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HERE'S THE PART 1 https://katz.to/threads/my-top-10-ghibli-movies-part-1-2-1-10.486108/

TOP 11: Kiki's Delivery service 9/10% (One of the best underrated ghibli movie)
Synopsis: Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training, must spend a year living on her own in a distant town in order to become a full-fledged witch. Leaving her family and friends, Kiki undertakes this tradition when she flies out into the open world atop her broomstick with her black cat Jiji.

As she settles down in the coastal town of Koriko, Kiki struggles to adapt and ends up wandering the streets with no place to stay—until she encounters Osono, who offers Kiki boarding in exchange for making deliveries for her small bakery. Before long, Kiki decides to open her own courier service by broomstick, beginning her journey to independence. In attempting to find her place among the townsfolk, Kiki brings with her exciting new experiences and comes to understand the true meaning of responsibility.

Studio Ghibli movies have always been known for being creative, visionary and imaginative, filled with so much care and heart poured into them, to the point where they become distinguishable from the medium as a whole. For several years, Miyazaki and his buddy Takahata have devoted many hours of their days to making the best of the best when it came to animated features. For Takahata, some may say that his masterpiece when it came to movies was Grave of the Fireflies, others may say that his true masterpiece was Only Yesterday. Regardless of what Takahata’s true masterpiece is, both he and Miyazaki have produced many movies that have been hailed as masterpieces by many over the years, but what is Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece? What is his magnum opus? Many will immediately point out to the award winning, beautifully animated 2001 movie, Spirited Away. Others will point out to his famous 1997 movie, Princess Mononoke. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what Miyazaki’s masterpiece truly is, since everyone has their own subjective opinions, and picking out the best of the best when it comes to Miyazaki is a hard chore to accomplish, especially considering all of the quality movies he’s put out during his career. Regardless of subjective opinions and differences between Ghibli fans, today we take a look at Miyazaki’s most underrated gem, his overshadowed masterpiece - Kiki’s Delivery Service. A movie that is so beautifully directed and animated, and has been undeservingly overshadowed by many other Ghibli titles that have come out since this movie’s debut.

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of the very few Ghibli movies that would make a viewer cry. Spirited Away would come close, but it wouldn’t quite hit the mark with what it offers, and wouldn’t emotionally resonate with some viewers. Kiki’s true beauty, however, lies in the fact that it is a simple movie, and any person would have come up with both the plot and the ending, but it takes a lot of care and brilliant directing to make a plot so simple shine in such a prepossessing manner. Miyazaki took a simple concept that is magic and witches flying through the air, and turned it into a film that emotionally resonates with most of those who have seen it. The plot follows Kiki, a young witch who wants to find her place in the world, and this is where the narrative truly stands out from the rest of both the other Ghibli movies, and the other witch fairytales. Kiki’s Delivery Service may seem like a witch story on the surface, but as you delve deeper into it, it begins to show itself as a movie exploring the hardships of life and a masterfully crafted coming of age story as well. The titular character is one of the most relatable to ever come out of the Ghibli discography, and is the most explored heroine in Ghibli’s catalog as well.

Story
The central character Kiki, is relatable due to the fact that her relationship with her companions is explored thoroughly, from her relationship with her black cat Gigi, to her relationship with the young boy Tombo, to her relationship with the bakery owner, and so on and so forth. Not only are the character interactions believable and thoroughly explored, but so is the fact that Kiki exhibits human behavior unlike any other Ghibli character. When I say “human” I do not mean in the sense that it is forced like some of the other Ghibli characters, as her depression and lack of self-worth arise slowly after losing something that is deep to her, which makes her character all the more believable. It doesn’t come across as something that is shallow for the sake of gaining some sympathy and tears from the audience, since the thing she lost is something which she had owned her whole life, not something cheap which came out of nowhere and then vanished that easily to garner sympathy and tears from the viewers. This is one of the very few times where Miyazaki would go into such hard topics when it came to his characters. Usually, Miyazaki’s characters are mostly joyful and cheerful, whereas Takahata’s characters are the ones to exhibit such genuine lack of emotions and self-worth, which is another factor as to why this movie stands out as something that is both unique and exceptional in Miyazaki’s discography.

Characters
As for the other characters, they aren’t as well explored as Kiki, but they serve their purpose well within the narrative regardless. Kiki’s black cat, Gigi, isn’t the typical black cat that a witch would carry around, he talks, and his attempts at humor land solidly. When something devastating happens to him, the audience relates with him and to his struggles. To be able to make the audience feel attached to a character that isn’t as deeply explored as a well-developed protagonist like Kiki, is a feat that should not be underestimated, but Miyazaki did it brilliantly this time around. As for the bakery owner, she serves to guide Kiki through her emotional struggles and as a maternal figure to Kiki as well, since Kiki is a character that was forced to depart from her parents as a part of undergoing a witch training program. The contrast between the owner’s kindness and Kiki’s depression makes the emotional catharsis all the more immense here, and makes Kiki even more relatable as a character. Kiki is also not a perfect character at the end of the day, which makes her all the more relatable to the audience, especially those who struggle with hardships. Yes, she may be a witch and she may have special powers, but she isn’t a princess nor a hero prophesied in legends like most other Ghibli heroines. Kiki is clumsy, acts haphazardly at most times, especially with her terrible ability when it comes to landing her broom, and she tries to better herself and develop throughout the movie’s run.

As underrated as this gorgeous movie’s characters and direction are, the most underrated aspects of it are the animation and the visuals. People do not give enough credit to this movie’s audiovisuals, as it boggles the mind how a movie that is thirty years old, can have such animation that has not aged in the least bit. It is also nice to see Ghibli upping their game with this one, as the animation progressed from stills and flappy animation back in 1986 with Castle in the Sky, to some of the most fluid animation found in Kiki’s Delivery Service. Whether it’s the beautiful hand drawn animations, or the picturesque landscapes, Ghibli never ceases to amaze with this one. The backgrounds serve the story better and make the atmosphere all the more engaging, especially with the places they chose. The colors are vibrant and give the movie more life, and become pale and lifeless when the movie needs to be serious and grim. As for the character designs, Kiki is by far the most visually striking Ghibli protagonist, her most appealing feature being her tie that she wears on her head. Her dress is only one cloth, but it’s a nice change from the ridiculous clothes many other Ghibli characters wear, and it adds more to her humble character.

Sound
As for the soundtrack, this is Joe Hisaishi’s best work. The soundtrack immensely captures the beauty of the film and the general atmosphere that it was striving to achieve. The best piece Ghibli has ever put out is “A Town with an Ocean View”, as it is immensely visceral and awe inspiring, and it beats out Spirited Away’s main theme, “The Name of Life”. The other pieces helped solidify the scenes that they were placed in as well. All around this soundtrack is Hisaishi’s most emotionally striking soundtrack, even when some may argue that it isn’t his absolute best.

This is Miyazaki’s masterpiece. After seeing most of what Ghibli had to offer - from the bad, to the nauseatingly slow average, to the very good, I can assure readers that this is Miyazaki’s crème de la crème. This movie contends heavily with some others that Takahata has put out, and uncertainty always arises when trying to make sure what Ghibli’s absolute magnum opus is. Regardless of that, this is Miyazaki’s visceral masterpiece, without a shadow of a doubt.

TOP 12: From Up on poppy hill 8.9/10%
Synopsis: atop a hill overlooking a seaside port sits a boarding house named Coquelicot Manor. Since the building is run by her family, Umi Matsuzaki carries out many of the duties involved in managing the small establishment, such as preparing meals for her fellow boarders. When she isn't at home, she is a student at the local high school—one that is currently dealing with a small crisis.

In anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games, a beloved old clubhouse is set to be demolished to make way for a modern building. As a result, a large part of the student body has banded together, working tirelessly to prevent this from happening. Umi finds herself helping the newspaper club to spread information about this cause where she befriends Shun Kazama, whom she gradually begins to fall in love with. But Shun is an orphan who doesn't know much about his origins, and when the two begin searching for clues to the boy's past, they discover that they may have a lot more in common than either of them could have thought.

Story
The main plot for this movie is about two students: Shun and Umi. They have a story of family, love, and willpower that is so simple yet so sweet. To be quite honest, that's the word that really describes this movie the best: simple. Unlike past Ghibli movies, From Up on Poppy Hill does not have magical, supernatural creatures or beautiful dream-like lands. In fact, it takes place in 1960's Japan. The movie attempts a historical feel, which is a risk since it may sway the interest of their popular audiences of children and teenagers. But, perhaps it was the simplicity of the movie that made it so likable. The whole plot wasn't exactly exciting, but it was well done enough to keep me intrigued. The relationship between Shun and Umi and their relationship problems because of possible family issues is a mild story but it still creates a sweet innocence. Extremely simple, but the best kind of simple.

Art
Ghibli animation has always been beautiful and From Up on Poppy Hill is definitely not an exception. The backdrops are extremely detailed with even the smallest, most colorful brushstrokes on the least important settings. Everything was breathtaking, and while the character design was rather plain, it still completely captivated me. The quality was not underdone at any point in the movie and everything still retained some sense of realistic-ness. This aspect of Ghibli films will, in my opinion, never change.

Sound
Comparing past Ghibli soundtracks such as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro to this movie makes From Up on Poppy Hill's original soundtrack seem so... plain. Joe Hisaishi did not create any original scores in this movie, so the music didn't really make of an impact on me. However, even if wasn't as good as usual, the soundtrack was still pretty swell. Finely orchestrated music fit the era and settings nicely for a 1960-themed movie. The voice actors did pretty well; they made each character's emotions seem realistic enough.

Characters
Shun and Umi make up the most important characters of the movie, so their roles will be focused on the most. Umi's character is very realistic and human. She's a hard-working, responsible young woman who still copes with normal teenage issues like school and love. Her family past of her father contributes to her personality and makes her seem not as perfect, rounding her out nicely. Shun is at first shown to be a bit rash but later on is shown to be intelligent and caring. While they aren't the most interesting people in the world, both of these characters have an impact on each other, which entertained me and further built upon the plot.

Enjoyment
Despite being plain and simple, From Up on Poppy Hill still interested me enough to keep watching and feel a sense of positivity. It was quite honestly a refreshing change from the usual exciting, magical Ghibli movie. But, parts of it still bored me and the ending made me upset and confused.

Overall
Goro Miyazaki is continually working hard to live up to the legacy of animation that his father created. While From Up on Poppy Hill shows that he's yet to reach that point, it also shows that he's getting closer. The movie's simplicity and innocence sent out a calmer vibe and perhaps that's what the man is aiming at. I wouldn't put this in my top anime movie groups, but I wouldn't put in my worst either. It's an average movie and the work of a growing man. That's all it is to me.

TOP 13: Whisper of the heart 8.9/10%
Synopsis: Shizuku Tsukishima is an energetic 14-year-old girl who enjoys reading and writing poetry in her free time. Glancing at the checkout cards of her books one evening, she notices that her library books are frequently checked out by a boy named Seiji Amasawa. Curiosity strikes Shizuku, and she decides to search for the boy who shares her love for literature.

Meeting a peculiar cat on the train, Shizuku follows the animal and is eventually led to a quaint antique shop, where she learns about a cat statuette known as "The Baron." Taking an interest in the shop, she surprisingly finds Seiji, and the two quickly befriend one another. Shizuku learns while acquainting herself with Seiji that he has a dream that he would like to fulfill, causing her dismay as she remains uncertain of her future and has yet to recognize her talents.

However, as her relationship with Seiji grows, Shizuku becomes determined to work toward a goal. Guided by the whispers of her heart and inspiration from The Baron, she resolves to carve out her own potential and dreams.

Adolescence is among the most memorable phases in one's life. During this time, we tend to make decisions based on adrenaline instincts, work as we wish to, while repudiating any advice. Some of us even develop endearing feelings of love for someone, while also chasing our own dream or even remoulding them for the sake of someone else, often out of inspiration and seldom out of desperation.

Working on the themes of adolescence and infatuation giving rise to a wonderful journey of self discovery, Studio Ghibli presents us with Mimi wo Sumaseba also commonly known as Whisper of the Heart. The story mainly revolves around the female lead, Shizuku Tsukishima, a junior high school girl living in New Tama Town. The story progresses as Shizuku constantly finds a certain someone, named Seiji Awasama, always issuing books before she does at her town library, which leads her to grow a sense of respect while her imagination weaves together a personality of Seiji as one could only describe as the "Prince Charming of her life." Much to her disappointment, Seiji is any thing but the "prince charming" she had imagined him to be; but Seiji had a unique charm of his own. One thing led to another and soon, Shizuku starts facing typical teenage life problem ranging from the urge to rebel against her parent's wishes, unnecessarily squabbling with her siblings, while also realising she has fallen in love with the "not-the-prince-charming-she-had-imagined", Seiji. Hereby follows a movie about self discovery, presented in the most heartwarming way possible.

Now it may seem like any other teenage-romance on pen and paper, but Whisper of the Heart, has its own charm, specially due to the way it presents itself. The problem with most romance shows now a days is that they tend to be extremely dull or overly melodramatic and their predictable plot structure doesn’t help them much either. While being melodramatic, most also tend to be highly unrealistic with their character interactions, their behaviour, body language and much more which just brings their over all quality down. Whisper of the heart, throws all these out of the window and carves its path through this genre in a rather realistic and dramatic way, without crossing the dreaded line between the dramatic and the melodramatic. Character interactions are seamless and seem as realistic as it can get for a story of such sorts. Characters behave as a mere reflection of any other ordinary teenager, as they would to the shown circumstances and these strokes of realism are even more integrated into the movie with the help of detailed, subtle body language of the the characters through which many emotions are shown, rather than told through mere dialogue exchange.

Characters
The characters themselves are rather eccentric even though they are fairly ordinary people. The female lead, Shizuka, is a rather charming and adorable girl. Her relation with her family and her friends is well portrayed through meaningful dialogue. Her monologues of what she thinks about her sister, mother, her best friends and her general view of the situations she faces helps build up her base character along with her relationship with the side characters in a gradual and methodical way. The development that Shizuka goes through the movie, simply put, is phenomenal. From a naive junior high student, who didn’t know what she wanted to do with her talent, and on the bigger scale, with her life; Shizuka realises her field of interest and recognises her talents. Her love for writing also explores her vivid and colourful imagination. She comes to realise the importance of family and meeting up with family expectations, while chasing her individual dream too, but the main motivation behind most of her development is her love interest, Seiji.

Story
Seiji is quite the character himself. He is shown as an ordinary boy, working at his grandfather’s small antique shop, while learning both, to build and play the violin. The development between Seiji and Shizuko’s romantic relationship, albeit a bit cheesy, was handled with great care. While Seiji doesn’t receive as much development as Shizuko on screen, most of his character development is rather implied. While maintaining Seiji’s lively manner, we see a sense of responsibility grow in him which we naturally see in most teens as they go through their phase of adolescence. His growth in sense of responsibility is established through his interactions with Shizuko, specially, the conversation they have on the school rooftop where they realise they have to work their way so that they could live and spend more time together in the future.All these character interactions which lead to their subtle development, was neatly woven together by the skilful hands of the director, Yoshifumi Kondou, who is known for his works in various other critically acclaimed works such as Omoide Poroporo and Akage no Anne as an animation director.

Studio Ghibli has always been known for sending the audience into another magical dimension with their various works, but sometimes, due to the lack of proper direction, the whole magical element backfires, and in the end, the movie tends to become a mess. Thankfully, Whisper of the Heart, is not one of these movies! Even though the movie is highly realistic at its core, Studio Ghibli didn’t stop from adding their key fantasy elements into the movie. And with the efficient direction, these were used to enhance the whole experience of the viewer. Shizuka’s main writing work is dynamically shown, rather than being simply narrated. These scenes range from talking rabbits wearing monocles to riding an air stream to an unknown mysterious castle. All these fantasy elements are integrated into the movie with great caress without leaving deep scars on the strokes of realism, the movie portrays.

Animation
The animation delivered by Studio Ghibli, as usual, is fantastic. Great detail is maintained in almost every frame and the movement of characters and the general motion is as fluid as it can get. The landscape scenes are pretty eye candy and the movie is completely devoid of any ugly CGI. There are some great camera angles used when necessary, sometime to show the overarching city while some soothing music plays to evoke a strange feeling of nostalgia. The artistic direction of the movie takes credits when the fantasy world is involved, as the colour palette becomes much more vibrant and animation becomes subtly smoother and camera angles range from the typical to experimental ones where Shizuka is shown riding the winds to the castle.

Sound
Along with the magical animation, the movie imbues a deep sense of nostalgia with its musical direction. The movie begins with Olivia Newton John’s cover of the famous song, Country Road, which itself evokes a warm fuzzy feeling in the viewer, making them feel right at home. Other than that particular cover of John Dever’s, country road, a japanese rendition is sung many times in the movie and their placement couldn’t have been more correct which added to the overall atmosphere of the film, whenever they were used. A personal favourite would be when Seiji plays the violin and Shizuka sings along and the elders join in with various other instruments, to create one of the most joyous and heart warming scenes in anime for me personally, but one could feel free to disagree, I guess. Other soundtracks just add to the magic of the film and its overarching, heartwarming atmosphere. To weave such a fantastic atmosphere, and evoke feelings of nostalgia with the music alone, credits must be given to the “music director”, Yuuiji Nomi who is also known for his quirky OST’s in Nichijou.

Overall
With all that said and done, I must conclude by saying that Whisper of the Heart is a wonderful coming of age film; and a journey of self discovery. This film has something for everybody to enjoy, whether it be seeing yourself as a teenager grow up in the movie, facing similar problems or for parents, who could see how to co-operate with their child when they’re in their rebellious phase of life and let them freely chase their dreams. The fantastic musical score coupled with the fluid animation has the right balance of drama imbibed into it. It may appear to some as a typical animated work at first glance but once the experience is over, many will quickly realise that Whisper of the Heart is anything but typical.

TOP 14: The cat returns 8.7/10%
Synopsis: High school student Haru Yoshioka is bored with the monotony of life. One day, she saves Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom from being run over by a truck. As a token of gratitude, the Cat King sends her "presents" and invites her to the Cat Kingdom to become Lune's wife. Haru's inability to properly communicate with the cats leads to the misunderstanding that she has accepted the proposal.

As Haru ponders on ways to escape the predicament, a mysterious voice instructs her to search for the Cat Bureau. However, not long after she finally arrives at the bureau, a horde of cats swarms in and forcibly takes her to the Cat Kingdom, along with a member of the Cat Bureau. Concerned for their safety, owner of the Cat Bureau, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, follows close behind.

The more Haru immerses herself in the activities of the Cat Kingdom, the more cat-like she becomes. To her dismay, she soon learns that, unless she can find her true self, she may become a cat permanently. Haru's adventures in the world of cats lead her down a path to self-discovery, allowing her to return as a more confident person.

Studio Ghibli. Mention this studio to any anime fan and they'll instantly think of either Hayao Miyazaki or rattle off any of his movies. In that list of movies, there will be a slim chance that a fan will mention The Cat Returns, one of Ghibli's more light-hearted efforts. I have to admit that I've avoided this title for a long time due to Miyazaki's lack of involvement with this project. This, however, is a decision that should be regretting at the moment because, surprisingly enough, I liked this film. I liked it a lot.

Story
This movie's story couldn't be more straight-forward. It's a simple fantasy tale that, despite not being a two-hour epic like Miyazaki's movies, tells an incredibly coherent story that's easy to follow for anyone. I think the key to enjoying this movie lies in the fact that the viewer needs to take what is presented before them as it is. There is no point in wracking your brain for any sort of in-depth, universal message in this movie because there really isn't one. I have a feeling that this is where people dismiss the movie as "weak" when compared to Ghibli's other efforts. The film's message has no more depth than your average Disney animated film ("believe in yourself"), which seems sort of tagged on at times thanks to one of the characters saying that several times over the course of the film. If you try to watch the film based on that message alone, you won't get much out of it, though there are elements of a coming-of-age story buried beneath the film's fantastic adventure and splendor. The story is something that should be appreciated at face-value rather than something that could be measured up to one of Miyazaki's films. On its own, the story is simple enough to almost be boring, but the witty humor (which is actually quite well done) and interesting characters make the story one well-worth being told.

Characters
Speaking of characters, it would be harsh to say that these characters are two-dimensional, but, then again, the movie's suspension of disbelief works well enough to make me believe in a talking cat. While these are not the most realistic characters in Ghibli film history (again, talking cats), there's a human warmth to each of them that makes the viewer support the heros and sympathize the villain. In a fairy-tale-esque story like this, it would be easy to separate the heroes and villains into black and white, but even the villains' chaotic deeds are lined with good intentions and the heroes aren't all that heroic to begin with. The main character, Haru, sort of belongs in the middle ground because of how indecisive her personality was to begin with. The characters' distinct personality traits also make them easy to recognize. You could probably summarize each character in one sentence without saying which species they are. They're also all very likable, including the villains' lackeys, which almost never happens to me when watching an anime. Maybe its Baron's gentlemanly poise or The Cat Prince's nobility that do the trick. Or maybe it's just as easy to get lost with the characters as it is to escape in the world they live in. Normally, I would say that not adding enough depth to these characters is a missed opportunity, but with characters like these, heavy, three-dimensional character depth almost becomes unnecessary. For the world that they're created in, the amount of warmth and depth they have is just enough.

Do I really need to go into the art for a Studio Ghibli film? It's almost a given that if you're going to watch a Ghibli film, you're going to be handed some gorgeous visuals along with a decent story. While this is by no means the studio's best artistic effort, a handful of scenes really stand out in terms of artistry, such as the introduction of The Cat Kingdom and Haru's search for "the big, white cat" at a busy shopping centre. The latter especially stood out in my mind, since the artists put great detail in making sure that every piece of lettering on the signs by the shops were legible. As for the character designs, Haru's is noteworthy to me even though she is supposed to be an average Japanese student with average looks. She looks like a cat to me, which makes me wonder if that was an intentional character trait on the artists' parts of if that's just a conclusion that I came down to on my own. Aside from the fact that they walk on their hind legs from time to time, the physiology of that cats is really well done. It even shows when they fold their paws in as they stand up. The overall artistic atmosphere will feel familiar to you if you've seen movies like "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland" or "Catnapped!" without the trippy visuals. For a movie that was made at the dawn of the new, computer-colored anime age, the animation is refreshing and vibrant.

Over the years, Disney has built up a reputation for having top-notch dubbing in the English versions of Ghibli films, and this one was no exception. The flow of the voice acting hardly made the film sound like I was watching an anime at all. It didn't even sound like the voice actors went into the studio thinking that they were going to dub an anime feature. For the majority of the characters, the English voices matched the characters well. I thought Haru's voice was a little deep at first, but I got used to it eventually. Baron having a dapper British accent made his character all the more likable and Muta, the fat cat, even sounded like he was fat and boorish. It's easy to hear in the actors' voices that they not only put in the effort to try to match their voices to the characters' lips, but they sounded like they had fun taking on the challenge.

