Image via Studio Ghibli
Published Mar 27, 2026, 7:57 AM EDT
Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada.
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Japan is well known the world over for its high quality animation industry, and some of the best come from Studio Ghibli. Founded in 1985, the studio has established itself as a global name thanks to its high-quality movies, which boast some of the most detailed 2D animation ever put onto screen. Concerning story writing, Studio Ghibli movies are noted for being a mix of whimsical adventures and hard-hitting dramas.
Thanks to the timelessness of both 2D animation and the universal themes they explore, Studio Ghibli movies can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age or culture. Their best works have even been recognized as some of the greatest animated films ever made.
10 'Whisper of the Heart' (1995)
Image via Studio GhibliShizuku Tsukishima (Yōko Honna/Brittany Snow) is a creative young girl who notices that all the library books she has checked out were previously read by one Seiji Amasawa (Issey Takahashi/David Gallagher). She eventually discovers that Seiji is the grandson of an antique shop owner named Nishi (Keiju Kobayashi/Harold Gould), and has a desire to become a luthier. As the two grow closer, Shizuku is inspired by his passion to pursue her own dream of creative writing, and comes up with a story based on a cat statue in Nishi's shop nicknamed The Baron (Shigeru Tsuyuguchi/Cary Elwes).
Whisper of the Heart was the only film directed by the late great Yoshifumi Kondō, and could easily be considered one of the most magical Ghibli movies despite its contemporary setting. This is because the movie focuses on that awkward period transitioning from child to adult, where dreams of aspiration take root and must be cultivated through hard work and determination. It also highlights how even the most mundane aspects of life can be the catalyst of something greater, and is brought to life by colorful and detailed animation that makes the world feel that much more alive and vibrant.
9 'Howl's Moving Castle' (2004)
Image via Studio GhibliShortly after a chance meeting with the wizard Howl (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale), Sophie (Chieko Baisho/Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons) is cursed by the Witch of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa/Lauren Bacall), who desires Howl for herself, transforming her into an old woman. Determined to break the curse, Sophie heads into the countryside, befriends a living scarecrow she names Turnip Head, and gets a job as a cleaning lady in Howl's moving castle, powered by a fire demon named Calcifur (Tatsuya Gashūin/Billy Crystal). However, Sophie's nation soon finds itself at war with a neighboring one, and Howl's attempts to end the conflict with his magic threaten to destroy him.
Based on the book by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle was heavily inspired by director Hayaou Miyazaki's distain for the Iraq War. Thus, the cost of war is a major theme of the movie, with the gorgeous animation being used to create haunting images of cities on fire, mass bombings, and even some government corruption. However, the movie also has a strong focus on the power of love, compassion, and self-confidence, demonstrated through Sophie's character growth and how her curse even temporarily reverses itself when she believes in herself.
8 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989)
Image via Studio GhibliUpon turning 13 years old, budding witch Kiki (Minami Takayama/Lisa Michelson/Kirsten Dunst) leaves home on her mother's broomstick with her familiar spirit, Jiji (Rei Sakuma/Kerrigan Mahan/Phil Hartman), to find a new town to live in. She eventually finds one in Koriko, where she befriends a boy named Tombo (Kappei Yamaguchi/Eddie Frierson/Matthew Lawrence), and gets room and board from a baking couple named Osono (Keiko Toda/Alexandra Kenworthy/Tress MacNeille) and Fukuo (Koichi Yamadera/Greg Snegoff/John Hostetter). Kiki decides to use her powers to open a delivery service as she adjusts to her new life and tries to figure out what her purpose is.
Kiki's Delivery Service is one of those movies that has a magical talent for tugging on heartstrings and leaving you with a smile. While the main character is a witch, the film is primarily about universal themes like coming-of-age and self-discovery, all told through a laid-back, slice of life narrative that doesn't try to be bigger or grander than it needs to. This results in an intimate film where you really come to know the characters and care about their relationships, struggles, and development.
7 'My Neighbor Totoro' (1988)
Image via Studio GhibliSatsuki (Noriko Hidaka/Lisa Michelson/Dakota Fanning) and Mei Kusakabe (Chika Sakamoto/Cheryl Chase/Elle Fanning) move with their father, Tatsuo (Shigesato Itoi/Greg Snegoff/Tim Daly), to a new house closer to the hospital where their mother, Yasuko (Sumi Shimamoto/Alexandra Kenworthy/Lea Salonga), is recovering from illness. The house borders a forest inhabited by numerous spirits, from little dust spirits to a giant cat that functions as a bus. The girls grow closest to Totoro (Hitoshi Takagi/Frank Welker), a friendly, rotund spirit, with whom they go on numerous adventures.
