Studio Ghibli is one of the biggest Japanese animation studios. It is located in Koganei, Tokyo. The studio is almost four decades old. It does not matter if someone is an anime lover or not, they have at least once seen a Studio Ghibli movie in their life. Their movies are loved by all from age eight to eighty.
One of the reasons behind Studio Ghibli’s success is its director, Hayao Miyazaki. He along with the studio that he co-founded, have given their fans one masterpiece after another. The duo is one of the most celebrated duos in the anime world. With a simple yet intriguing storyline, the director makes us go through an emotional rollercoaster. People argue over their best movies, but there is no way to tell until the ratings are involved.
1. Spirited Away
Spirited Away is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s best works yet. It was released in 2001 and was the highest-grossing anime movie until Your Name in 2016. The story revolves around Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl who visits an abandoned amusement park along with her parents. But problems kept occurring and it was on Chihiro to find the solutions. Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Movie at the 75th Academy Awards. It has a rating of 8.6 on IMDb.
2. Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke was released in 1997 and has a rating of 8.3 on IMDb. It is a movie about a boy named Ashitaka, who sets out on a journey to find the cure for Tatarigami’s curse. On his way, he meets Princess Mononoke and got involved with the forest gods. This movie shows that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli can make masterpieces with simple things.
3. Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle is adapted from a novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. The movie was released in 2004 and has a rating of 8.2 on IMDb. It was after three long years that Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki collaborated to make a top-rated animated movie. The plot is based on a girl named Sophie, who befriends a witch named Howl. Howl resides in his moving castle. Both of them face challenges and should find their way through them.
4. My Neighbor Totoro
My Neighbor Totoro is one of the best works of Studio Ghibli. It was released in 1988 and has a rating of 8.1 on IMDb. Even though it is rated below Spirited Away, many believe it to be better due to its simple and joyful storyline. The movie is about two young girls who went to take care of their sick mother, only to find themselves surrounded by forest spirits. My Neighbor Totoro is a must-watch movie.
5. Castle in the Sky
Castle in the Sky is one of the earliest works of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. It is a story about a boy and a girl who find a magic crystal. They must overcome all sorts of problems and discover the flying mythical castle, Laputa. Released in 1986, Castle in the Sky belongs to the Fantasy/Adventure genre. The movie has an IMDb rating of 8.0.
6. Kiki’s Delivery Service
Just a year after My Neighbor Totoro’s release, Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli collaborated to make Kiki’s Delivery Service in 1989. It is their third movie together. Kiki is a young and independent witch. She runs a courier service by traveling on her broom. Being a witch, she finds it difficult to fit into a new community. Kiki’s Delivery Service has a rating of 7.8 on IMDb.
7. Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso, released in 1992, was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. With an IMDb rating of 7.7, it is one of the highest-rated movies of Hayao Miyazaki. The literal meaning of Porco Rosso is Crimson Pig. Porco Rosso is an Italian fighter who battled during the First World War in 1929. Cursed to have a pig’s head, he has to go through many life-threatening situations to reach his destiny.
