Continuing
from yesterday's post, we're ranking all the Studio Ghibli films from
weakest to strongest. The second half of the list is below.
11.
Only Yesterday (1991) - Taeko is an unusual Ghibli heroine, as she's a
full-grown 27-year-old woman, in an unusual Ghibli movie, a light
drama that was written specifically to appeal to adults. Most of the
film involves Taeko looking back on her on her experiences as a
precocious 11-year-old, and re-evaluating her life. It's one of those
stories that doesn't seem like it gains anything from being an animated
film at first glance, but of course, once you've seen "Only Yesterday,"
it becomes hard to imagine how it could have been told any other way.
10.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) - The one non-Ghibli film
that I bent the rules for, because Studio Ghibli was founded almost as a
direct result of Miyazaki's success with "Nausicaa." It has the
prototypical Miyazaki heroine, the strong ecological themes, the
fantastic creatures, and so many of the other hallmarks of Miyzaki's
best films. The manga is unquestionably the stronger work, having a
much more fully developed story and characters, but that doesn't change
the anime's quality or impact. If you're a Ghibli fan, "Nausicaa" is
absolutely required viewing.
9. Howl's Moving
Castle (2004) - The disparate parts are better than the whole,
especially if you're familiar with Diana Wynne Jones's source novel.
There are an awful lot of little loose ends and logic gaps because so
much of the story was condensed into something much simpler. However,
it's hard to resist the heroine cursed with premature old age, the
anthropomorphic fireball, the eccentric playboy wizard, and the loveable
shambles of the film's title residence. The plotting is a jumble of
anti-war allegory and unusual love story, but the important stuff comes
across.
8. The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
- A little inaccessible for non-Japanese, because it assumes the viewer
is at least a little familiar with the beloved folk tale of the
bamboo-cutter and the princess. This retelling, however, is surely one
of the loveliest, with an animation style designed to look like
classical brush paintings and calligraphy. I remember this movie being
in production for years and years, and all the effort comes across
onscreen in the exquisite visuals. The story has a few inventions in
the third act I thought were unnecessary, but the charming heroine won
me over.
7. Porco Rosso (1992) - I used to list
this as my favorite Miyazaki film, but my feelings for it have dimmed
over time. The tale of the gallant Italian pilot in the early days of
aviation, who prefers to be a pig than to be a fascist, had this
wonderful air of mystery and unknowable tragedy when I saw it as a
child. As an adult, though, my perspective has changed, and I view it
as more of a nostalgic fantasy for a bygone era. It strikes me as a
sillier film too, where the climactic race devolves into a merry street
brawl. However, it's quieter moments and reveries on flight are
absolutely breathtaking.
6. Whisper of the
Heart (1995) - One film is enough to count Yoshifumi Kondo among
Ghibli's great directors. "Whisper of the Heart" is a simple story
about two kids growing up and embracing their creative sides, with a few
touches of fantasy. But oh, what perfect touches they are. We get to
see just enough of the magical world young Shizuka is writing about to
spark our own imaginations, and leave us wanting more. The more
mundane, day-to-day, slice-of-life parts of the movie are also a lot of
fun, following the kids through their little intrigues and adventures
together.
5. Princess Mononoke (1997) -
My first Miyazaki film, a darker fable about encroaching
industrialization and the displaced forest gods and spirits who refuse
to go quietly. The character design, animation, and art direction
here are some of the most stunning in all of film history. The
sequences with the Great Forest Spirit alone are a perfect example of
what animation is capable of that live-action is not. I found the arc
of the plot a little lacking, in spite of a strong cast of characters
and some incredible worldbuilding. That's the only reason why "Princess
Mononoke" isn't higher on this list.
4. My
Neighbor Totoro (1988) - The iconic Totoro are big, round, cuddly forest
spirits, who befriend a pair of young sisters, Setsuki and Mei. The
girls have moved into a small house near the woods with their father,
while their mother is away recuperating from an illness. This is one of
Ghibli's earliest successes, a beautifully observed children's story
stuffed full of little wonders. Its power is in its simplicity and
universality. The scenes with the umbrellas at the bus stop, the soot
sprites, and the windy night flight, need no dialogue or explanation.
They're perfectly coherent and delightful in any language.
3.
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) - Kiki is one of my favorite Ghibli
heroines, because her worries and troubles are fairly ordinary. Yes,
she's a witch who does a few magical things, but more importantly she's a
girl who has left home and is trying to make a place for herself in the
world. And so she's plagued by the usual self-doubts, bouts of
melancholy, and bad reactions to change that everyone experiences in
such circumstances. And all it's so beautifully handled. "Kiki" may
look light and sweet, but it's a very eventful story, and in its own
way, very profound in its worldview.
2.
Spirited Away (2001) - Sullen Chihiro isn't looking forward to moving to
a new town, but when her parents take a wrong turn into the world of
the spirits, and she is left to fend for herself as the newest employee
of a bath house for the gods, she has to learn to adapt quickly. I love
everything in this film, top to bottom - the endlessly surprising
characters, the stream of spectacular visuals, the multiple mysteries
that the story unravels one at a time, and especially Chihiro herself,
who is allowed to change and grow into quite an admirable little
heroine. I like this one a little more every time I see it.
1.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) - Because of its subject matter, this
"Fireflies" has never escaped obscurity, though it was originally
presented as a double-feature with "My Neighbor Totoro." I think it's
not only the best Ghibli movie, but far and away the best animated film
ever made. The prospect of watching a pair of siblings struggle for
survival in the aftermath of WWII is hardly appealing to most viewers,
but the power of the images and the emotions that they conjure is
terribly rare and precious. If your heart can stand it, all animation
lovers should make the time to experience this film.
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