My Neighbor Totoro was the movie that really made Studio Ghibli a global name, and to this day, Totoro serves as the company's mascot. Compared to other films in the company's catalog, this one is more laid back, with the conflicts being comparatively low-stakes and the emphasis on the girl's interactions with the spirits. This is by no means a criticism: the film's smaller story is perfect for exploring themes of childhood wonder and exploration, nostalgia for a simpler time, and the importance of fantasy and imagination during difficult periods of our lives.
Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz
Which Lord of the Rings
Character Are You?
One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
🔥Gandalf
🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
🪨Gollum
BEGIN YOUR QUEST →
01
You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
AAccept it. Someone has to, and running changes nothing. BStay by the side of whoever carries it. They shouldn't go alone. CStep forward and lead. This is exactly what I was made for. DIt's mine now. I won't let anyone else have it.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
AFollow them without hesitation. I'd rather die beside them than live without them. BRally others and forge a plan to help — strength in numbers. COffer wisdom and guidance. My counsel may save them where swords cannot. DLet them go. Only the strong survive, and sentiment is a weakness.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
ADestroy it. Nothing good comes from power this absolute. BUse it to protect those I love — just this once. CWield it wisely. I have the will and the knowledge to do good with it. DSeize it. I have waited long enough. It belongs to me.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
AA simple, peaceful place — green hills, good food, no adventure required. BWherever the people I love are. Home is a feeling, not a place. CA kingdom I must earn before I can truly claim it as mine. DI lost it long ago. That loss is what drives everything I do.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
ASurvive by any means. I'm not a fighter — but I'll do what I must. BFight for the person beside me, not for glory or honour. CLead the charge. Nothing inspires an army like a king at the front. DStrike from range, fast and precise — never let them get close.
NEXT QUESTION →
06
Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask.
AListen, then offer honest encouragement. Sometimes people just need belief. BGive them practical help — words are fine, but action is better. CSpeak carefully. I have seen much, and I know what counsel can cost. DTell them what they want to hear. Trust is a tool like any other.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
ASmall and ordinary — but perhaps that's exactly why I was chosen. BDefined entirely by who I serve and love. I am nothing without them. CForged by hardship into something the world has not yet fully seen. DDiminished from what I once was — and consumed by the need to reclaim it.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
AI find peace in it — forests, rivers, open skies. Nature restores me. BI prefer the earth underfoot — stone, mines, solid and real things. CI have watched the world change for longer than most can comprehend. DNature offers hiding places, cold water, raw fish. That's enough for me.
NEXT QUESTION →
09
You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
AShow mercy. Even the most broken souls deserve a chance at redemption. BPity them — but never trust them. They made their choices. CSee them as a tool. Their knowledge or skills may still serve a purpose. DDestroy them before they can cause more harm. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford.
NEXT QUESTION →
10
When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
AThat an ordinary person did an extraordinary thing — and came home. BThat I never abandoned the person who needed me most. CThat I was worthy of the crown — and everything it demanded. DNothing. I don't need songs. I needed it, and now it's gone.
REVEAL MY FATE →
The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
🌿 Samwise
👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
⚒️ Gimli
👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
6 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' (1984)
Image via Toei Company1000 years after a cataclysm that ravaged Earth's ecosystem, surviving humans live in isolated settlements and avoid the Toxic Jungle, which is inhabited by gigantic insects. Nausicaä (Sumi Shimamoto/Susan Davis/Alison Lohman), the young princess from the Valley of the Wind, regularly ventures into the jungle to study it and the insects in the hopes of finding a way for it and humanity to live in peace. However, this dream is threatened when soldiers from the empire of Tolmekia arrive in the valley, carrying with them a dangerous weapon and even worse ambitions.
Technically, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was produced by Ghibli's predecessor company, Topcraft, but nearly everyone who worked on the movie joined Ghibli after it was founded, and the movie is included among Ghibli's work, so it's fair game. The film has all the prototypes of later Ghibli epics, such as post-apocalyptic worlds, environmental messages, and multi-layered characters who are hard to classify as good or evil, all brought to life with stellar animation that makes this world feel alien yet familiar. Nausicaä herself is also one of the company's best protagonists, demonstrating incredible levels of bravery and compassion that sees her willing to give up her life in the pursuit of coexistence and peace.
5 'Castle in the Sky' (1986)
Image via Studio GhibliPazu (Mayumi Tanaka/Barbara Goodson/James Van Der Beek) is a young boy living in a steampunk world dominated by airships, and dreams of one day finding Laputa, a legendary floating civilization seen by his deceased father. One day, Pazu watches a girl named Sheeta (Keiko Yokozawa/Louise Chambell/Debi Derryberry and Anna Paquin) fall from the sky and survive thanks to a crystal she carries, which may be linked to Laputa. The two are then forced to go on the run, pursued by sky pirates who want Sheeta's crystal, and Muska (Minori Terada/Jack Witte/Mark Hamill), a government agent also obsessed with Laputa, and who seems to know more about the legend than most people.
