Ghibli

• # slashes • 805 words • 5m to read

Index of films

Watched: 13/24.

  1. 天空の城ラピュタ (1986)
  2. となりのトトロ (1988) - watched, notes
  3. 火垂るの墓 (1988)
  4. 魔女の宅急便 (1989) - watched, notes
  5. おもひでぽろぽろ (1991)
  6. 紅の豚 (1992)
  7. 海がきこえる (1993) - watched, notes
  8. 平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ (1994)
  9. 耳をすませば (1995) - watched, notes
  10. もののけ姫 (1997) - seen
  11. ホーホケキョ となりの山田くん (1999) - watched, notes
  12. 千と千尋の神隠し (2001) - watched, notes
  13. 猫の恩返し (2002) - watched but awhile ago and I can't remember well
  14. ハウルの動く城 (2004) - watched
  15. ゲド戦記 (2006)
  16. 崖の上のポニョ (2008) - watched, notes
  17. 借りぐらしのアリエッティ (2010) - notes
  18. コクリコ坂から (2011) - watched, notes
  19. 風立ちぬ (2013)
  20. かぐや姫の物語 (2013)
  21. 思い出のマーニー (2014) - watched, notes
  22. レッドタートル ある島の物語 (2016)
  23. アーヤと魔女 (2020)
  24. 君たちはどう生きるか (2023)

Index of short films

TBA

となりのトトロ (Tonari no Totoro)

Watched on 2026-09-24, and it's really nice. It's quite short, quite basic, but very heartfelt. The art style is beautiful of course.

I love the real, true to life aspects. For instance how Mei follows about Satsuki and copies her: it's very true to what actual sisters often do when they're young in a family of girls. Likewise the getting wet, the tripping over, the almost losing one's balance on the bike, it's all very true to life. I think I really appreciate true-to-life-ness in cinema.

This isn't my favourite of the Ghibli films but it is certainly very nice; I might have to see the theatre production at some point if it's still in London.

魔女の宅急便 (Majo no Takkyuubin)

I love this film. I've seen it about three times now and just absolutely adore it.

耳をすませば (Mimi wo sumaseba)

I remember loving this film too but need to rewatch.

ホーホケキョ となりの山田くん (Houhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun)

First watched on the day this /ghibli page was made, 2026-09-20. It's a really lovely film. The animation is interesting, given it's so simple, and is a little disconcerting at first, but soon becomes accepted. It is rather like a collection of small skits than a full story, however each is so incredibly true to life. The waking up late, the forgetting umbrellas, the coming home drunk from work, the not knowing which drawer the camera is in ... all of it is rather more lifelike than fictional. The comedic elements are slightly understated - a good thing. It's simply a lovely little depiction of home life.

The messages told at the wedding about resignation and acceptance are very honest. Whilst the piece doesn't immediately stick in the mind, it has a real beautiful in being so true about reality. I suppose to an extent one wants to watch fiction so as to escape reality, and imbibe in all the excesses of heightened emotion it has to offer; here there is none of that. You are watching a depiction of what you already experience every day. It's a different kind of offering in that way.

Like all Studio Ghibli films I've seen thus far, it is very well suited for adults as well, despite being ostensibly a film for children.

思い出のマーニー (Omoide no Marnie)

I remember seeing this film some time ago and absolutely loved it. I remember the boat and the large house, and the ball, and the lady who painted. However it is quite indistinct now and I simply remember how I enjoyed it; I must re-watch it.

崖の上のポニョ (Gake no Ue no Ponyo)

Watched on 2026-10-02. It's quite a cute story of the boy Sousuke and Ponyo falling in love. I feel perhaps it was a little too sweet, as compared to some of the other movies. Nonetheless quite enjoyable. Sousuke with his little captain's hat, taking after his father, is very cute.

In a way there's perhaps a lesson to be learnt for an adult too: if you accept and love a creature as human, it becomes as human to you.

コクリコ坂から (Kokuriko-zaka kara)

This film is one of the lesser well-known ones, and is very simply animated it feels compared to the other movies of greater popularity. The movie at times also seems rather unclear in its story, which does not become apparent until later. The love developing between Umi and Shun is rather understated until fairly late into the movie, though it is only brief in duration. The complication is unusual. However, the story is very sweet, much like all Ghibli movies: particularly the renovation of the Latin Quarter was a pleasant element.

I very much enjoyed!

海がきこえる (Umi ga kikoeru)

I think I've watched this before too at some point. It felt familiar.

It's only a short one, and quite pleasant at that. I'm not terrible certain how the name fits into the story, as it is not really about the ocean at all. Anyhow, enjoyed as usual for S. G.