Hayou Miyazaki is one of the legendary directors of modern cinema. The Japanese director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most iconic films of the last several decades, including Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. While Miyazaki retired after the release of The Wind Rises in 2013, he has been working on a film entitled How Do You Live? since 2016, with Studio Ghibli also announcing that they are working on two new films in 2020.
This article will list his 10 best movies (that he has directed), according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind: 88%
Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans live in fear of gigantic jungle-dwelling insects named Ohmu. The film follows Princess Nausicaä, leader of the Valley of the Wind, as she attempts to build a bridge between humanity and the terrifying creatures that live in the toxic fungal jungles.
The film was released before the creation of Studio Ghibli but carries many of the traits that would go on to become synonymous with the iconic Japanese animation studio. It was originally released in the U.S. as Warriors of the Wind.
9 Ponyo: 92%
Ponyo tells the magical story of a friendship between a young boy and a magical goldfish girl. When the young boy, Sosuke, finds Ponyo, he believes she is just an ordinary goldfish. However, it turns out that Ponyo is actually the daughter of the King of the Sea and Ponyo is a magical being.
While the story is simple, the beautiful animation and fantastic charm that we’ve come to associate with Miyazaki’s work shines through in this movie, making it a must-see.
8 Princess Mononoke: 93%
Princess Mononoke is one of Miyazaki’s masterpieces. The film follows Ashitaka as he is forced to kill a god of the forest who has been transformed into a demon in his death-rage, causing Ashitaka to be infected as well. On Ashitaka’s journey for a cure, he comes across a conflict between the Princess Mononoke and a local human town.
The film is epic in scope and beautifully tells the story of environmental destruction that came with humanity’s technological advancement, a tale that becomes increasingly relevant with each passing year.
7 My Neighbour Totoro: 94%
My Neighbour Totoro is the sweet tale of two young girls who move into a new house on the edge of a mysterious forest. The girls eventually learn that magical creatures called Totoros live in the forest and the girls are quickly swept away on a charming adventure that teaches them valuable lessons about life.
Totoro is, arguably the most iconic studio Ghibli character. The titular character features on the title card before every Ghibli movie and even made an appearance in Toy Story 4. It all started with this movie and its importance to the Ghibli Studio cannot be overstated.
6 The Castle Of Cagliostro: 94%
The Castle of Cagliostro is one of Miyazaki’s earlier works, with the film preceding the creation of Studio Ghibli by around 6 years. The film tells the story of a thief named Wolf who has a history of landing himself in trouble. During the course of the movie, Wolf must rescue a beautiful princess and defeat an evil Count.
While the film’s animation may be slightly lacking by today’s standards, it is an early gem from Miyazaki and shows hints of his personal style that he would continue to develop over the decades.
5 Porco Rosso: 95%
Porco Rosso tells the story of a World War I pilot turned bounty hunter named Porco Rosso who has been turned into a pig. The film follows Porco Rosso as he battles the air pirates that are terrorizing cruise ships on the Adriatic Sea.
The film is one of Ghibli’s classics and it truly entertains from start to finish, carefully balancing its political subject matter with humor and stunning action animation.
4 The Secret World Of Arrietty: 95%
2012’s The Secret World of Arrietty is a remake of the classic children’s tale, The Borrowers. It’s a story about a family of tiny people who secretly live in a normal house and ‘borrow’ things from the house in order to survive. Arrietty tells the story of a young borrower named Arrietty who meets a 12-year-old human boy while hunting for food in the house one night.
The film is a heartwarming and visually stunning adaptation of the children’s classic and is certainly worth watching regardless of your age.
3 Castle In The Sky: 96%
Castle in the Sky is one of Studio Ghibli’s most iconic films. The film follows a young girl, with the help of a boy and some pirates, as she attempts to keep her family’s magical crystal away from some diabolical military characters.
The film was a huge success, both among critics and at the box office. Critics praised the stunning animation and the charming atmosphere that has become synonymous with Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.
2 Kiki’s Delivery Service: 97%
Based on the 1985 novel of the same name, Kiki’s Delivery Service tells the heartwarming tale of a young witch who, despite her mother’s protestations, leaves home for a year-long apprenticeship. The film follows Kiki as she earns a living by starting her own delivery service, learns the values of independence, and begins the journey into adulthood.
The film was a huge success in Japan and went on to become the top-grossing movie of 1989 for Japan. Aside from box office success, the movie was also a hit among critics, with the film even being awarded the Animage Anime Grand Prix Prize.
1 Spirited Away: 97%
Spirited Away is a magical film that tells the story of Chihiro, a young girl who finds herself lost in the spirit world after her parents stumble across an empty food stand, help themselves to the meal, and get turned into pigs in the process. Chihiro starts working at a witch’s bathhouse in the spirit world until she can find a way to return to the human world and free her parents in the process.
Spirited Away was a cultural phenomenon in Japan and went on to become the highest-grossing movie in Japan’s history. However, its success was not limited to the Japanese archipelago as the film went on to become the first non-English animated film to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.
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