Guide for newbies: A step into the whimsical world of Studio Ghibli

Graphic by Annie Liu

Totoro, Chu Totoro and Chibi Totoro march together.

 Immersive realism, enchanting, comforting, magical, nostalgic and delicious are just a few of the words to describe the intricate yet simple style that Studio Ghibli films use. Known for its unique animation style, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio based in Tokyo that creates fictional short films and movies. 

The studio was founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, with their latest movie “The Boy and the Heron” set for release this December. The studio’s most well-known animation, “Spirited Away,” even won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, being the first hand-drawn and non-English-language animated film to win the award.

Newcomberst to Studio Ghibli can have a hard time choosing a movie to start with. Each 90-minute film is packed with its own world of exciting characters with intricate story lines. Here I’ve broken down my top four must-watch Studio Ghibli movies.

“My Neighbor Totoro” 1988

The most classic and probably most recognizable Studio Ghibli movie is of this fluffy, raccoon-cat-owl with gray stripes, pointy ears and wide eyes. Totoro brings an exciting, mysterious company to two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who moved to an old country house with their father as they wait for their mother to recover from an illness in a hospital. 

The new house is full of mysterious surprises such as soot spirits and a flying cat bus, which leads the sisters to find a forest full of more magical creatures. As the sisters explore the fantasy-like forest and begin to feel the emotional toll of not seeing their loved ones, viewers find themselves on a rollercoaster of emotions depicted by the realistic styles of landscapes, adorable cartoon characters and out-of-the-world magical creatures.

Courtesy of Studio Ghibli

Totoro takes Mei and Satsuki on a flight around the town.

The sisters usually accompany Totoro on his journeys at night by holding onto his fur as he flies with an umbrella.

Throughout these short but adrenaline-rush moments, Studio Ghibli portrays the simple joys and excitement of children as they explore the world around them. Watching Totoro glide through the air as the sister’s hair ruffles in the wind and small lights flicker in cornfields below them, you are taken on a carefree adventure of growing acorns with Totoro and flying to the tops of trees.

“Ponyo” 2008

If you enjoyed watching “The Little Mermaid,” “Ponyo” has a similar plot with some twists at the beginning of the movie.

Ponyo, originally a pink, red-haired fish, is intrigued by humans and wishes to become one after becoming 5-year-old Sosuke’s pet. After a stormy night that floods the entire town so that almost all of the buildings are underwater, Ponyo becomes human for a short period of time to accompany Sosuke as he searches for his mother.

In one of Studio Ghibli’s most heart-felt movies, the friendship into a sweet, young love between Ponyo and Sosuke, Sosuke tries to keep Ponyo alive as a human.

Courtesy of Studio Ghibli

Ponyo’s delicious ham ramen with green onions and an egg.

Another well-known aspect of Studio Ghibli are the delicious foods its animations depict. From instant noodles and stacks of sandwiches (which Ponyo deliciously picks out the ham to eat) to warm milk with a heaping spoonful of honey, “Ponyo” is a must-watch on a fall night with cozy blankets. 

Beauty lies in the simplicity of seeing the simple squiggle of noodles and steam from a hot, fatty soup that makes your mouth water. Watching it, you somehow feel as sleepy as Ponyo does when she finishes the whole bowl.

“Kiki’s Delivery Service” 1989

Have you ever wanted to run a bakery delivery service while flying on a broomstick with a black cat? This is the new life of Kiki, a 13-year-old witch, and her black cat, Jiji, who has to spend a year alone as part of her village’s witch tradition. 

In a coming-of-age story, Kiki becomes stressed from her new job as a bakery delivery man and insecure by questioning her magical abilities, eventually losing her ability to communicate with her cat. However, with support from the townspeople and a new friend, Kiki learns how to find herself and recover from failure.

Courtesy of Studio Ghibli

Kiki delivering the bakery’s desserts to customers.

Covering topics like mental health, “Kiki’s Delivery Service” often connects to viewers who struggle with confidence, as Kiki also goes through a period of depression. However, through meeting characters who never gave up on their passion and kept persevering, Kiki demonstrates many important life lessons throughout her journey of becoming a witch.

For me, the dialogue and storyline is what makes this movie stand out, alternating between the inner monologue Kiki has with herself and with other characters. For instance, the conversations Kiki has with Jiji —“If I lose my magic, that means I’ve lost absolutely everything else” and “I think something’s wrong with me. Seems like that other me, the cheerful and honest one, went away somewhere” — demonstrate the self-doubt that arises in Kiki over time.

“Spirited Away” 2001

Imagine going on a trip to an amusement park one day when all of a sudden, your parents turn into pigs and the border of the park floods with water, leaving you trapped all by yourself. While this may sound like an extremely strange and specific dream, this is what elementary school student Chihiro experiences on part of her family’s trip to move to a new town.

Chihiro enters a world full of spirits and creatures and goes on a mission to return home and turn her parents back into humans. Throughout the movie, feelings of loneliness and abandonment are shown as Chihiro struggles to bring her parents back to humans while encountering intimidating monsters — some being just humans with additional peculiar abilities but others being giant radishes who wear nothing but an apron.

Courtesy of Studio Ghibli

Chihiro cries as she eats an onigiri.

While there are scenes where Chihiro stands up for herself, Studio Ghibli portrays moments of sadness and heartbreak with grape-sized tears that flood Chihiro’s eyes whenever she gets stressed. The viewer is put in Chihiro’s shoes, especially with an amazing soundtrack with a variety of instruments that depict the curious, new world.

For instance, when the sun goes down at the amusement park and Chihiro watches as the park is overtaken by ghosts who arrive on a boat, an ethereal moment happens as the soundtrack takes over and the lights from the boat and park reflect onto the shimmery water from a distance. Light plucking similar to a banjo adds to the transformation of the park as Chihiro is also transforming into a ghost — an almost eerie yet intriguing, exciting feeling compared to the grand music playing just seconds before.

Courtesy of Studio Ghibli

After the sun sets, the amusement park transforms as luminescent lights shine on the water.

While there were some also very popular movies not included in this list, such as “Howl’s Moving Castle” or “Princess Mononoke,” the unique characters and plot described in these four movies carry on throughout all Studio Ghibli movies. Though I went over the basic plots of each movie, there are still plenty of more surprises in each that will keep you binge-watching for hours.