Sound
The music didn't stand out a lot of the time for me, but when it was noticeable, it was worth listening to as a separate piece of music. The soundtrack even strayed into neo classical territory at times, especially during scenes in the Cat Kingdom. Straying from the film's orchestral soundtrack, the ending theme song is an incredibly upbeat and catchy pop song led by one woman and her ukulele. You'll have to drink a couple of bottles of brain bleach in order to get that one out of your head. The audio aspect of the film couldn't have been more satisfying to me.

I don't know what it is about this movie that made me enjoy it so much. The story, characters, and the world they live in are simple enough that this movie seems to be tailor-made for children and their families, yet there's a certain spark about it that made me cheer on for the characters and leave me in shock if they were ever in trouble. That's probably it: the innocence of this story was what drew me in. The magic is in its simplicity. There's nothing hidden beneath it and there's no reading between the lines. It's just a good movie with a good plot and nothing more. Sometimes Ghibli films need a break from their reputation as animated epics with hard-hitting moral messages. Sometimes you just need to escape into a world of fantasy without the weight of philosophy on your shoulders. And if that fantasy world is filled with cats that stand on their hind legs and talk, so be it.

TOP 15: Porco Rosso 8.6/10%
Synopsis: After a curse turned him into a pig, World War I ace Marco Pagot becomes Porco Rosso, a mysterious bounty hunter who takes down sky pirates in the Adriatic Sea. He whiles away his days on a secluded island, rarely leaving other than to collect bounties or to visit the beautiful Gina, a songstress and owner of the Hotel Adriano.

One day, while traveling to fix his faulty engine, Porco Rosso is gunned down by a young American hotshot named Donald Curtis. Thrilled at the possibility of fame, Donald boldly declares that the flying pig is dead. Not wanting to disappoint Gina, Porco Rosso flees to the famous Piccolo S.P.A. airplane company and takes out a massive loan in order to repair and improve his fighter plane. There, he is surprised to find that the chief engineer of Piccolo S.P.A. is the 17-year-old Fio Piccolo, who hungers for a chance to prove herself. With Fio's improvements, Porco Rosso prepares to challenge Donald officially and regain his honor.

"Porco Rosso" is a striking rarity in the Miyazaki career, and one that will probably require a bigger effort from the fans to understand. It plays with different themes than his other works; for instance, there is not an interest on developing an enviromental message, or at depicting a major conflict involving humanity and nature. The story is closer to the coming-of-age intimism of "Spirited away", "My neighbor Totoro" or -his script- "Whisper of the heart", yet it takes a radically different focus. In fact, if I had to point a similarity among his films, the one that fits better to me is "Lupin III: The castle of Cagliostro".

On the other hand it is unique because of the world it builds around. Any fans of classic Hollywood will be pleased at the amount of homages that are spread through the story, both in individual scenes and in tone. This movie holds many similarities in its more dramatic part, both aesthetical and story-based, with "Casablanca"; and the slapstick comedy that is there through the whole storyline, softening the conflicts and relationships of the characters, resembles "The quiet man".

This polarity between a heavy character drama and a dreamy comedy may be a double-edged sword, in the sense that many people will probably find this movie inconsistant in terms of its mood, but I think "Porco Rosso" does a really fine work at balancing both aspects of its storyline. The comedy never disallows the viewer from appreciating the gravity of Porco as a character, and the serious and intimist sequences don't deny the zaniness of his daily life. The best thing about this is that it allows to create a full dramatic portrayal of the main character, while bringing some kind of fabulistic charm to his lifestyle, which gives nostalgic vibes to the story. This ends up being relevant as well in the romantic view that Miyazaki brings to describe one of his childhood passions, flight engineery. In this movie it becomes completely obvious through the careful visual depiction and the spectacularity of the flying scenes.

Story
The storyline is completely focused on Porco and the universe around him. He is definitely a complex character that goes way beyond his main defining trait. In fact, his aspect in the context of the daily relationships it's the least relevant. We are told that he is a human turned into a pig by some sort of mysterious spell, but those around him still recognize Porco as a human. Even Gina, the one that he's most closely related with, treats him as if he was the same as always. The appearances in this movie are brought for a much less superficial purpose, as this transformation is used as a metaphor for the deep wound Porco carries with humanity in general, and with himself. His bitterness, however, is contrasted in the movie. That is, instead of being exaggerated, and giving rise to an overly cynical character, the story also emphasizes on his caring side. He is shown to have friends, understand their emotions and care for them; his scenes with Gina make clear that they love and respect each other. This side of him is emphasized later with the presence of Fio and the clear effect she has in his growth as a character.

Characters
The rest of the characters, while not being as fleshed out as Porco, still hold their own charm. I am specially fascinated with Gina. She doesn't even appear too often in the story but her elegance and intimist approach increase the emotional effect of every scene she's in, and the hints on her own past are so suggestive and enveloping that, despite the lack of physical presence in the plot, she manages to create a very strong emotional involvement around her. She is there in some of the most moving moments of the story and I'm specially fond of one where a flashback of her past with Porco is shown.

Fio, on the other hand, plays the counterpart of Porco as a quick-witted and joyful girl. This simple purpose is actually conveyed in the form of a very strong and charismatic character. Her chemistry with Porco through their scenes is amazing, and another one of the key points of this story. In fact my favorite scene of the movie involves them both; with Porco narrating a defining experience of his past -in his very own way, though- and Fio hearing this whole story completely captivated, understanding, finally, the dimension of his personal conflict as a whole.

Donald Curtis and the pirates, despite being technically the antagonists of the main story, are actually quite light and charming. The arrogance of Curtis is contextualized in a way that emphasizes on his innocence rather than on an actual malice. And similarly, the pirates never come off as evil and their hate towards Porco is never treated seriously.

Animation
On the artistic level, this is a great effort overall, though probably not as satisfying as other Miyazaki movies. For example, it suffers from a lack of shading in many scenes, and the designs of the background characters don't look very inspired. However, it still keeps a lot of strength in the visual depiction of the scenarios, and places like Porco's lonely island or Gina's bar are given a distinct atmosphere that becomes very effective. The design for the main characters is simple, yet very effective, with Porco being the obvious choice as the most outstanding. The aesthetics, as said, are very closely tied to the imagery of classic films, which sort of fit very well with the Italian environment of the late 20s this movie is located at.

Sound
Similarly, the soundtrack is quite outstanding overall but not as consistantly mesmerizing as in other works of the author. Then again, this is not a very relevant issue, and I guess it has to do with the huge variety of music pieces; as this variety leading to some irregularity seems unavoidable. Anyway, if I have to choose one, it would be Tokiko Kato's version of the French Revolutionary song "Le temps des cérises", that serves to introduce Gina. Her song in the ending credits is equally beautiful.

All in all, and while it's not my favorite, it is still a Ghibli and Miyazaki movie I am very fond of. It is a little tricky to recommend here, though, because its style and themes will probably not fit the tastes of an anime fan if they are mainly interested on exploring the imagery and philosophy that are associated with the Japanese culture; in fact, I think that "Porco Rosso" is a better recommendation for movie-goers than for anime fans, in general. That doesn't mean it will be necessarily less enjoyable, but it's more likely for people with a grown interest on Western filmmaking to find points in common with this movie.

TOP 16: Pom poko 8.5/10%
Synopsis: With the increasing need for Tokyo to expand as one of Japan's major cities, inevitable sacrifices must be made so that changes can take place. One of these sacrifices is that the room for nature and wildlife to flourish will decrease significantly over time. As this decline continues, many animal communities experience the brunt of urbanization. One such community known as the "Tanuki," a type of magical shape-shifting mammal, is caught up in a struggle to defend their beloved forest from being absorbed by the looming threat of an expanding Tokyo.

As more and more Tanuki find themselves with nowhere to hide and territorial fights become increasingly regular amongst the different factions of the community, the elder Tanuki Oroku decides that something must be done. For the sake of their home as well as the safety of their future generations, the Tanuki unite as one with the hope that together they may be able to repel mankind's construction projects and scare them away from the forests using their shapeshifting abilities.

But as they begin their first attempts at sabotage, the Tanuki soon realize the operation will be no easy task. Will they reclaim their forest as a united community, or will they be torn apart by a war against humanity, blinded by anger and pain after witnessing nature's destruction?

Story
Stories about anthropomorphic animals behaving like human beings have always been a form of storytelling that different types of authors, narrators and storytellers used to employ back in the old days to convey a message to their audience. This was done by using the animals as some sort of metaphor to represent human society and the flaws that show up within it’s systems. Perhaps the most famous example would be George Orwell's magnificent social commentary on Communism that is the timeless Animal Farm. From there, this form of storytelling would go on to get adopted by many other storytellers that came after the man. Fortunately enough, one of the storytellers to pick up on Orwell’s unique form of narration was none other than the late and great Isao Takahata, a man I like to nickname as “The great innovator of Ghibli”.

Isao Takahata is a name that needs no introduction whatsoever. The man was studio Ghibli’s greatest asset, and he was the one responsible for some of the greatest movies and TV series to come out of both Ghibli’s discography and the Anime world in general. Though Takahata has had many celebrated works throughout the course of his life, he’s also had works that have somehow managed to slip under the radar when it came to audiences and viewers everywhere. Beneath the eminent and prominent works that were Akage no Anne, Grave of the Fireflies and Omoide Poroporo, there was also a work that was just as thematically rich as those three, yet never got the recognition it deserved. That work is of course none other than the brilliant 1994 Anime movie, Pom Poko.

Characters
What is Pom Poko exactly? Pom Poko would be the result of Takahata replacing his cast from his previous works with anthropomorphic animals - as in the characters have all the charm and humanity that the other Takahata characters possess, the only difference here being the fact that they are not human. Just like Takahata’s other movies, this movie was ahead of it’s time in the way it handled it’s narrative and used it to convey it’s central theme to it’s audience -- which was environmentalism -- unlike any other Ghibli movie that came before and after it. While Princess Mononoke was a great experience both in terms of visuals and direction, it didn’t quite hit the mark with it’s environmentalism theme, and it delivered the theme quite poorly might I add. It was an excellent film both narratively and visually, but Miyazaki became overindulged with those aspects of his work that he forgot to deliver the message that he preached about in a quality fashion. Unlike Princess Mononoke however, Pom Poko never concerned itself with a grand story nor did it explore the various political factions or the many landscapes and mythical creatures within it’s narrative. Pom Poko focused narrowly on a small, select group of raccoon dogs called the Tanuki species, where these Tanuki would shapeshift endlessly to take the form of humans and use those shapeshifting abilities to stop housing construction on their homeland. This was of course brilliant in reinforcing Takahata’s message regarding environmentalism. By focusing solely on his central theme and giving it more importance than other aspects of the work, he managed to deliver that theme quite perfectly in the end.

The comedy is pretty spot-on as well. Almost every shapeshifting scene was fun and hit the mark in terms of making me laugh, and never did a scene go to waste. The comedic timing is almost perfect here, from the lady Tanuki shapeshifting into a malicious fox to instruct the young, juvenile Tanuki to use that specific transformation to scare off the pesky humans when their identity is discovered, to the elder Tanuki stretching his testicles to form a mattress so that the other Tanuki can sit on them. They were all lighthearted gags that never ceased to amaze me. Though the comedy managed to hit the nail on the head at most times, the testicles gag did become old and stale halfway through the movie, and it lost it’s charm due to the overuse of the gag, which is a shame since it was pretty hysterical when it hadn’t become an overused trope. It is pretty ironic though that the funniest thing about this movie is not the various creative transformations that the Tanuki made use of, rather the fact that Disney renamed the term “testicles” to "pouches". It is a pretty bizarre and awkward stance, and it gets even funnier the more one thinks about it. It was not an unnecessary change though, since most Ghibli movies are directed and are made for children at the end of the day, and western audiences are cultured differently from Japanese audiences, so it makes sense.

Animation
The animation here is pretty consistent just like most other Ghibli movies. It does the job and it does it well enough to assert itself among it’s contemporaries. It has many well animated scenes, but my favorite one has to be the parade sequence the Tanuki perform near the middle of the movie’s run, where even by Ghibli’s standards it looks quite excellent and stands out from the rest of the scenes. Although the animation was pretty consistent for the most part, my biggest gripe with this movie was the absence of any originality or creativity when it came to the character designs. It looked like Takahata never placed any thought into making his characters as uniquely looking as possible, rather, it looked like he churned out the same character design over and over again until he got the main and supporting casts ready for use. Every character here looks like the typically animated raccoon that you would see everywhere on animated television, and all the characters look like they were copied and pasted off of one another, which makes matters even worse since the characters were well written in their own right. Now granted, this is a movie about raccoons and not humans, but it still isn’t a valid excuse for the vapid character designs. Many anthropomorphic animals are drawn in a very distinguishable and unique way in other media, so why should there be a problem here? In addition to the trite character designs, the soundtrack was pretty forgettable as well, which is a shame since most Ghibli movies are recognized by their main themes – Spirited Away had the hauntingly beautiful “The Name of Life”, Princess Mononoke had the haunting yet so ever-present “Legend of Ashitaka” and Kiki’s Delivery Service entranced it’s viewers with the beautiful orchestral melody that is “A Town With An Ocean View”. It seems here, with Pom Poko, not one track stands out from the rest. All of them are uncreative Japanese folk music tracks, they flow smoothly with one another and do well at being a coherent and cohesive soundtrack for the film, but fail to make an everlasting impression on the viewer.

Not going to lie, the characters were pretty charming and were all full of wit and personality, and the creative dialogue between them was ever present. It just felt weird watching this movie and knowing that it was produced by Studio Ghibli, since there was no female protagonist to save the day in this one. Regardless, the most interesting aspect about this movie is the fact that it’s so focused in Japanese folklore, and it’s a pretty great introduction for anyone who would like to know more about Japanese mythology as a whole. This movie is a well-known representation of Tanukis in their fairy tales/mythology. For Japanese children, this is just a normal depiction of one of the many animals from their fairy tales. It is a good starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about them in their famous Japanese stories.

Overall
Overall, it’s not that hard to see why Pom Poko is pretty obscure and niche compared to the other Ghibli titles. It does not have a standout heroine, it is underproduced in terms of audiovisuals compared to some of it’s contemporaries, and it focuses solely on it’s main theme - which is environmentalism - rather than focusing on developing a compelling narrative. However, I also think that this is what makes it the most unique work out of all of them. If you want to vicariously experience the theme of environmentalism, then no other movie does the theme justice more than Pom Poko. In it’s thematic exploration, it is rather excellent, and unlike Princess Mononoke, the message never felt forced whatsoever. Don’t expect this to be on the same level as other Ghibli movies in terms of anything else though, it delivers it’s central message quite perfectly, but that’s about it.

TOP 17: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 8.4/10%
Synopsis: A millennium has passed since the catastrophic nuclear war named the "Seven Days of Fire," which destroyed nearly all life on Earth. Humanity now lives in a constant struggle against the treacherous jungle that has evolved in response to the destruction caused by mankind. Filled with poisonous spores and enormous insects, the jungle spreads rapidly across the Earth and threatens to swallow the remnants of the human race.

Away from the jungle exists a peaceful farming kingdom known as the "Valley of the Wind," whose placement by the sea frees it from the spread of the jungle's deadly toxins. The Valley's charismatic young princess, Nausicaä, finds her tranquil kingdom disturbed when an airship from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes violently in the Valley. After Nausicaä and the citizens of the Valley find a sinister pulsating object in the wreckage, the Valley is suddenly invaded by the Tolmekian military, who intend to revive a dangerous weapon from the Seven Days of Fire. Now Nausicaä must fight to stop the Tolmekians from plunging the Earth into a cataclysm which humanity could never survive, while also protecting the Valley from the encroaching forces of the toxic jungle.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a 1984 Japanese Animated movie, and it marks the very beginning of one of the most beloved film studios of all time, Studio Ghibli. The studio was not founded up until 1985, one year after the release of Nausicaa, with the studio's first official production being Castle in the Sky, which hit the theaters in 1986. Regardless, Nausicaa is still often considered to be the first Ghibli film by many, and for good reasons. If you don't know the name Ghibli, then I do hope some of it's productions ring a bell to you. Studio Ghibli created some of the most amazing movies such as Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke.

When you compare Princess Mononoke, which was released in 1997, to Nausicaa, you will spot a lot of similarities between the two. Although Mononoke is full of green landscapes, lush meadows, and dense forests, while Nausicaa's world is full of dry wastelands, poisonous mushroom woods and huge insects, they both share a lot of similarities and themes with each other. Both movies are about the coexistence of man and nature, and while both are full fledged epic adventure stories with a lot of spectacular visualized action, at a cost they are driven by a pacifistic anti-war message, which is fully expressed by the character of Nausicaa herself. Nausicaa is a young princess who lives in a distant future, where the world has been destroyed by some catastrophic event or a nuclear war. All that is left in the world of Nausicaa are big wastelands, poisonous forests and many other frightening dangers that roam the Earth. Meanwhile, two nations are at war, and Nausicaa's home, the small valley of the wind, is stuck in the middle of the conflict.

Characters
Nausicaa is a wonderful protagonist. She is strong, inspirational, caring and loving, brave and always concerned about the well-being of her people as well as all living things. She is a character that every little girl, and even boy can look up to, and creating strong characters is something that runs through the whole of Hayao Miyazaki. While he did not direct all of Ghibli's films, his name is often synonymously used when talking about them. He is without a doubt not only one of Japan's greatest film makers, but one of Cinema's greatest artists. Nausicaa was adapted from the first two volumes of the original manga by the same name, which Miyazaki himself wrote and drew. All together the manga was created in between the time span of 1982 and 1994, containing a full 7 volumes, so I do think that this should have been a TV series instead of a movie.

Animation
Miyazaki has created a little epic with Nausicaa. Already the first scenes radiate an enormous atmosphere and magic. You can see our lead protagonist on a trip to a mushroom forest, equipped with a breathing mask and a glider, she sets out on a journey of discovery to get to know the world of insects. It is a post apocalyptic world that has been destroyed by mankind hundreds or thousands of years ago in what is only said to be "The seven days of fire", which already hints at the vast destructive power of mankind and intrigues the viewer enough to watch it.

The setting of Nausicaa is amazing. What Miyazaki and his team created here looks absolutely fantastic, and despite the prevailing destruction in the film, everything seems eerily alive and literally captivates the viewer, which is certainly fitting to the character of our heroine Nausicaa. She also sees the beauty of everything around her, and my favorite moments are the scenes in which she delves deeper into those mysterious poisonous forests, where everything around her is deadly, and yet also filled with beauty and wonder.

Sound
Equally as important to the visuals, is the movie's musical score. This movie marks the first collaboration with composer Joe Hisaichi. Hisaichi moved on to score all of Miyazaki's films, and his music is among the very best, alongside that of composers like John Williams and Ennio Morricone. His music is captivating as always and makes a significant contribution to the magic of this film. The soundtrack includes some very atmospheric and harmonic pieces, and also contains some very aggressive songs that sound extremely electronic, and I love every second of it. Every time a piece was played during an epic scene, it made the scene even better and more exciting to watch. I find it also remarkable how often there is no musical score and the film just plays ambient sounds, dialogue or action, but then at a perfect moment, the music sets in and makes your heart rate go up.

Nasuicaa features a lot of great action, the conflict between insects and humans, as well as the interpersonal conflicts that offer a lot of room for amazing set pieces. The fights are fought not only with guns, but also with swords, which plays to the film's medieval touch with kingdoms and princesses. There are also many flight sequences with big and small airships, which is very typical for Miyazaki, who loves the concept of flying. The insects look incredible, from the smallest one to the giant ones that give a sense of great danger.

Of course there are also many quiet and thoughtful moments that radiate warmth and familiarity, giving viewers access to the world of Nausicaa and it's characters.

Overall
Overall, the film has some brutal parts, but it can definitely be recommended to a younger audience, and that is thanks to it's young, super sympathetic and brave title character Nausicaa, and the important message that is conveyed by the film. When it was released in 1984, it even got the recommendation from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) because of it's environmental and peaceful message.

In a world that appears so threatening, a world where nations have huge flying armies, our heroine gracefully flies through the air with just her glider, a glider that has no guns attached. Nausicaa does use weapons in the film, but mostly to defend herself or to carefully stop a negative situation from occurring and taking place. She is someone who is curious, who loves to explore and wants to understand the true meaning of the things around her, and she is never appalled by things like sickness or old age. She just remains loving and there are some wonderful moments where the old people of her village are speaking with kind words about her and her amazing personality.

If there is one thing I hated about the movie, it is that all of the stuff with the different kingdoms and what nation is doing what, this all got convoluted in the finale and became very boring to sit through. Like I also said, the movie should have been turned into a TV series instead of a movie, so that it could have fully explained some of it's aspects. These issues, as well as me seeing a much better version of the same movie (Princess Mononoke) hold me back from giving the movie a perfect 10. Moreover, the movie suffers from a slow pace at times and a long length which makes it a chore to go through rather than an enjoyable movie at times.

Regardless, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a rich and beautiful film that should be seen by everybody, especially if you are into animation and adventure films, and just stories that include a lot of fantasy.

TOP 18: Only Yesterday 8/10%
Synopsis: Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest.

On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming.

Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.

Omoide Poroporo, otherwise known as Only Yesterday, is one of the most underrated movies to have ever come out of Studio Ghibli’s discography. It is easily the best made movie in Ghibli’s history when it comes to the visual presentation, and Takahata here showcased how he was a master of both color and visuals. Omoide Poroporo was a movie that was made to be targeted towards women upon it’s release, but due to Isao Takahata’s brilliant directing, the movie managed to become a success around men and women alike.

Story
The story surrounds Taiko, a twenty seven year old woman who leaves the city and her work for ten days to go on a vacation in the rural areas and relax her mind. What really sets this movie apart from the rest of the others is the fact that on the way to her destination, her little self from when she was younger comes along on the trip, and from there on the woman starts to remember all of the nostalgic bits and pieces from her past, both the good and the bad of her childhood. The movie’s narrative transitions seamlessly from twenty seven year old Taiko to the young and innocent Taiko, often with the use of phone calls to convey that the movie has transitioned from past to present and vice versa.

The dangerous thing about this film is that the two sides, her young self and her old self, are contrasting in tone and color, to the point where one would naturally care for a side and not the other, or find themselves caring for one more than the other. Luckily, this movie tried to make the chances of that happening slim. Taiko’s adult persona is very interesting with her introspective demeanor, and her longing for a better life. She finds herself in a place that many young adults her age find themselves in, and that is to still be holding onto the dreams of the youth while trying to work towards her goals of taking care of a family and living up to society’s expectations. That, in turn, makes the child brimming within her to not go unnoticed and makes her all the more relatable towards people who are in the same age gap as her and facing the same issues she is facing. The most interesting part of her family is her father, who seems like he looks down on himself in shame due to the fact that he didn’t achieve his dreams while young. He cannot let go of the past, which contrasts with Taiko letting go of the past while also valuing how it shaped one up to be, and embracing all those moments in life, both the good and the bad.

