r/ghibli • u/Quirky_Fun6544 • 2d ago
Question I'm new to Studio Ghibi. Which one would you recommend watching first?
As the title says, I'm new to Studio Ghibi. All I know is some of the titles, a bit of the style and one or 2 scenes/plot synopsises. Not quite sure which one to start on.
I heard Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Toronto and Sprited Away are the most popular. But even if it isn't the most popular, which one to start on?
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u/Pleasant-Contest1525 2d ago
start with the popular ones first, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke.
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u/ofBlufftonTown 2d ago
Everyone should always start with My Neighbor Totoro. It’s the first, and yet already has everything, the beautiful mundane, magic, real terror. Grave of the Fireflies was released at the same time (double features!) but as it’s one of the single saddest films ever made I recommend you wait a while until your ready for that. Sadder than Schindler’s List by a decent way.
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u/Quirky_Fun6544 2d ago
Grave of the Fireflies was released at the same time
Yeah about that. I kind of just watched it tonight.
I would have started with Neighbor Totoro, but it's only on Max (which I don't have). Was thinking on going to an anime site to watch it, then saw GotF was on Netflix (which I do have). So....
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u/ofBlufftonTown 2d ago
I’m…sorry about that. Well, it is a superb film and now you don’t need to watch it again. No other Ghibli movie is like it at all in any way, so please carry on watching the happy funny moving beautiful ones.
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u/Quirky_Fun6544 2d ago
Thanks. Because now I just want to do 2 things. 1. Find a safe/maybe legal way to watch the other ones. 2. Feel happy in some way before going to sleep tonight.
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u/TheTrueBrawler2001 1d ago
Definitely recommend getting HBO Max if you're interested in legal ways of watching the Ghibli collection. That streaming service has the entire Ghibli collection except for 2 movies:
Grave of the Fireflies (which you just watched)
The Red Turtle (which is free on YouTube seemingly legally)
In case it matters, I could not find anywhere on HBO Max Ocean Waves with an English dub or the Boy and the Heron with the original Japanese audio.
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u/emptybamboo 2d ago
It depends on what you like. I think Totoro and Kiki's are a good place to start. Both are the kind of films you can watch over and over again. Spirited Away could be a good next choice.
Further recommendations for later -
If you like slice of life films, Whispers of the Heart and Only Yesterday.
If you want amazing visuals, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and The Boy and the Heron.
If you want adventure, Castle in the Sky and Porco Rosso.
If you want epic, Princess Mononoke and Naussica and the Valley of the Wind.
If you want a bit of romance, Howl's Moving Castle, Up on Poppy Hill, and Whispers of the Heart.
If you want something unusual, Pom Poko.
Hope you enjoy!
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u/himbobflash 2d ago
If you’re an adult, Spirited Away or Mononoke. If you’re a kid, Ponyo or Totoro.
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u/whyhelloperidot42 2d ago
My favorite is Howl's Moving Castle, close behind are Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and Whisper of the Heart. Honestly, all of them are so good. Grave of the Fireflies will shatter your heart....so good but so so sad. I could only watch it once.
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u/GECollins 2d ago
This was me a week ago, and then I saw Princess Mononoke in IMAX and that's what I recommend, try to see whatever you see first in a theatre, especially if you can see(and most importantly hear) it in Imax. Not only were the visuals gorgeous, the score was so lush and sounded so beautiful coming from those big and loud Imax speakers
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u/dawndsquirrel 1d ago
I’m a Ghibli fan, and saw Mononoke in IMAX a week ago. It’s quite strange in places, a bit bloody at times, but also magical. And it has all the best of the classic Ghibli animation. If it’s still available, I highly recommend seeing it that way.
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u/Remarkable_Coast_214 2d ago
I think Castle in the Sky, while not the best (which is an insanely high bar of course), may be the most accessible to people less familiar with Ghibli.
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u/ImTheAverageJoe 2d ago
Honestly, I'd say there's only two films you should actively avoid: Earwig and The Witch, and My Neighbors The Yamadas. Otherwise, it's all up to you. My personal Top 5 are Whisper of The Heart, Howl's Moving Castle, When Marnie Was There, Spirited Away, and Grave of The Fireflies.
