Studio Ghibli's co-founder Hayao Miyazaki undoubtedly deserves the lion's share of credit for the studio's success. If an endless supply of quotes, stories, and the Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki documentary are to be believed, the legendary director is Ghibli's North Star for each creative endeavor. While there have been many attempts by the now elderly Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli at large to pass the baton off to other creators, it's Miyazaki who still looms large as its figurehead.
Despite the undeniable prowess of its co-founder, the studio still boasts a roster of equally captivating films helmed by other talented directors. Though Miyazaki may have won multiple Oscars on Studio Ghibli's behalf, his iconic status shouldn't eclipse other creator's entries. With no shortage of classic films to Studio Ghibli's credit directed by different folks, fans, and newcomers alike should delight in exploring the full menu of films by the beloved Japanese animation studio. From the haunting mysteries like When Marnie Was There to the poignant realistic stories like Ocean Waves, the best Ghibli films not directed by Miyazaki offer diverse storytelling and unique perspectives that still capture the essence of Ghibli's magic.
Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli, Inc. is a Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. It has a strong presence in the animation industry and has expanded its portfolio to include various media formats, such as short subjects, television commercials, and two television films. Their work has been well-received by audiences and recognized with numerous awards. Their mascot and most recognizable symbol, the character Totoro from the 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro, is a giant spirit inspired by tanukis and cats .
10 Tales From Earthsea Is Flawed But Fantastical
Directed by Goro Miyazaki
Tales Earthsea, while imperfect, suffers from an overly maligned reputation. Ursula K. Le Guin's beloved source material combined with Studio Ghibli's recent successes with 2002's Spirited Away and 2005's Howl's Moving Castle made for lofty expectations for the film, compounded even more by the film serving as Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro's directorial debut.
Though the expectations weren't met, it doesn't mean that Tales of Earthsea is without its merits. The Earthsea saga's rich and fully realized world comes to life dazzlingly with Studio Ghibli's trademark meticulous animation style, making for as strong a visual treat as any. Le Guin's works suffer in adaptation here due to Goro Miyazaki's decision to lump elements from across the entire saga into one film, but Ghibli fans unfamiliar with the book series may be none the wiser.
15 Years Later, Ghibli's Tales From Earthsea Rings With Wondrous Potential
Tales From Earthsea's 15-year anniversary calls attention to the film’s merits and the potential of Ursula K. Le Guin's extraordinary source content.
9 The Cat Returns Is An Underrated Coming-of-Age Tale
Directed by Hiroyuki Morita
Every Studio Ghibli Movie That Was a Book First
Some of Studio Ghibli's most famous movies, including The Boy and the Heron, and Porco Rosso were books first.
The Cat Returns, Whisper of the Heart's spinoff film, soars by not overly tethering itself to its predecessor. Of course, that wasn't a Studio Ghibli decision, with both titles being adapted from manga of the same name by Aoi Hiiragi.
Hiigari and director Hiroyuki Morita both abandon the story of Shizuku Tsukishima in favor of a rollicking adventure starring Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, the humanoid cat character from Whisper in the Heart. Largely considered to be among Ghibli's most underrated entries, The Cat Returns acts as a standalone delight. It effectively explores coming-of-age themes and the struggle to stay young at heart, similar to Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away.
The Cat Returns
After helping a cat, a seventeen-year-old girl finds herself involuntarily engaged to a cat Prince in a magical world where her only hope of freedom lies with a dapper cat statuette come to life.
- Director
- Hiroyuki Morita
- Release Date
- July 20, 2002
- Cast
- Chizuru Ikewaki , Aki Maeda , Takayuki Yamada , Hitomi Sato , Yoshihiko Hakamada
- Writers
- Aoi Hiiragi , Reiko Yoshida , Cindy Davis
- Runtime
- 75 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Producer
- Ned Lott, Toshio Suzuki, Nozomu Takahashi
- Production Company
- Hakuhodo, Mitsubishi, Nippon Television Network (NTV), Studio Ghibli, Toho Company, Tokuma Shoten, Walt Disney Productions
8 The Red Turtle Is Silent But Lively
Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit
The Red Turtle is a bit of a Studio Ghibli anomaly, a joint effort between the Japanese production company and various French studios. After Hayao Miyazaki saw animator Michael Dudok de Wit's Father and Daughter short, the Ghibli co-founder declared de Wit the only foreign creator he'd be interested in collaborating with.
Following a shipwrecked man's unlikely kinship with the eponymous turtle, The Red Turtle is another emotionally compelling entry for Studio Ghibli. Told completely without dialogue, its commitment to silence helps make The Red Turtle an immersive experience befitting the transcendental worlds found in many Ghibli films.
10 Best Non-Human Studio Ghibli Characters, Ranked
From Ponyo to the Parakeet King, Studio Ghibli reliably introduces exciting new otherworldly characters with each release.
7 Pom Poko Is An Unsung Woodland Ghibli Adventure
Directed by Isao Takahata
Pom Poko is arguably the most Miyazaki-coded Studio Ghibli movie not directed by the man himself. Laden with woodland critters, buoyant protagonists, and environmental messaging, the 1994 Isao Takahata-directed film fits in perfectly among other Studio Ghibli favorites.
Pom Poko's commonalities with Miyazaki classics should come as no surprise. Takahata, like Miyazaki, is a Studio Ghibli co-founder and served as Miyazaki's mentor. Pom Poko might seem filled with tropes associated with Miyazaki, but in truth, it's an encapsulation of his inspirations, not the other way around.
Pom Poko
This animated film from Studio Ghibli centers on a group of tanuki (Japanese raccoon dogs) in suburban Tokyo, who use their shape-shifting abilities to fight against urban development that threatens their forest home. Through humor and fantasy, the story reflects on environmental issues and the impact of modernization on traditional habitats.
- Director
- Isao Takahata
- Release Date
- July 16, 1994
- Cast
- Shinchou Kokontei , Makoto Nonomura , Yuriko Ishida , Norihei Miki , Nijiko Kiyokawa , Shigeru Izumiya , Gannosuke Ashiya , Takehiro Murata
- Writers
- Isao Takahata
- Runtime
- 119 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Fantasy
- Studio(s)
- Studio Ghibli
- Distributor(s)
- Toho
6 Ocean Waves Is The Original Coastal Ghibli Drama
Directed by Tomomi Mochizuki
Ocean Waves Is One of Studio Ghibli's Most Underrated Film Classics
Studio Ghibli's film Ocean Waves unknown by many. Despite being produced by the legendary studio, the film seems to have fallen into obscurity.
Ocean Waves, directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, stands out as one of the top Studio Ghibli films not helmed by Hayao Miyazaki. Ocean Waves follows high school student Taku’s reflections on his past relationship with a transfer student named Rikako. Like many of Ghibli’s best, most grounded films, Ocean Waves’ emotionally grounded plot is supported by a lush waterfront setting — the coastal tides an echo of the rapturous teenage emotions in its protagonist.
Beautifully animated and heartfelt at its core, Ocean Waves is a testament to Mochizuki's directorial prowess. Now 65, Mochizuki’s still hard at work, most recently releasing the Mysterious Disappearances anime series in 2024.