Character
Every character in this movie felt like a real person, and it was very interesting to see a slow paced, coming of age, female driven drama Anime. You don’t see those often, especially in an Anime, and that is the thing which made this movie all the more of a unique and enjoyable ride.

Animation
The audiovisuals are some of the most unique out there, if not the most unique for a Ghibli movie. The contrast of visuals between the life of young Taiko and her life when she is all grown up is interesting and worked on very well. The most striking aspect about Only Yesterday is it’s use of color and visual design to achieve it’s themes about self-discovery through re-discovery, and to grab the viewer into both old and young Taiko’s perspectives of the world around them. Only Yesterday operates on two time periods, those being the past and the present, and Takahata managed to infuse each separate time period with a distinct personality and a life of it’s own. For example, Taiko’s past is filled to the brim with simplistic usage of colors and light colors, and the most used color is the color white, which seeps into the edges of the screen. The past has this nostalgic feel working for it, which creates a striking contrast with Taiko’s present, a present that contains very complex and colorful colors, and very realistic details in both characters and setting. The reason for that is that Taiko’s past is, intentionally made blurry and less detailed, due to her not being able to recollect her full memory on what had happened during certain events of her life. This is not necessarily to say that one part of her life is better than another part, as both of them are equally as good as each other, while providing thematic depth and more insight into the main character’s life. The settings are also affected by the visual decisions as well, since the skies are more clear and white in the past, providing for a nostalgic feel, while the skies in the present are more lively and in-the-moment due to the bright blue colors used. Moreover, what distinguishes past from present in Taiko’s life is the usage of the color red, where everything she wears and uses is red in the past, and red disappears in the present. That is not to say that the red has disappeared completely from her life, but more so that she doesn’t completely let go of the past all the while still holding value to it, which is while she still uses red things, she barely does as often as she did during her younger days.

Taiko now mostly wears blue, and her present is surrounded by blue and green lively colors. That is not to say that she has rejected that past, because her hair tie, for example, is still of the color red, just that it is behind her back, which is to show that she still acknowledges the past while not letting it interfere with her present life. On the journey of her discovering herself though, she finds plenty of red. The plant that Taiko is picking is a flower that is used as a red dye, her love interest wears red and his final scene, and the transport vehicles that she uses during the final scenes are colored red. I can rave on and on about why this is Studio Ghibli’s visual landmark, but I think you get the gist. The main musical theme used here is not as striking as some other Ghibli ones out there, though still good on it’s own nonetheless and conveys the mood of nostalgia and melancholy quite successfully. The end scene is one of the best scenes in all of Anime, and how it ends, and how the credit roll is displayed, is one of the most brilliant uses of a credit roll in Anime history.

If you are a person who is interested in a coming of age story from a female perspective, then this one is a must watch. This is one of the best visually directed Anime movies ever made, and is easily the best the top one in the Ghibli discography, and that is due to the fact that Isao Takahata took a mundane concept such as the life of a young girl and her maturing into a female adult, and turned it into such an amazing and visceral self-discovery journey.

TOP 19: Tales from Earthsea 7.7/10%
Synopsis: Calamities are plaguing the land of Earthsea and dragons have been seen fighting above the clouds—something which has never happened before. Sparrowhawk, a powerful Archmage, sets out to uncover the mystery behind these concerning events and meets Prince Arren along the way. Arren is the fugitive heir to the Kingdom of Enlad and a seemingly quiet and distressed lad. Wandering aimlessly in an attempt to escape the dark presence haunting him, he decides to tag along Sparrowhawk on his journey.

However, their arrival in the seaside settlement of Hort Town is met with unexpected trouble—Lord Cob, a powerful evil wizard obsessed with eternal life, stands in their way. Forced to confront him, the pair joins forces with Tenar—an old friend of Sparrowhawk—and Therru, the ill-fated orphan girl she took in. But the enemy's cunning hobby of manipulating emotions may just prove to be catastrophic for the young prince.

Set in a magical world, Ged Senki goes beyond the classical battle between the forces of good and evil, as it explores the inner battles of the heart.

Tales from Earthsea has earned a bit of an unfortunate reputation for itself as the Ghibli Film that it’s okay to dislike. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro, the finished product was apparently so underwhelming to Hayao that he would joke in the future that while he was happy Goro had made a film, he would dissuade his son from making another one ever again. But honestly, after actually seeing the movie, I’m gonna have to disagree with the maestro, because I think Tales from Earthsea is a genuinely powerful film. It’s certainly not the best of the Ghibli canon, and it definitely bears the marks of a first-time director, but it’s an admirable effort coming from a place of genuine passion and empathy, a stirring experience that touched me in profound artistic ways I wasn’t expecting going in. In fact, it feels very much like a purposeful reconstruction of the kinds of ideas and themes that Daddy Miyazaki himself has been exploring since the beginning of his career. A fantasy world in some state of decay, caught between man and nature as humanity struggles with the responsibility to live side by side with the natural world, a combined guy/girl protagonist team tasked with keeping that peace… it’s like a love letter to Castle in the Sky, Naussicaa, and Princess Mononoke, the tripytch of Ghibli films that cemented their director as the biggest champion of radical environmentalism since The Lorax. And with just a little more polish, I would absolutely consider Tales from Earthsea worthy to stand among that pantheon. Give your son another shot, Hayao; he’s got the potential to make something really special.

Animation
At any rate, where Earthsea differs from the kind of Miyazaki film it apes is that while Laupta, Naussicaa et all are set in world building themselves back up after some long-ago disaster, the world in Earthsea feels like it’s still in the process of falling apart. It’s set in a land with castles and dragons and pastoral landscapes and big bazaars and magic and wizards and all manor of trapping of Tolkien-inspired fantasy worldbuilding. But this is not a bustling world full of life and vigor; from the very first scenes, the air is filled with an atmosphere of impending doom. The regal dragons that populate the skies have started fighting each other, an event that spells ill omens for the future. There is plague and famine sweeping the land, and it’s all the kingdom can do to keep afloat. Over the course of the movie, we visit no shortage of crumbling ruins and grime-flecked streets, remnants of lives and histories in the process of falling apart, being swallowed by pettiness and cruelty and despair and emptiness. We learn that wizards have mostly lost their magic, and the few spells we see cast feel more like ancient druidic rituals born from long-forgotten eldritch power. This atmosphere is the film’s strongest aspect, leeching into your bones over time and filling you with a kind of quiet ache that only grows stronger with every new vista of haunting stillness and gloomy dread. There’s a very Dark Souls feel to the world of Earthsea, like our heroes are traveling around the remnants of a once great civilization now fading into the sands of time. And it’s all supercharged by the color palette and soundtrack, casting the landscape in deep, ponderous shades of hue and groaning, ancient dirges that seem to wail for the majesty of times long since past. It feels like a world you could get lost in, a world that could swallow you whole without leaving a trace that you ever existed.

Character
That despair-tinged atmosphere extends to the film’s themes as well, which center on a young man caught at the crossroads of life and death and finding himself unable to move forward. Aaron is the prince of the kingdom, son of a good king, who nevertheless finds himself afflicted by a mysterious rage that drives him to kill his father and run away to the wastes. There, he finds solace with a wandering mage named Sparrowhawk, and lacking any greater purpose or goal, he finds himself listlessly tagging along with the wizard, hoping to escape from his shame and sorrow in the presence of unfamiliar people and locales. But it quickly becomes clear that he’s become embroiled with someone with much bigger plans than simply wandering the wider world, and in time, Sparrowhawk’s ultimate goal forces Aaron to come to terms with his fears and regrets, standing up to a danger that reflects his worst terrors back at him. It’s in his story that Tales from Earthsea finds its meaning, reflecting the protagonist’s own faults and fears in the decrepit state of the world at large as he grows strong enough to change himself- and symbolically, the world as well- for the better. It’s a story about a young boy more afraid of life than death, who would gladly throw himself on the wrong end of a sword if it meant ending the thick fog of misery that hangs over his head. But it’s also a story about the beauty of life he comes to discover, the beauty of the awe and majesty he comes to see in the world around him, of the simple grace of the people he encounters. There’s a particular moment about halfway through the film where Aaron comes across the Ghibli-branded spiritually important leading lady, here a reckless recluse who has never shown Aaron an ounce of trust before, as she’s singing a haunting, yet riveting melody to herself in the middle of a field, her voice echoing across the soft, sweeping plains like a plaintive cry for hope in the face of despair, and by the time it’s over, well, I was almost tearing up right alongside Aaron. It’s the kind of moment that makes me feel like the bag-filming kid from American Beauty, so struck by the beauty of the world that I feel like I can’t take it.

Story
It’s unfortunate, then, that the actual plot facilitated by this incredible story isn’t as strong as it could have been, though the extent to which it rises or falls it a bit more of an open question. Another note this movie takes from Dark Souls is that it doesn’t tend to answer a lot of worldbuilding and lore questions for you, telling most of its greater story through implication. As such, it relies on the emotional and thematic resonance of its ideas to make up for the lack of clear explanations. It’s purposefully mythic storytelling prioritizing emotional resonance over strict logical coherence. We’re never given explicit answers for how dragons and humans once started as the same species, but we’re made to understand the thematic importance they serve in the story as the symbolic representation of the kind of pure, honest freedom and hope this world longs for. We’re never told how exactly the wizards’ magic is fading with the rest of the world, but we understand it as a metaphor for the land’s inner life being swallowed by fatalism and despair. We never know the mechanics of how the film’s ultimate villain plans to open to door between life and death, but we understand that his desire serves as a dark reflection of Aaron’s own desire to be free of the uncertainty and pain of life as he knows it. And there are a handful of spoiler-y moments that raise huge questions about how the lore of this world actually works without ever answering them, because the function they serve in the overall thematic narrative is more important that tying together all the specific details of the mechanics of this fictional universe. It’s a movie that relies on your ability to be okay not having your questions answered, to accept the flow of information as it comes and tackle every step forward on its own emotional terms.

Thankfully, I happen to be exactly the kind of person who prioritizes emotion over logic in storytelling, so the faults in Earthsea’s overall construction didn’t bother me that much. I was perfectly able to get sucked up in the storytelling, in the majesty of the world and Aaron’s journey, without worrying about not knowing the specifics of how it functioned. In a way, I love that it allows you to ask your own questions, wondering how some of the more out-there lore details would be fully realized with the power of your own imagination. That said, there’s definitely an unevenness in the film’s handling of that open-ended nature that isn’t present in, say, Spirited Away. In a way, I almost with it left things more open to interpretation; there’s a handful of moments where it feels like the movie goes too far in trying to explain what it’s all about when I was having a perfectly fine time following it already. In a way, it’s both too obvious at times and too obscure at times, over-explaining its thematic narrative at certain key moments while leaving the actual mechanics of that narrative’s realization fairly obscure. It’s clear that this was Goro’s first film, as there’s a sense that the storyteller isn’t fully confident in the audience’s ability to grasp such an abstract narrative, so he over-corrects in some areas and under-corrects in others. It ends up jarring your expectations at times, when you’re not certain whether or not the movie has more to reveal about a certain plot point or idea of if it expects you to take what it’s already given you as the full picture. The story is still incredibly strong, it just needed an editor to push all of its pieces more firmly into place, someone with the confidence to leave unanswered what could be left unanswered and explain only as much as needed to be explained at any given time. With that kind of finesse, I would have no qualms calling this film an outright masterpiece.

Still, not living up to the work of one of the greatest directors on the face of the earth, especially on your first attempt, is far from the worst criticism to see leveled against you. Tales from Earthsea isn’t a perfect film, and it’s definitely uneven at spots, but it’s got a stunningly powerful core that honors the legacy of the works it draws from while still feeling like its own creation. It’s a stirring fantasy tale of epic adventure and lost worlds coming to life, realized in spectacular fashion with timeless themes and stirring storytelling that more than makes up for the occasionally awkward construction. Don’t be fooled by its reputation, this one’s a real winner.

TOP 20: Ocean Waves 7.4/10% MY LEAST FAV GHIBLI MOVIE
Synopsis: In the city of Kouchi, high school student Taku Morisaki is going about his work when his friend Yutaka Matsuno calls and asks him to get to their school as soon as possible. Taku arrives, and Matsuno introduces him to Rikako Muto, a beautiful girl from Tokyo who recently transferred to their school. Although Rikako is academically and athletically gifted, her generally unpleasant attitude leaves her with virtually no friends outside of Matsuno and another girl from her class.

After a chance encounter during their class trip, Taku suddenly finds himself more involved in Rikako's personal life, much to Matsuno's dismay. Struggling to balance his friendship with Matsuno and his own budding infatuation for Rikako, Taku must come to terms with his feelings and understand how a girl with a troubled past is having such a massive effect on his life.

Have you ever experienced that feeling where the manager for your favorite sports team decides to rest the best player for an important match? The team is performing well enough to stand on their own and keep the game leveled, but nobody is there to advance the score or awe the audience with their brilliance. The players are competent enough, performing what they are supposed to perform and following the tactics to a tee, but it all feels so pointless since their work does not translate into a total victory.

This is what this movie feels like. The two biggest players in Studio Ghibli history: Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, are not to be found here at all, and that of course decreased immensely from the quality of this film. So, what is this film even about? It is essentially a mundane premise about love and romance between two students. Knowing Isao Takahata, he managed to turn a mundane concept similar to this one into one of the greatest Anime movies ever made - Only Yesterday. Here, Takahata is nowhere to be found so that he can show us his magical directing, which is why a trivial concept such as high school love turned out to be such a disappointing product at the end of the day. Without Takahata’s directing to save the day, there isn’t much merit to this film at all.

Similarly, the concept of this film needed Miyazaki. His brain is imaginative, he creates some of the most imaginative, fantastical and surreal works ever put to the animation medium, and he would have created a movie that would be remembered for years to come and given endless amounts of praise if he were to take full control of the direction and script of this movie. Alas, he weren’t to be found here, which is why this movie is such a trivial work in the first place.

You might be wondering why I keep regurgitating the same points about Miyazaki and Takahata over and over again, and never go into plot specifics regarding this film. Well, there really isn’t anything to talk about in this film. The concept is a mundane high school romance story and the execution, while being “realistic”, falls flat in direction. No matter how hard I try, I can’t come up with anything out of thin air to say about this film or describe it. It is mundane, it is trivial, and it is boring. It neither does anything new nor does it do said thing excellently, even when it isn’t offensively bad.

To it’s credit, the movie is not of excruciating length, as it clocks in at about an hour and ten minutes, which is not much considering some lengthy titles Ghibli has pumped out over the years. The animation and the audiovisuals are good and are the typical Ghibli animations you would find anywhere in their discography. The soundtrack is good as well, especially the background Hawaiian music they chose for the lobby and money exchange scenes. Everything regarding the technicalities aspect is good and isn't offensive or anything.

Overall, I can’t say that this movie was bad. The characters were not archetypes, as they went through change and character development, even if those developments weren’t the greatest. The plot is not offensively bad or poorly written, and the audiovisuals, while not completely standing out from anything else, were good enough for the typical Ghibli film. However, even when it had factors working for it, those factors were not enough to make it excel in what it did. The movie is average and trivial, and thus should not be given praise or a positive score.

 

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TOP 11: Kiki's Delivery service 9/10% (One of the best underrated ghibli movie)
Synopsis: Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training, must spend a year living on her own in a distant town in order to become a full-fledged witch. Leaving her family and friends, Kiki undertakes this tradition when she flies out into the open world atop her broomstick with her black cat Jiji.

As she settles down in the coastal town of Koriko, Kiki struggles to adapt and ends up wandering the streets with no place to stay—until she encounters Osono, who offers Kiki boarding in exchange for making deliveries for her small bakery. Before long, Kiki decides to open her own courier service by broomstick, beginning her journey to independence. In attempting to find her place among the townsfolk, Kiki brings with her exciting new experiences and comes to understand the true meaning of responsibility.

Studio Ghibli movies have always been known for being creative, visionary and imaginative, filled with so much care and heart poured into them, to the point where they become distinguishable from the medium as a whole. For several years, Miyazaki and his buddy Takahata have devoted many hours of their days to making the best of the best when it came to animated features. For Takahata, some may say that his masterpiece when it came to movies was Grave of the Fireflies, others may say that his true masterpiece was Only Yesterday. Regardless of what Takahata’s true masterpiece is, both he and Miyazaki have produced many movies that have been hailed as masterpieces by many over the years, but what is Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece? What is his magnum opus? Many will immediately point out to the award winning, beautifully animated 2001 movie, Spirited Away. Others will point out to his famous 1997 movie, Princess Mononoke. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what Miyazaki’s masterpiece truly is, since everyone has their own subjective opinions, and picking out the best of the best when it comes to Miyazaki is a hard chore to accomplish, especially considering all of the quality movies he’s put out during his career. Regardless of subjective opinions and differences between Ghibli fans, today we take a look at Miyazaki’s most underrated gem, his overshadowed masterpiece - Kiki’s Delivery Service. A movie that is so beautifully directed and animated, and has been undeservingly overshadowed by many other Ghibli titles that have come out since this movie’s debut.

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of the very few Ghibli movies that would make a viewer cry. Spirited Away would come close, but it wouldn’t quite hit the mark with what it offers, and wouldn’t emotionally resonate with some viewers. Kiki’s true beauty, however, lies in the fact that it is a simple movie, and any person would have come up with both the plot and the ending, but it takes a lot of care and brilliant directing to make a plot so simple shine in such a prepossessing manner. Miyazaki took a simple concept that is magic and witches flying through the air, and turned it into a film that emotionally resonates with most of those who have seen it. The plot follows Kiki, a young witch who wants to find her place in the world, and this is where the narrative truly stands out from the rest of both the other Ghibli movies, and the other witch fairytales. Kiki’s Delivery Service may seem like a witch story on the surface, but as you delve deeper into it, it begins to show itself as a movie exploring the hardships of life and a masterfully crafted coming of age story as well. The titular character is one of the most relatable to ever come out of the Ghibli discography, and is the most explored heroine in Ghibli’s catalog as well.

Story
The central character Kiki, is relatable due to the fact that her relationship with her companions is explored thoroughly, from her relationship with her black cat Gigi, to her relationship with the young boy Tombo, to her relationship with the bakery owner, and so on and so forth. Not only are the character interactions believable and thoroughly explored, but so is the fact that Kiki exhibits human behavior unlike any other Ghibli character. When I say “human” I do not mean in the sense that it is forced like some of the other Ghibli characters, as her depression and lack of self-worth arise slowly after losing something that is deep to her, which makes her character all the more believable. It doesn’t come across as something that is shallow for the sake of gaining some sympathy and tears from the audience, since the thing she lost is something which she had owned her whole life, not something cheap which came out of nowhere and then vanished that easily to garner sympathy and tears from the viewers. This is one of the very few times where Miyazaki would go into such hard topics when it came to his characters. Usually, Miyazaki’s characters are mostly joyful and cheerful, whereas Takahata’s characters are the ones to exhibit such genuine lack of emotions and self-worth, which is another factor as to why this movie stands out as something that is both unique and exceptional in Miyazaki’s discography.

Characters
As for the other characters, they aren’t as well explored as Kiki, but they serve their purpose well within the narrative regardless. Kiki’s black cat, Gigi, isn’t the typical black cat that a witch would carry around, he talks, and his attempts at humor land solidly. When something devastating happens to him, the audience relates with him and to his struggles. To be able to make the audience feel attached to a character that isn’t as deeply explored as a well-developed protagonist like Kiki, is a feat that should not be underestimated, but Miyazaki did it brilliantly this time around. As for the bakery owner, she serves to guide Kiki through her emotional struggles and as a maternal figure to Kiki as well, since Kiki is a character that was forced to depart from her parents as a part of undergoing a witch training program. The contrast between the owner’s kindness and Kiki’s depression makes the emotional catharsis all the more immense here, and makes Kiki even more relatable as a character. Kiki is also not a perfect character at the end of the day, which makes her all the more relatable to the audience, especially those who struggle with hardships. Yes, she may be a witch and she may have special powers, but she isn’t a princess nor a hero prophesied in legends like most other Ghibli heroines. Kiki is clumsy, acts haphazardly at most times, especially with her terrible ability when it comes to landing her broom, and she tries to better herself and develop throughout the movie’s run.

As underrated as this gorgeous movie’s characters and direction are, the most underrated aspects of it are the animation and the visuals. People do not give enough credit to this movie’s audiovisuals, as it boggles the mind how a movie that is thirty years old, can have such animation that has not aged in the least bit. It is also nice to see Ghibli upping their game with this one, as the animation progressed from stills and flappy animation back in 1986 with Castle in the Sky, to some of the most fluid animation found in Kiki’s Delivery Service. Whether it’s the beautiful hand drawn animations, or the picturesque landscapes, Ghibli never ceases to amaze with this one. The backgrounds serve the story better and make the atmosphere all the more engaging, especially with the places they chose. The colors are vibrant and give the movie more life, and become pale and lifeless when the movie needs to be serious and grim. As for the character designs, Kiki is by far the most visually striking Ghibli protagonist, her most appealing feature being her tie that she wears on her head. Her dress is only one cloth, but it’s a nice change from the ridiculous clothes many other Ghibli characters wear, and it adds more to her humble character.

Sound
As for the soundtrack, this is Joe Hisaishi’s best work. The soundtrack immensely captures the beauty of the film and the general atmosphere that it was striving to achieve. The best piece Ghibli has ever put out is “A Town with an Ocean View”, as it is immensely visceral and awe inspiring, and it beats out Spirited Away’s main theme, “The Name of Life”. The other pieces helped solidify the scenes that they were placed in as well. All around this soundtrack is Hisaishi’s most emotionally striking soundtrack, even when some may argue that it isn’t his absolute best.

This is Miyazaki’s masterpiece. After seeing most of what Ghibli had to offer - from the bad, to the nauseatingly slow average, to the very good, I can assure readers that this is Miyazaki’s crème de la crème. This movie contends heavily with some others that Takahata has put out, and uncertainty always arises when trying to make sure what Ghibli’s absolute magnum opus is. Regardless of that, this is Miyazaki’s visceral masterpiece, without a shadow of a doubt.

TOP 12: From Up on poppy hill 8.9/10%
Synopsis: atop a hill overlooking a seaside port sits a boarding house named Coquelicot Manor. Since the building is run by her family, Umi Matsuzaki carries out many of the duties involved in managing the small establishment, such as preparing meals for her fellow boarders. When she isn't at home, she is a student at the local high school—one that is currently dealing with a small crisis.

In anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games, a beloved old clubhouse is set to be demolished to make way for a modern building. As a result, a large part of the student body has banded together, working tirelessly to prevent this from happening. Umi finds herself helping the newspaper club to spread information about this cause where she befriends Shun Kazama, whom she gradually begins to fall in love with. But Shun is an orphan who doesn't know much about his origins, and when the two begin searching for clues to the boy's past, they discover that they may have a lot more in common than either of them could have thought.

