I Stalk Alone
Member
Too hard to choose. But not earthsea. I fell asleep through that film. I must have had the itis.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Studio Ghibli's best film is Spirited Away, right?
- Thread starter enigmatic_alex44
- Start date
- Status
Otakumegane
Member
I have a thing for Nausicaa more.
PoeticProse22
Member
Personally, I consider Mononoke to be their strongest film. Spirited Away is pretty good, but I'd place a number of other Ghibli/Miyazaki films above it as well, such as The Castle of Cagliostro, Nausicaa, Porco Rosso, Laputa, and several others. I've yet to see their last three films though, so my rankings will likely change even further.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Spirited Away is indeed what I consider Ghibli's best. Also one of only like 3 anime that I've ever given a 10. So good.
Earthsea was terrible. The animation, the keystone of an animated movie, was an embarrassment to ghibli. It's hands down their worst.
Kaguya is top 5 for sure.
Cloud Strife
Member
Best:
1) Spirited Away
2) Princess Mononoke
3) Castle in the Sky
Kaguya was way too fucking sad.
Worst:
Arietty
Ponyo
Earthsea
1) Spirited Away
2) Princess Mononoke
3) Castle in the Sky
Kaguya was way too fucking sad.
Worst:
Arietty
Ponyo
Earthsea
Mr. Saturn
Member
I loved Spirited Away, it was my introduction to Studio Ghibli's movies. It was also my dad's introduction as well, hell I remember before he saw Spirited Away, we had a newspaper in our house with a review of Princess Mononoke in it and my dad thought it was some crappy anime movie. Its funny because now he's a big fan of Miyazaki's movies and Spirited Away got him on the bandwagon.
superdeluxe
Member
Mononoke
This just reminds me of when I made my dad drive me to the movies to see Spirited Away, since I was 12 or 13 at the time that it came out in the US. I give him credit for putting up with it because he doesn't like animation and can't really see past the "cartoons are for kids" thing that's been drilled into him for decades. When I asked him what he thought of it he just said "It was like a Japanese Alice in Wonderland, right? I didn't really get it."
Thanks anyway dad, I loved it.
LizardKing
Member
I just watched all of Miyazaki's films for the first time over the course of a few weeks. Finished a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed all of them and they are all good to great films. I have no nostalgia for any of these. I'd rank them like this...
1a. Nausicaa
1b. Mononoke
3. Castle in the Sky
4. Spirited Away
5. Howl's Moving Castle
6. Kiki's Delivery Service
7. Porco Rosso
8. Castle of Cagliostro
9. Ponyo
10. My Neighbor Totoro
11. Wind Rises
I feel confident in my top 5 being my top 5, but even having just watched all of these right next to each other for the first time, 6-11 gets real muddy. They are just all so close together.
It is time for me to move on to other Ghibli films (though I did already watch Grave of the Fireflies.)
1a. Nausicaa
1b. Mononoke
3. Castle in the Sky
4. Spirited Away
5. Howl's Moving Castle
6. Kiki's Delivery Service
7. Porco Rosso
8. Castle of Cagliostro
9. Ponyo
10. My Neighbor Totoro
11. Wind Rises
I feel confident in my top 5 being my top 5, but even having just watched all of these right next to each other for the first time, 6-11 gets real muddy. They are just all so close together.
It is time for me to move on to other Ghibli films (though I did already watch Grave of the Fireflies.)
DJ_Lae
Member
I can get behind it being their best. It's up there with Totoro and Porco Rosso for me as far as sheer fun goes. Castle in the Sky too. And Kiki and Whisper of the Heart are charming.
Mononoke is a good movie too but it's a bit dire to watch all that often. I think I almost prefer Nausicaa, which has a similar theme.
Cat Returns, Pom Poko, The Yamadas and Earthsea are the only ones I don't particularly like. Though I guess The Yamadas isn't really a movie - I saw someone say the comic it's based on is basically Japan's Family Circus...and that essentially summarizes the movie for me. The humour is trite and dull, and getting through that thing even once was a chore.
Pom Poko is paced weirdly and has way too much narration, The Cat Returns feels like direct to video sequel (was it?), and Earthsea is fantastically void of anything.
Mononoke is a good movie too but it's a bit dire to watch all that often. I think I almost prefer Nausicaa, which has a similar theme.
Cat Returns, Pom Poko, The Yamadas and Earthsea are the only ones I don't particularly like. Though I guess The Yamadas isn't really a movie - I saw someone say the comic it's based on is basically Japan's Family Circus...and that essentially summarizes the movie for me. The humour is trite and dull, and getting through that thing even once was a chore.