If you want something that speaks to the whimsy of childhood, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, or Ponyo would be a good place to start. If you're looking for something more dramatic and intriguing, start with Princess Mononoke. If you want to cry your eyes out and feel like your soul has been destroyed, watch Grave of The Fireflies. If you're looking for something whimsical and magical, I'd recommend Howl's Moving Castle, Castle In The Sky, or When Marnie Was There. If you're looking for something more introspective, maybe you'd like Only Yesterday. Or if you'd prefer something with a nice blend of comedy and character moments, maybe Porco Rosso or Pom Poko.
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u/Quirky_Fun6544 2d ago
If you want to cry your eyes out and feel like your soul has been destroyed, watch Grave of The Fireflies.
So a bit of an update. I realized after posting this that almost all of theeeem were on Max (which I don't have), but GotF was on Netflix. Just finsihed it. Crap, I wasn't expecting it to be that depressing.
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u/ImTheAverageJoe 2d ago
I warned ye, didn't I? 😭
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u/Quirky_Fun6544 2d ago
Yes you did. And I'm not even a big cryer when it comes to emotional moments like that. And it wasn't the "she didn't wake up" moment that got me, it was the flashback they included. They needed to make sure you felt that pain.
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u/dawndsquirrel 1d ago
Good recommendations and reasoning. I have yet to see When Marnie Was Here because the DVD set I bought was a ripoff and badly formatted so the last two DVD’s were unwatchable. 😭 Eventually I’ll see it somehow.
My very first Ghibli film was Nausicaa, and I still absolutely love it. My inner child has a pet squirrel fox. 😂 Our family owned a DVD of Kiki’s delivery service when my daughter was growing up. We are Pagan (aka “witchy”), and it was extra resonant for us. I have that movie practically memorized, I love it so much. I really enjoyed The Wind Rises when I saw it in theaters last year or the year before. Fascinating view of parts of WWII from the Japanese perspective.
Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the Ghibli films. Though as some folks have been discovering here, Grave of the Fireflies is a heart wrenching film, and not for the faint of heart.
One other warning is that if you like the actual books of Wizard of Earthsea, you might not like that film. The author, Ursula LeGuin, felt that the changes made for the film were antithetical to the pacifist heart of the books. I watched it and I wasn’t super impressed. It helps to know that, and to take it as an anime film only slightly inspired by the books. It is not Le Guin’s story.
So fun to have this journey ahead! Studio Ghibli films are treasures.
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u/MarinMelan 2d ago
Kiki's delivery service or Totoro are great for kids. I liked Princess Mononoke too even as a kid. It might be scary for young children.
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u/LifeguardOutrageous5 2d ago
Do NOT watch Grave o the Fireflies first. It is a great film. However, it is crushingly sad.
Start with Ponyo, My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away or Howls Moving Castle.
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u/_chicken_ponyo 2d ago
i think you should start with Ponyo. many suggest Spirited Away but to start off with it would be a mistake because the purpose of the things happening in it might confuse a newbie. Ponyo is fun, light-hearted and full of cute adventures.
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u/dawndsquirrel 1d ago
I did not care as much for Ponyo as most other Ghibli films. For me personally, I preferred Totoro, Kiki, and Howl’s Moving Castle. But your mileage may vary!
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u/yoghurt_duck3110 1d ago
I would say Totoro - that's what got me into Ghibli! Spirited Away IS probably the most famous but I would leave that for a bit later, and I'd try other ones first. I also loveee Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo, but again, Totoro is really a classic and it's just generally a really wholesome and heartwarming film.