Story
The main plot for this movie is about two students: Shun and Umi. They have a story of family, love, and willpower that is so simple yet so sweet. To be quite honest, that's the word that really describes this movie the best: simple. Unlike past Ghibli movies, From Up on Poppy Hill does not have magical, supernatural creatures or beautiful dream-like lands. In fact, it takes place in 1960's Japan. The movie attempts a historical feel, which is a risk since it may sway the interest of their popular audiences of children and teenagers. But, perhaps it was the simplicity of the movie that made it so likable. The whole plot wasn't exactly exciting, but it was well done enough to keep me intrigued. The relationship between Shun and Umi and their relationship problems because of possible family issues is a mild story but it still creates a sweet innocence. Extremely simple, but the best kind of simple.

Art
Ghibli animation has always been beautiful and From Up on Poppy Hill is definitely not an exception. The backdrops are extremely detailed with even the smallest, most colorful brushstrokes on the least important settings. Everything was breathtaking, and while the character design was rather plain, it still completely captivated me. The quality was not underdone at any point in the movie and everything still retained some sense of realistic-ness. This aspect of Ghibli films will, in my opinion, never change.

Sound
Comparing past Ghibli soundtracks such as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro to this movie makes From Up on Poppy Hill's original soundtrack seem so... plain. Joe Hisaishi did not create any original scores in this movie, so the music didn't really make of an impact on me. However, even if wasn't as good as usual, the soundtrack was still pretty swell. Finely orchestrated music fit the era and settings nicely for a 1960-themed movie. The voice actors did pretty well; they made each character's emotions seem realistic enough.

Characters
Shun and Umi make up the most important characters of the movie, so their roles will be focused on the most. Umi's character is very realistic and human. She's a hard-working, responsible young woman who still copes with normal teenage issues like school and love. Her family past of her father contributes to her personality and makes her seem not as perfect, rounding her out nicely. Shun is at first shown to be a bit rash but later on is shown to be intelligent and caring. While they aren't the most interesting people in the world, both of these characters have an impact on each other, which entertained me and further built upon the plot.

Enjoyment
Despite being plain and simple, From Up on Poppy Hill still interested me enough to keep watching and feel a sense of positivity. It was quite honestly a refreshing change from the usual exciting, magical Ghibli movie. But, parts of it still bored me and the ending made me upset and confused.

Overall
Goro Miyazaki is continually working hard to live up to the legacy of animation that his father created. While From Up on Poppy Hill shows that he's yet to reach that point, it also shows that he's getting closer. The movie's simplicity and innocence sent out a calmer vibe and perhaps that's what the man is aiming at. I wouldn't put this in my top anime movie groups, but I wouldn't put in my worst either. It's an average movie and the work of a growing man. That's all it is to me.

TOP 13: Whisper of the heart 8.9/10%
Synopsis: Shizuku Tsukishima is an energetic 14-year-old girl who enjoys reading and writing poetry in her free time. Glancing at the checkout cards of her books one evening, she notices that her library books are frequently checked out by a boy named Seiji Amasawa. Curiosity strikes Shizuku, and she decides to search for the boy who shares her love for literature.

Meeting a peculiar cat on the train, Shizuku follows the animal and is eventually led to a quaint antique shop, where she learns about a cat statuette known as "The Baron." Taking an interest in the shop, she surprisingly finds Seiji, and the two quickly befriend one another. Shizuku learns while acquainting herself with Seiji that he has a dream that he would like to fulfill, causing her dismay as she remains uncertain of her future and has yet to recognize her talents.

However, as her relationship with Seiji grows, Shizuku becomes determined to work toward a goal. Guided by the whispers of her heart and inspiration from The Baron, she resolves to carve out her own potential and dreams.

Adolescence is among the most memorable phases in one's life. During this time, we tend to make decisions based on adrenaline instincts, work as we wish to, while repudiating any advice. Some of us even develop endearing feelings of love for someone, while also chasing our own dream or even remoulding them for the sake of someone else, often out of inspiration and seldom out of desperation.

Working on the themes of adolescence and infatuation giving rise to a wonderful journey of self discovery, Studio Ghibli presents us with Mimi wo Sumaseba also commonly known as Whisper of the Heart. The story mainly revolves around the female lead, Shizuku Tsukishima, a junior high school girl living in New Tama Town. The story progresses as Shizuku constantly finds a certain someone, named Seiji Awasama, always issuing books before she does at her town library, which leads her to grow a sense of respect while her imagination weaves together a personality of Seiji as one could only describe as the "Prince Charming of her life." Much to her disappointment, Seiji is any thing but the "prince charming" she had imagined him to be; but Seiji had a unique charm of his own. One thing led to another and soon, Shizuku starts facing typical teenage life problem ranging from the urge to rebel against her parent's wishes, unnecessarily squabbling with her siblings, while also realising she has fallen in love with the "not-the-prince-charming-she-had-imagined", Seiji. Hereby follows a movie about self discovery, presented in the most heartwarming way possible.

Now it may seem like any other teenage-romance on pen and paper, but Whisper of the Heart, has its own charm, specially due to the way it presents itself. The problem with most romance shows now a days is that they tend to be extremely dull or overly melodramatic and their predictable plot structure doesn’t help them much either. While being melodramatic, most also tend to be highly unrealistic with their character interactions, their behaviour, body language and much more which just brings their over all quality down. Whisper of the heart, throws all these out of the window and carves its path through this genre in a rather realistic and dramatic way, without crossing the dreaded line between the dramatic and the melodramatic. Character interactions are seamless and seem as realistic as it can get for a story of such sorts. Characters behave as a mere reflection of any other ordinary teenager, as they would to the shown circumstances and these strokes of realism are even more integrated into the movie with the help of detailed, subtle body language of the the characters through which many emotions are shown, rather than told through mere dialogue exchange.

Characters
The characters themselves are rather eccentric even though they are fairly ordinary people. The female lead, Shizuka, is a rather charming and adorable girl. Her relation with her family and her friends is well portrayed through meaningful dialogue. Her monologues of what she thinks about her sister, mother, her best friends and her general view of the situations she faces helps build up her base character along with her relationship with the side characters in a gradual and methodical way. The development that Shizuka goes through the movie, simply put, is phenomenal. From a naive junior high student, who didn’t know what she wanted to do with her talent, and on the bigger scale, with her life; Shizuka realises her field of interest and recognises her talents. Her love for writing also explores her vivid and colourful imagination. She comes to realise the importance of family and meeting up with family expectations, while chasing her individual dream too, but the main motivation behind most of her development is her love interest, Seiji.

Story
Seiji is quite the character himself. He is shown as an ordinary boy, working at his grandfather’s small antique shop, while learning both, to build and play the violin. The development between Seiji and Shizuko’s romantic relationship, albeit a bit cheesy, was handled with great care. While Seiji doesn’t receive as much development as Shizuko on screen, most of his character development is rather implied. While maintaining Seiji’s lively manner, we see a sense of responsibility grow in him which we naturally see in most teens as they go through their phase of adolescence. His growth in sense of responsibility is established through his interactions with Shizuko, specially, the conversation they have on the school rooftop where they realise they have to work their way so that they could live and spend more time together in the future.All these character interactions which lead to their subtle development, was neatly woven together by the skilful hands of the director, Yoshifumi Kondou, who is known for his works in various other critically acclaimed works such as Omoide Poroporo and Akage no Anne as an animation director.

Studio Ghibli has always been known for sending the audience into another magical dimension with their various works, but sometimes, due to the lack of proper direction, the whole magical element backfires, and in the end, the movie tends to become a mess. Thankfully, Whisper of the Heart, is not one of these movies! Even though the movie is highly realistic at its core, Studio Ghibli didn’t stop from adding their key fantasy elements into the movie. And with the efficient direction, these were used to enhance the whole experience of the viewer. Shizuka’s main writing work is dynamically shown, rather than being simply narrated. These scenes range from talking rabbits wearing monocles to riding an air stream to an unknown mysterious castle. All these fantasy elements are integrated into the movie with great caress without leaving deep scars on the strokes of realism, the movie portrays.

Animation
The animation delivered by Studio Ghibli, as usual, is fantastic. Great detail is maintained in almost every frame and the movement of characters and the general motion is as fluid as it can get. The landscape scenes are pretty eye candy and the movie is completely devoid of any ugly CGI. There are some great camera angles used when necessary, sometime to show the overarching city while some soothing music plays to evoke a strange feeling of nostalgia. The artistic direction of the movie takes credits when the fantasy world is involved, as the colour palette becomes much more vibrant and animation becomes subtly smoother and camera angles range from the typical to experimental ones where Shizuka is shown riding the winds to the castle.

Sound
Along with the magical animation, the movie imbues a deep sense of nostalgia with its musical direction. The movie begins with Olivia Newton John’s cover of the famous song, Country Road, which itself evokes a warm fuzzy feeling in the viewer, making them feel right at home. Other than that particular cover of John Dever’s, country road, a japanese rendition is sung many times in the movie and their placement couldn’t have been more correct which added to the overall atmosphere of the film, whenever they were used. A personal favourite would be when Seiji plays the violin and Shizuka sings along and the elders join in with various other instruments, to create one of the most joyous and heart warming scenes in anime for me personally, but one could feel free to disagree, I guess. Other soundtracks just add to the magic of the film and its overarching, heartwarming atmosphere. To weave such a fantastic atmosphere, and evoke feelings of nostalgia with the music alone, credits must be given to the “music director”, Yuuiji Nomi who is also known for his quirky OST’s in Nichijou.

Overall
With all that said and done, I must conclude by saying that Whisper of the Heart is a wonderful coming of age film; and a journey of self discovery. This film has something for everybody to enjoy, whether it be seeing yourself as a teenager grow up in the movie, facing similar problems or for parents, who could see how to co-operate with their child when they’re in their rebellious phase of life and let them freely chase their dreams. The fantastic musical score coupled with the fluid animation has the right balance of drama imbibed into it. It may appear to some as a typical animated work at first glance but once the experience is over, many will quickly realise that Whisper of the Heart is anything but typical.

TOP 14: The cat returns 8.7/10%
Synopsis: High school student Haru Yoshioka is bored with the monotony of life. One day, she saves Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom from being run over by a truck. As a token of gratitude, the Cat King sends her "presents" and invites her to the Cat Kingdom to become Lune's wife. Haru's inability to properly communicate with the cats leads to the misunderstanding that she has accepted the proposal.

As Haru ponders on ways to escape the predicament, a mysterious voice instructs her to search for the Cat Bureau. However, not long after she finally arrives at the bureau, a horde of cats swarms in and forcibly takes her to the Cat Kingdom, along with a member of the Cat Bureau. Concerned for their safety, owner of the Cat Bureau, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, follows close behind.

The more Haru immerses herself in the activities of the Cat Kingdom, the more cat-like she becomes. To her dismay, she soon learns that, unless she can find her true self, she may become a cat permanently. Haru's adventures in the world of cats lead her down a path to self-discovery, allowing her to return as a more confident person.

Studio Ghibli. Mention this studio to any anime fan and they'll instantly think of either Hayao Miyazaki or rattle off any of his movies. In that list of movies, there will be a slim chance that a fan will mention The Cat Returns, one of Ghibli's more light-hearted efforts. I have to admit that I've avoided this title for a long time due to Miyazaki's lack of involvement with this project. This, however, is a decision that should be regretting at the moment because, surprisingly enough, I liked this film. I liked it a lot.

Story
This movie's story couldn't be more straight-forward. It's a simple fantasy tale that, despite not being a two-hour epic like Miyazaki's movies, tells an incredibly coherent story that's easy to follow for anyone. I think the key to enjoying this movie lies in the fact that the viewer needs to take what is presented before them as it is. There is no point in wracking your brain for any sort of in-depth, universal message in this movie because there really isn't one. I have a feeling that this is where people dismiss the movie as "weak" when compared to Ghibli's other efforts. The film's message has no more depth than your average Disney animated film ("believe in yourself"), which seems sort of tagged on at times thanks to one of the characters saying that several times over the course of the film. If you try to watch the film based on that message alone, you won't get much out of it, though there are elements of a coming-of-age story buried beneath the film's fantastic adventure and splendor. The story is something that should be appreciated at face-value rather than something that could be measured up to one of Miyazaki's films. On its own, the story is simple enough to almost be boring, but the witty humor (which is actually quite well done) and interesting characters make the story one well-worth being told.

Characters
Speaking of characters, it would be harsh to say that these characters are two-dimensional, but, then again, the movie's suspension of disbelief works well enough to make me believe in a talking cat. While these are not the most realistic characters in Ghibli film history (again, talking cats), there's a human warmth to each of them that makes the viewer support the heros and sympathize the villain. In a fairy-tale-esque story like this, it would be easy to separate the heroes and villains into black and white, but even the villains' chaotic deeds are lined with good intentions and the heroes aren't all that heroic to begin with. The main character, Haru, sort of belongs in the middle ground because of how indecisive her personality was to begin with. The characters' distinct personality traits also make them easy to recognize. You could probably summarize each character in one sentence without saying which species they are. They're also all very likable, including the villains' lackeys, which almost never happens to me when watching an anime. Maybe its Baron's gentlemanly poise or The Cat Prince's nobility that do the trick. Or maybe it's just as easy to get lost with the characters as it is to escape in the world they live in. Normally, I would say that not adding enough depth to these characters is a missed opportunity, but with characters like these, heavy, three-dimensional character depth almost becomes unnecessary. For the world that they're created in, the amount of warmth and depth they have is just enough.

Do I really need to go into the art for a Studio Ghibli film? It's almost a given that if you're going to watch a Ghibli film, you're going to be handed some gorgeous visuals along with a decent story. While this is by no means the studio's best artistic effort, a handful of scenes really stand out in terms of artistry, such as the introduction of The Cat Kingdom and Haru's search for "the big, white cat" at a busy shopping centre. The latter especially stood out in my mind, since the artists put great detail in making sure that every piece of lettering on the signs by the shops were legible. As for the character designs, Haru's is noteworthy to me even though she is supposed to be an average Japanese student with average looks. She looks like a cat to me, which makes me wonder if that was an intentional character trait on the artists' parts of if that's just a conclusion that I came down to on my own. Aside from the fact that they walk on their hind legs from time to time, the physiology of that cats is really well done. It even shows when they fold their paws in as they stand up. The overall artistic atmosphere will feel familiar to you if you've seen movies like "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland" or "Catnapped!" without the trippy visuals. For a movie that was made at the dawn of the new, computer-colored anime age, the animation is refreshing and vibrant.

Over the years, Disney has built up a reputation for having top-notch dubbing in the English versions of Ghibli films, and this one was no exception. The flow of the voice acting hardly made the film sound like I was watching an anime at all. It didn't even sound like the voice actors went into the studio thinking that they were going to dub an anime feature. For the majority of the characters, the English voices matched the characters well. I thought Haru's voice was a little deep at first, but I got used to it eventually. Baron having a dapper British accent made his character all the more likable and Muta, the fat cat, even sounded like he was fat and boorish. It's easy to hear in the actors' voices that they not only put in the effort to try to match their voices to the characters' lips, but they sounded like they had fun taking on the challenge.

Sound
The music didn't stand out a lot of the time for me, but when it was noticeable, it was worth listening to as a separate piece of music. The soundtrack even strayed into neo classical territory at times, especially during scenes in the Cat Kingdom. Straying from the film's orchestral soundtrack, the ending theme song is an incredibly upbeat and catchy pop song led by one woman and her ukulele. You'll have to drink a couple of bottles of brain bleach in order to get that one out of your head. The audio aspect of the film couldn't have been more satisfying to me.

I don't know what it is about this movie that made me enjoy it so much. The story, characters, and the world they live in are simple enough that this movie seems to be tailor-made for children and their families, yet there's a certain spark about it that made me cheer on for the characters and leave me in shock if they were ever in trouble. That's probably it: the innocence of this story was what drew me in. The magic is in its simplicity. There's nothing hidden beneath it and there's no reading between the lines. It's just a good movie with a good plot and nothing more. Sometimes Ghibli films need a break from their reputation as animated epics with hard-hitting moral messages. Sometimes you just need to escape into a world of fantasy without the weight of philosophy on your shoulders. And if that fantasy world is filled with cats that stand on their hind legs and talk, so be it.

TOP 15: Porco Rosso 8.6/10%
Synopsis: After a curse turned him into a pig, World War I ace Marco Pagot becomes Porco Rosso, a mysterious bounty hunter who takes down sky pirates in the Adriatic Sea. He whiles away his days on a secluded island, rarely leaving other than to collect bounties or to visit the beautiful Gina, a songstress and owner of the Hotel Adriano.

One day, while traveling to fix his faulty engine, Porco Rosso is gunned down by a young American hotshot named Donald Curtis. Thrilled at the possibility of fame, Donald boldly declares that the flying pig is dead. Not wanting to disappoint Gina, Porco Rosso flees to the famous Piccolo S.P.A. airplane company and takes out a massive loan in order to repair and improve his fighter plane. There, he is surprised to find that the chief engineer of Piccolo S.P.A. is the 17-year-old Fio Piccolo, who hungers for a chance to prove herself. With Fio's improvements, Porco Rosso prepares to challenge Donald officially and regain his honor.

"Porco Rosso" is a striking rarity in the Miyazaki career, and one that will probably require a bigger effort from the fans to understand. It plays with different themes than his other works; for instance, there is not an interest on developing an enviromental message, or at depicting a major conflict involving humanity and nature. The story is closer to the coming-of-age intimism of "Spirited away", "My neighbor Totoro" or -his script- "Whisper of the heart", yet it takes a radically different focus. In fact, if I had to point a similarity among his films, the one that fits better to me is "Lupin III: The castle of Cagliostro".

On the other hand it is unique because of the world it builds around. Any fans of classic Hollywood will be pleased at the amount of homages that are spread through the story, both in individual scenes and in tone. This movie holds many similarities in its more dramatic part, both aesthetical and story-based, with "Casablanca"; and the slapstick comedy that is there through the whole storyline, softening the conflicts and relationships of the characters, resembles "The quiet man".

This polarity between a heavy character drama and a dreamy comedy may be a double-edged sword, in the sense that many people will probably find this movie inconsistant in terms of its mood, but I think "Porco Rosso" does a really fine work at balancing both aspects of its storyline. The comedy never disallows the viewer from appreciating the gravity of Porco as a character, and the serious and intimist sequences don't deny the zaniness of his daily life. The best thing about this is that it allows to create a full dramatic portrayal of the main character, while bringing some kind of fabulistic charm to his lifestyle, which gives nostalgic vibes to the story. This ends up being relevant as well in the romantic view that Miyazaki brings to describe one of his childhood passions, flight engineery. In this movie it becomes completely obvious through the careful visual depiction and the spectacularity of the flying scenes.

Story
The storyline is completely focused on Porco and the universe around him. He is definitely a complex character that goes way beyond his main defining trait. In fact, his aspect in the context of the daily relationships it's the least relevant. We are told that he is a human turned into a pig by some sort of mysterious spell, but those around him still recognize Porco as a human. Even Gina, the one that he's most closely related with, treats him as if he was the same as always. The appearances in this movie are brought for a much less superficial purpose, as this transformation is used as a metaphor for the deep wound Porco carries with humanity in general, and with himself. His bitterness, however, is contrasted in the movie. That is, instead of being exaggerated, and giving rise to an overly cynical character, the story also emphasizes on his caring side. He is shown to have friends, understand their emotions and care for them; his scenes with Gina make clear that they love and respect each other. This side of him is emphasized later with the presence of Fio and the clear effect she has in his growth as a character.

Characters
The rest of the characters, while not being as fleshed out as Porco, still hold their own charm. I am specially fascinated with Gina. She doesn't even appear too often in the story but her elegance and intimist approach increase the emotional effect of every scene she's in, and the hints on her own past are so suggestive and enveloping that, despite the lack of physical presence in the plot, she manages to create a very strong emotional involvement around her. She is there in some of the most moving moments of the story and I'm specially fond of one where a flashback of her past with Porco is shown.

Fio, on the other hand, plays the counterpart of Porco as a quick-witted and joyful girl. This simple purpose is actually conveyed in the form of a very strong and charismatic character. Her chemistry with Porco through their scenes is amazing, and another one of the key points of this story. In fact my favorite scene of the movie involves them both; with Porco narrating a defining experience of his past -in his very own way, though- and Fio hearing this whole story completely captivated, understanding, finally, the dimension of his personal conflict as a whole.

Donald Curtis and the pirates, despite being technically the antagonists of the main story, are actually quite light and charming. The arrogance of Curtis is contextualized in a way that emphasizes on his innocence rather than on an actual malice. And similarly, the pirates never come off as evil and their hate towards Porco is never treated seriously.

Animation
On the artistic level, this is a great effort overall, though probably not as satisfying as other Miyazaki movies. For example, it suffers from a lack of shading in many scenes, and the designs of the background characters don't look very inspired. However, it still keeps a lot of strength in the visual depiction of the scenarios, and places like Porco's lonely island or Gina's bar are given a distinct atmosphere that becomes very effective. The design for the main characters is simple, yet very effective, with Porco being the obvious choice as the most outstanding. The aesthetics, as said, are very closely tied to the imagery of classic films, which sort of fit very well with the Italian environment of the late 20s this movie is located at.

Sound
Similarly, the soundtrack is quite outstanding overall but not as consistantly mesmerizing as in other works of the author. Then again, this is not a very relevant issue, and I guess it has to do with the huge variety of music pieces; as this variety leading to some irregularity seems unavoidable. Anyway, if I have to choose one, it would be Tokiko Kato's version of the French Revolutionary song "Le temps des cérises", that serves to introduce Gina. Her song in the ending credits is equally beautiful.

All in all, and while it's not my favorite, it is still a Ghibli and Miyazaki movie I am very fond of. It is a little tricky to recommend here, though, because its style and themes will probably not fit the tastes of an anime fan if they are mainly interested on exploring the imagery and philosophy that are associated with the Japanese culture; in fact, I think that "Porco Rosso" is a better recommendation for movie-goers than for anime fans, in general. That doesn't mean it will be necessarily less enjoyable, but it's more likely for people with a grown interest on Western filmmaking to find points in common with this movie.

TOP 16: Pom poko 8.5/10%
Synopsis: With the increasing need for Tokyo to expand as one of Japan's major cities, inevitable sacrifices must be made so that changes can take place. One of these sacrifices is that the room for nature and wildlife to flourish will decrease significantly over time. As this decline continues, many animal communities experience the brunt of urbanization. One such community known as the "Tanuki," a type of magical shape-shifting mammal, is caught up in a struggle to defend their beloved forest from being absorbed by the looming threat of an expanding Tokyo.

