Favourite Studio Ghibli film?Movies
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- Solid Gone
- MeanElf
I resurrect this thread in the name of Hayao Miyazaki who is 75 today! Just saw the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness and was very moved by it.
As for my favourite film...difficult, as they all cover different moods and states of mind...in other words, I don't think I have been disappointed by any of them.
As for my favourite film...difficult, as they all cover different moods and states of mind...in other words, I don't think I have been disappointed by any of them.
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...I'm a little ashamed to admit, I have only seen one film from Ghibli, Spirited Away, like ten years ago. I saw that, because it was dubbed and was nominated for an Oscar.
I've been hearing a lot of positive things about this Japanese studio's works, and did buy the Nausicaa DVD a while ago but still haven't watched it yet.
Maybe I should, now that I'm reminded of the fact I own the movie...
I've been hearing a lot of positive things about this Japanese studio's works, and did buy the Nausicaa DVD a while ago but still haven't watched it yet.
Maybe I should, now that I'm reminded of the fact I own the movie...
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Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Grave of the Fireflies, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky.
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That's criminal neglect.
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Nausicaa will always be my favorite Ghibli movie*, even at the times it isn't, simply because it felt like a watershed moment in animation at the time it was released due to the complexity of detail and the deep themes and well-written plot and complex characters. I'm glad that my introduction to anime back in the 80's included both this and Akira. (I did watch all the giant robot series on TV back in the late 70's, early 80's, but they were vastly different in terms of quality and thematic complexity)
Even better, like Akira, Nausicaa hasn't dated much. The attention to detail and movement has let it age better than other 80's anime releases like Galaxy Express 999, Macross (The Movie) and (hurhurhur) Transformers the Movie... though if you like animation, you owe it to yourself to watch them all at some point.
*Actually, Nausicaa is one of the reasons I never got on the Mononoke hype-train. While I recognize Mononoke is a great movie, I felt that it recycled too many themes and story arcs from Nausicaa... which felt broader in scope.
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- GTP_amarynceus
All of them for me, at one point or another. It shifts about from time to time, which one I consider my favourite. Spirited Away is usually my default choice for top pick -- though right at this moment I'd lean toward Laputa.
That said, I'll never tire of rewatching Porco Rosso.
(Whisper of the Heart never gets enough love, by the by.
Probably one of the best for emotional introspection, especially if you're a creative sort.)
When I weigh in the graphic novel along with the movie, Nausicaa is the sentimental favourite by far. Even if it technically isn't a Studio Ghibli movie -- for Laputa: Castle in the Sky was the first Ghibli movie -- Nausicaa provided the launch pad for the creation of the studio. So it can be considered an honourary Ghibli movie, even if that is not technically correct (the very best kind of correct!).
Another internet beer for you, good sir.
Nausicaa was also part of my introduction to anime -- one of my high school friends regularly had Japanese exchange students board at his house, and one of them gave to him a VHS with Tonari no Totoro, Nausicaa, and most (but not all D: ) of Laputa, taped from Japanese TV (thus no subs). I must have watched that tape a dozen times or more. (I think Kiki was on there as well.)
Re: the point about Mononoke and the recycling of themes: Miyazaki is prone to this throughout his works. I recently stumbled across a short graphic novel by Miyazaki called Shuna no Tabi (The Journey of Shuna) from '83 (which is when work on Nausicaa began, incidently). The themes and character designs resurface repeatedly in future Miyazaki works, most especially Nausicaa and Mononoke.
Unfortunately, The Journey of Shuna, as far as I know, never got an official English release -- the only copies I could find were the original Japanese publication.
That said, I'll never tire of rewatching Porco Rosso.
(Whisper of the Heart never gets enough love, by the by.
Probably one of the best for emotional introspection, especially if you're a creative sort.)When I weigh in the graphic novel along with the movie, Nausicaa is the sentimental favourite by far. Even if it technically isn't a Studio Ghibli movie -- for Laputa: Castle in the Sky was the first Ghibli movie -- Nausicaa provided the launch pad for the creation of the studio. So it can be considered an honourary Ghibli movie, even if that is not technically correct (the very best kind of correct!).
Another internet beer for you, good sir.
Nausicaa was also part of my introduction to anime -- one of my high school friends regularly had Japanese exchange students board at his house, and one of them gave to him a VHS with Tonari no Totoro, Nausicaa, and most (but not all D: ) of Laputa, taped from Japanese TV (thus no subs). I must have watched that tape a dozen times or more. (I think Kiki was on there as well.)
Re: the point about Mononoke and the recycling of themes: Miyazaki is prone to this throughout his works. I recently stumbled across a short graphic novel by Miyazaki called Shuna no Tabi (The Journey of Shuna) from '83 (which is when work on Nausicaa began, incidently). The themes and character designs resurface repeatedly in future Miyazaki works, most especially Nausicaa and Mononoke.
Unfortunately, The Journey of Shuna, as far as I know, never got an official English release -- the only copies I could find were the original Japanese publication.
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- Neomone
Not official, but if you wanted to read it in English you can search for it on Google.
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- GTP_amarynceus
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Thanks, I just didn't mention that one because I couldn't remember off the top of my head how linking to scanlation sites jives with the AUP.I have a copy of that same scanlation from somewhere else.
It's a gray area, but definitely runs against the letter of the law. Please edit, @Imari
As with the General Anime thread, you can mention that you've read or watched something, but please don't mention how you did it if you didn't buy it or borrow a legal copy. Thanks.