Castle in the Sky was the first movie released by Studio Ghibli, and boy what a first outing it was. The worldbuilding is phenomenal, using beautiful establishing shots, choice dialogue, and stylized technology to make the world feel fully realized and believable, which invites the audience to learn more about it alongside the characters. Speaking of the characters, they're fantastic as well: Pazu and Sheeta are both strong protagonists with their own unique sets of skills, Muska ranks among Ghibli's best villains, and the pirate crew prove to be the perfect mix of dysfunctional family and absolute determination to make you fall in love with them.
4 'The Boy and the Heron' (2023)
Shortly after losing his mother to American firebombing, Mahito Maki (Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan) and his father, Shoichi (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale), move to the country estate of Mahito's aunt and new step-mother, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan). Despite Natsuko's efforts, Mahito becomes cold, distant, and confrontational, picking fights at school and cutting his head with a rock. He is also stalked by a magical grey heron (Masaki Suda/Robert Pattinson), who eventually leads Mahito to an abandoned tower built by Natsuko's granduncle (Shōhei Hino/Mark Hamill).
The Boy and the Heron is the most recent Studio Ghibli movie to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and is a guaranteed classic. The movie has a dream-like atmosphere to it, with various strange images and rules to its world that encourage multiple interpretations. Thematically, the film primarily focuses on grief, loss, and combating malice to build a better tomorrow, demonstrated through Mahito's coming-of-age story as he slowly accepts this new chapter of his life.
3 'Princess Mononoke' (1997)
Image via Studio GhibliAfter killing a demon that was threatening his people, Prince Ashitaka (Yōji Matsuda/Billy Crudup) is inflicted with a curse that grants him superhuman strength but is also killing him, so he leaves his tribe in the hopes of finding answers. His journey takes him to the forest of the enigmatic Forest Spirit, who holds sway over life and death, and the newly constructed Irontown led by Lady Eboshi (Yūko Tanaka/Minnie Driver). Ashitaka soon finds himself caught in the middle of the conflict between humans and the nature gods, and crossing paths with San (Yuriko Ishida/Claire Danes), a young woman raised by wolf gods.
Princess Mononoke is one of Studio Ghibli's most epic films, with a story that emphasizes the death of a generation, the destructive power of hate, and the cyclical nature of life and death. It would have been very easy for the film to make the humans evil and the forest gods good, like many other environmentally conscious films do, but the film instead shows how both sides have their virtues and their faults, presenting them not as good or evil, just complex people trying to fight for their right to live. Then there is the animation, which features background art that looks like it could be a real snapshot of the woods, and a stellar blending of 2D and 3D techniques.
2 'Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)
Image via Studio GhibliDuring the last days of World War II, Japanese siblings Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi/J. Robert Spencer/Adam Gibbs/Lucas Jaye) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi/Corinne Orr/Emily Neves/Luna Hamilton) lose their mother to a firebombing, and are forced to live with their resentful aunt (Akemi Yamaguchi/Amy Jones/Marcy Bannor/Ren Hanami) until their father, a Naval Officer, returns. As the relationship between the siblings and their aunt deteriorates, Seita takes Setsuko to live in an abandoned bomb shelter. However, the kids soon find themselves struggling to survive on their own, and Seita is forced to choose between his pride or their lives.
Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best war movies ever made, but it's also a movie that most people can only see once. This is because the movie pulls no punches in showing the suffering of the Japanese civilians, from the mass destruction caused by the fire bombings to the prolonged anguish of watching loved ones wither and die around you. It highlights how war brings out the worst in people, be it through stubborn nationalistic pride or apathy towards the less fortunate, and how it's always those most innocent who suffer the most.
1 'Spirited Away' (2001)
Image via Studio GhibliWhile moving to their new house, Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi/Daveigh Chase) and her parents accidentally become trapped in the spirit world, where her parents are transformed into pigs after eating spirit food. Chihiro is helped out by a young man named Haku (Miyu Irino/Jason Marsden), who helps her get a job at the local bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba (Mari Natsuki/Suzanne Pleshette), so she can have a chance to free her parents and find a way home. However, Yubaba takes Chihiro's name as part of their contract, and the strange rules and customs of this land force Chihiro to make unlikely friends and grow up quickly if she wants to survive.
Spirited Away is a legendary movie, being the second film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, as well as the first 2D and foreign film. It is more than deserving of this honor: the film can be best described as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland meets Princess Mononoke, featuring a world that is bizarre and beautiful at the same time and brought to life with animation so detailed and varied that you'll have to watch the film multiple times to pick up on all the little movements and minutiae. As for the characters, none of them are as they initially seem, leading to some fun mysteries as more is revealed, and fantastic character development, especially from Chihiro.
English (US) ·