Studio Ghibli Megareview

Once it hit me I couldn't get enough. Once I realised how creative, beautiful and (mostly) happy Japan's Disney equivalent was, I just wanted more and more. Studio Ghibli films are predictable in the sense that they are consistently top quality, and in that regards they are probably more similar to Disney's Pixar branch. However, comparisons do no justice, as Ghibli are completely unique in their own right, especially if you are new anime.

Ghibli films tend to have two distinct genres, one being fantasy themed the other group being contemporary and down to Earth. The most popular films seem to be the fantasy films such as 'Spirited Away' or 'Howl's Moving Castle', but this is probably for good reason. These are the films that Hayao Miyazaki (the director of most of them) can really flex his imaginative muscles and create visual spectacle. The unusual character designs and magical details will be unlike anything you've seen before.

That's not to say the contemporary themed films don't hold any worth, they are hugely likeable in their own right. I recently went to see 'From up On Poppy Hill' at a cinema in Edinburgh and whilst it wasn't particularly memorable, the soundtrack and artwork was beautiful. I think that is the key to their success, the secret ingredient of Ghibli charm, injected into even the most average, predictable plot it makes a film very watchable and leaves you with a smile on your face when the credits roll.

Whilst they all make you happy, Ponyo has to be the one for me. Not only did it overspill with creativity and fantasy that makes Spirited Away so enchanting, it was hugely likeable. There was little conflict or evil, the central characters were innocent carefree children content to accept the world around them, even when Ponyo, the human goldfish, causes their whole neighborhood to flood. Ponyo's immersive world just makes you want to crawl into the tv and be a part of it, and to a large extent that's what Ghibli films do.

'Kiki's Delivery Service' is another example of this, yet even more extreme. There's even less plot and almost no threat to the characters. It's simply the world of a young witch, growing and learning in her new town. Again, through its simplicity, its likeable, charming, beautiful and immersive.

I was going to do a top 5 Ghibli films section but its really difficult. All of them have their own unique draw and ranking them would be a little pointless. Therefore I recommend seeing them all! However I would recommend watching their most popular films first: Spirited Away, Howl's, Ponyo, Totoro etc and then trying the more contemporary less popular titles such as Grave of Fireflies, Castle in the Sky or Whisper of the Heart . Finally, don't worry about watching them in English, the dubs are professional and well handled with some famous American actors and actresses making appearances. Yes, subtitled is more authentic, but either way I dont think you'll miss out on the Ghibli charm!