Pom Poko is paced weirdly and has way too much narration, The Cat Returns feels like direct to video sequel (was it?), and Earthsea is fantastically void of anything.
SporeCrawler
Member
I think with kaguya, howl, mononoke, nausicaa, marnie, laputa and sen you have such high quality that it is not possible to say one is better then the other aside of personal preferences. However Marnie should be in any top 5 of ghibli films
HalfBakedProphet
Member
1) Porco Rosso
2) Nausicaa
3) Princess Mononoke
2) Nausicaa
3) Princess Mononoke
Annoying Old Party Man
Member
Takahata's movies are really underrated.
In them run deep currents of cultural significance, sensitivity and philosophy. Miyazaki's films are mainly pure escapism, thus more entertaining. Takahata is looking for something else, and his films may be more important for the casual moviegoer, but they feel more important.
In them run deep currents of cultural significance, sensitivity and philosophy. Miyazaki's films are mainly pure escapism, thus more entertaining. Takahata is looking for something else, and his films may be more important for the casual moviegoer, but they feel more important.
Nostremitus
Member
The Cat Returns
huh, strange how Howl's Moving Castle is so high on the list now when... like a decade ago, GAF had it near the bottom.
So many new people and it feels good that other people here think it's also good!
Anyway, I don't like Spirited Away much. It's ok. Middle ranking for me.
PS, Only Yesterday bestest.
So many new people and it feels good that other people here think it's also good!
Anyway, I don't like Spirited Away much. It's ok. Middle ranking for me.
PS, Only Yesterday bestest.
cj_iwakura
Member
Princess Mononoke for me, followed by Whisper of the Heart, Nausicaa, Porco Rosso, and Castle in the Sky. I wasn't a big fan of Spirited Away.
Stiflers Mom
Banned
I haven't seen that many Ghibli movies, to be honest ( i have been to the Ghibli museum in Tokyo Mitaka, though... 
)
Peronally, I would put SA at the very end of my list, together with Totoro.
SA is a beautiful movie, but for me it feels a bit too confusing at times.
1. Nausicaa
2. Mononoke
3. Totoro / Spirited Away
)Peronally, I would put SA at the very end of my list, together with Totoro.
SA is a beautiful movie, but for me it feels a bit too confusing at times.
1. Nausicaa
2. Mononoke
3. Totoro / Spirited Away
enanogrande
Member
Huh, I don't actually remember Earthsea being that bad. Then again, I did see it when I was a teen, and now that I think about it along with Ponyo it's the only Ghibli movie I've only seen once...
Hmm...
Hmm...
enigmatic_alex44
Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
I love seeing how different everyone's list is, and it's no surprise my top two (Spirited and Mononoke) are many other people's #1. I'm also happy to see how many people love the underappreciated Howl's!
However... Ponyo being among many people's "least favorite" when Earthsea and Pom Poko exist?
smh that movie is so charming and the animation is stunning. It's like a children's storybook brought to life but in a way that all ages can enjoy.
However... Ponyo being among many people's "least favorite" when Earthsea and Pom Poko exist?
smh that movie is so charming and the animation is stunning. It's like a children's storybook brought to life but in a way that all ages can enjoy.
Pagusas
Elden Member
Never trust Gaf's initial hive mind opinion, usually its wrong by a large margin. Howl's Castle is by far the most divisive film in the catelogue, I personally feel its one of the top films in my life, others hate it. I'm glad to see a lot of people in here giving it love. Even if people dislike the plot I think its easy to admit it being one of, if not the most beautiful film produced by Studio Ghibli. Also its me and my wife's favorite soundtrack. She walked down the aisle to it
Tertullian
Member
Really hard for me to rank Miyazaki and Takahata against each other.
My Neighbor Totoro doesn't have enough love in this thread. It takes a hell of a filmmaker to make a movie that literally does not have a conflict of any kind for most of its running time, and yet is enthralling. Everything in Totoro is an encounter, not a fight; an experience, not a trial. The movie does not need conflict; it has peace instead. Just magical.
My Neighbor Totoro doesn't have enough love in this thread. It takes a hell of a filmmaker to make a movie that literally does not have a conflict of any kind for most of its running time, and yet is enthralling. Everything in Totoro is an encounter, not a fight; an experience, not a trial. The movie does not need conflict; it has peace instead. Just magical.
Nocturnowl
Member
I wanted to say what it was that I really enjoyed about Totoro earlier but couldn't find the words, this here pretty much nails it though.
Pagusas
Elden Member
I'd agree with it... except the movie doesnt do this, instead ending with a conflict/trial and breaks down the whole thing.
