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*sees Princess Mononoke is #1*

you got it right.

I haven't seen all of Ghibli's films, in fact, I've literally only seen five, so it's perfect.

#5 - My Neighbor Totoro

#4 - The Wind Rises

#3 - Howl's Moving Castle

#2 - Spirited Away

#1 - Princess Mononoke

1- Whisper Of The Heart: I know it may not be as magnificent as Spirited Away, or Mononoke Hime, but the story is heartwarming, the imagination sequences are interesting, and musicologically speaking, the jam session scene makes me grin. Nothing like seeing a good old-fashioned viola da gamba!

2- Howl's Moving Castle. If only for "may all your bacon burn!" line. Perfect little curse. Also, the story per se, plus the effects in the scenes are a visual smorgasbord. Plus, how can you not want to waltz with the main theme?

3- The Cat Returns: Funny little story where the expression "you might get more than what you wished for" shines true. Also, it's hard not to love a movie where the main characters are CATS. Way, WAY better than that horrid monstrosity that came out recently... You know what I mean.

4- Nausicaä: Rather than Spirited Away, Nausicaä was my first contact with Ghibli, and everything about it captivated me. From little Teto to the way the Ohmu used their feelers. It makes me smile.

5- Spirited Away: I don't want to say that this movie isn't as good as the other ones I mentioned. Technically and aesthetically, it's the best, but I feel a tad more connected to the other ones I said before. At first I didn't like the characters, but then they grew on me. The exception to that is Zeniba - she was cool from the start.

Special mention to My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Ponyo. This last one can cause diabetes!

There's just no wrong answers here. I can't even narrow it down to five so I won't try, but I think the most underrated one is Porco Rosso.

I have too much nostalgia for Totoro to even rate it fairly.

Other than the majority of their short films, I've seen all the full-length Ghibli films released over a 20 year period in America, starting from when Kiki's Delivery Service was the first film released under Disney's distribution deal with Ghibli in the late 1990s. As far as what I'd consider as my personal favorites from the studio:

1. Kiki's Delivery Service
2. When Marnie Was There
3. The Wind Rises
4. Porco Rosso
5. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Here's my personal Top 5(err...6) list:
5. Arrietty (I can't explain why i like the movie so dang much, even though I watch it once every couple of years. Something about it is just charming to me)
4. Spirited Away (I literally cant watch this movie without getting something to eat, all because of that early scene with the parents eating the food, LOL. I'm not the only one, right? )
3. Whisper of the Heart / The Cat Returns (Both hold a special place in my heart; I find it a bit humorous how I've come across more people who've watched The Cat Returns, but have never seen or heard of Whisper of the Heart. For real, go watch Whisper of the Heart if you haven't seen it. I feel its kinda underrated. )
2. Kiki's Delivery Service (first Ghibli movie I watched, when Disney Channel aired it, also holds a very special place in my heart.)
1. Princess Mononoke (second Ghibli movie I watched; I was actually afraid and disliked wolves before seeing this movie lol. Its also one of my favorite "look at what the characters are doing in the background" movies since each time I watch it, I always seem to find at least one thing I didn't notice before.)

I feel so weird/bad that I just could not get into Howl's Moving Castle. I've only seen it once years ago, but save for one scene, the movie kinda bored me. Everyone I've talked to loved the movie, so maybe I just need to re-watch it again and give it another shot. Kinda the same with Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky, BUT with them I don't believe I saw the entire movie.
I did re-watch Pom Poko about a year ago, and I liked it a lot more than I did the first time around. I liked how it's filmed kinda like a documentary, if that makes sense.

Last edited by Oggers on Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:35 pm; edited 2 times in total

I honestly don't think I can narrow it down to a top 5. I've loved all the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen for different reasons. Even Ponyo, which I probably like the least (most likely because it's clearly aimed at young children and I'm way past that stage) has things I enjoy about it.

I will say, though, that Spirited Away holds a special place in my heart. It was the first Ghibli movie I ever saw, back when it was first released in North American theaters, and in my mind it is an absolutely perfect anime film. Princess Mononoke comes in at a close second.

1. Grave of the Fireflies
2. Princess Mononoke
3. Only Yesterday
4. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
5. Kiki's Delivery Service

I am sorry, but there is no way, no how that Howl's Moving Castle is a top 5 Ghibli movie. It is top 12 at best.

To describe Princess Mononoke as a derivative of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is to do a huge disservice to both works. In reality, they form a triptych together with, of all things, On Your Mark. In a Biblical analogy, Mononoke represents the Fall, On Your Mark the Prophets and Nausicaä the Redemption with Nausicaä herself as the dying and resurrected Christ figure.

0. Grave of the Fireflies
1. Kiki's Delivery Service
2. My Neighbour Totoro
3. Princess Mononoke
4. Spirited Away
5. Castle in the Sky

Purely subjective, and quite a bit of nostalgia in my choices. I'm not sure whether Kiki or Totoro was my first introduction to Ghibli.

Special mention to Grave of the Fireflies - it's a masterpiece, but I just can't make myself watch it again, so I've given it position zero.

Grave of the Fireflies
Spirited Away
My Neighbor Totoro
Princess Kaguya
Princess Mononoke

I can never figure out why Princess Mononoke gets so much praise. It was a wearisome, overly long environmental scolding (Greta, are you listening, child?). The plot wasn't very original or even interesting, and a big disappointment after Miyazaki's previous home runs.

1. Laputa
2. Nausica
3. Totoro
4. Spirited Away
5. Porco Rosso

I haven't seen every Studio Ghibli movie, so maybe I'm leaving one out that should be on my list. But here goes:
5. Whisper of the Heart A girl and to a lesser extent a boy starting the journey to find their places in life.
4. From Up On Poppy Hill Not nearly as tragic as Grave of the Fireflies, but it also shows the tragic cost of war to ordinary people, even if that cost is in the past.
3. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind How can the film that launched the studio we all love not be well up on any such list?
2. Spirited Away Just WOW! Another story of a young girl growing up, but in a fantastic world which could so easily overwhelm her if not for the hidden strength she finds within herself.
1. Princess Mononoke A wonderful story visually stunning and a character who could so easily be an unredeemable villain who also does good and fights to make life better for her people.

Numbers #2 & 3 should maybe switch places. In fact, I almost did that.

Technically, Nausicaä should be inadmissable because it predates Ghibli.

Here's my top 5:

1. My Neighbor Totoro
2. Ponyo
3. Princess Mononoke
4. Spirited Away
5. Kiki's Delivery Service

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The List - The 5 Best Studio Ghibli Films