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[enigmatic_alex44]

Now that most of Ghibli's films are on blu-ray in North America, I was able to revisit one of my all time favorite movies: Spirited Away. I was afraid it wouldn't hold up compared to my memories of seeing numerous times on DVD years ago, but thankfully I worried for nothing as the film is still a masterpiece of animation, music and storytelling.

I love as per usual with most of their films that the lead is a strong female character. This is the first film that my young niece was able to fully sit through and enjoy, and part of that is the lead character. Not even Frozen was able to hold her attention as well. The animation is probably the best and most consistent of all their films and translated to HD flawlessly. The "villain" Yubaba is fantastic. The soundtrack is amazing. I'll watch the part where

Spoiler

Sen and No face travel on the water by train to get to Yubaba's sister's house

just to listen to the incredible music during that scene. I love the humor as well as the absurdity such as

Spoiler

Yubaba's giant baby and later the little bird/fly carrying the mouse version of the baby around

lol. You just feel good after having seen this film.

The only films from the studio I haven't seen are Only Yesterday (no NA release), My Neighbors The Yamadas (only on DVD and the art style is off-putting) and When Marnie Was There (will get this on blu-ray once it's released). I can rank the films but the top 6 is really hard to nail down. Let me try:

1. Spirited Away
2. Princess Mononoke
3. Nausicaa
4. Howl's Moving Castle
5. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
6. Castle in the Sky
7. Ponyo
8. Porco Rosso
9. The Cat Returns
10. Kiki's Delivery Service
11. Arrietty
12. Grave of the Fireflies
13. My Neighbour Totoro
14. The Wind Rises
15. From Up on Poppy Hill
16. Whisper of the Heart
17. Pom Poko
18. Tales from Earthsea

I tend to prefer their more sweeping epics, and fantastical films over the more realistic ones. Of their films, the only truly bad film is Tales from Earthsea. I had heard bad things but thought I can still enjoy it, it's Ghibli. Nope, the film is trash. Earthsea is the "Cars 2" of Studio Ghibli. Would not have bought the blu-ray if I had seen it on DVD :/ Also teetering close to the edge of "bad" is Pom Poko. This one did not hold up well vs. my first viewing on DVD at all, and the bizarre testicle stuff is still kind of off-putting honestly.

What are your thoughts, Spirited Away is #1, right? If not, which movie is, and why?

 

[Transhuman]

I really liked The Iron Giant but that isn't a Ghibli film.

Spoiler

Mononoke best

 

[speedpop]

Everyone knows that it's Only Yesterday.

 

[Aureon]

Call me crazy, but i think Wind Rises stands a chance.

 

[Ultima_5]

mine is porco rosso, but i accept spirited away, wind rises, and laputa as well

 

[cyba89]

I liked Mononoke more, but Spirited Away is a close second. There are still a couple of Ghibli-films I haven't seen yet.

 

[stryke]

Princess Mononoke will always be my favourite but it's probably more due to nostalgic reasons as it was the first Ghibli film I watched. My Japanese teacher would like bring Japanese anime movies for the class to watch at the end of every term and it was the first one she brought in.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

Nausicaa for me

 

[Usobuko]

The only films from the studio I haven't seen are Only Yesterday (no NA release), My Neighbors The Yamadas (only on DVD and the art style is off-putting) and When Marnie Was There (will get this on blu-ray once it's released). I can rank the films but the top 6 is really hard to nail down. Let me try:

This is the best for me. Kaguya might be second.

 

[Cryxo93]

I'm partial to this film.

But the GOAT thing Miyazaki has done is the Nausicaa manga. One of the best comics/graphics novels ever. His magnum opus for sure.

 

[Woody Invincible]

Mine is Mononoke, gf's is Howl's Moving Castle.

 

[Dachande]

Nah, Mononoke. Greatest epic fantasy film ever.

Christ, Pom Poko as second-worst? You mad, OP.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Spirited Away is really overhyped. Nausicaa is pre-Ghibli really and I loved the movie but the manga just shames it. Laputa is probably the best for me then. Although I haven't seen Kaguya, Marnie or Hideaki Anno: the movie yet.

 

[ohlawd]

that shit sucks

Grave of the Fireflies is my fave/the best

 

[Mitch]

Mononoke and Nausicaa are tied for me. Although, I really do love Spirited Away and The Wind Rises about as much.

 

[BronsonLee]

Wind Rises is SO freaking good, and Kiki's is my first Ghibli movie, so it'll always have a special place in my heart.

That being said, it's Spirited Away.

 

[littletran22]

My favourite is Laputa, cuz it was my first ghibli film.

Followed by kiki, spirited away, the rest are all good in their own right.

First time I saw that floating island I never would have dreamed it was a thing. My imagination ran wild!

 

[AntiFacebook]

Certainly agree with spirited away being number 1, but mononoke is one of their worst

 

[Transhuman]

Call me crazy, but i think Wind Rises stands a chance.

It doesn't have 20 years of nostalgia behind it so the majority will never call it their favourite.

 

[injurai]

I don't really like ranking them. I love most of them far more than most other movies.

That said, I think The Wind Rises is Miyazaki's best. Absolutely stunning film. His opus magnum.

 

[jaxom]

Since there is mononoke, nausicaa, wind rise and kaguya , it's nice in 5th position.

