You love Hayao Miyazaki. But do you love Studio Ghibli?
Ghibli has become synonymous with the work of Miyazaki, one of its co-founders. But Miyazaki’s iconic films are just one part of what makes this animation studio such an enduring powerhouse.
Take the late Isao Takahata, for example. One of Studio Ghibli’s co-founders, Takahata is the director behind the gorgeously traumatic film Grave of the Fireflies, as well as 2013’s remarkable The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
Two of Takahata’s works will celebrate anniversaries this week. Pom Poko turned 25 on July 16, while My Neighbors the Yamadas hit the big 20 on July 17. And When Marnie Was There, directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi of The Secret World of Arrietty fame, turns five on the 19th.
While these works vary wildly in subject matter, they all stay true to Studio Ghibli’s signature style of beautifully animated characters, intricate backgrounds rendered in vibrant color, and nuanced explorations of environmental conservation, family life, and romantic relationships.
Pom Poko explores the world of tanuki, or racoon dogs, as they find their home threatened by urban development. Often portrayed as tricksters with shape-shifting powers in Japanese folklore, the film follows the animals’ plight as they fight in vain to save their habitat and are eventually forced to blend into human society to survive.
Despite the dismal storyline, Takahata’s film is quite humorous, with each of the tanuki appearing distinct, expressive, and entertaining when on screen—whether in animal or human form (or, occasionally, a combination of the two.) It’s understandable why Pom Poko didn’t take off in America, where the audience lacks knowledge of tanuki folklore and was saddled with a somewhat inaccurate English dub. But the physical humor and gorgeous animation need no translation, making it well worth the watch.
Takahata’s 1999 film My Neighbors the Yamadas marks a departure from the more recognizable anime style of other Ghibli films, instead taking on the yonkoma manga style of its source material, Nono-chan. While the studio is no stranger to slice-of-life storylines, the comic strip aesthetic of these vignettes makes My Neighbors the Yamadas stand out from its other works. With a relatable cast of characters and sitcom-like versions of everyday scenarios, these stories are hilarious and sweet. If you’re a fan of such anime as Azumanga Daioh or Crayon Shin-Chan, My Neighbors the Yamadas is a can’t miss.
When Marnie Was There scored an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film in 2016, and is one of the most critically acclaimed of the non-Miyazaki Ghibli films for good reason. Combining the gorgeous setting of the Kurshiro Wetlands in Hokkaido with a heartfelt coming-of-age story that involves (literal) ghosts from the main character’s past, this film was the perfect send-off from Yonebayashi, the youngest person to ever direct a film for Studio Ghibli, before he left the studio.
When Marnie Was There follows the story of a young girl as she spends the summer in a rural seaside town, keeping the secrets of another girl she meets in an abandoned mansion. The stunning combination of mystery, the intensity of the character’s feelings and friendship, and some of the most magical forest scenes in animation will keep you enchanted to the very end.
The anniversaries of each of these films are the perfect time to watch (or re-watch!) and experience all the glorious variety Studio Ghibli has to offer. And if you really must watch a Miyazaki film, too…well, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind turned 35 this past March.
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