The Films of Studio Ghibli

1. Nausicaä and the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind occupies a special place in the history of Studio Ghibli since it officially precedes the company's creation while also laying the artistic foundations.

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by a toxic forest. It features Princess Nausicaä, who seeks to restore the balance between humanity and nature.

The film introduces many of the director's favorite themes, such as ecology, pacifism and environmental destruction.
Its critical and commercial success played a key role in the birth of Studio Ghibli the year after its release, in 1985.

The film celebrates childhood, imagination and the relationship with nature through a simple, warm everyday life, all set in a bucolic landscape amidst rice paddies.

Although it wasn't an immediate hit on release, it gradually became the studio's most iconic work, and one of the most popular with the public.

For the record, Satsuki's first name comes from the ancient Japanese name for the month of May, while her younger sister takes the English name for the same month,"may".

3. Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke was one of Studio Ghibli's greatest successes in Japan.

The film follows Ashitaka, a young warrior caught up in a conflict between humans exploiting natural resources and the animal deities who protect the forest.
Darker and more violent than the studio's usual productions, the film takes a complex approach to the themes of industrialization, war and the coexistence of man and nature.

Its immense success demonstrated that an animated film could appeal to both adult and family audiences.

The characters' appearance and way of life are reminiscent of the Ainu, the aborigines of the island of Hokkaido.

4. Spirited Away

This film is often considered the studio's most emblematic internationally. It tells the story of Chihiro, a young girl who finds herself trapped in a world populated by spirits of all kinds, after her parents are transformed into pigs.
To help them regain their human form, she must work in a bathhouse for the deities, where she gradually learns to gain maturity and confidence.

The film marked a major turning point in the studio's history thanks to its immense worldwide success, rewarded with an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
It was this film in particular that propelled Studio Ghibli's reputation beyond Japan's borders.

5. Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso recounts the adventures of a former Italian pilot transformed into an anthropomorphic pig, who becomes a bounty hunter in the Adriatic between the wars.
Behind its sometimes light-hearted and adventurous tone, the film tackles more melancholy themes such as disenchantment and the consequences of war.

An aviation enthusiast, Miyazaki also expresses his interest in vintage aircraft and Mediterranean landscapes, giving the film a memorable visual identity in the Ghibli filmography.

Quite different from the studio's more "classic" feature films, Porco Rosso is among the most popular with fans.

6. Howl's Moving Castle

Released in 2004, this film is a free adaptation of the novel Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones.
It features Sophie, a young girl transformed into an old lady by a curse, who finds refuge in the moving castle of a mysterious magician.

Blending fantasy and romance, the film stands out for the richness of its visual universe and the animation of the mechanical castle.

It also marks one of the most famous collaborations between Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi, the composer of the studio's major works, whose soundtrack has remained particularly popular.

7. Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises

Studio Ghibli is also known for its more mature works, tackling historical or deeply melancholy subjects.

Tomb of the Fireflies, directed by Isao Takahata, follows the daily lives of two children trying to survive in Japan during the final months of the Second World War. 
Particularly moving, it was instrumental in demonstrating that animation could deal with serious subjects with great emotional force.

The Wind Rises is inspired by the life of Jirô Horikoshi, the engineer behind the design of Japanese fighter planes before the Second World War. More realistic than many of the studio's other productions, it stands out for its melancholy tone in a complex period of Japanese history.