As more and more Tanuki find themselves with nowhere to hide and territorial fights become increasingly regular amongst the different factions of the community, the elder Tanuki Oroku decides that something must be done. For the sake of their home as well as the safety of their future generations, the Tanuki unite as one with the hope that together they may be able to repel mankind's construction projects and scare them away from the forests using their shapeshifting abilities.

But as they begin their first attempts at sabotage, the Tanuki soon realize the operation will be no easy task. Will they reclaim their forest as a united community, or will they be torn apart by a war against humanity, blinded by anger and pain after witnessing nature's destruction?

Story
Stories about anthropomorphic animals behaving like human beings have always been a form of storytelling that different types of authors, narrators and storytellers used to employ back in the old days to convey a message to their audience. This was done by using the animals as some sort of metaphor to represent human society and the flaws that show up within it’s systems. Perhaps the most famous example would be George Orwell's magnificent social commentary on Communism that is the timeless Animal Farm. From there, this form of storytelling would go on to get adopted by many other storytellers that came after the man. Fortunately enough, one of the storytellers to pick up on Orwell’s unique form of narration was none other than the late and great Isao Takahata, a man I like to nickname as “The great innovator of Ghibli”.

Isao Takahata is a name that needs no introduction whatsoever. The man was studio Ghibli’s greatest asset, and he was the one responsible for some of the greatest movies and TV series to come out of both Ghibli’s discography and the Anime world in general. Though Takahata has had many celebrated works throughout the course of his life, he’s also had works that have somehow managed to slip under the radar when it came to audiences and viewers everywhere. Beneath the eminent and prominent works that were Akage no Anne, Grave of the Fireflies and Omoide Poroporo, there was also a work that was just as thematically rich as those three, yet never got the recognition it deserved. That work is of course none other than the brilliant 1994 Anime movie, Pom Poko.

Characters
What is Pom Poko exactly? Pom Poko would be the result of Takahata replacing his cast from his previous works with anthropomorphic animals - as in the characters have all the charm and humanity that the other Takahata characters possess, the only difference here being the fact that they are not human. Just like Takahata’s other movies, this movie was ahead of it’s time in the way it handled it’s narrative and used it to convey it’s central theme to it’s audience -- which was environmentalism -- unlike any other Ghibli movie that came before and after it. While Princess Mononoke was a great experience both in terms of visuals and direction, it didn’t quite hit the mark with it’s environmentalism theme, and it delivered the theme quite poorly might I add. It was an excellent film both narratively and visually, but Miyazaki became overindulged with those aspects of his work that he forgot to deliver the message that he preached about in a quality fashion. Unlike Princess Mononoke however, Pom Poko never concerned itself with a grand story nor did it explore the various political factions or the many landscapes and mythical creatures within it’s narrative. Pom Poko focused narrowly on a small, select group of raccoon dogs called the Tanuki species, where these Tanuki would shapeshift endlessly to take the form of humans and use those shapeshifting abilities to stop housing construction on their homeland. This was of course brilliant in reinforcing Takahata’s message regarding environmentalism. By focusing solely on his central theme and giving it more importance than other aspects of the work, he managed to deliver that theme quite perfectly in the end.

The comedy is pretty spot-on as well. Almost every shapeshifting scene was fun and hit the mark in terms of making me laugh, and never did a scene go to waste. The comedic timing is almost perfect here, from the lady Tanuki shapeshifting into a malicious fox to instruct the young, juvenile Tanuki to use that specific transformation to scare off the pesky humans when their identity is discovered, to the elder Tanuki stretching his testicles to form a mattress so that the other Tanuki can sit on them. They were all lighthearted gags that never ceased to amaze me. Though the comedy managed to hit the nail on the head at most times, the testicles gag did become old and stale halfway through the movie, and it lost it’s charm due to the overuse of the gag, which is a shame since it was pretty hysterical when it hadn’t become an overused trope. It is pretty ironic though that the funniest thing about this movie is not the various creative transformations that the Tanuki made use of, rather the fact that Disney renamed the term “testicles” to "pouches". It is a pretty bizarre and awkward stance, and it gets even funnier the more one thinks about it. It was not an unnecessary change though, since most Ghibli movies are directed and are made for children at the end of the day, and western audiences are cultured differently from Japanese audiences, so it makes sense.

Animation
The animation here is pretty consistent just like most other Ghibli movies. It does the job and it does it well enough to assert itself among it’s contemporaries. It has many well animated scenes, but my favorite one has to be the parade sequence the Tanuki perform near the middle of the movie’s run, where even by Ghibli’s standards it looks quite excellent and stands out from the rest of the scenes. Although the animation was pretty consistent for the most part, my biggest gripe with this movie was the absence of any originality or creativity when it came to the character designs. It looked like Takahata never placed any thought into making his characters as uniquely looking as possible, rather, it looked like he churned out the same character design over and over again until he got the main and supporting casts ready for use. Every character here looks like the typically animated raccoon that you would see everywhere on animated television, and all the characters look like they were copied and pasted off of one another, which makes matters even worse since the characters were well written in their own right. Now granted, this is a movie about raccoons and not humans, but it still isn’t a valid excuse for the vapid character designs. Many anthropomorphic animals are drawn in a very distinguishable and unique way in other media, so why should there be a problem here? In addition to the trite character designs, the soundtrack was pretty forgettable as well, which is a shame since most Ghibli movies are recognized by their main themes – Spirited Away had the hauntingly beautiful “The Name of Life”, Princess Mononoke had the haunting yet so ever-present “Legend of Ashitaka” and Kiki’s Delivery Service entranced it’s viewers with the beautiful orchestral melody that is “A Town With An Ocean View”. It seems here, with Pom Poko, not one track stands out from the rest. All of them are uncreative Japanese folk music tracks, they flow smoothly with one another and do well at being a coherent and cohesive soundtrack for the film, but fail to make an everlasting impression on the viewer.

Not going to lie, the characters were pretty charming and were all full of wit and personality, and the creative dialogue between them was ever present. It just felt weird watching this movie and knowing that it was produced by Studio Ghibli, since there was no female protagonist to save the day in this one. Regardless, the most interesting aspect about this movie is the fact that it’s so focused in Japanese folklore, and it’s a pretty great introduction for anyone who would like to know more about Japanese mythology as a whole. This movie is a well-known representation of Tanukis in their fairy tales/mythology. For Japanese children, this is just a normal depiction of one of the many animals from their fairy tales. It is a good starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about them in their famous Japanese stories.

Overall
Overall, it’s not that hard to see why Pom Poko is pretty obscure and niche compared to the other Ghibli titles. It does not have a standout heroine, it is underproduced in terms of audiovisuals compared to some of it’s contemporaries, and it focuses solely on it’s main theme - which is environmentalism - rather than focusing on developing a compelling narrative. However, I also think that this is what makes it the most unique work out of all of them. If you want to vicariously experience the theme of environmentalism, then no other movie does the theme justice more than Pom Poko. In it’s thematic exploration, it is rather excellent, and unlike Princess Mononoke, the message never felt forced whatsoever. Don’t expect this to be on the same level as other Ghibli movies in terms of anything else though, it delivers it’s central message quite perfectly, but that’s about it.

TOP 17: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 8.4/10%
Synopsis: A millennium has passed since the catastrophic nuclear war named the "Seven Days of Fire," which destroyed nearly all life on Earth. Humanity now lives in a constant struggle against the treacherous jungle that has evolved in response to the destruction caused by mankind. Filled with poisonous spores and enormous insects, the jungle spreads rapidly across the Earth and threatens to swallow the remnants of the human race.

Away from the jungle exists a peaceful farming kingdom known as the "Valley of the Wind," whose placement by the sea frees it from the spread of the jungle's deadly toxins. The Valley's charismatic young princess, Nausicaä, finds her tranquil kingdom disturbed when an airship from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes violently in the Valley. After Nausicaä and the citizens of the Valley find a sinister pulsating object in the wreckage, the Valley is suddenly invaded by the Tolmekian military, who intend to revive a dangerous weapon from the Seven Days of Fire. Now Nausicaä must fight to stop the Tolmekians from plunging the Earth into a cataclysm which humanity could never survive, while also protecting the Valley from the encroaching forces of the toxic jungle.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a 1984 Japanese Animated movie, and it marks the very beginning of one of the most beloved film studios of all time, Studio Ghibli. The studio was not founded up until 1985, one year after the release of Nausicaa, with the studio's first official production being Castle in the Sky, which hit the theaters in 1986. Regardless, Nausicaa is still often considered to be the first Ghibli film by many, and for good reasons. If you don't know the name Ghibli, then I do hope some of it's productions ring a bell to you. Studio Ghibli created some of the most amazing movies such as Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke.

When you compare Princess Mononoke, which was released in 1997, to Nausicaa, you will spot a lot of similarities between the two. Although Mononoke is full of green landscapes, lush meadows, and dense forests, while Nausicaa's world is full of dry wastelands, poisonous mushroom woods and huge insects, they both share a lot of similarities and themes with each other. Both movies are about the coexistence of man and nature, and while both are full fledged epic adventure stories with a lot of spectacular visualized action, at a cost they are driven by a pacifistic anti-war message, which is fully expressed by the character of Nausicaa herself. Nausicaa is a young princess who lives in a distant future, where the world has been destroyed by some catastrophic event or a nuclear war. All that is left in the world of Nausicaa are big wastelands, poisonous forests and many other frightening dangers that roam the Earth. Meanwhile, two nations are at war, and Nausicaa's home, the small valley of the wind, is stuck in the middle of the conflict.

Characters
Nausicaa is a wonderful protagonist. She is strong, inspirational, caring and loving, brave and always concerned about the well-being of her people as well as all living things. She is a character that every little girl, and even boy can look up to, and creating strong characters is something that runs through the whole of Hayao Miyazaki. While he did not direct all of Ghibli's films, his name is often synonymously used when talking about them. He is without a doubt not only one of Japan's greatest film makers, but one of Cinema's greatest artists. Nausicaa was adapted from the first two volumes of the original manga by the same name, which Miyazaki himself wrote and drew. All together the manga was created in between the time span of 1982 and 1994, containing a full 7 volumes, so I do think that this should have been a TV series instead of a movie.

Animation
Miyazaki has created a little epic with Nausicaa. Already the first scenes radiate an enormous atmosphere and magic. You can see our lead protagonist on a trip to a mushroom forest, equipped with a breathing mask and a glider, she sets out on a journey of discovery to get to know the world of insects. It is a post apocalyptic world that has been destroyed by mankind hundreds or thousands of years ago in what is only said to be "The seven days of fire", which already hints at the vast destructive power of mankind and intrigues the viewer enough to watch it.

The setting of Nausicaa is amazing. What Miyazaki and his team created here looks absolutely fantastic, and despite the prevailing destruction in the film, everything seems eerily alive and literally captivates the viewer, which is certainly fitting to the character of our heroine Nausicaa. She also sees the beauty of everything around her, and my favorite moments are the scenes in which she delves deeper into those mysterious poisonous forests, where everything around her is deadly, and yet also filled with beauty and wonder.

Sound
Equally as important to the visuals, is the movie's musical score. This movie marks the first collaboration with composer Joe Hisaichi. Hisaichi moved on to score all of Miyazaki's films, and his music is among the very best, alongside that of composers like John Williams and Ennio Morricone. His music is captivating as always and makes a significant contribution to the magic of this film. The soundtrack includes some very atmospheric and harmonic pieces, and also contains some very aggressive songs that sound extremely electronic, and I love every second of it. Every time a piece was played during an epic scene, it made the scene even better and more exciting to watch. I find it also remarkable how often there is no musical score and the film just plays ambient sounds, dialogue or action, but then at a perfect moment, the music sets in and makes your heart rate go up.

Nasuicaa features a lot of great action, the conflict between insects and humans, as well as the interpersonal conflicts that offer a lot of room for amazing set pieces. The fights are fought not only with guns, but also with swords, which plays to the film's medieval touch with kingdoms and princesses. There are also many flight sequences with big and small airships, which is very typical for Miyazaki, who loves the concept of flying. The insects look incredible, from the smallest one to the giant ones that give a sense of great danger.

Of course there are also many quiet and thoughtful moments that radiate warmth and familiarity, giving viewers access to the world of Nausicaa and it's characters.

Overall
Overall, the film has some brutal parts, but it can definitely be recommended to a younger audience, and that is thanks to it's young, super sympathetic and brave title character Nausicaa, and the important message that is conveyed by the film. When it was released in 1984, it even got the recommendation from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) because of it's environmental and peaceful message.

In a world that appears so threatening, a world where nations have huge flying armies, our heroine gracefully flies through the air with just her glider, a glider that has no guns attached. Nausicaa does use weapons in the film, but mostly to defend herself or to carefully stop a negative situation from occurring and taking place. She is someone who is curious, who loves to explore and wants to understand the true meaning of the things around her, and she is never appalled by things like sickness or old age. She just remains loving and there are some wonderful moments where the old people of her village are speaking with kind words about her and her amazing personality.

If there is one thing I hated about the movie, it is that all of the stuff with the different kingdoms and what nation is doing what, this all got convoluted in the finale and became very boring to sit through. Like I also said, the movie should have been turned into a TV series instead of a movie, so that it could have fully explained some of it's aspects. These issues, as well as me seeing a much better version of the same movie (Princess Mononoke) hold me back from giving the movie a perfect 10. Moreover, the movie suffers from a slow pace at times and a long length which makes it a chore to go through rather than an enjoyable movie at times.

Regardless, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a rich and beautiful film that should be seen by everybody, especially if you are into animation and adventure films, and just stories that include a lot of fantasy.

TOP 18: Only Yesterday 8/10%
Synopsis: Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest.

On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming.

Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.

Omoide Poroporo, otherwise known as Only Yesterday, is one of the most underrated movies to have ever come out of Studio Ghibli’s discography. It is easily the best made movie in Ghibli’s history when it comes to the visual presentation, and Takahata here showcased how he was a master of both color and visuals. Omoide Poroporo was a movie that was made to be targeted towards women upon it’s release, but due to Isao Takahata’s brilliant directing, the movie managed to become a success around men and women alike.

Story
The story surrounds Taiko, a twenty seven year old woman who leaves the city and her work for ten days to go on a vacation in the rural areas and relax her mind. What really sets this movie apart from the rest of the others is the fact that on the way to her destination, her little self from when she was younger comes along on the trip, and from there on the woman starts to remember all of the nostalgic bits and pieces from her past, both the good and the bad of her childhood. The movie’s narrative transitions seamlessly from twenty seven year old Taiko to the young and innocent Taiko, often with the use of phone calls to convey that the movie has transitioned from past to present and vice versa.

The dangerous thing about this film is that the two sides, her young self and her old self, are contrasting in tone and color, to the point where one would naturally care for a side and not the other, or find themselves caring for one more than the other. Luckily, this movie tried to make the chances of that happening slim. Taiko’s adult persona is very interesting with her introspective demeanor, and her longing for a better life. She finds herself in a place that many young adults her age find themselves in, and that is to still be holding onto the dreams of the youth while trying to work towards her goals of taking care of a family and living up to society’s expectations. That, in turn, makes the child brimming within her to not go unnoticed and makes her all the more relatable towards people who are in the same age gap as her and facing the same issues she is facing. The most interesting part of her family is her father, who seems like he looks down on himself in shame due to the fact that he didn’t achieve his dreams while young. He cannot let go of the past, which contrasts with Taiko letting go of the past while also valuing how it shaped one up to be, and embracing all those moments in life, both the good and the bad.

Character
Every character in this movie felt like a real person, and it was very interesting to see a slow paced, coming of age, female driven drama Anime. You don’t see those often, especially in an Anime, and that is the thing which made this movie all the more of a unique and enjoyable ride.

Animation
The audiovisuals are some of the most unique out there, if not the most unique for a Ghibli movie. The contrast of visuals between the life of young Taiko and her life when she is all grown up is interesting and worked on very well. The most striking aspect about Only Yesterday is it’s use of color and visual design to achieve it’s themes about self-discovery through re-discovery, and to grab the viewer into both old and young Taiko’s perspectives of the world around them. Only Yesterday operates on two time periods, those being the past and the present, and Takahata managed to infuse each separate time period with a distinct personality and a life of it’s own. For example, Taiko’s past is filled to the brim with simplistic usage of colors and light colors, and the most used color is the color white, which seeps into the edges of the screen. The past has this nostalgic feel working for it, which creates a striking contrast with Taiko’s present, a present that contains very complex and colorful colors, and very realistic details in both characters and setting. The reason for that is that Taiko’s past is, intentionally made blurry and less detailed, due to her not being able to recollect her full memory on what had happened during certain events of her life. This is not necessarily to say that one part of her life is better than another part, as both of them are equally as good as each other, while providing thematic depth and more insight into the main character’s life. The settings are also affected by the visual decisions as well, since the skies are more clear and white in the past, providing for a nostalgic feel, while the skies in the present are more lively and in-the-moment due to the bright blue colors used. Moreover, what distinguishes past from present in Taiko’s life is the usage of the color red, where everything she wears and uses is red in the past, and red disappears in the present. That is not to say that the red has disappeared completely from her life, but more so that she doesn’t completely let go of the past all the while still holding value to it, which is while she still uses red things, she barely does as often as she did during her younger days.

Taiko now mostly wears blue, and her present is surrounded by blue and green lively colors. That is not to say that she has rejected that past, because her hair tie, for example, is still of the color red, just that it is behind her back, which is to show that she still acknowledges the past while not letting it interfere with her present life. On the journey of her discovering herself though, she finds plenty of red. The plant that Taiko is picking is a flower that is used as a red dye, her love interest wears red and his final scene, and the transport vehicles that she uses during the final scenes are colored red. I can rave on and on about why this is Studio Ghibli’s visual landmark, but I think you get the gist. The main musical theme used here is not as striking as some other Ghibli ones out there, though still good on it’s own nonetheless and conveys the mood of nostalgia and melancholy quite successfully. The end scene is one of the best scenes in all of Anime, and how it ends, and how the credit roll is displayed, is one of the most brilliant uses of a credit roll in Anime history.

If you are a person who is interested in a coming of age story from a female perspective, then this one is a must watch. This is one of the best visually directed Anime movies ever made, and is easily the best the top one in the Ghibli discography, and that is due to the fact that Isao Takahata took a mundane concept such as the life of a young girl and her maturing into a female adult, and turned it into such an amazing and visceral self-discovery journey.

TOP 19: Tales from Earthsea 7.7/10%
Synopsis: Calamities are plaguing the land of Earthsea and dragons have been seen fighting above the clouds—something which has never happened before. Sparrowhawk, a powerful Archmage, sets out to uncover the mystery behind these concerning events and meets Prince Arren along the way. Arren is the fugitive heir to the Kingdom of Enlad and a seemingly quiet and distressed lad. Wandering aimlessly in an attempt to escape the dark presence haunting him, he decides to tag along Sparrowhawk on his journey.

However, their arrival in the seaside settlement of Hort Town is met with unexpected trouble—Lord Cob, a powerful evil wizard obsessed with eternal life, stands in their way. Forced to confront him, the pair joins forces with Tenar—an old friend of Sparrowhawk—and Therru, the ill-fated orphan girl she took in. But the enemy's cunning hobby of manipulating emotions may just prove to be catastrophic for the young prince.

Set in a magical world, Ged Senki goes beyond the classical battle between the forces of good and evil, as it explores the inner battles of the heart.

Tales from Earthsea has earned a bit of an unfortunate reputation for itself as the Ghibli Film that it’s okay to dislike. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro, the finished product was apparently so underwhelming to Hayao that he would joke in the future that while he was happy Goro had made a film, he would dissuade his son from making another one ever again. But honestly, after actually seeing the movie, I’m gonna have to disagree with the maestro, because I think Tales from Earthsea is a genuinely powerful film. It’s certainly not the best of the Ghibli canon, and it definitely bears the marks of a first-time director, but it’s an admirable effort coming from a place of genuine passion and empathy, a stirring experience that touched me in profound artistic ways I wasn’t expecting going in. In fact, it feels very much like a purposeful reconstruction of the kinds of ideas and themes that Daddy Miyazaki himself has been exploring since the beginning of his career. A fantasy world in some state of decay, caught between man and nature as humanity struggles with the responsibility to live side by side with the natural world, a combined guy/girl protagonist team tasked with keeping that peace… it’s like a love letter to Castle in the Sky, Naussicaa, and Princess Mononoke, the tripytch of Ghibli films that cemented their director as the biggest champion of radical environmentalism since The Lorax. And with just a little more polish, I would absolutely consider Tales from Earthsea worthy to stand among that pantheon. Give your son another shot, Hayao; he’s got the potential to make something really special.

Animation
At any rate, where Earthsea differs from the kind of Miyazaki film it apes is that while Laupta, Naussicaa et all are set in world building themselves back up after some long-ago disaster, the world in Earthsea feels like it’s still in the process of falling apart. It’s set in a land with castles and dragons and pastoral landscapes and big bazaars and magic and wizards and all manor of trapping of Tolkien-inspired fantasy worldbuilding. But this is not a bustling world full of life and vigor; from the very first scenes, the air is filled with an atmosphere of impending doom. The regal dragons that populate the skies have started fighting each other, an event that spells ill omens for the future. There is plague and famine sweeping the land, and it’s all the kingdom can do to keep afloat. Over the course of the movie, we visit no shortage of crumbling ruins and grime-flecked streets, remnants of lives and histories in the process of falling apart, being swallowed by pettiness and cruelty and despair and emptiness. We learn that wizards have mostly lost their magic, and the few spells we see cast feel more like ancient druidic rituals born from long-forgotten eldritch power. This atmosphere is the film’s strongest aspect, leeching into your bones over time and filling you with a kind of quiet ache that only grows stronger with every new vista of haunting stillness and gloomy dread. There’s a very Dark Souls feel to the world of Earthsea, like our heroes are traveling around the remnants of a once great civilization now fading into the sands of time. And it’s all supercharged by the color palette and soundtrack, casting the landscape in deep, ponderous shades of hue and groaning, ancient dirges that seem to wail for the majesty of times long since past. It feels like a world you could get lost in, a world that could swallow you whole without leaving a trace that you ever existed.

