It’s not a surprise to anyone nowadays when I say that I like anime. I mean, I’m pretty much the big resident anime nerd here, and if you want to check out any anime, hands down I most likely have a recommendation. From darker anime like Attack on Titan to more light-hearted ones such as My Hero Academia, I love ‘em all.
However, ones that I don’t talk about nearly as much are Hayao Miyazaki movies. He's the director of Studio Ghibli, and has gone on to create some of the most iconic anime movies of all time. For a few days, I did a full marathon of every single one of Myazaki’s movies and yeah, I literally can’t stop crying. Let’s get into my reasons why.
And, just to clarify – this is every Hayao Miyazaki movie, not every Studio Ghibli film ever. I’m not that insane – yet, at least.
The Early Days Have Some Really Underappreciated Films That Dig Deep Into My Feelings
So, here’s the thing with Miyazaki’s early pictures. In my generation, no one ever talks about these. Yes, I am a part of Gen Z, so it’s not like I was around when some of these originally came out in the early 1980s, but I’ve seen people talk about the ones from the '90s so often that it surprised me how little these movies are spoken about.
They really do have a lot of heart, and got to me on a personal level multiple times. For example, Castle in the Sky had some beautiful music that truly moved me to tears, while Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind told such a powerful story that also can be told today, with how our planet has been changing. There’s a lot to love about these older films. The Castle of Cagliostro was probably my least favorite (it came out right before the eighties), but everyone starts out somewhere.
My Neighbor Totoro Is Just As Cute As You’d Imagine It To Be
I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t really expecting much going into My Neighbor Totoro, but considering he became the face of Studio Ghibli, I knew the movie at least had to be good, and I didn't expect what I got.
It is just so dang cute. In my lifetime of watching anime and many of them having darker themes, having an anime film that is literally just about a young girl interacting with wood spirits on a crazy adventure in Japan is something I so desperately needed, and even then, that moved me to tears – the ending specifically. I won’t get into it here, but damn; I was sobbing.
Kiki’s Delivery Service Is Surprisingly Heartfelt And Hit Me In The Feels
This one was more of a happy cry, because Kiki’s Delivery Service has always been a secret pleasure of mine. It was never my top Miyazaki movie, but it meant a lot, because I love fantasy movies and the Harry Potter franchise, so an anime film about a witch is right up my alley.
What really made this movie hit so hard for me is that I felt like I could connect to Kiki on a personal level. We’ve all had moments where we’ve lost our confidence and we struggle to gain it back, and throughout a good portion of the film, Kiki is learning to try and overcome that. The ending is such a feel-good one, and surely made me cry.
Porco Rosso Is, Uh, Strange - But There's A Lot To Love About It
Porco Rosso was one of the only movies on here I hadn’t seen before, and it’s, uh...something. I think that’s the best word to describe it – a story about a bounty hunter getting turned into an anthropomorphic pig. Right up Studio Ghibli’s alley.
But, even then, there’s plenty to love about the movie that made me smile, from the impressive animation to the fun visual flight scenes. Plus, if you watch the dubbed version, you’ll get to hear Michael Keaton voice a talking pig, so that’s always fun.
Princess Mononoke Speaks Deep Messages And Had Me Tearing Up
I’ve always had a deep love for Princess Mononoke, so watching this movie felt like a walk in the park. But when you think about it, this movie perfectly describes how our life is now. The premise literally surrounds the struggle between a prince and the gods of the forest who are angry at humans consuming all their resources.
It’s an excellent film with not only a talented voice cast, but beautiful visuals and themes that really do make you think about the state of our world. I know afterwards I even had to stop for just a moment and think about how much the world has changed since this originally came out in 1997. Crazy to think it was a year before I was born.
Spirited Away Is Arguably The Best Film Out Of All Of Them
I’ve already done a whole piece on Spirited Away. I could go on about it for hours. It’s truly one of the best anime movies out there and one you should show your kids if you’re trying to get them into anime. But then again, there will never be anything quite like this movie, because it’s one of a kind.
Really, there are so many parts to it that I just adore. The music especially is one of my favorite aspects, but the characters, the visuals, and everything else meld for one of the best anime-viewing experiences I’ve ever had.
It’s currently the only anime to win the Best Animated Feature award at the Academy Awards – which is honestly a sin – but goes to show just how good it is. Seriously, if you haven’t seen Spirited Away, I’d highly suggest checking it out.
But Howl’s Moving Castle Holds A Place In My Heart For Pure Love — Which Also Made Me Sob
Even if I do think Spirited Away is a great movie, Howl’s Moving Castle holds a dear place in my heart. Every time I watch this movie it makes me cry and this time was no different.
The music is always amazing in these movies, but here, it’s on another level, where I would full-stop pay to watch an orchestra and see it performed live. However, it’s the love story that gets me. It’s about pure love, and falling in love with who a person truly is and not who they are at face value, and it’s just so beautiful in every way imaginable.
I know it’s pretty different from the book that it’s based on, but I still love it.
Childhood Love In Ponyo Always Gets Me Emotionally Invested
Fun fact – I’m pretty sure that this was the first anime film I saw in theaters, when it came out in 2008, but re-watching it now, I actually love it even more. Childhood love is something that is so sacred and sweet and should never be messed with, and they did a beautiful job with it in Ponyo.
The story of Sosuke and Ponyo is one that captured my heart from the very beginning, with Ponyo just having this simple dream to be a human but developing such a small bond with Sosuke that they end up being linked forever. It’s just so dang sweet and I can’t get over it.
The Wind Rises Was A Great Send Off - But I Can't Wait For His Newest One
Released in 2013, the same year I started my sophomore year of high school, The Wind Rises was the second film on this list I hadn’t seen in full before, but decided to give it a shot. And I have to say it was a good send off for Miyazaki at that time, considering he wouldn’t release another film for ten years.
Its story is heartfelt and filled with love between Jiro and Nahoko that, of course, got to me and made me start tearing up towards the end of the movie. What can I say, I’m a bit of a sap. I have to admit – it makes me even more excited for Miyazaki’s latest film that is set to come out later in 2023 as part of the 2023 release schedule.
It’s been so long since we’ve gotten something new from him, since he retired after The Wind Rises but decided to come back and work on his next film, How Do You Live?, and I’m eager to see what he could possibly have next.
Hayao Miyazaki is a visionary in the world of anime, and while I don’t know how many more films of his we are going to get, considering he is 82, I’ll be looking forward to whatever I can get my hands on for as long as I can.