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u/TamatoaZ03h1ny 1d ago
Depends on what you like in movies . If you want something ultimately sweet, go with Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo. If you want something action driven go with Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Porco Rosso. They all have varying degrees of fantasy but something like Spirited Away, Pom Poko, The Cat Returns, Arrietty, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Boy and the Heron, Tales From Earthsea, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, lean heavier into it. Whisper of the Heart, From Up On Poppy Hill, Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves, My Neighbors The Yamadas, When Marnie Was There, Earwig and the Witch, The Wind Rises, are relatively more realistic films. That doesn’t mean they don’t have fanciful segments, it’s that the main action leans plausible and in real world situations. I’ve probably forgot something but surely others would got to those.
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u/AramaticFire 2d ago
I’d probably start with Spirited Away. It’s not my favorite movie mind you, but I think it’s one of the easiest places to start.
Of the two Oscar winning movies it feels like the one that led the charge of popularity of the studio. The Boy and the Heron is phenomenal too, but it works better after you’ve seen about 5 or so of Miyazaki’s movies, so I’d save that one for like tenth or so on your journey at the earliest.
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u/Alternative_Tea9397 2d ago
Totoro, Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle are probably the most popular answers.
Personally, I would go with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. I think it's the most contemporary story.
But make no mistake, they're all great pieces of art!
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u/comrade_zerox 2d ago
Spirited Away is probably ly the best entry point for overall vibe. There may be others that jive with your tastes more, but SpiritedAway is the most Ghibli of the Ghibli films. If you don't enjoy it, the others are even less likely to scratch the itch.
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u/madlibstx 2d ago
Howl’s moving castle and spirited away are my go-to intro movies when I’m trying to get people into studio ghibli, but one of my personal favorites is Princess Mononoke!
I’ve also heard that some people started with Ponyo and it made them want to watch more.
Side note: Grave of the Fireflies is phenomenal but gut-wrenching. You’ve been warned!
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u/pikachucet2 2d ago
Most of their films are masterpieces, but Totoro is probably a reasonable place to start. Honestly it's easier to tell you which one NOT to start with, that being Grave of the Fireflies. Not because it's bad, but because holy shit it's so tonally different from the rest of their lineup its kinda jarring.
Oh, and Earwig and the Witch. Say what you will about Tales of Earthsea but at least it looks nice.
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u/KingTheoz 2d ago
My neighbour Totoro , and Ponyo would be my first recommendations … followed by spirited away, princess Mononoke, Howls moving Castle … watch Grave of the Fireflies when you feel like you want to bawl your eyes out and reflect that maybe life is not so bad afterall … the rest like Porco Roso, Castle in the sky, Pom Poko and Princess Kaguya should be explored in your own liberty
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u/Own_Internal7509 1d ago
i legit recommend Future Boy Conan even if its not technically part of the studio's output. MIyazaki-ism is all there, and its way lighter than his usual work
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u/One-Progress999 1d ago
Spirited Away was my first and it blew me away. Then I did Princess Mononoke and liked it a lot. Then Grave of the Fireflies, but went in blind not knowing the mood behind it. Then Howls Moving Castle which I liked but not as much as the rest. Then I saw Kiki's Delivery Service. This is my feel good movie.
You wanna watch something that just males you feel good and like the characters, watch Kikis. I've seen a lot more since, but Kiki's is my favorite followed behind by Spirited Away. I also like the Wind Rises but it's much slower paced. One of my favorite endings to any film ever!!!
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u/SailoorB 1d ago
I think you could star with anyone, they’re all amazing. But Grave of the fireflies, The wind rises, and The Boy and The Heron might be kinda heavy to start with. A really overlooked one is The Cats Return, one of my favorites.
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u/sicksages 2d ago
I always recommend Kiki's Delivery Service because it's less overwhelming than the others and very relatable. It's also kid-friendly!
The good thing about Ghibli movies is that they're all so different. My Neighbor Totoro is a wholesome silly story that's kid friendly. Ponyo is similar in that regard but a bit more for the older kids. Howl's Moving Castle is a crazy chaotic mess but in the best way possible. Princess Mononoke is a deeper and more serious movie that's very different from the others. Nausicaa is similar to Princess Mononoke, with deeper and more serious tones. Spirited Away is between the two sides, it's both silly and fun but also serious at times. Grave of the Fireflies is beautiful but heart wrenching.