While I wouldn’t quite label myself a cinephile, I do have a great love and appreciation for movies. Last year, I watched my first Studio Ghibli movie, “Howl’s Moving Castle” and after that I was completely hooked. While I haven’t watched all the movies yet (I’m working on it), I have seen enough to confirm that the range of themes present in Ghibli movies are immense. There is a movie to watch for whatever you are feeling so here are my recommendations:
Hopeful
When you’re feeling down, out of luck and need a reminder that good prevails, these are the movies for you: Tales from Earthsea, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Castle In The Sky, Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind.Â
These personal favorites of mine are not only action-packed, but they serve as a reminder that the good guys always win. They will keep you intrigued and invested until the last second.
Adoration + Love
While these four movies represent very different kinds of love, all of them send the message that love and connection between people are important. So when you need a reminder of that, I think you should pick one of the following:
The days you want to feel the innocence and curiosity of “young” love, you should watch the movie, From Up on Poppy Hill. If you want to experience the heartache and intense side of love then I suggest, The Wind Rises. Ponyo is a great movie that shows different aspects of love, and Howl’s Moving Castle represents true love.
Nostalgic
You may not necessarily be able to relate to all of these films, they are certainly comforting. While some of these films lean more towards being considered slice-of-life or coming-of-age, others can also be categorized mainly as mythical. Regardless of genre, these movies best highlight the beauty of youth: Only Yesterday, When Marnie Was There, My Neighbor Totoro, My Neighbors The Yamadas.
Determined/DEDICATED
I recommend watching the following movies if you’re ever feeling confused or conflicted. The themes that remind you to follow your dreams, fight for what you want, and to trust yourself are all very inspiring. These are my favorite movies to watch anytime I need to reignite my passion or ideas: Arrietty, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart.
In conclusion…
Studio Ghibli movies not only have beautiful animation, but also beautiful messages to share as well. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to mention all of them. There are many ways that these movies can be categorized, and some of them fall under more than one genre. If anything, I hope this article persuades you to check out some of these movies yourself.Â
Some of my favorites that I wasn’t able to mention were: Pom Poko, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and The Cat Returns. I assure you that, if you give even one of these movies a try, you’ll fall in love with these movies too!