Character
That despair-tinged atmosphere extends to the film’s themes as well, which center on a young man caught at the crossroads of life and death and finding himself unable to move forward. Aaron is the prince of the kingdom, son of a good king, who nevertheless finds himself afflicted by a mysterious rage that drives him to kill his father and run away to the wastes. There, he finds solace with a wandering mage named Sparrowhawk, and lacking any greater purpose or goal, he finds himself listlessly tagging along with the wizard, hoping to escape from his shame and sorrow in the presence of unfamiliar people and locales. But it quickly becomes clear that he’s become embroiled with someone with much bigger plans than simply wandering the wider world, and in time, Sparrowhawk’s ultimate goal forces Aaron to come to terms with his fears and regrets, standing up to a danger that reflects his worst terrors back at him. It’s in his story that Tales from Earthsea finds its meaning, reflecting the protagonist’s own faults and fears in the decrepit state of the world at large as he grows strong enough to change himself- and symbolically, the world as well- for the better. It’s a story about a young boy more afraid of life than death, who would gladly throw himself on the wrong end of a sword if it meant ending the thick fog of misery that hangs over his head. But it’s also a story about the beauty of life he comes to discover, the beauty of the awe and majesty he comes to see in the world around him, of the simple grace of the people he encounters. There’s a particular moment about halfway through the film where Aaron comes across the Ghibli-branded spiritually important leading lady, here a reckless recluse who has never shown Aaron an ounce of trust before, as she’s singing a haunting, yet riveting melody to herself in the middle of a field, her voice echoing across the soft, sweeping plains like a plaintive cry for hope in the face of despair, and by the time it’s over, well, I was almost tearing up right alongside Aaron. It’s the kind of moment that makes me feel like the bag-filming kid from American Beauty, so struck by the beauty of the world that I feel like I can’t take it.

Story
It’s unfortunate, then, that the actual plot facilitated by this incredible story isn’t as strong as it could have been, though the extent to which it rises or falls it a bit more of an open question. Another note this movie takes from Dark Souls is that it doesn’t tend to answer a lot of worldbuilding and lore questions for you, telling most of its greater story through implication. As such, it relies on the emotional and thematic resonance of its ideas to make up for the lack of clear explanations. It’s purposefully mythic storytelling prioritizing emotional resonance over strict logical coherence. We’re never given explicit answers for how dragons and humans once started as the same species, but we’re made to understand the thematic importance they serve in the story as the symbolic representation of the kind of pure, honest freedom and hope this world longs for. We’re never told how exactly the wizards’ magic is fading with the rest of the world, but we understand it as a metaphor for the land’s inner life being swallowed by fatalism and despair. We never know the mechanics of how the film’s ultimate villain plans to open to door between life and death, but we understand that his desire serves as a dark reflection of Aaron’s own desire to be free of the uncertainty and pain of life as he knows it. And there are a handful of spoiler-y moments that raise huge questions about how the lore of this world actually works without ever answering them, because the function they serve in the overall thematic narrative is more important that tying together all the specific details of the mechanics of this fictional universe. It’s a movie that relies on your ability to be okay not having your questions answered, to accept the flow of information as it comes and tackle every step forward on its own emotional terms.

Thankfully, I happen to be exactly the kind of person who prioritizes emotion over logic in storytelling, so the faults in Earthsea’s overall construction didn’t bother me that much. I was perfectly able to get sucked up in the storytelling, in the majesty of the world and Aaron’s journey, without worrying about not knowing the specifics of how it functioned. In a way, I love that it allows you to ask your own questions, wondering how some of the more out-there lore details would be fully realized with the power of your own imagination. That said, there’s definitely an unevenness in the film’s handling of that open-ended nature that isn’t present in, say, Spirited Away. In a way, I almost with it left things more open to interpretation; there’s a handful of moments where it feels like the movie goes too far in trying to explain what it’s all about when I was having a perfectly fine time following it already. In a way, it’s both too obvious at times and too obscure at times, over-explaining its thematic narrative at certain key moments while leaving the actual mechanics of that narrative’s realization fairly obscure. It’s clear that this was Goro’s first film, as there’s a sense that the storyteller isn’t fully confident in the audience’s ability to grasp such an abstract narrative, so he over-corrects in some areas and under-corrects in others. It ends up jarring your expectations at times, when you’re not certain whether or not the movie has more to reveal about a certain plot point or idea of if it expects you to take what it’s already given you as the full picture. The story is still incredibly strong, it just needed an editor to push all of its pieces more firmly into place, someone with the confidence to leave unanswered what could be left unanswered and explain only as much as needed to be explained at any given time. With that kind of finesse, I would have no qualms calling this film an outright masterpiece.

Still, not living up to the work of one of the greatest directors on the face of the earth, especially on your first attempt, is far from the worst criticism to see leveled against you. Tales from Earthsea isn’t a perfect film, and it’s definitely uneven at spots, but it’s got a stunningly powerful core that honors the legacy of the works it draws from while still feeling like its own creation. It’s a stirring fantasy tale of epic adventure and lost worlds coming to life, realized in spectacular fashion with timeless themes and stirring storytelling that more than makes up for the occasionally awkward construction. Don’t be fooled by its reputation, this one’s a real winner.

TOP 20: Ocean Waves 7.4/10% MY LEAST FAV GHIBLI MOVIE
Synopsis: In the city of Kouchi, high school student Taku Morisaki is going about his work when his friend Yutaka Matsuno calls and asks him to get to their school as soon as possible. Taku arrives, and Matsuno introduces him to Rikako Muto, a beautiful girl from Tokyo who recently transferred to their school. Although Rikako is academically and athletically gifted, her generally unpleasant attitude leaves her with virtually no friends outside of Matsuno and another girl from her class.

After a chance encounter during their class trip, Taku suddenly finds himself more involved in Rikako's personal life, much to Matsuno's dismay. Struggling to balance his friendship with Matsuno and his own budding infatuation for Rikako, Taku must come to terms with his feelings and understand how a girl with a troubled past is having such a massive effect on his life.

Have you ever experienced that feeling where the manager for your favorite sports team decides to rest the best player for an important match? The team is performing well enough to stand on their own and keep the game leveled, but nobody is there to advance the score or awe the audience with their brilliance. The players are competent enough, performing what they are supposed to perform and following the tactics to a tee, but it all feels so pointless since their work does not translate into a total victory.

This is what this movie feels like. The two biggest players in Studio Ghibli history: Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, are not to be found here at all, and that of course decreased immensely from the quality of this film. So, what is this film even about? It is essentially a mundane premise about love and romance between two students. Knowing Isao Takahata, he managed to turn a mundane concept similar to this one into one of the greatest Anime movies ever made - Only Yesterday. Here, Takahata is nowhere to be found so that he can show us his magical directing, which is why a trivial concept such as high school love turned out to be such a disappointing product at the end of the day. Without Takahata’s directing to save the day, there isn’t much merit to this film at all.

Similarly, the concept of this film needed Miyazaki. His brain is imaginative, he creates some of the most imaginative, fantastical and surreal works ever put to the animation medium, and he would have created a movie that would be remembered for years to come and given endless amounts of praise if he were to take full control of the direction and script of this movie. Alas, he weren’t to be found here, which is why this movie is such a trivial work in the first place.

You might be wondering why I keep regurgitating the same points about Miyazaki and Takahata over and over again, and never go into plot specifics regarding this film. Well, there really isn’t anything to talk about in this film. The concept is a mundane high school romance story and the execution, while being “realistic”, falls flat in direction. No matter how hard I try, I can’t come up with anything out of thin air to say about this film or describe it. It is mundane, it is trivial, and it is boring. It neither does anything new nor does it do said thing excellently, even when it isn’t offensively bad.

To it’s credit, the movie is not of excruciating length, as it clocks in at about an hour and ten minutes, which is not much considering some lengthy titles Ghibli has pumped out over the years. The animation and the audiovisuals are good and are the typical Ghibli animations you would find anywhere in their discography. The soundtrack is good as well, especially the background Hawaiian music they chose for the lobby and money exchange scenes. Everything regarding the technicalities aspect is good and isn't offensive or anything.

Overall, I can’t say that this movie was bad. The characters were not archetypes, as they went through change and character development, even if those developments weren’t the greatest. The plot is not offensively bad or poorly written, and the audiovisuals, while not completely standing out from anything else, were good enough for the typical Ghibli film. However, even when it had factors working for it, those factors were not enough to make it excel in what it did. The movie is average and trivial, and thus should not be given praise or a positive score.

all goods

 

[rimuruu]

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HERE'S THE PART 1 https://katz.to/threads/my-top-10-ghibli-movies-part-1-2-1-10.486108/

TOP 11: Kiki's Delivery service 9/10% (One of the best underrated ghibli movie)
Synopsis: Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training, must spend a year living on her own in a distant town in order to become a full-fledged witch. Leaving her family and friends, Kiki undertakes this tradition when she flies out into the open world atop her broomstick with her black cat Jiji.

As she settles down in the coastal town of Koriko, Kiki struggles to adapt and ends up wandering the streets with no place to stay—until she encounters Osono, who offers Kiki boarding in exchange for making deliveries for her small bakery. Before long, Kiki decides to open her own courier service by broomstick, beginning her journey to independence. In attempting to find her place among the townsfolk, Kiki brings with her exciting new experiences and comes to understand the true meaning of responsibility.

Studio Ghibli movies have always been known for being creative, visionary and imaginative, filled with so much care and heart poured into them, to the point where they become distinguishable from the medium as a whole. For several years, Miyazaki and his buddy Takahata have devoted many hours of their days to making the best of the best when it came to animated features. For Takahata, some may say that his masterpiece when it came to movies was Grave of the Fireflies, others may say that his true masterpiece was Only Yesterday. Regardless of what Takahata’s true masterpiece is, both he and Miyazaki have produced many movies that have been hailed as masterpieces by many over the years, but what is Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece? What is his magnum opus? Many will immediately point out to the award winning, beautifully animated 2001 movie, Spirited Away. Others will point out to his famous 1997 movie, Princess Mononoke. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what Miyazaki’s masterpiece truly is, since everyone has their own subjective opinions, and picking out the best of the best when it comes to Miyazaki is a hard chore to accomplish, especially considering all of the quality movies he’s put out during his career. Regardless of subjective opinions and differences between Ghibli fans, today we take a look at Miyazaki’s most underrated gem, his overshadowed masterpiece - Kiki’s Delivery Service. A movie that is so beautifully directed and animated, and has been undeservingly overshadowed by many other Ghibli titles that have come out since this movie’s debut.

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of the very few Ghibli movies that would make a viewer cry. Spirited Away would come close, but it wouldn’t quite hit the mark with what it offers, and wouldn’t emotionally resonate with some viewers. Kiki’s true beauty, however, lies in the fact that it is a simple movie, and any person would have come up with both the plot and the ending, but it takes a lot of care and brilliant directing to make a plot so simple shine in such a prepossessing manner. Miyazaki took a simple concept that is magic and witches flying through the air, and turned it into a film that emotionally resonates with most of those who have seen it. The plot follows Kiki, a young witch who wants to find her place in the world, and this is where the narrative truly stands out from the rest of both the other Ghibli movies, and the other witch fairytales. Kiki’s Delivery Service may seem like a witch story on the surface, but as you delve deeper into it, it begins to show itself as a movie exploring the hardships of life and a masterfully crafted coming of age story as well. The titular character is one of the most relatable to ever come out of the Ghibli discography, and is the most explored heroine in Ghibli’s catalog as well.

Story
The central character Kiki, is relatable due to the fact that her relationship with her companions is explored thoroughly, from her relationship with her black cat Gigi, to her relationship with the young boy Tombo, to her relationship with the bakery owner, and so on and so forth. Not only are the character interactions believable and thoroughly explored, but so is the fact that Kiki exhibits human behavior unlike any other Ghibli character. When I say “human” I do not mean in the sense that it is forced like some of the other Ghibli characters, as her depression and lack of self-worth arise slowly after losing something that is deep to her, which makes her character all the more believable. It doesn’t come across as something that is shallow for the sake of gaining some sympathy and tears from the audience, since the thing she lost is something which she had owned her whole life, not something cheap which came out of nowhere and then vanished that easily to garner sympathy and tears from the viewers. This is one of the very few times where Miyazaki would go into such hard topics when it came to his characters. Usually, Miyazaki’s characters are mostly joyful and cheerful, whereas Takahata’s characters are the ones to exhibit such genuine lack of emotions and self-worth, which is another factor as to why this movie stands out as something that is both unique and exceptional in Miyazaki’s discography.

Characters
As for the other characters, they aren’t as well explored as Kiki, but they serve their purpose well within the narrative regardless. Kiki’s black cat, Gigi, isn’t the typical black cat that a witch would carry around, he talks, and his attempts at humor land solidly. When something devastating happens to him, the audience relates with him and to his struggles. To be able to make the audience feel attached to a character that isn’t as deeply explored as a well-developed protagonist like Kiki, is a feat that should not be underestimated, but Miyazaki did it brilliantly this time around. As for the bakery owner, she serves to guide Kiki through her emotional struggles and as a maternal figure to Kiki as well, since Kiki is a character that was forced to depart from her parents as a part of undergoing a witch training program. The contrast between the owner’s kindness and Kiki’s depression makes the emotional catharsis all the more immense here, and makes Kiki even more relatable as a character. Kiki is also not a perfect character at the end of the day, which makes her all the more relatable to the audience, especially those who struggle with hardships. Yes, she may be a witch and she may have special powers, but she isn’t a princess nor a hero prophesied in legends like most other Ghibli heroines. Kiki is clumsy, acts haphazardly at most times, especially with her terrible ability when it comes to landing her broom, and she tries to better herself and develop throughout the movie’s run.

As underrated as this gorgeous movie’s characters and direction are, the most underrated aspects of it are the animation and the visuals. People do not give enough credit to this movie’s audiovisuals, as it boggles the mind how a movie that is thirty years old, can have such animation that has not aged in the least bit. It is also nice to see Ghibli upping their game with this one, as the animation progressed from stills and flappy animation back in 1986 with Castle in the Sky, to some of the most fluid animation found in Kiki’s Delivery Service. Whether it’s the beautiful hand drawn animations, or the picturesque landscapes, Ghibli never ceases to amaze with this one. The backgrounds serve the story better and make the atmosphere all the more engaging, especially with the places they chose. The colors are vibrant and give the movie more life, and become pale and lifeless when the movie needs to be serious and grim. As for the character designs, Kiki is by far the most visually striking Ghibli protagonist, her most appealing feature being her tie that she wears on her head. Her dress is only one cloth, but it’s a nice change from the ridiculous clothes many other Ghibli characters wear, and it adds more to her humble character.

Sound
As for the soundtrack, this is Joe Hisaishi’s best work. The soundtrack immensely captures the beauty of the film and the general atmosphere that it was striving to achieve. The best piece Ghibli has ever put out is “A Town with an Ocean View”, as it is immensely visceral and awe inspiring, and it beats out Spirited Away’s main theme, “The Name of Life”. The other pieces helped solidify the scenes that they were placed in as well. All around this soundtrack is Hisaishi’s most emotionally striking soundtrack, even when some may argue that it isn’t his absolute best.

This is Miyazaki’s masterpiece. After seeing most of what Ghibli had to offer - from the bad, to the nauseatingly slow average, to the very good, I can assure readers that this is Miyazaki’s crème de la crème. This movie contends heavily with some others that Takahata has put out, and uncertainty always arises when trying to make sure what Ghibli’s absolute magnum opus is. Regardless of that, this is Miyazaki’s visceral masterpiece, without a shadow of a doubt.

TOP 12: From Up on poppy hill 8.9/10%
Synopsis: atop a hill overlooking a seaside port sits a boarding house named Coquelicot Manor. Since the building is run by her family, Umi Matsuzaki carries out many of the duties involved in managing the small establishment, such as preparing meals for her fellow boarders. When she isn't at home, she is a student at the local high school—one that is currently dealing with a small crisis.

In anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games, a beloved old clubhouse is set to be demolished to make way for a modern building. As a result, a large part of the student body has banded together, working tirelessly to prevent this from happening. Umi finds herself helping the newspaper club to spread information about this cause where she befriends Shun Kazama, whom she gradually begins to fall in love with. But Shun is an orphan who doesn't know much about his origins, and when the two begin searching for clues to the boy's past, they discover that they may have a lot more in common than either of them could have thought.

Story
The main plot for this movie is about two students: Shun and Umi. They have a story of family, love, and willpower that is so simple yet so sweet. To be quite honest, that's the word that really describes this movie the best: simple. Unlike past Ghibli movies, From Up on Poppy Hill does not have magical, supernatural creatures or beautiful dream-like lands. In fact, it takes place in 1960's Japan. The movie attempts a historical feel, which is a risk since it may sway the interest of their popular audiences of children and teenagers. But, perhaps it was the simplicity of the movie that made it so likable. The whole plot wasn't exactly exciting, but it was well done enough to keep me intrigued. The relationship between Shun and Umi and their relationship problems because of possible family issues is a mild story but it still creates a sweet innocence. Extremely simple, but the best kind of simple.

Art
Ghibli animation has always been beautiful and From Up on Poppy Hill is definitely not an exception. The backdrops are extremely detailed with even the smallest, most colorful brushstrokes on the least important settings. Everything was breathtaking, and while the character design was rather plain, it still completely captivated me. The quality was not underdone at any point in the movie and everything still retained some sense of realistic-ness. This aspect of Ghibli films will, in my opinion, never change.

Sound
Comparing past Ghibli soundtracks such as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro to this movie makes From Up on Poppy Hill's original soundtrack seem so... plain. Joe Hisaishi did not create any original scores in this movie, so the music didn't really make of an impact on me. However, even if wasn't as good as usual, the soundtrack was still pretty swell. Finely orchestrated music fit the era and settings nicely for a 1960-themed movie. The voice actors did pretty well; they made each character's emotions seem realistic enough.

Characters
Shun and Umi make up the most important characters of the movie, so their roles will be focused on the most. Umi's character is very realistic and human. She's a hard-working, responsible young woman who still copes with normal teenage issues like school and love. Her family past of her father contributes to her personality and makes her seem not as perfect, rounding her out nicely. Shun is at first shown to be a bit rash but later on is shown to be intelligent and caring. While they aren't the most interesting people in the world, both of these characters have an impact on each other, which entertained me and further built upon the plot.

Enjoyment
Despite being plain and simple, From Up on Poppy Hill still interested me enough to keep watching and feel a sense of positivity. It was quite honestly a refreshing change from the usual exciting, magical Ghibli movie. But, parts of it still bored me and the ending made me upset and confused.

Overall
Goro Miyazaki is continually working hard to live up to the legacy of animation that his father created. While From Up on Poppy Hill shows that he's yet to reach that point, it also shows that he's getting closer. The movie's simplicity and innocence sent out a calmer vibe and perhaps that's what the man is aiming at. I wouldn't put this in my top anime movie groups, but I wouldn't put in my worst either. It's an average movie and the work of a growing man. That's all it is to me.

TOP 13: Whisper of the heart 8.9/10%
Synopsis: Shizuku Tsukishima is an energetic 14-year-old girl who enjoys reading and writing poetry in her free time. Glancing at the checkout cards of her books one evening, she notices that her library books are frequently checked out by a boy named Seiji Amasawa. Curiosity strikes Shizuku, and she decides to search for the boy who shares her love for literature.

Meeting a peculiar cat on the train, Shizuku follows the animal and is eventually led to a quaint antique shop, where she learns about a cat statuette known as "The Baron." Taking an interest in the shop, she surprisingly finds Seiji, and the two quickly befriend one another. Shizuku learns while acquainting herself with Seiji that he has a dream that he would like to fulfill, causing her dismay as she remains uncertain of her future and has yet to recognize her talents.

However, as her relationship with Seiji grows, Shizuku becomes determined to work toward a goal. Guided by the whispers of her heart and inspiration from The Baron, she resolves to carve out her own potential and dreams.

Adolescence is among the most memorable phases in one's life. During this time, we tend to make decisions based on adrenaline instincts, work as we wish to, while repudiating any advice. Some of us even develop endearing feelings of love for someone, while also chasing our own dream or even remoulding them for the sake of someone else, often out of inspiration and seldom out of desperation.

Working on the themes of adolescence and infatuation giving rise to a wonderful journey of self discovery, Studio Ghibli presents us with Mimi wo Sumaseba also commonly known as Whisper of the Heart. The story mainly revolves around the female lead, Shizuku Tsukishima, a junior high school girl living in New Tama Town. The story progresses as Shizuku constantly finds a certain someone, named Seiji Awasama, always issuing books before she does at her town library, which leads her to grow a sense of respect while her imagination weaves together a personality of Seiji as one could only describe as the "Prince Charming of her life." Much to her disappointment, Seiji is any thing but the "prince charming" she had imagined him to be; but Seiji had a unique charm of his own. One thing led to another and soon, Shizuku starts facing typical teenage life problem ranging from the urge to rebel against her parent's wishes, unnecessarily squabbling with her siblings, while also realising she has fallen in love with the "not-the-prince-charming-she-had-imagined", Seiji. Hereby follows a movie about self discovery, presented in the most heartwarming way possible.

Now it may seem like any other teenage-romance on pen and paper, but Whisper of the Heart, has its own charm, specially due to the way it presents itself. The problem with most romance shows now a days is that they tend to be extremely dull or overly melodramatic and their predictable plot structure doesn’t help them much either. While being melodramatic, most also tend to be highly unrealistic with their character interactions, their behaviour, body language and much more which just brings their over all quality down. Whisper of the heart, throws all these out of the window and carves its path through this genre in a rather realistic and dramatic way, without crossing the dreaded line between the dramatic and the melodramatic. Character interactions are seamless and seem as realistic as it can get for a story of such sorts. Characters behave as a mere reflection of any other ordinary teenager, as they would to the shown circumstances and these strokes of realism are even more integrated into the movie with the help of detailed, subtle body language of the the characters through which many emotions are shown, rather than told through mere dialogue exchange.

Characters
The characters themselves are rather eccentric even though they are fairly ordinary people. The female lead, Shizuka, is a rather charming and adorable girl. Her relation with her family and her friends is well portrayed through meaningful dialogue. Her monologues of what she thinks about her sister, mother, her best friends and her general view of the situations she faces helps build up her base character along with her relationship with the side characters in a gradual and methodical way. The development that Shizuka goes through the movie, simply put, is phenomenal. From a naive junior high student, who didn’t know what she wanted to do with her talent, and on the bigger scale, with her life; Shizuka realises her field of interest and recognises her talents. Her love for writing also explores her vivid and colourful imagination. She comes to realise the importance of family and meeting up with family expectations, while chasing her individual dream too, but the main motivation behind most of her development is her love interest, Seiji.

Story
Seiji is quite the character himself. He is shown as an ordinary boy, working at his grandfather’s small antique shop, while learning both, to build and play the violin. The development between Seiji and Shizuko’s romantic relationship, albeit a bit cheesy, was handled with great care. While Seiji doesn’t receive as much development as Shizuko on screen, most of his character development is rather implied. While maintaining Seiji’s lively manner, we see a sense of responsibility grow in him which we naturally see in most teens as they go through their phase of adolescence. His growth in sense of responsibility is established through his interactions with Shizuko, specially, the conversation they have on the school rooftop where they realise they have to work their way so that they could live and spend more time together in the future.All these character interactions which lead to their subtle development, was neatly woven together by the skilful hands of the director, Yoshifumi Kondou, who is known for his works in various other critically acclaimed works such as Omoide Poroporo and Akage no Anne as an animation director.

