Under-Appreciated Studio Ghibli Movies
Blogger: Rina Senpai
Studio Ghibli broke the mold for animation and shaped the future. Although we all know critically acclaimed films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, here is a list of underappreciated Ghibli films.
TALES FROM EARTHSEA
This movie was considered a flop to the Studio Ghibli franchise, however, even though there were sections that were confusing, it was still entertaining throughout. The art style had a medieval setting with fantasy elements, a bit darker in comparison to other Ghibli works.
WHISPER OF THE HEART
You might have not heard of Whispers of the Heart, but I’m sure you’ll recognize the main character. Whisper of the Heart was a wonderful tale of young love and self-discovery. The story captured the anxieties that came with adolescences and the struggles of finding your place in the world.
EARWIG AND THE WITCH
This is Studio Ghibli's first CGI movie, and it is well done. The music was fun, the animation was great, and the characters were loveable. Although the plot had a few holes, and the ending was a bit abrupt; it was still worth a watch. A good family movie and a strong foothold for potential CGI movies to come.
THE WIND RISES
The Wind Rises was a historical tale of Jirou Horikoshi, the designer of the A6M Zero fighter plane of World War II, more known as the kamikaze planes. These planes were the suicide missions for the Japanese soldiers. Although this movie was presented as a form of bibliography, it also developed a love story between Jirou and Naoko. The movie was told in a series of flashbacks with a dream-like atmosphere.
ONLY YESTERDAY
Only Yesterday was a movie that respectfully tried to capture the journey of becoming a woman. It was a nostalgic and bittersweet, movie of adulthood. Throughout this movie, we watched Taeko’s journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams and the person she is today.
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was made before Studio Ghibli was founded, it is often considered a Ghibli work. The strong female protagonist, and the strong nature elements were very apparent. This film was taken place in a war torn, dystopian world as the people tried to survive.
CASTLE IN THE SKY
This was an amazing movie that gave life to Studio Ghibli. This film was made around 35 years ago and is a timeless classic. The movie took you away into a world of fantasy and set the standard to what animation should be, breaking all expectations in the 80s.
FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
This was a beautiful tale of young love, a very light-hearted movie. This was not your typical Studio Ghibli movie, where it is taken in a fantasy world or meet a supernatural being, but instead the story explored and discovered young love. Simply high school students who slowly begin to support each other.