Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio whose films are distributed by Disney in the U.S. The studio was founded in 1985. Since then, they have received multiple Academy Award nominations and won the award for “Best Animated Feature Film” in 2003 with their film, Spirited Away. Director and co-founder of the studio, Hayao Miyazaki, is internationally celebrated for his magical storytelling and brilliant imagery. Although he claimed to retire in 2014, Miyazaki has returned to the studio to work on the new film, How Do You Live? which is rumored to have a release date around 2020-2021.
Looking to broaden your cinematic horizons before what might be Miyazaki’s last masterpiece, and don’t know where to start? Let the stars guide you in the right direction. Here is which Studio Ghibli film you should be watching based on your zodiac sign:
Aries: Porco Rosso (1992)
A bit of an underappreciated Ghibli gem, the high-speed plane chases and strong female icons of Porco Rosso will surely pique the Aries’s interest. This film features a former WWI pilot named Porco Rosso who, during the war, was mysteriously transformed into a pig. Porco spends his post-war time thwarting the plans of evil sea pirates. When he finds himself challenged by a new American pilot worshipped by the sea pirates, Porco reluctantly enlists with the help of young female mechanic Fio Piccolo to help him win and maintain his pride.
Taurus: My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Totoro is easily the most recognizable face of the Ghibli universe, and it’s no secret why. He’s adorable! My Neighbor Totoro is the ultimate feel-good movie about two young sisters exploring the magic of their new home. They are visited by the forest spirit Totoro and his friends, who then help the girls embrace the magic around them and use it to cope with the stress of their ill mother. These precious characters and wonderfully magical illustrations of nature will make any Taurus feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Gemini: The Wind Rises (2013)
The Wind Rises is the story of Jiro Horikoshi, a young man who grows to be an influential aviation engineer during WWII after his poor eyesight eliminates his childhood dream of being a pilot. When a girl from his past shows up and the two instantly fall in love, Jiro works to juggle his love and his career, and his dreams that he was always so dedicated to are put into question. The Wind Rises strays a bit from the typical feel-good Ghibli movie, and its variety of mature themes (love, war, history, human nature, etc.) will appeal to the intelligent Gemini and their multiple interests
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Cancer: When Marnie Was There (2014)
When Marnie Was There is the perfect tear-jerker for the emotional and sympathetic Cancer. This movie revolves around a young girl named Anna who is sent to live in rural Japan with relatives of her adoptive mother with hopes that it will cure her asthma. Anna spends her days constantly plagued by feelings of worthlessness, but is ultimately aided in a spiritual journey of self-discovery by the mysterious Marnie, a girl Anna’s age who lives in a mansion across the nearby lake. The two girls dedicate their time to alleviating each other’s loneliness, but Anna soon finds that there is much more to Marnie’s mystery, and her own, than she originally thought.
Leo: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the more iconic Ghibli films about a young witch who moves to a seaside town when she turns thirteen to live alone and complete her witch training. Creative and generous like a Leo, Kiki decides that the best way to utilize her skill of flying is to run a delivery service for Osono, the kind bakery owner. However, as more obstacles show up in Kiki’s path and deliveries begin to go awry, she begins to lose her signature confidence, putting the fate of her magic at risk.
Virgo: Spirited Away (2004)
As a fan of films with an attention to detail, any Virgo will love Spirited Away. Spirited Away is a major award-winning film and is even the second highest grossing anime film of all time. In this film, young Chihiro and her family find themselves in what seems to be an abandoned theme park. When Chihiro’s parents feast on what ends up being the food of the spirits, they are punished for their greed and are turned into pigs. Chihiro finds herself forced to work under the witch, Yubaba, in a spirit bathhouse if she ever expects to turn her parents back to normal and return home, teaching the stubborn and selfish young girl many lessons in hard work and selflessness.
Libra: Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Easily one of the most devastating Ghibli films of all time, Grave of the Fireflies provides a unique and heart-wrenching perspective on World War II as we follow Seita and Setsuko, two siblings turned orphans after their parents die during bombings. Seita, the older brother, combats homelessness and starvation while trying to preserve his younger sister’s childhood innocence. This political commentary on the inhumane complications of war will certainly intrigue the fair and just Libra.
Scorpio: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Howl’s Moving Castle will surely capture the fiery passion of the Scorpio, using magic and fantasy to remind us of the burden of the human heart. In Howl’s Moving Castle, young milliner Sophie is cursed by the jealous Witch of the Waste, who drains Sophie of her youth and turns her into an old woman. Driven by the newly found confidence and wisdom of an older woman, Sophie journeys to enlist the help of the wizard Howl, who is rumored to be heartless. However, to Sophie’s surprise, it turns out that Howl may be under a curse of his own, as well.
Sagittarius: Princess Mononoke (1997)
Princess Mononoke is right up the alley of the freedom-seeking Sagittarius. The film deals with the industrialization of 14th century Japan. When Prince Akitasha’s village is attacked by a boar-god turned demon, and Akitasha is cursed in the process of protecting his people, Akitasha travels to Iron Town to solve the mystery of the demon before his life runs out. Later accompanied by the rebellious “wolf” princess, San, Akitasha attempts to protect the other forest gods from the guns and weaponry of an advancing society.
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Capricorn: The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
Much like a Capricorn, the protagonist of this film, Arrietty, is a hard worker driven by a strong sense of responsibility. The film follows a family of “borrowers,” tiny people who borrow small, mundane, and unimportant objects from human homes in order to survive. Arrietty has just turned the age at which she is allowed to go on her own borrowing missions, but is quickly discovered by a human boy visiting the home that Arrietty’s family inhabits. Even though she refuses the boys advances of friendship and trust out of her responsibility to protect her family, she soon joins forces with him to save her mother from the boy’s mischievous maid.
Aquarius: The Cat Returns (2002)
The Cat Returns is an eccentric and energetic movie for the eccentric and energetic Aquarius. In this film, the young, awkward, and insecure high school student Haru is thrown into a strange new magical world of cats when she unknowingly saves their prince from being hit by a truck. The cats attempt to show their gratitude by showering Haru in gifts of live mice and catnip, but ultimately decide to kidnap her and marry her to the prince himself (the greatest honor). While Baron (a magical cat statue come to life) and Muta (a fat white cat with a monstrous past) attempt to save her, Haru struggles to believe in herself enough so that she won’t turn into a cat too.
Pisces: Ponyo (2008)
Sorry, we know you are sick of all the fish references, but it is true that Ponyo will easily appeal to the intuitive and compassionate nature of the Pisces. A unique twist on the Hans Christian Andersen tale, The Little Mermaid, Ponyo tells the story of five-year-old Sosuke, who finds a goldfish with magical powers. That goldfish, later named Ponyo by Sosuke, finds herself enamored with Sosuke and rebels against her father, stealing his magic potions and giving her the power to take human form. However, the release of all that magic throws nature out of balance, triggering a tsunami that leaves most of Sosuke’s town under water. In order to bring balance back to nature, Sosuke has to prove his love and dedication to Ponyo.
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