I would even put porco rosso or castle in the sky before

 

[jon bones]

it's fantastic but i have to put Mononoke and Rosco ahead as well

and this doesn't count, but i might enjoy it more than SA as well

 

[muteki]

Nausicaa or Laputa for me.

 

[CreeperBlocks]

I think Howls Moving Castle, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are my top three.

 

[Vampire On Titus]

Nausicaa, Laputa Castle In The Sky and Mononoke are all better IMO.

Castle In The Sky might be the most fun & heart warming adventure film ever made.

 

[FunkyDealer]

I don't know if I can decide. Spirited Away is certainly up there. But I do know that I own My Neighbours The Yamadas on Blu-Ray. I'm in Europe though.

 

[Persona7]

No. In my opinion anyway.

 

[Übermatik]

Spirited Away is kinda the definitive Miyazaki film, but maybe not the best... it's down to preference I think. I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle a lot... and Kiki's Delivery service is dope, if just for Jiji.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Certainly agree with spirited away being number 1, but mononoke is one of their worst

Nah.

 

[Edwardo]

Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle are my top two. Spirited Away and Totoro are my next two.

 

[Dali]

Yeah, probably.

That scene where haku remembers his name... Magical.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

It really is, but its not necessarily my favourite.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Yep

 

[Protome]

Laputa: Castle In The Sky is probably my number 1.
I'm not even sure why, that one just clicked with me most.

 

[Pagusas]

I'm in the vast minority, but I feel its Howl's Castle. But I have a special connection to that film that makes me bias. Regardless they are all god-tier. Except Ponyo. Fuck Ponyo.

 

[Ratrat]

I like all of Hayao and Isao's films but I think Totoro, Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies are their best.

Edit: Kaguya and Wind Rises are excellent as well.

 

[Gnome]

For me its The Wind Rises. It's an epic and a biopic in the same vein as The Aviator or Lawrence of Arabia, put that together with beautiful art and its a no contest for me.

 

[Dali]

I'm in the vast minority, but I feel its Howl's Castle. But I have a special connection to that film that makes me bias. Regardless they are all god-tier. Except Ponyo. Fuck Ponyo.

All of Miyazaki's fantasy based movies rank higher than his slice of life one's to me so Howl's is high up there. Gotta say the minstrel servants were off putting though.

 

[Floex]

Wind Rises as one of the best?

Mononoke one of the worst?

Get the fuck out.

Spirited Away would probably be my number one but Howl's, Castle in the Sky & Mononoke are so god tier.

Why did they stop doing the fantasy stuff

 

[Fuchsdh]

Having only seen Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, and Totoro, I'd say Spirited Away wins my vote. I first saw it on the bus during a band trip and was utterly engrossed in it. The other films are good or even great, but I don't have the same connection to them.

 

[jett]

Yes.

 

[Daria Morgendorffer]

Porco Rosso has always been my favourite, closely followed by Princess Mononoke and The Wind Rises.
The Nausicaä manga blows all the films out of the water though.

 

[Firemind]

Whisper of the Heart third to last. For shame, OP.

 

[Prophet Steve]

I love Spirited Away the most from the movies I've seen. Plenty of titles to regard as their best movie though.

 

[speedpop]

What are your thoughts, Spirited Away is #1, right? If not, which movie is, and why?

I'm going to expand on this because you asked in a nice manner.

My personal favourite is Porco Rosso and has been so since the mid-1990s. It's a shorter Hayao Miyazaki film but it runs its course perfectly until the latter 10-20mins where it tapers off a little due to the overall character story losing focus on the pilot duel. However nothing can deny me the goosebumps when I hear Marco regale a story to Fio how he "faced" death and lived in his youth as a WW1 pilot, nor that entire ending credit sequence.

But at the same time I can't overlook something as beautifully simple as Only Yesterday. The stories of Taeko captured during her youth in the 1960s and her current circumstances as an adult during the 1980s are poetic. To have the story shift so much between the two eras and do it so effortlessly is a hallmark trait of Isao Takahata and is proof as to why Miyazaki constantly looks up to him despite both individuals being on the same level of artistic genius. Only Yesterday is what I like to call a "no story" film in that it's just another Ozu or slice of life piece... and it does it so wonderfully.


However I have gained an utmost appreciation for both Miyazaki's & Takahata's latest with The Wind Rises & The Tale of the Princess Kaguya both for uncannily the same shared reasons. I feel that both of these films showcase a sense of obnoxious humility from the respective creators. When people heard about Miyazaki creating a new anime, the general consensus was that they wanted a new Mononoke or Spirited Away with action and incredible fantasy aplenty but what they got was a realistic portrayal about a man who dedicated his life to the opus of flight. In the same sense, Takahata created his own spiel inspired by an enjoyable folklore with the art ideals crafted in the highly wonderful My Neighbours the Yamadas.

If there is one thing that the stories shared is that both seemed to start with the promise of a rising sun, but ended with emotions that are hard to hide from.

 

[Mr. Sam]

For me, it's essentially a three-way tie between Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle and, yes, Spirited Away.

Wind Rises as one of the best?

Mononoke one of the worst?

Get the fuck out.

High five. I felt like I needed to slap myself to even stay awake during The Wind Rises.

 

[MaxDOL]

One of Isao Takahata.
So Only Yesterday.

Isao >>>>>> Hayao

 

[Servbot24]

I'm on board with Spirited Away at #1.

 

[Dice]

14. The Wind Rises

14?!

 

[JoeyJungle]

Totoro and Kiki are the best, but they're all good.