The silent blue image with Totoro and some Japanese characters hovers momentarily, before fading into hours of animated perfection. It preempts the strange creatures, mythical worlds and beautifully complex characters to come, and so this blue image now excites me more than any other title sequence to a film. More than the turrets of the Disney castle, more than blue letters on a starry screen heralding a tale of a galaxy far far away. Those might have been my childhood favourites, but the Studio Ghibli films were undoubtedly my teenage favourites and I daresay will continue to be some of my favourite pieces of cinema until the day I die. 

I haven’t yet watched them all, and I’m not in any hurry to. Watching each one for the first time feels better than savouring the most rare and delicious treat in the world, so I would like to make them last, even though rewatching them for comfort or to appreciate them more deeply has its own special appeal. But, since watching Spirited Away in Year 7, these are my favourite films to come out of the Japanese animation studio so far. So, if you’re just getting started, you’re welcome to use this as a guide—or if you’re a seasoned Ghibli fan, have fun judging my taste!

• Whisper of the Heart (1995)

What makes this film so special is how enchanting it is—in a subtle way, quite different from the intensely fantastical Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away. This subtle magic permeates every aspect of the characters’ lives, from the appearance of the same name in the front of library books to the strange and ethereal items in an antique shop tucked away in a nondescript corner of Western Tokyo. The summery urban setting is intoxicating and the monotony of everyday life is quietly magical, a soil which nourishes dreams and the imagination. The story centres on two school students, Seiji and Shizuku, as they share their dreams and encourage one another to work towards them. The subtlety, the nostalgia, the mystery and the gorgeous visuals are what makes this masterpiece not only my favourite Ghibli film, but my favourite film of all time. And Shizuku, please learn to look before you cross the road. 

• Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

This one is tried and true and absolutely spectacular. The plot is crazy in the very best way and even now, having watched it three or four times, I am not entirely sure of what’s going on, but I’m starting to piece it together. But the wonderful insanity does not detract from the stunning animation, the beautiful colour palette and detail and Joe Hisaishi’s sweeping soundtrack as a mysterious wizard renowned for stealing hearts swoops down from the sky and walks Sophie, the protagonist, through the air over the crowds below. Based on the Dianne Wynne Jones novel, the film analyses what it really means to be beautiful and entertains the audience with quirky characters and a heavily layered plot. And, I admit, I always giggle a bit at the line, “Looks like your true love is in love with someone else.”

• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

This one brings back memories of hot, late November days in my last Japanese class of high school. Afterwards, we went and ate sushi and cried about having to leave and thanked our teacher for the past few years. The setting of this film is lush with worldbuilding and layered in narrative complexity, from the slow revelation of this world’s past to the alarming threats old and new the characters must face. The beautiful soundtrack, also courtesy of Hisaishi, adds yet another dimension to complete our immersion in the story. After watching this film, I had that feeling of immense satisfaction which only comes from consuming a true masterpiece of media. 

• The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Somewhere between Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro in terms of the level of fantasy, The Boy and the Heron strikes a slightly subtler note, yet one that is strange and somewhat unsettling. Like in other Ghibli films, the audience is brought into an unfamiliar world of friends and fiends, of triumphs and challenges, imbued with magic and otherworldliness. We follow the protagonist, Mahito, as he grapples with loss and grief. Regarded as the culmination of Hayao Miyazaki’s film career, this one requires deep thought—a couple of rewatches would probably be rewarding—but is nonetheless enchanting. And the Warawara are possibly my favourite cute little creatures to ever come out of the Studio, second only to the Soots from Spirited Away. Thank you, Miyazaki, for coming out of retirement. 

• My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

It’s impossible not to love this one. It’s heartwarming, weird and aesthetically beautiful, imbued with childlike wonder and the magic of nature—the very essence of Studio Ghibli. The story centres two little girls, Mei and Satsuki, who have just moved with their father to an old house in the countryside. They have fun exploring their new home and the garden around it. One day, Mei wanders off while following a little rabbit-like creature in the garden and this gives way to the discovery of strange but friendly beings who make for unconventional yet perfect neighbours. It is a classic, and it is brilliant.

One day, after I’ve watched a few more films, I might come up with a revised list, but these are my top five at the moment. What hits me every time I watch these films is how brilliant the art of Studio Ghibli is. It goes beyond just aesthetic beauty. The art is inextricably bound to everything the films stand for—respect for nature, respect for each other and the deep and complex beauty of being human. I’m not convinced that anyone or anything ever will be able to replicate the sheer genius of these works. I hope you enjoy!