I'm not a huge otaku or anything, but I LOVE the Studio Ghibli movies. They're great explorations of characters. Although the main protagonists are thrown into extraordinary, difficult situations, they are very normal people like you and me, and they react and develop accordingly. The movies show that life isn't easy, but that you can overcome the obstacles in life to succeed. They are also very good at capturing the perspectives and personalities of children, which most adults forget.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: Excellent, but I read the manga. The movie only covers the first of the 4 books.
My Neighbor Totoro: The first Ghibli movie I ever saw. It was dubbed in English and released by Disney, and they did a surprisingly good job. The only thing that they edited out was the scene in which the family was bathing together, which is the norm over there but controversial over here.
Princess Mononoke: Excellent, excellent. I love the strong women in the movie, like San, Eboshi Gozen, and the mother wolf.
Spirited Away: Beautiful, and made even more sense when my mom explained a lot of the Japanese mythology and superstitions. Chihiro is such a typical kid, yet her persistence, kindness, innocence, and willingness to work hard are what aid her.
Grave of the Fireflies: Oh my God, this was so good. However, I don't ever want to see it again because it was SOOOOO SAD! I was in a room full of people, and by the end, so many people were crying, including fully grown men. They actually made a live-action movie starring Nanako Matsushima (the women in the Ringu movies), but from the aunt's point of view. I'm not sure if I can see it, as this kind of sorrow is so real.
Laputa, Castle in the Sky: Beautiful, full of herioc people and a love for nature. I love the innocence and strength of the children.
Kiki's Delivery Service: I loved the way she developed as a character. My mom loved it because the soundtrack had Yumi Matsutoya, who was a huge idol back when she was a teen.
Howl's Moving Castle: Great character development, beautiful visuals, a strong protagonist who is sweet and kind, yet not spineless or stupid. Howl was a big himbo though.



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