Basically I find Totoro to be 2/3 of a good movie, but the last 3rd is grating for the exact reasons you listed as a positive, it does so much to be "not your typical movie" and yet ends by being a typical movie, very disappointing.
Tertullian
Member
I suppose that's a disappointment. At least it doesn't break it's cardinal rule, though, and introduce fear of the supernatural or otherworldly. The conflict in the end is a specific, realistic fear: a child afraid of losing her mother to sickness. The forest and the Totoros remain perfectly benign, and help replace the fear with happiness and wisdom. So while I suppose it becomes conventional in that it eventually gives in and acquires a conflict, it at least remains atypical for a movie about an encounter between precocious children and magical beings.
Pagusas
Elden Member
Yep, still absolutely love the film. My wife will often hum its theme song every now and then.
Fancy Clown
Member
The Wind Rises is pretty underrated. It's not their best, but I thought it was pretty fantastic.
Cloud Strife
Member
Yeah, it's fantastic.
Jex
Member
I think Spirited Away may be the most technically sound and has a message that resonates most strongly with most viewers (particularly people who may have only recently lost their innocence and aged out of childhood).
But personally I prefer Princess Mononoke given its story, themes, and characters (I'm a conservationist). I even like Ponyo slightly more for it's vivid imagery of the ocean and the people and places associated with it, its creativity, and the pure innocence of it all.
But personally I prefer Princess Mononoke given its story, themes, and characters (I'm a conservationist). I even like Ponyo slightly more for it's vivid imagery of the ocean and the people and places associated with it, its creativity, and the pure innocence of it all.
Good movie, but I think it has some pacing issues. I'd rate Kaguya, Mononoke, and Lupin (it counts!) above it. I really need to rewatch some of the other Ghibli movies I haven''t seen in a while.
For the record, I saw Wind Rises a few days ago and didn't like it at all.
e: Oh, and I do like Howl's. It's definitely messy, but it has a great sense of whimsy, and some pretty neat ideas.
For the record, I saw Wind Rises a few days ago and didn't like it at all.
e: Oh, and I do like Howl's. It's definitely messy, but it has a great sense of whimsy, and some pretty neat ideas.
One of the biggest struggles in my life is to actually rank the Ghibli movies. lol
I honestly like them all for different reasons. Even the Yamadas one which is very different from the rest I kind of enjoyed.
I mean, I found enjoyment in Tales from Earthsea. :X
But I came to the conclusion that nothing ever surpassed Spirited Away for me. Its just magical. Other ones I really like is Castle in the Sky, Kiki, Kaguya, Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies.
I honestly like them all for different reasons. Even the Yamadas one which is very different from the rest I kind of enjoyed.
I mean, I found enjoyment in Tales from Earthsea. :X
But I came to the conclusion that nothing ever surpassed Spirited Away for me. Its just magical. Other ones I really like is Castle in the Sky, Kiki, Kaguya, Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies.
bengraven
Member
Really happy to see a lot of love for Howl's. Never understood why some people were vocally against it when it came out. I adored the world, the characters, even bought the books and they're almost better. Almost.
I fixed it a bit, but you're on the right track.
I fixed it a bit, but you're on the right track.
Op, your list is solid but I would swap some things in it around:
1. Spirited Away
2. Princess Mononoke
3. Nausicaa
4. The Wind Rises
5. My Neighbor Totoro
6. Castle in the Sky
7. Porco Rosso
8. Howl's Moving Castle
9. Grave of the Firelies
10. The Cat Returns
11. Ponyo
12. Kiki's Delivery Service
13. Whisper of the Heart
14. Arietty
15. Pom Poko
I omitted some because I haven't seen them, and even though Princess Mononoke is my personal favorite I cannot deny that Spirited Away is Miyazaki's magnum opus.
1. Spirited Away
2. Princess Mononoke
3. Nausicaa
4. The Wind Rises
5. My Neighbor Totoro
6. Castle in the Sky
7. Porco Rosso
8. Howl's Moving Castle
9. Grave of the Firelies
10. The Cat Returns
11. Ponyo
12. Kiki's Delivery Service
13. Whisper of the Heart
14. Arietty
15. Pom Poko
I omitted some because I haven't seen them, and even though Princess Mononoke is my personal favorite I cannot deny that Spirited Away is Miyazaki's magnum opus.
PRjumpman124
Member
Nausicaa, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke are the top three films for me. The rest just don't match up although they are still amazing films in their own right.
I agree about Howl's. I really enjoy it, yet I've sometimes seen in reviews / discussion that it's a step down from Miyazaki's great films. I personally feel Howl's is another one of his great works.
- Status