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- Neomone
Right, sorry. Fair enough, I suppose.
I work with this stuff a lot of the time, and so my conditioned response is that if there isn't an English copy available then an English scanlation is at worst not hurting anyone. In that case, there's no such thing as a legal copy for an English speaking audience. I've worked on English books before that have been picked up by an English distributor and I pulled the scanlation once the licensing went through.
I guess I didn't stop to consider whether my natural reaction actually jives with the AUP. My bad.
Tired Tyres
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- Tired Tyres
Princess Mononoke .... or Nausicaä - but Kiki's Delivery Service was the first one I ever watched so I've got a soft spot for that one.
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Laputa is the one I hold the softest spot for, but as time goes by I'm increasingly of the suspicion that it's actually Porco Rosso. Kiki's Delivery Service is probably their best overall though.
Nausicaa? The manga's better.
Nausicaa? The manga's better.
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The source material is almost always better, because it's more complete... case in point, Akira.
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Last week I started my Studio Ghibli blu-ray collection, and have now bought 8 Hayao Miyazaki films in as many days 
And it is already making me wonder if the title of this thread is a trick question - the answer for me, at least at the moment anyway, seems to be 'the last one I watched'... each film has a unique quality to it that the others can't match...
In the last week, I've watched 'My Neighbor Totoro', 'Princess Mononoke', 'Porco Rosso' and 'The Wind Rises' (in that order), with 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Nausicaa' still to go (I also bought 'Howl's Moving Castle' and 'Laputa: Castle In The Sky', but I have watched them both several times already). I must say that I've really enjoyed all of them, but last night I watched 'The Wind Rises' for the first time and I was completely blown away by it - I can honestly say that I was totally gripped by the movie, there are so many amazingly crafted scenes that it is hard to take your eyes from the screen - I even attempted to watch it again with the subtitles switched off. It is a masterpiece by a true master of his craft.
edit: Bought two more yesterday - 'Spirited Away' and 'The Castle of Cagliostro'... watched the latter last night and really enjoyed it... very different in style to the others, but I really enjoyed the humour, which is evident right from the get go.
And it is already making me wonder if the title of this thread is a trick question - the answer for me, at least at the moment anyway, seems to be 'the last one I watched'... each film has a unique quality to it that the others can't match...In the last week, I've watched 'My Neighbor Totoro', 'Princess Mononoke', 'Porco Rosso' and 'The Wind Rises' (in that order), with 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Nausicaa' still to go (I also bought 'Howl's Moving Castle' and 'Laputa: Castle In The Sky', but I have watched them both several times already). I must say that I've really enjoyed all of them, but last night I watched 'The Wind Rises' for the first time and I was completely blown away by it - I can honestly say that I was totally gripped by the movie, there are so many amazingly crafted scenes that it is hard to take your eyes from the screen - I even attempted to watch it again with the subtitles switched off. It is a masterpiece by a true master of his craft.
edit: Bought two more yesterday - 'Spirited Away' and 'The Castle of Cagliostro'... watched the latter last night and really enjoyed it... very different in style to the others, but I really enjoyed the humour, which is evident right from the get go.
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I watched Spirited Away on Blu-ray for the first time last night - and I enjoyed it even more than on previous viewings - I definitely recall being slightly perplexed by it the first time around, but it really is a phenomenal film that works on a variety of levels. The sinister undertones, whether intentional or deliberate, were particularly noticeable this time around, perhaps due in part to watching several other of Miyazaki's films, and perhaps due to my recent trip to Japan. I think the more sinister interpretation(s) of the film are over-reaching a tad, but I think it would be fair to say that some scenes are at least influenced by the seedier side of Japanese culture, if not a 'hidden meaning' to the whole film.
LeGeNd-1
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I think at one point in my life I watched Spirited Away almost every day in the space of a month I know every scene back to front. I even dreamed of living in the castle lol (like, an actual dream while sleeping, not daydreaming). My grandparents owned a traditional medicine shop which is similar to Kamaji's room with its rows and rows of small drawers from the floor to ceiling, so some of those places really hit home. I watched Howl's Moving Castle and Grave of Fireflies as well but it didn't really have the same impact. I've fallen off the anime bandwagon since mid 2000s though so I haven't watched any others. I kept wanting to catch up but just haven't had the motivation or the time. I know the Studio has fallen into hard times recently and their last few movies haven't been as well received since Miyazaki stopped directing them. I've heard rumours of him returning though, so it's probably a good time as any to catch up!
I know every scene back to front. I even dreamed of living in the castle lol (like, an actual dream while sleeping, not daydreaming). My grandparents owned a traditional medicine shop which is similar to Kamaji's room with its rows and rows of small drawers from the floor to ceiling, so some of those places really hit home. I watched Howl's Moving Castle and Grave of Fireflies as well but it didn't really have the same impact. I've fallen off the anime bandwagon since mid 2000s though so I haven't watched any others. I kept wanting to catch up but just haven't had the motivation or the time. I know the Studio has fallen into hard times recently and their last few movies haven't been as well received since Miyazaki stopped directing them. I've heard rumours of him returning though, so it's probably a good time as any to catch up!
Danoff
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They're all good an interesting in their own rite. But I think I give them a little extra something because (and maybe this is just a Japan connection) they reach in and touch something from my childhood that is wrapped up in hours and hours of Final Fantasy and games like Chrono Trigger.
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