Sometimes, life puts you on an interesting detour that you didn’t know you needed.

In February, I was vaguely familiar with Studio Ghibli. A Japanese studio that made animated films, yes, but beyond that, it seemed like a Japanese beta version of Pixar that those in the know celebrate.

With three exceptions, these films were on HBO Max, which I was already subscribed to. The other three weren’t hard to find, and I was able to use credit points to buy and watch them.

Really, I don’t know exactly why I decided to watch them all. I had seen Princess Mononoke before, but that was it. Often, I find something, decide it’s the coolest thing ever, and decide to immerse myself in it. Many times, I stop after a little bit, no longer interested, realizing it wasn’t what I thought or just distracted by the new shiny toy.

But for Studio Ghibli, I made it through. Took me about three months, interspliced between other slices of life, but I’ve watched them all.

The overall theme is the Japanese desire for whimsy. People who don’t quite fit in and are thrust into extraordinary circumstances, often with themes of Shintoism, progress versus nature, or the awkwardness of love. I’m sure the scores of much-bigger Ghibli fans can dissect those themes a lot better than I.

There was only one more I truly disliked. Another one I’ll probably never watch again. Many of the others are definite re-watches, and maybe my opinions will change over time.

Beloware my thoughts written out literally seconds after the credits rolled on each film. I wanted to note my raw reactions to them, one at a time. And I watched them all, in order, with one accidental exception.

Then I went back to two pre-Ghibli films and saw many of the themes expressed in the later films in those earlier works.

And yes, I took a photo of my TV to get each title card. And yes, that TV is on a recliner.

Castle in the Sky – 1986

Delightful. A go-getter protagonist and a fun action-packed story. Not shocking or sad, but a great glimpse into an animation style that sticks with you. There’s nature and spiritualism versus machines and advancement themes that echoes Shintoism, but not heavy handed.

My Neighbor Totoro – 1988

It takes a little bit to get going but the last half hour is quite the punch. Doesn’t overstay its welcome and it’s not a complicated story, so easy to follow.

Grave of the Fireflies – 1988

Well, that was terrifying in a way I was not completely expecting. War horror and the consequences of falling into a rut and dragging someone down with you in circumstances beyond your control and understanding. Don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again.

Kiki’s Delivery Service – 1989

Interesting. Simple story. Very strong start and fun premise. Drags some in the middle parts. Leaves some questions unanswered.

Only Yesterday – 1991

A very different movie on subjects of remembering our youth and dealing with circumstances beyond your childhood controls. Also about how we deal with these memories. Open-ended questions are becoming a theme in these films. Nature vs progress a big theme here.

Porco Rosso – 1992

What a bunch of fun that was. Fascists always ruin everything. Satisfying and a ball of fun. The open-ended question at the end is perfectly fine. I love this movie.

Ocean Waves (TV movie) -1993

Interesting premise that teenage life kinda sucks because you’re irrational and young. The girl the main character pines over and doesn’t realize comes off really poor, but that might be part of the hook. Kinda bland, maybe something missing because it’s for Japanese teens and young adults. 

Pom Poko – 1994

Amazingly fascinating. You wonder how they would land the plane in the end and the ending makes the movie so much better. Takes a while to get there, but man that was something. Heavy on the nature vs progress theme.

Whisper of the Heart – 1995 

Take a bit to get focused, but that’s the fun. It’s whimsical versus seriousness. Shizuku is very relatable as a main character. Oh to be young again! County Roads! And finally one of these films with a warm father.

Princess Mononoke – 1997

The only Ghibli movie I’ve seen before. An absolute triumph. Humans and progress versus nature and beasts and full of Shintoist beliefs. Very complex with flawed people and a protagonist striving for balance. No one truly wins because conflict never leaves a true winner.

My Neighbors the Yamadas – 1999

A series of shorts stringed together, or so it seems. Very weird and quite the choice for a full-length movie. Some things I understood, others I didn’t. Probably the most Japanese-centric move so far. Fell asleep the first time I tried to watch it.

Spirited Away – 2001

What an adventure. You get pieces of it and eventually it strings together into a wonderful ending. The music is excellent. The creativity is amazing and the main character is so likable so you don’t lose faith in them.

The Cat Returns – 2002

Shorter than the others. Whimsical story. Can’t be accused of overstaying its welcome. Kind of a simple story. Decently memorable.

Howl’s Moving Castle – 2004

Interesting. A lot of the advanced steam punk technology that’s been in these films. The anti-war message is strong. They love having lost girls find big adventures. The main characters were fun but a little underdeveloped IMO.

Tales from Earthsea – 2006

Adventurous. After the first half hour you wonder how they’ll make it all work. And they kinda do in a very Ghibli way. Not everything is answered and that’s kinda OK. Still left wanting more.

Ponyo – 2008

This had me engaged from the start. What a lovely story. It just flies by in a good way. Brings back the balance of nature theme of previous films but in a different way. 

The Secret World of Arrietty – 2010

A less ambitious version of Pom Poko. A type of world that needed more time, but for what it was, the story was fun. Just wish there was more of it. The characters all seemed a bit one note.

From Up on Poppy Hill – 2011

Good stuff. Themes of old versus new that was culturally important for Japan at the time. Two fascinating plot lines that interweaved very well. No supernatural, just a solid story built up and ends on a solid note. Teared up a couple times.

The Wind Rises – 2013

Very romantic and builds up over the runtime. Fascinating story, but not many climatic moments so you are wanting. Overall story is solid, although a little undercooked.

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya – 2013

Wow, that was quite stunning. The animation, the story, the characters, all building up to the ending. I’m glad they gave it time. The running scene in particular was a masterpiece.

When Marnie Was There – 2014

Man, that gets you in the end. It’s like one of those speed paintings that’s done upside down and flipped at the end. Cried for the last reveal about Marnie’s life. Every character was developed enough.

The Red Turtle – 2016

That is so different. Quite the journey without realizing you were on a journey. And it got me emotional by the end. Very surprising film and not for everyone.

Earwig and the Witch (TV movie) – 2020

Don’t like it. Too angry, negative and doesn’t have the spirit. Ending is abrupt and weird. She stands up for herself and they’re nice? So many questions. Who are the 12 witches? Did the redhead vanquish them? Just….no.

The Boy and the Heron – 2023 

Kinda don’t know how to feel. It had the spirit, the adventure and good stuff, it just doesn’t come together as well. It’s not bad and it’s still enjoyable, but it’s just kinda…there.

Also, I watched two pre-Ghibli films that are often cited as the inspiration, as both were directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro – 1979

That was a joy. Fun, action-packed but keeps the spirit. Doesn’t develop the minor characters as well, but that’s OK. It builds a world, tells a story and has a dramatic conclusion.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – 1984

What a story. You can see the inspiration behind Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke and many others. An amazing triumph of a film that is given time. The start of progress vs nature that’s in several Ghibli films.