Studio Ghibli has always been known for sending the audience into another magical dimension with their various works, but sometimes, due to the lack of proper direction, the whole magical element backfires, and in the end, the movie tends to become a mess. Thankfully, Whisper of the Heart, is not one of these movies! Even though the movie is highly realistic at its core, Studio Ghibli didn’t stop from adding their key fantasy elements into the movie. And with the efficient direction, these were used to enhance the whole experience of the viewer. Shizuka’s main writing work is dynamically shown, rather than being simply narrated. These scenes range from talking rabbits wearing monocles to riding an air stream to an unknown mysterious castle. All these fantasy elements are integrated into the movie with great caress without leaving deep scars on the strokes of realism, the movie portrays.

Animation
The animation delivered by Studio Ghibli, as usual, is fantastic. Great detail is maintained in almost every frame and the movement of characters and the general motion is as fluid as it can get. The landscape scenes are pretty eye candy and the movie is completely devoid of any ugly CGI. There are some great camera angles used when necessary, sometime to show the overarching city while some soothing music plays to evoke a strange feeling of nostalgia. The artistic direction of the movie takes credits when the fantasy world is involved, as the colour palette becomes much more vibrant and animation becomes subtly smoother and camera angles range from the typical to experimental ones where Shizuka is shown riding the winds to the castle.

Sound
Along with the magical animation, the movie imbues a deep sense of nostalgia with its musical direction. The movie begins with Olivia Newton John’s cover of the famous song, Country Road, which itself evokes a warm fuzzy feeling in the viewer, making them feel right at home. Other than that particular cover of John Dever’s, country road, a japanese rendition is sung many times in the movie and their placement couldn’t have been more correct which added to the overall atmosphere of the film, whenever they were used. A personal favourite would be when Seiji plays the violin and Shizuka sings along and the elders join in with various other instruments, to create one of the most joyous and heart warming scenes in anime for me personally, but one could feel free to disagree, I guess. Other soundtracks just add to the magic of the film and its overarching, heartwarming atmosphere. To weave such a fantastic atmosphere, and evoke feelings of nostalgia with the music alone, credits must be given to the “music director”, Yuuiji Nomi who is also known for his quirky OST’s in Nichijou.

Overall
With all that said and done, I must conclude by saying that Whisper of the Heart is a wonderful coming of age film; and a journey of self discovery. This film has something for everybody to enjoy, whether it be seeing yourself as a teenager grow up in the movie, facing similar problems or for parents, who could see how to co-operate with their child when they’re in their rebellious phase of life and let them freely chase their dreams. The fantastic musical score coupled with the fluid animation has the right balance of drama imbibed into it. It may appear to some as a typical animated work at first glance but once the experience is over, many will quickly realise that Whisper of the Heart is anything but typical.

TOP 14: The cat returns 8.7/10%
Synopsis: High school student Haru Yoshioka is bored with the monotony of life. One day, she saves Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom from being run over by a truck. As a token of gratitude, the Cat King sends her "presents" and invites her to the Cat Kingdom to become Lune's wife. Haru's inability to properly communicate with the cats leads to the misunderstanding that she has accepted the proposal.

As Haru ponders on ways to escape the predicament, a mysterious voice instructs her to search for the Cat Bureau. However, not long after she finally arrives at the bureau, a horde of cats swarms in and forcibly takes her to the Cat Kingdom, along with a member of the Cat Bureau. Concerned for their safety, owner of the Cat Bureau, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, follows close behind.

The more Haru immerses herself in the activities of the Cat Kingdom, the more cat-like she becomes. To her dismay, she soon learns that, unless she can find her true self, she may become a cat permanently. Haru's adventures in the world of cats lead her down a path to self-discovery, allowing her to return as a more confident person.

Studio Ghibli. Mention this studio to any anime fan and they'll instantly think of either Hayao Miyazaki or rattle off any of his movies. In that list of movies, there will be a slim chance that a fan will mention The Cat Returns, one of Ghibli's more light-hearted efforts. I have to admit that I've avoided this title for a long time due to Miyazaki's lack of involvement with this project. This, however, is a decision that should be regretting at the moment because, surprisingly enough, I liked this film. I liked it a lot.

Story
This movie's story couldn't be more straight-forward. It's a simple fantasy tale that, despite not being a two-hour epic like Miyazaki's movies, tells an incredibly coherent story that's easy to follow for anyone. I think the key to enjoying this movie lies in the fact that the viewer needs to take what is presented before them as it is. There is no point in wracking your brain for any sort of in-depth, universal message in this movie because there really isn't one. I have a feeling that this is where people dismiss the movie as "weak" when compared to Ghibli's other efforts. The film's message has no more depth than your average Disney animated film ("believe in yourself"), which seems sort of tagged on at times thanks to one of the characters saying that several times over the course of the film. If you try to watch the film based on that message alone, you won't get much out of it, though there are elements of a coming-of-age story buried beneath the film's fantastic adventure and splendor. The story is something that should be appreciated at face-value rather than something that could be measured up to one of Miyazaki's films. On its own, the story is simple enough to almost be boring, but the witty humor (which is actually quite well done) and interesting characters make the story one well-worth being told.

Characters
Speaking of characters, it would be harsh to say that these characters are two-dimensional, but, then again, the movie's suspension of disbelief works well enough to make me believe in a talking cat. While these are not the most realistic characters in Ghibli film history (again, talking cats), there's a human warmth to each of them that makes the viewer support the heros and sympathize the villain. In a fairy-tale-esque story like this, it would be easy to separate the heroes and villains into black and white, but even the villains' chaotic deeds are lined with good intentions and the heroes aren't all that heroic to begin with. The main character, Haru, sort of belongs in the middle ground because of how indecisive her personality was to begin with. The characters' distinct personality traits also make them easy to recognize. You could probably summarize each character in one sentence without saying which species they are. They're also all very likable, including the villains' lackeys, which almost never happens to me when watching an anime. Maybe its Baron's gentlemanly poise or The Cat Prince's nobility that do the trick. Or maybe it's just as easy to get lost with the characters as it is to escape in the world they live in. Normally, I would say that not adding enough depth to these characters is a missed opportunity, but with characters like these, heavy, three-dimensional character depth almost becomes unnecessary. For the world that they're created in, the amount of warmth and depth they have is just enough.

Do I really need to go into the art for a Studio Ghibli film? It's almost a given that if you're going to watch a Ghibli film, you're going to be handed some gorgeous visuals along with a decent story. While this is by no means the studio's best artistic effort, a handful of scenes really stand out in terms of artistry, such as the introduction of The Cat Kingdom and Haru's search for "the big, white cat" at a busy shopping centre. The latter especially stood out in my mind, since the artists put great detail in making sure that every piece of lettering on the signs by the shops were legible. As for the character designs, Haru's is noteworthy to me even though she is supposed to be an average Japanese student with average looks. She looks like a cat to me, which makes me wonder if that was an intentional character trait on the artists' parts of if that's just a conclusion that I came down to on my own. Aside from the fact that they walk on their hind legs from time to time, the physiology of that cats is really well done. It even shows when they fold their paws in as they stand up. The overall artistic atmosphere will feel familiar to you if you've seen movies like "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland" or "Catnapped!" without the trippy visuals. For a movie that was made at the dawn of the new, computer-colored anime age, the animation is refreshing and vibrant.

Over the years, Disney has built up a reputation for having top-notch dubbing in the English versions of Ghibli films, and this one was no exception. The flow of the voice acting hardly made the film sound like I was watching an anime at all. It didn't even sound like the voice actors went into the studio thinking that they were going to dub an anime feature. For the majority of the characters, the English voices matched the characters well. I thought Haru's voice was a little deep at first, but I got used to it eventually. Baron having a dapper British accent made his character all the more likable and Muta, the fat cat, even sounded like he was fat and boorish. It's easy to hear in the actors' voices that they not only put in the effort to try to match their voices to the characters' lips, but they sounded like they had fun taking on the challenge.

Sound
The music didn't stand out a lot of the time for me, but when it was noticeable, it was worth listening to as a separate piece of music. The soundtrack even strayed into neo classical territory at times, especially during scenes in the Cat Kingdom. Straying from the film's orchestral soundtrack, the ending theme song is an incredibly upbeat and catchy pop song led by one woman and her ukulele. You'll have to drink a couple of bottles of brain bleach in order to get that one out of your head. The audio aspect of the film couldn't have been more satisfying to me.

I don't know what it is about this movie that made me enjoy it so much. The story, characters, and the world they live in are simple enough that this movie seems to be tailor-made for children and their families, yet there's a certain spark about it that made me cheer on for the characters and leave me in shock if they were ever in trouble. That's probably it: the innocence of this story was what drew me in. The magic is in its simplicity. There's nothing hidden beneath it and there's no reading between the lines. It's just a good movie with a good plot and nothing more. Sometimes Ghibli films need a break from their reputation as animated epics with hard-hitting moral messages. Sometimes you just need to escape into a world of fantasy without the weight of philosophy on your shoulders. And if that fantasy world is filled with cats that stand on their hind legs and talk, so be it.

TOP 15: Porco Rosso 8.6/10%
Synopsis: After a curse turned him into a pig, World War I ace Marco Pagot becomes Porco Rosso, a mysterious bounty hunter who takes down sky pirates in the Adriatic Sea. He whiles away his days on a secluded island, rarely leaving other than to collect bounties or to visit the beautiful Gina, a songstress and owner of the Hotel Adriano.

One day, while traveling to fix his faulty engine, Porco Rosso is gunned down by a young American hotshot named Donald Curtis. Thrilled at the possibility of fame, Donald boldly declares that the flying pig is dead. Not wanting to disappoint Gina, Porco Rosso flees to the famous Piccolo S.P.A. airplane company and takes out a massive loan in order to repair and improve his fighter plane. There, he is surprised to find that the chief engineer of Piccolo S.P.A. is the 17-year-old Fio Piccolo, who hungers for a chance to prove herself. With Fio's improvements, Porco Rosso prepares to challenge Donald officially and regain his honor.

"Porco Rosso" is a striking rarity in the Miyazaki career, and one that will probably require a bigger effort from the fans to understand. It plays with different themes than his other works; for instance, there is not an interest on developing an enviromental message, or at depicting a major conflict involving humanity and nature. The story is closer to the coming-of-age intimism of "Spirited away", "My neighbor Totoro" or -his script- "Whisper of the heart", yet it takes a radically different focus. In fact, if I had to point a similarity among his films, the one that fits better to me is "Lupin III: The castle of Cagliostro".

On the other hand it is unique because of the world it builds around. Any fans of classic Hollywood will be pleased at the amount of homages that are spread through the story, both in individual scenes and in tone. This movie holds many similarities in its more dramatic part, both aesthetical and story-based, with "Casablanca"; and the slapstick comedy that is there through the whole storyline, softening the conflicts and relationships of the characters, resembles "The quiet man".

This polarity between a heavy character drama and a dreamy comedy may be a double-edged sword, in the sense that many people will probably find this movie inconsistant in terms of its mood, but I think "Porco Rosso" does a really fine work at balancing both aspects of its storyline. The comedy never disallows the viewer from appreciating the gravity of Porco as a character, and the serious and intimist sequences don't deny the zaniness of his daily life. The best thing about this is that it allows to create a full dramatic portrayal of the main character, while bringing some kind of fabulistic charm to his lifestyle, which gives nostalgic vibes to the story. This ends up being relevant as well in the romantic view that Miyazaki brings to describe one of his childhood passions, flight engineery. In this movie it becomes completely obvious through the careful visual depiction and the spectacularity of the flying scenes.

Story
The storyline is completely focused on Porco and the universe around him. He is definitely a complex character that goes way beyond his main defining trait. In fact, his aspect in the context of the daily relationships it's the least relevant. We are told that he is a human turned into a pig by some sort of mysterious spell, but those around him still recognize Porco as a human. Even Gina, the one that he's most closely related with, treats him as if he was the same as always. The appearances in this movie are brought for a much less superficial purpose, as this transformation is used as a metaphor for the deep wound Porco carries with humanity in general, and with himself. His bitterness, however, is contrasted in the movie. That is, instead of being exaggerated, and giving rise to an overly cynical character, the story also emphasizes on his caring side. He is shown to have friends, understand their emotions and care for them; his scenes with Gina make clear that they love and respect each other. This side of him is emphasized later with the presence of Fio and the clear effect she has in his growth as a character.

Characters
The rest of the characters, while not being as fleshed out as Porco, still hold their own charm. I am specially fascinated with Gina. She doesn't even appear too often in the story but her elegance and intimist approach increase the emotional effect of every scene she's in, and the hints on her own past are so suggestive and enveloping that, despite the lack of physical presence in the plot, she manages to create a very strong emotional involvement around her. She is there in some of the most moving moments of the story and I'm specially fond of one where a flashback of her past with Porco is shown.

Fio, on the other hand, plays the counterpart of Porco as a quick-witted and joyful girl. This simple purpose is actually conveyed in the form of a very strong and charismatic character. Her chemistry with Porco through their scenes is amazing, and another one of the key points of this story. In fact my favorite scene of the movie involves them both; with Porco narrating a defining experience of his past -in his very own way, though- and Fio hearing this whole story completely captivated, understanding, finally, the dimension of his personal conflict as a whole.

Donald Curtis and the pirates, despite being technically the antagonists of the main story, are actually quite light and charming. The arrogance of Curtis is contextualized in a way that emphasizes on his innocence rather than on an actual malice. And similarly, the pirates never come off as evil and their hate towards Porco is never treated seriously.

Animation
On the artistic level, this is a great effort overall, though probably not as satisfying as other Miyazaki movies. For example, it suffers from a lack of shading in many scenes, and the designs of the background characters don't look very inspired. However, it still keeps a lot of strength in the visual depiction of the scenarios, and places like Porco's lonely island or Gina's bar are given a distinct atmosphere that becomes very effective. The design for the main characters is simple, yet very effective, with Porco being the obvious choice as the most outstanding. The aesthetics, as said, are very closely tied to the imagery of classic films, which sort of fit very well with the Italian environment of the late 20s this movie is located at.

Sound
Similarly, the soundtrack is quite outstanding overall but not as consistantly mesmerizing as in other works of the author. Then again, this is not a very relevant issue, and I guess it has to do with the huge variety of music pieces; as this variety leading to some irregularity seems unavoidable. Anyway, if I have to choose one, it would be Tokiko Kato's version of the French Revolutionary song "Le temps des cérises", that serves to introduce Gina. Her song in the ending credits is equally beautiful.

All in all, and while it's not my favorite, it is still a Ghibli and Miyazaki movie I am very fond of. It is a little tricky to recommend here, though, because its style and themes will probably not fit the tastes of an anime fan if they are mainly interested on exploring the imagery and philosophy that are associated with the Japanese culture; in fact, I think that "Porco Rosso" is a better recommendation for movie-goers than for anime fans, in general. That doesn't mean it will be necessarily less enjoyable, but it's more likely for people with a grown interest on Western filmmaking to find points in common with this movie.

TOP 16: Pom poko 8.5/10%
Synopsis: With the increasing need for Tokyo to expand as one of Japan's major cities, inevitable sacrifices must be made so that changes can take place. One of these sacrifices is that the room for nature and wildlife to flourish will decrease significantly over time. As this decline continues, many animal communities experience the brunt of urbanization. One such community known as the "Tanuki," a type of magical shape-shifting mammal, is caught up in a struggle to defend their beloved forest from being absorbed by the looming threat of an expanding Tokyo.

As more and more Tanuki find themselves with nowhere to hide and territorial fights become increasingly regular amongst the different factions of the community, the elder Tanuki Oroku decides that something must be done. For the sake of their home as well as the safety of their future generations, the Tanuki unite as one with the hope that together they may be able to repel mankind's construction projects and scare them away from the forests using their shapeshifting abilities.

But as they begin their first attempts at sabotage, the Tanuki soon realize the operation will be no easy task. Will they reclaim their forest as a united community, or will they be torn apart by a war against humanity, blinded by anger and pain after witnessing nature's destruction?

Story
Stories about anthropomorphic animals behaving like human beings have always been a form of storytelling that different types of authors, narrators and storytellers used to employ back in the old days to convey a message to their audience. This was done by using the animals as some sort of metaphor to represent human society and the flaws that show up within it’s systems. Perhaps the most famous example would be George Orwell's magnificent social commentary on Communism that is the timeless Animal Farm. From there, this form of storytelling would go on to get adopted by many other storytellers that came after the man. Fortunately enough, one of the storytellers to pick up on Orwell’s unique form of narration was none other than the late and great Isao Takahata, a man I like to nickname as “The great innovator of Ghibli”.

Isao Takahata is a name that needs no introduction whatsoever. The man was studio Ghibli’s greatest asset, and he was the one responsible for some of the greatest movies and TV series to come out of both Ghibli’s discography and the Anime world in general. Though Takahata has had many celebrated works throughout the course of his life, he’s also had works that have somehow managed to slip under the radar when it came to audiences and viewers everywhere. Beneath the eminent and prominent works that were Akage no Anne, Grave of the Fireflies and Omoide Poroporo, there was also a work that was just as thematically rich as those three, yet never got the recognition it deserved. That work is of course none other than the brilliant 1994 Anime movie, Pom Poko.

Characters
What is Pom Poko exactly? Pom Poko would be the result of Takahata replacing his cast from his previous works with anthropomorphic animals - as in the characters have all the charm and humanity that the other Takahata characters possess, the only difference here being the fact that they are not human. Just like Takahata’s other movies, this movie was ahead of it’s time in the way it handled it’s narrative and used it to convey it’s central theme to it’s audience -- which was environmentalism -- unlike any other Ghibli movie that came before and after it. While Princess Mononoke was a great experience both in terms of visuals and direction, it didn’t quite hit the mark with it’s environmentalism theme, and it delivered the theme quite poorly might I add. It was an excellent film both narratively and visually, but Miyazaki became overindulged with those aspects of his work that he forgot to deliver the message that he preached about in a quality fashion. Unlike Princess Mononoke however, Pom Poko never concerned itself with a grand story nor did it explore the various political factions or the many landscapes and mythical creatures within it’s narrative. Pom Poko focused narrowly on a small, select group of raccoon dogs called the Tanuki species, where these Tanuki would shapeshift endlessly to take the form of humans and use those shapeshifting abilities to stop housing construction on their homeland. This was of course brilliant in reinforcing Takahata’s message regarding environmentalism. By focusing solely on his central theme and giving it more importance than other aspects of the work, he managed to deliver that theme quite perfectly in the end.

The comedy is pretty spot-on as well. Almost every shapeshifting scene was fun and hit the mark in terms of making me laugh, and never did a scene go to waste. The comedic timing is almost perfect here, from the lady Tanuki shapeshifting into a malicious fox to instruct the young, juvenile Tanuki to use that specific transformation to scare off the pesky humans when their identity is discovered, to the elder Tanuki stretching his testicles to form a mattress so that the other Tanuki can sit on them. They were all lighthearted gags that never ceased to amaze me. Though the comedy managed to hit the nail on the head at most times, the testicles gag did become old and stale halfway through the movie, and it lost it’s charm due to the overuse of the gag, which is a shame since it was pretty hysterical when it hadn’t become an overused trope. It is pretty ironic though that the funniest thing about this movie is not the various creative transformations that the Tanuki made use of, rather the fact that Disney renamed the term “testicles” to "pouches". It is a pretty bizarre and awkward stance, and it gets even funnier the more one thinks about it. It was not an unnecessary change though, since most Ghibli movies are directed and are made for children at the end of the day, and western audiences are cultured differently from Japanese audiences, so it makes sense.

Animation
The animation here is pretty consistent just like most other Ghibli movies. It does the job and it does it well enough to assert itself among it’s contemporaries. It has many well animated scenes, but my favorite one has to be the parade sequence the Tanuki perform near the middle of the movie’s run, where even by Ghibli’s standards it looks quite excellent and stands out from the rest of the scenes. Although the animation was pretty consistent for the most part, my biggest gripe with this movie was the absence of any originality or creativity when it came to the character designs. It looked like Takahata never placed any thought into making his characters as uniquely looking as possible, rather, it looked like he churned out the same character design over and over again until he got the main and supporting casts ready for use. Every character here looks like the typically animated raccoon that you would see everywhere on animated television, and all the characters look like they were copied and pasted off of one another, which makes matters even worse since the characters were well written in their own right. Now granted, this is a movie about raccoons and not humans, but it still isn’t a valid excuse for the vapid character designs. Many anthropomorphic animals are drawn in a very distinguishable and unique way in other media, so why should there be a problem here? In addition to the trite character designs, the soundtrack was pretty forgettable as well, which is a shame since most Ghibli movies are recognized by their main themes – Spirited Away had the hauntingly beautiful “The Name of Life”, Princess Mononoke had the haunting yet so ever-present “Legend of Ashitaka” and Kiki’s Delivery Service entranced it’s viewers with the beautiful orchestral melody that is “A Town With An Ocean View”. It seems here, with Pom Poko, not one track stands out from the rest. All of them are uncreative Japanese folk music tracks, they flow smoothly with one another and do well at being a coherent and cohesive soundtrack for the film, but fail to make an everlasting impression on the viewer.

Not going to lie, the characters were pretty charming and were all full of wit and personality, and the creative dialogue between them was ever present. It just felt weird watching this movie and knowing that it was produced by Studio Ghibli, since there was no female protagonist to save the day in this one. Regardless, the most interesting aspect about this movie is the fact that it’s so focused in Japanese folklore, and it’s a pretty great introduction for anyone who would like to know more about Japanese mythology as a whole. This movie is a well-known representation of Tanukis in their fairy tales/mythology. For Japanese children, this is just a normal depiction of one of the many animals from their fairy tales. It is a good starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about them in their famous Japanese stories.

Overall
Overall, it’s not that hard to see why Pom Poko is pretty obscure and niche compared to the other Ghibli titles. It does not have a standout heroine, it is underproduced in terms of audiovisuals compared to some of it’s contemporaries, and it focuses solely on it’s main theme - which is environmentalism - rather than focusing on developing a compelling narrative. However, I also think that this is what makes it the most unique work out of all of them. If you want to vicariously experience the theme of environmentalism, then no other movie does the theme justice more than Pom Poko. In it’s thematic exploration, it is rather excellent, and unlike Princess Mononoke, the message never felt forced whatsoever. Don’t expect this to be on the same level as other Ghibli movies in terms of anything else though, it delivers it’s central message quite perfectly, but that’s about it.

TOP 17: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 8.4/10%
Synopsis: A millennium has passed since the catastrophic nuclear war named the "Seven Days of Fire," which destroyed nearly all life on Earth. Humanity now lives in a constant struggle against the treacherous jungle that has evolved in response to the destruction caused by mankind. Filled with poisonous spores and enormous insects, the jungle spreads rapidly across the Earth and threatens to swallow the remnants of the human race.

