Studio Ghibli is a world-renowned animation studio in Japan. It was founded in 1985 by three talented individuals: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki.
Ghibli films are unique as they are filled with imagination, magic, and deep emotions. The films tend to be about friendship, nature, bravery, and coming of age.
The animation is gorgeous, and the soundtracks are serene and emotive. Individuals of all ages, from children to adults, love watching Ghibli movies. Ghibli movies are not only entertaining—oftentimes, they also impart significant lessons in life in a subtle and enchanted manner.
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Here’s the list of all 25 Studio Ghibli feature films, IMDb ratings, star ratings
1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
– IMDb Rating: 8.0
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: Princess Nausicaä works to stop two belligerent nations from annihilating themselves and their ailing world.
2. Castle in the Sky (1986)
– IMDb Rating: 8.0
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: The story revolves around a girl with a magic crystal and a boy who competes against foreign spies and pirates on a mission for a mystical castle that can float.
3. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
– IMDb Rating: 8.5
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: A young boy and his younger sister fight to survive in Japan during World War II.
4. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
– IMDb Rating: 8.1
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: Two sisters relocate to the countryside to live close to their sick mother and have experiences with the magical forest spirits who reside nearby.
5. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
– IMDb Rating: 7.9
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A young witch in training has it tough to fit in as she assists in the operation of a delivery service.
6. Only Yesterday (1991)
– IMDb Rating: 7.7
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A 27-year-old office lady goes to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo.
7. Porco Rosso (1992)
– IMDb Rating: 7.7
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: In 1930s Italy, a veteran WWI pilot is cursed to look like an anthropomorphic pig and battles air pirates.
8. Pom Poko (1994)
– IMDb Rating: 7.3
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A group of raccoon dog shape-shifters fight to save their forest dwelling from destruction at the hands of urbanization.
9. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
– IMDb Rating: 7.9
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A girl finds a cat statue and embarks on a quest to uncover its history, which takes her on a journey of self-discovery.
10. Princess Mononoke (1997)
– IMDb Rating: 8.4
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: A young man becomes involved in the struggle between the forest gods and industrial humans.
11. My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)
– IMDb Rating: 6.8
– Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
– Summary: A collection of humorous vignettes showing the everyday lives of an offbeat Japanese family.
12. Spirited Away (2001)
– IMDb Rating: 8.6
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: A young woman gets stuck in a strange, magical realm and has to figure out how to rescue her parents.
13. The Cat Returns (2002)
– IMDb Rating: 7.2
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A girl rescues a cat and is taken to the cat world, where she is royally treated.
14. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
– IMDb Rating: 8.2
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: A young woman is cursed by a witch and transformed into an elderly woman, who finds asylum in a wizard’s walking castle.
15. Tales from Earthsea (2006)
– IMDb Rating: 6.5
– Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
– Summary: A young prince and a wizard go on a quest to bring balance to a world where dragons are perishing.
16. Ponyo (2008)
– IMDb Rating: 7.7
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: An average boy becomes friends with a goldfish princess who wants to become human, and this leads to a series of enchanting events.
17. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
– IMDb Rating: 6.9
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A small community of four-inch individuals inhabits the space beneath floorboards, living off things stolen from humans.
18. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
– IMDb Rating: 7.4
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: Two high school students collaborate to prevent their school’s clubhouse from being demolished.
19. The Wind Rises (2013)
– IMDb Rating: 7.8
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: The biography of Jiro Horikoshi, the creator of Japanese fighter planes during World War II.
20. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
– IMDb Rating: 8.0
– Star Rating: ★★★★★
– Summary: An impoverished bamboo cutter discovers a small, radiant princess within a bamboo stalk and raises her as her own.
21. When Marnie Was There (2014)
– IMDb Rating: 7.7
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A young woman makes friends with an enigmatic girl named Marnie, and a sequence of enigmatic events ensues.
22. The Red Turtle (2016)
– IMDb Rating: 7.5
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A man is stranded on a deserted island and meets a red turtle the size of a house, leading to a series of life-altering events.
23. Earwig and the Witch (2020)
– IMDb Rating: 5.7
– Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
– Summary: An independent-minded orphan girl finds her new guardians are a witch and a wizard, and she joins magical adventures.
24. How Do You Live? (2023)
– IMDb Rating: Not yet rated
– Star Rating: Not yet rated
– Summary: A young boy goes on a journey of self-discovery, guided by his uncle and a mysterious character.
25. The Boy and the Heron (2023)
– IMDb Rating: 7.9
– Star Rating: ★★★★☆
– Summary: A young boy, who is mourning the death of his mother, goes on a journey of healing and self-discovery.