led by their charming ruler named Totoro (who eventually gave the logo to the whole studio). Together they experience exciting adventures that prove that faith in miracles and kindness help find a way out of the most difficult situations. It is worth remembering that this is a multi-layered story: Miyazaki reflects on his own childhood and demonstrates how the fairy-tale world helps a child survive separation from his mother.

5. "Witch's Delivery Service" (1989)



An exemplary coming of age story. Upon reaching the age of 13, the aspiring witch Kiki must literally “descend from heaven to earth” and spend a year among ordinary people, helping them in every possible way with her unusual gift. During a forced internship, the enterprising heroine decides that such an exceptional hard skill as wielding a broom should not go to waste, and opens her own delivery service. And although Kiki still faces many difficulties ahead, perseverance and self-confidence allow her to overcome everything, and her innovative startup has no choice but to become successful. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Japanese writer Eiko Kadono.

6. “Porco Rosso” (1992)



“Porco Rosso,” whose name translates from Italian as “red pig,” is a combo of adventure comedy with elements of romance and Miyazaki’s traditional war drama. A former fighter pilot named Marco Pagot was cursed after World War I for his disappointment in people and turned into a pig. Now he is a freelance bounty hunter who, in the vastness of the Adriatic, pursues air pirates robbing ships and yachts in the famous red seaplane. But this is during the day, and at night he is tormented by the ghosts of the past.

7. "Princess Mononoke" (1997)



The master’s most unchildish picture is about the destructive power of a man who, for the sake of his own interests, is ready to destroy everything in his path. The young Prince Ashitaka, who has incurred a terrible curse after killing a boar, finds himself drawn into a conflict between the forest gods and Lady Eboshi, the ruler of Iron City. Along the way, he also meets Mononoke, a free-spirited girl raised by wolves, and finds himself torn between the forest spirits and human civilization. Miyazaki, narrating Japan in the late Muromachi period (it was at this time that the first firearms appeared there), shows what the endless cycle of violence and cruelty towards nature and towards each other can lead to, and we can only watch - and listen.

8. Spirited Away (2001)



The masterpiece, which gave the director world fame and an Oscar, became the highest-grossing film in the history of Japanese film distribution. Not a single rating of the best films can do without it, and for good reason: “Spirited Away” is the perfect combination of fantasy, Japanese folklore and (again) the coming-of-age story of the girl Chihiro, who finds herself face to face with a frightening other world. To save her own parents, who were turned into pigs by the treacherous witch Yubaba, she is forced to work in a bathhouse among spirits and other supernatural creatures. A sympathetic guy, Haku, who turns into a river dragon; the good-natured stoker Kamaji, the mysterious Faceless Man - after watching, these images will remain in the memory forever, as well as the main lesson that Chihiro can teach: you need to step over your fears.

9. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)



Probably the second most popular (but not least important) film from Studio Ghibli, it is based on the novel of the same name by British writer Diana Wynne Jones. The Witch of the Waste turns the young and timid Sophie into an old woman, jealous of her for a beautiful but childish wizard named Howl. Having become an old woman, Sophie discovers previously unknown strength and courage and helps Howl become more self-confident. Miyazaki does not shy away from the painful topic of war: the film takes place against the backdrop of falling bombs and marching soldiers.

10. "Ponyo on the Cliff" (2008)



The studio's tenth film centers on the friendship between a boy named Sosuke and the fish Ponyo, who dreams of becoming a human, the daughter of a sea goddess. Here Miyazaki abandons the complex military issues that he touches on in Howl's Moving Castle and focuses on eternal themes - loneliness, the value of family and true camaraderie. The music was composed by longtime Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi. Well, there’s no point in praising the colorful animation and bright art - you just have to watch it.

11. “The Wind Rises” (2013)



Young engineer Jiro Horikoshi has been dreaming of the sky since childhood and dreams of designing the perfect airplane - an invention that is equal parts amazing, perfect and dangerous. Airplanes are generally Miyazaki’s favorite subject, since his father worked at an aircraft factory.

There are no forest spirits, no flying castles, no magical realism, Miyazaki's calling card, - only reality, bewitching with its horror. The growing premonition of an imminent global catastrophe is intertwined with the tenderness of first love, reflections on creative freedom and the search for the meaning of life. The measured pace of the narrative, the picturesque landscapes of the still entire Japan and the subtle pacifism that shines through in every frame is what makes “The Wind Rises” definitely worth watching.

***

For those who have watched the legendary films more than once, we offer six little-known, but no less charming anime from Ghibli.

12. "Grave of the Fireflies" (1988)



The story of teenagers who emerged from the Second World War alone, destitute and unwanted by anyone in the whole world. Director Isao Takahata examines a private tragedy under a magnifying glass and reflects on how war changes the fate of all people - not just military men.

13. “Yesterday” (1991)



A 27-year-old girl returns from the metropolis to her native village, simultaneously remembering her childhood and understanding herself. A collaboration between Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, imbued with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia.

14. “You can hear the ocean here” (1993)



Two friends fall in love with the same girl - a plot as old as time, but Tomomi Mochizuki manages to give it a special charm. A thoughtful drama about the complex relationships between three high school students in a quiet seaside town.

15. "Pom Poko: Tanuki War in the Heisei Period" (1994)



A fusion of comedy, drama and fantasy, seasoned with the studio’s usual discussions about the importance of caring for nature. In this fairy-tale anime, Isao Takahata explores the plight of tanuki, raccoon dogs with the ability to shapeshift and transform into humans. Faced with the destruction of their own habitat, they decide to use magical abilities to protect it from human encroachment.

16. “Whisper of the Heart” (1995)



A film about choosing a life's work: schoolgirl Shizuku falls in love with a boy who is learning to make violins, and dreams of finding an activity that would captivate her with the same force. All this takes place against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes by impressionist artist Naohisa Inoue.

17. "Return of the Cat" (2002)



A whimsical film directed by Hiroyuki Morita in which a girl named Haru rescues a cat who is actually the prince of the Cat Kingdom. Talking animals, humor and a bit of absurdity are included.