Away from the jungle exists a peaceful farming kingdom known as the "Valley of the Wind," whose placement by the sea frees it from the spread of the jungle's deadly toxins. The Valley's charismatic young princess, Nausicaä, finds her tranquil kingdom disturbed when an airship from the kingdom of Tolmekia crashes violently in the Valley. After Nausicaä and the citizens of the Valley find a sinister pulsating object in the wreckage, the Valley is suddenly invaded by the Tolmekian military, who intend to revive a dangerous weapon from the Seven Days of Fire. Now Nausicaä must fight to stop the Tolmekians from plunging the Earth into a cataclysm which humanity could never survive, while also protecting the Valley from the encroaching forces of the toxic jungle.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a 1984 Japanese Animated movie, and it marks the very beginning of one of the most beloved film studios of all time, Studio Ghibli. The studio was not founded up until 1985, one year after the release of Nausicaa, with the studio's first official production being Castle in the Sky, which hit the theaters in 1986. Regardless, Nausicaa is still often considered to be the first Ghibli film by many, and for good reasons. If you don't know the name Ghibli, then I do hope some of it's productions ring a bell to you. Studio Ghibli created some of the most amazing movies such as Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke.

When you compare Princess Mononoke, which was released in 1997, to Nausicaa, you will spot a lot of similarities between the two. Although Mononoke is full of green landscapes, lush meadows, and dense forests, while Nausicaa's world is full of dry wastelands, poisonous mushroom woods and huge insects, they both share a lot of similarities and themes with each other. Both movies are about the coexistence of man and nature, and while both are full fledged epic adventure stories with a lot of spectacular visualized action, at a cost they are driven by a pacifistic anti-war message, which is fully expressed by the character of Nausicaa herself. Nausicaa is a young princess who lives in a distant future, where the world has been destroyed by some catastrophic event or a nuclear war. All that is left in the world of Nausicaa are big wastelands, poisonous forests and many other frightening dangers that roam the Earth. Meanwhile, two nations are at war, and Nausicaa's home, the small valley of the wind, is stuck in the middle of the conflict.

Characters
Nausicaa is a wonderful protagonist. She is strong, inspirational, caring and loving, brave and always concerned about the well-being of her people as well as all living things. She is a character that every little girl, and even boy can look up to, and creating strong characters is something that runs through the whole of Hayao Miyazaki. While he did not direct all of Ghibli's films, his name is often synonymously used when talking about them. He is without a doubt not only one of Japan's greatest film makers, but one of Cinema's greatest artists. Nausicaa was adapted from the first two volumes of the original manga by the same name, which Miyazaki himself wrote and drew. All together the manga was created in between the time span of 1982 and 1994, containing a full 7 volumes, so I do think that this should have been a TV series instead of a movie.

Animation
Miyazaki has created a little epic with Nausicaa. Already the first scenes radiate an enormous atmosphere and magic. You can see our lead protagonist on a trip to a mushroom forest, equipped with a breathing mask and a glider, she sets out on a journey of discovery to get to know the world of insects. It is a post apocalyptic world that has been destroyed by mankind hundreds or thousands of years ago in what is only said to be "The seven days of fire", which already hints at the vast destructive power of mankind and intrigues the viewer enough to watch it.

The setting of Nausicaa is amazing. What Miyazaki and his team created here looks absolutely fantastic, and despite the prevailing destruction in the film, everything seems eerily alive and literally captivates the viewer, which is certainly fitting to the character of our heroine Nausicaa. She also sees the beauty of everything around her, and my favorite moments are the scenes in which she delves deeper into those mysterious poisonous forests, where everything around her is deadly, and yet also filled with beauty and wonder.

Sound
Equally as important to the visuals, is the movie's musical score. This movie marks the first collaboration with composer Joe Hisaichi. Hisaichi moved on to score all of Miyazaki's films, and his music is among the very best, alongside that of composers like John Williams and Ennio Morricone. His music is captivating as always and makes a significant contribution to the magic of this film. The soundtrack includes some very atmospheric and harmonic pieces, and also contains some very aggressive songs that sound extremely electronic, and I love every second of it. Every time a piece was played during an epic scene, it made the scene even better and more exciting to watch. I find it also remarkable how often there is no musical score and the film just plays ambient sounds, dialogue or action, but then at a perfect moment, the music sets in and makes your heart rate go up.

Nasuicaa features a lot of great action, the conflict between insects and humans, as well as the interpersonal conflicts that offer a lot of room for amazing set pieces. The fights are fought not only with guns, but also with swords, which plays to the film's medieval touch with kingdoms and princesses. There are also many flight sequences with big and small airships, which is very typical for Miyazaki, who loves the concept of flying. The insects look incredible, from the smallest one to the giant ones that give a sense of great danger.

Of course there are also many quiet and thoughtful moments that radiate warmth and familiarity, giving viewers access to the world of Nausicaa and it's characters.

Overall
Overall, the film has some brutal parts, but it can definitely be recommended to a younger audience, and that is thanks to it's young, super sympathetic and brave title character Nausicaa, and the important message that is conveyed by the film. When it was released in 1984, it even got the recommendation from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) because of it's environmental and peaceful message.

In a world that appears so threatening, a world where nations have huge flying armies, our heroine gracefully flies through the air with just her glider, a glider that has no guns attached. Nausicaa does use weapons in the film, but mostly to defend herself or to carefully stop a negative situation from occurring and taking place. She is someone who is curious, who loves to explore and wants to understand the true meaning of the things around her, and she is never appalled by things like sickness or old age. She just remains loving and there are some wonderful moments where the old people of her village are speaking with kind words about her and her amazing personality.

If there is one thing I hated about the movie, it is that all of the stuff with the different kingdoms and what nation is doing what, this all got convoluted in the finale and became very boring to sit through. Like I also said, the movie should have been turned into a TV series instead of a movie, so that it could have fully explained some of it's aspects. These issues, as well as me seeing a much better version of the same movie (Princess Mononoke) hold me back from giving the movie a perfect 10. Moreover, the movie suffers from a slow pace at times and a long length which makes it a chore to go through rather than an enjoyable movie at times.

Regardless, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a rich and beautiful film that should be seen by everybody, especially if you are into animation and adventure films, and just stories that include a lot of fantasy.

TOP 18: Only Yesterday 8/10%
Synopsis: Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest.

On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming.

Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.

Omoide Poroporo, otherwise known as Only Yesterday, is one of the most underrated movies to have ever come out of Studio Ghibli’s discography. It is easily the best made movie in Ghibli’s history when it comes to the visual presentation, and Takahata here showcased how he was a master of both color and visuals. Omoide Poroporo was a movie that was made to be targeted towards women upon it’s release, but due to Isao Takahata’s brilliant directing, the movie managed to become a success around men and women alike.

Story
The story surrounds Taiko, a twenty seven year old woman who leaves the city and her work for ten days to go on a vacation in the rural areas and relax her mind. What really sets this movie apart from the rest of the others is the fact that on the way to her destination, her little self from when she was younger comes along on the trip, and from there on the woman starts to remember all of the nostalgic bits and pieces from her past, both the good and the bad of her childhood. The movie’s narrative transitions seamlessly from twenty seven year old Taiko to the young and innocent Taiko, often with the use of phone calls to convey that the movie has transitioned from past to present and vice versa.

The dangerous thing about this film is that the two sides, her young self and her old self, are contrasting in tone and color, to the point where one would naturally care for a side and not the other, or find themselves caring for one more than the other. Luckily, this movie tried to make the chances of that happening slim. Taiko’s adult persona is very interesting with her introspective demeanor, and her longing for a better life. She finds herself in a place that many young adults her age find themselves in, and that is to still be holding onto the dreams of the youth while trying to work towards her goals of taking care of a family and living up to society’s expectations. That, in turn, makes the child brimming within her to not go unnoticed and makes her all the more relatable towards people who are in the same age gap as her and facing the same issues she is facing. The most interesting part of her family is her father, who seems like he looks down on himself in shame due to the fact that he didn’t achieve his dreams while young. He cannot let go of the past, which contrasts with Taiko letting go of the past while also valuing how it shaped one up to be, and embracing all those moments in life, both the good and the bad.

Character
Every character in this movie felt like a real person, and it was very interesting to see a slow paced, coming of age, female driven drama Anime. You don’t see those often, especially in an Anime, and that is the thing which made this movie all the more of a unique and enjoyable ride.

Animation
The audiovisuals are some of the most unique out there, if not the most unique for a Ghibli movie. The contrast of visuals between the life of young Taiko and her life when she is all grown up is interesting and worked on very well. The most striking aspect about Only Yesterday is it’s use of color and visual design to achieve it’s themes about self-discovery through re-discovery, and to grab the viewer into both old and young Taiko’s perspectives of the world around them. Only Yesterday operates on two time periods, those being the past and the present, and Takahata managed to infuse each separate time period with a distinct personality and a life of it’s own. For example, Taiko’s past is filled to the brim with simplistic usage of colors and light colors, and the most used color is the color white, which seeps into the edges of the screen. The past has this nostalgic feel working for it, which creates a striking contrast with Taiko’s present, a present that contains very complex and colorful colors, and very realistic details in both characters and setting. The reason for that is that Taiko’s past is, intentionally made blurry and less detailed, due to her not being able to recollect her full memory on what had happened during certain events of her life. This is not necessarily to say that one part of her life is better than another part, as both of them are equally as good as each other, while providing thematic depth and more insight into the main character’s life. The settings are also affected by the visual decisions as well, since the skies are more clear and white in the past, providing for a nostalgic feel, while the skies in the present are more lively and in-the-moment due to the bright blue colors used. Moreover, what distinguishes past from present in Taiko’s life is the usage of the color red, where everything she wears and uses is red in the past, and red disappears in the present. That is not to say that the red has disappeared completely from her life, but more so that she doesn’t completely let go of the past all the while still holding value to it, which is while she still uses red things, she barely does as often as she did during her younger days.

Taiko now mostly wears blue, and her present is surrounded by blue and green lively colors. That is not to say that she has rejected that past, because her hair tie, for example, is still of the color red, just that it is behind her back, which is to show that she still acknowledges the past while not letting it interfere with her present life. On the journey of her discovering herself though, she finds plenty of red. The plant that Taiko is picking is a flower that is used as a red dye, her love interest wears red and his final scene, and the transport vehicles that she uses during the final scenes are colored red. I can rave on and on about why this is Studio Ghibli’s visual landmark, but I think you get the gist. The main musical theme used here is not as striking as some other Ghibli ones out there, though still good on it’s own nonetheless and conveys the mood of nostalgia and melancholy quite successfully. The end scene is one of the best scenes in all of Anime, and how it ends, and how the credit roll is displayed, is one of the most brilliant uses of a credit roll in Anime history.

If you are a person who is interested in a coming of age story from a female perspective, then this one is a must watch. This is one of the best visually directed Anime movies ever made, and is easily the best the top one in the Ghibli discography, and that is due to the fact that Isao Takahata took a mundane concept such as the life of a young girl and her maturing into a female adult, and turned it into such an amazing and visceral self-discovery journey.

TOP 19: Tales from Earthsea 7.7/10%
Synopsis: Calamities are plaguing the land of Earthsea and dragons have been seen fighting above the clouds—something which has never happened before. Sparrowhawk, a powerful Archmage, sets out to uncover the mystery behind these concerning events and meets Prince Arren along the way. Arren is the fugitive heir to the Kingdom of Enlad and a seemingly quiet and distressed lad. Wandering aimlessly in an attempt to escape the dark presence haunting him, he decides to tag along Sparrowhawk on his journey.

However, their arrival in the seaside settlement of Hort Town is met with unexpected trouble—Lord Cob, a powerful evil wizard obsessed with eternal life, stands in their way. Forced to confront him, the pair joins forces with Tenar—an old friend of Sparrowhawk—and Therru, the ill-fated orphan girl she took in. But the enemy's cunning hobby of manipulating emotions may just prove to be catastrophic for the young prince.

Set in a magical world, Ged Senki goes beyond the classical battle between the forces of good and evil, as it explores the inner battles of the heart.

Tales from Earthsea has earned a bit of an unfortunate reputation for itself as the Ghibli Film that it’s okay to dislike. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro, the finished product was apparently so underwhelming to Hayao that he would joke in the future that while he was happy Goro had made a film, he would dissuade his son from making another one ever again. But honestly, after actually seeing the movie, I’m gonna have to disagree with the maestro, because I think Tales from Earthsea is a genuinely powerful film. It’s certainly not the best of the Ghibli canon, and it definitely bears the marks of a first-time director, but it’s an admirable effort coming from a place of genuine passion and empathy, a stirring experience that touched me in profound artistic ways I wasn’t expecting going in. In fact, it feels very much like a purposeful reconstruction of the kinds of ideas and themes that Daddy Miyazaki himself has been exploring since the beginning of his career. A fantasy world in some state of decay, caught between man and nature as humanity struggles with the responsibility to live side by side with the natural world, a combined guy/girl protagonist team tasked with keeping that peace… it’s like a love letter to Castle in the Sky, Naussicaa, and Princess Mononoke, the tripytch of Ghibli films that cemented their director as the biggest champion of radical environmentalism since The Lorax. And with just a little more polish, I would absolutely consider Tales from Earthsea worthy to stand among that pantheon. Give your son another shot, Hayao; he’s got the potential to make something really special.

Animation
At any rate, where Earthsea differs from the kind of Miyazaki film it apes is that while Laupta, Naussicaa et all are set in world building themselves back up after some long-ago disaster, the world in Earthsea feels like it’s still in the process of falling apart. It’s set in a land with castles and dragons and pastoral landscapes and big bazaars and magic and wizards and all manor of trapping of Tolkien-inspired fantasy worldbuilding. But this is not a bustling world full of life and vigor; from the very first scenes, the air is filled with an atmosphere of impending doom. The regal dragons that populate the skies have started fighting each other, an event that spells ill omens for the future. There is plague and famine sweeping the land, and it’s all the kingdom can do to keep afloat. Over the course of the movie, we visit no shortage of crumbling ruins and grime-flecked streets, remnants of lives and histories in the process of falling apart, being swallowed by pettiness and cruelty and despair and emptiness. We learn that wizards have mostly lost their magic, and the few spells we see cast feel more like ancient druidic rituals born from long-forgotten eldritch power. This atmosphere is the film’s strongest aspect, leeching into your bones over time and filling you with a kind of quiet ache that only grows stronger with every new vista of haunting stillness and gloomy dread. There’s a very Dark Souls feel to the world of Earthsea, like our heroes are traveling around the remnants of a once great civilization now fading into the sands of time. And it’s all supercharged by the color palette and soundtrack, casting the landscape in deep, ponderous shades of hue and groaning, ancient dirges that seem to wail for the majesty of times long since past. It feels like a world you could get lost in, a world that could swallow you whole without leaving a trace that you ever existed.

Character
That despair-tinged atmosphere extends to the film’s themes as well, which center on a young man caught at the crossroads of life and death and finding himself unable to move forward. Aaron is the prince of the kingdom, son of a good king, who nevertheless finds himself afflicted by a mysterious rage that drives him to kill his father and run away to the wastes. There, he finds solace with a wandering mage named Sparrowhawk, and lacking any greater purpose or goal, he finds himself listlessly tagging along with the wizard, hoping to escape from his shame and sorrow in the presence of unfamiliar people and locales. But it quickly becomes clear that he’s become embroiled with someone with much bigger plans than simply wandering the wider world, and in time, Sparrowhawk’s ultimate goal forces Aaron to come to terms with his fears and regrets, standing up to a danger that reflects his worst terrors back at him. It’s in his story that Tales from Earthsea finds its meaning, reflecting the protagonist’s own faults and fears in the decrepit state of the world at large as he grows strong enough to change himself- and symbolically, the world as well- for the better. It’s a story about a young boy more afraid of life than death, who would gladly throw himself on the wrong end of a sword if it meant ending the thick fog of misery that hangs over his head. But it’s also a story about the beauty of life he comes to discover, the beauty of the awe and majesty he comes to see in the world around him, of the simple grace of the people he encounters. There’s a particular moment about halfway through the film where Aaron comes across the Ghibli-branded spiritually important leading lady, here a reckless recluse who has never shown Aaron an ounce of trust before, as she’s singing a haunting, yet riveting melody to herself in the middle of a field, her voice echoing across the soft, sweeping plains like a plaintive cry for hope in the face of despair, and by the time it’s over, well, I was almost tearing up right alongside Aaron. It’s the kind of moment that makes me feel like the bag-filming kid from American Beauty, so struck by the beauty of the world that I feel like I can’t take it.

Story
It’s unfortunate, then, that the actual plot facilitated by this incredible story isn’t as strong as it could have been, though the extent to which it rises or falls it a bit more of an open question. Another note this movie takes from Dark Souls is that it doesn’t tend to answer a lot of worldbuilding and lore questions for you, telling most of its greater story through implication. As such, it relies on the emotional and thematic resonance of its ideas to make up for the lack of clear explanations. It’s purposefully mythic storytelling prioritizing emotional resonance over strict logical coherence. We’re never given explicit answers for how dragons and humans once started as the same species, but we’re made to understand the thematic importance they serve in the story as the symbolic representation of the kind of pure, honest freedom and hope this world longs for. We’re never told how exactly the wizards’ magic is fading with the rest of the world, but we understand it as a metaphor for the land’s inner life being swallowed by fatalism and despair. We never know the mechanics of how the film’s ultimate villain plans to open to door between life and death, but we understand that his desire serves as a dark reflection of Aaron’s own desire to be free of the uncertainty and pain of life as he knows it. And there are a handful of spoiler-y moments that raise huge questions about how the lore of this world actually works without ever answering them, because the function they serve in the overall thematic narrative is more important that tying together all the specific details of the mechanics of this fictional universe. It’s a movie that relies on your ability to be okay not having your questions answered, to accept the flow of information as it comes and tackle every step forward on its own emotional terms.

Thankfully, I happen to be exactly the kind of person who prioritizes emotion over logic in storytelling, so the faults in Earthsea’s overall construction didn’t bother me that much. I was perfectly able to get sucked up in the storytelling, in the majesty of the world and Aaron’s journey, without worrying about not knowing the specifics of how it functioned. In a way, I love that it allows you to ask your own questions, wondering how some of the more out-there lore details would be fully realized with the power of your own imagination. That said, there’s definitely an unevenness in the film’s handling of that open-ended nature that isn’t present in, say, Spirited Away. In a way, I almost with it left things more open to interpretation; there’s a handful of moments where it feels like the movie goes too far in trying to explain what it’s all about when I was having a perfectly fine time following it already. In a way, it’s both too obvious at times and too obscure at times, over-explaining its thematic narrative at certain key moments while leaving the actual mechanics of that narrative’s realization fairly obscure. It’s clear that this was Goro’s first film, as there’s a sense that the storyteller isn’t fully confident in the audience’s ability to grasp such an abstract narrative, so he over-corrects in some areas and under-corrects in others. It ends up jarring your expectations at times, when you’re not certain whether or not the movie has more to reveal about a certain plot point or idea of if it expects you to take what it’s already given you as the full picture. The story is still incredibly strong, it just needed an editor to push all of its pieces more firmly into place, someone with the confidence to leave unanswered what could be left unanswered and explain only as much as needed to be explained at any given time. With that kind of finesse, I would have no qualms calling this film an outright masterpiece.

Still, not living up to the work of one of the greatest directors on the face of the earth, especially on your first attempt, is far from the worst criticism to see leveled against you. Tales from Earthsea isn’t a perfect film, and it’s definitely uneven at spots, but it’s got a stunningly powerful core that honors the legacy of the works it draws from while still feeling like its own creation. It’s a stirring fantasy tale of epic adventure and lost worlds coming to life, realized in spectacular fashion with timeless themes and stirring storytelling that more than makes up for the occasionally awkward construction. Don’t be fooled by its reputation, this one’s a real winner.

TOP 20: Ocean Waves 7.4/10% MY LEAST FAV GHIBLI MOVIE
Synopsis: In the city of Kouchi, high school student Taku Morisaki is going about his work when his friend Yutaka Matsuno calls and asks him to get to their school as soon as possible. Taku arrives, and Matsuno introduces him to Rikako Muto, a beautiful girl from Tokyo who recently transferred to their school. Although Rikako is academically and athletically gifted, her generally unpleasant attitude leaves her with virtually no friends outside of Matsuno and another girl from her class.

After a chance encounter during their class trip, Taku suddenly finds himself more involved in Rikako's personal life, much to Matsuno's dismay. Struggling to balance his friendship with Matsuno and his own budding infatuation for Rikako, Taku must come to terms with his feelings and understand how a girl with a troubled past is having such a massive effect on his life.

Have you ever experienced that feeling where the manager for your favorite sports team decides to rest the best player for an important match? The team is performing well enough to stand on their own and keep the game leveled, but nobody is there to advance the score or awe the audience with their brilliance. The players are competent enough, performing what they are supposed to perform and following the tactics to a tee, but it all feels so pointless since their work does not translate into a total victory.

This is what this movie feels like. The two biggest players in Studio Ghibli history: Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, are not to be found here at all, and that of course decreased immensely from the quality of this film. So, what is this film even about? It is essentially a mundane premise about love and romance between two students. Knowing Isao Takahata, he managed to turn a mundane concept similar to this one into one of the greatest Anime movies ever made - Only Yesterday. Here, Takahata is nowhere to be found so that he can show us his magical directing, which is why a trivial concept such as high school love turned out to be such a disappointing product at the end of the day. Without Takahata’s directing to save the day, there isn’t much merit to this film at all.

Similarly, the concept of this film needed Miyazaki. His brain is imaginative, he creates some of the most imaginative, fantastical and surreal works ever put to the animation medium, and he would have created a movie that would be remembered for years to come and given endless amounts of praise if he were to take full control of the direction and script of this movie. Alas, he weren’t to be found here, which is why this movie is such a trivial work in the first place.

You might be wondering why I keep regurgitating the same points about Miyazaki and Takahata over and over again, and never go into plot specifics regarding this film. Well, there really isn’t anything to talk about in this film. The concept is a mundane high school romance story and the execution, while being “realistic”, falls flat in direction. No matter how hard I try, I can’t come up with anything out of thin air to say about this film or describe it. It is mundane, it is trivial, and it is boring. It neither does anything new nor does it do said thing excellently, even when it isn’t offensively bad.

To it’s credit, the movie is not of excruciating length, as it clocks in at about an hour and ten minutes, which is not much considering some lengthy titles Ghibli has pumped out over the years. The animation and the audiovisuals are good and are the typical Ghibli animations you would find anywhere in their discography. The soundtrack is good as well, especially the background Hawaiian music they chose for the lobby and money exchange scenes. Everything regarding the technicalities aspect is good and isn't offensive or anything.

Overall, I can’t say that this movie was bad. The characters were not archetypes, as they went through change and character development, even if those developments weren’t the greatest. The plot is not offensively bad or poorly written, and the audiovisuals, while not completely standing out from anything else, were good enough for the typical Ghibli film. However, even when it had factors working for it, those factors were not enough to make it excel in what it did. The movie is average and trivial, and thus should not be given praise or a positive score.

Salamat dito boss adding to my watchlist