TOP 10 BEST HAYAO MIYAZAKI MOVIES

Hayao Miyazaki has given us some of the best animated films the world has ever seen over the
last three decades. Beginning his career as a tv director in 1971, the Japanese animator and
storyteller has evolved into one of the best-animated filmmakers the world has ever seen. His
inventive, vivid, and otherworldly film has been a delight for viewers and cinephiles alike
throughout the years. Believe me when I tell that choosing the finest from his illustrious
filmography is impossible. Let's have a look at some of this great animator's animation work and
hope that he returns from retirement on a regular basis!

SPIRITED AWAY (2001)

"Spirited Away," a twist on a famous fairy tale, takes the fundamental notion of Alice in Wonderland and
transforms it into something bizarre, spooky, and one-of-a-kind. Chihiro, her parents are transformed
into pigs while eating at a restaurant, and they end themselves in another dimension where everything
appears to be disguised as something else. The pampered ten-year-old then finds a work at an old
crone's bathhouse and swears to put an end to her parents' agony.

Spirited Away is odd and hauntingly beautiful, and it's a tribute to Miyazaki's storytelling genius that the
coming-of-age story is never swamped by the magical land and its zoo of creatures. Miyazaki and his
hyper-detailed visuals elevate Spirited Away into a classic by depicting the moment of fresh-faced
manhood. It is because of this attention to detail that it is such a stunning and beautiful film.

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2004)

"Howl's Moving Castle" is a visual pleasure and a wonderful visual triumph, loosely based on the book by
English author Diana Wynn Jones. Sophie's tale is told in it. A youthful milliner who is aging due to a spell
performed on her. During a period of conflict, she falls in love with a gorgeous, tormented magician. This
backdrop (along with many other Miyazaki films!) is what gives the film its distinct structure. Hayao
Miyazaki declared publicly that the picture was a response to Japan's internationally reviled role in the
Iraq War, and it was dubbed "the strongest anti-war message" at the Venice Film Festival, where it
premiered. But, even with all of this subtext and the fact that this isn't the strangest or purest echo of
the director's work, it's still a wild trip with all of the fantastically imagined graphics (the castle's
construction is beautifully complicated) and some wacky and ugly side characters.

PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997)

Hayao Miyazaki tried a more primal and adult-focused animation in "Princess Mononoke." The video
immediately immerses you in a realm beyond conception, complete with exotic animals and stunning
images. These components are employed by Miyazaki to make a point about real-world situations that is
both smart and exhilarating. Princess Mononoke is an epic tale set in ancient Japan at the start of the
Iron Age, in which Gods and Demons battle for control of the virgin forest. Ashitaka is a young warrior
who is cursed and expelled from his community, after which he travels to the wilderness. While the
struggle between humans and forest spirits rages on, he encounters the titular princess and falls in love
with her. The notion of man vs. nature isn't new in cinema, but it's rarely been done as beautifully as it
has here by Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is immensely enthralling and stunningly gorgeous, and it is
undoubtedly Miyazaki's best visual work.
 MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988)
This is possibly Miyazaki's most well-known work to date. Totoro, a gigantic, mythical rabbit/cat
creature, has become the de facto symbol for Studio Ghibli, in part due of his popularity. My Neighbor
Totoro is set in postwar Japan in a rural town and chronicles the tale of two sisters, Satsuki and Mei
Kusakabe, who relocate to a new house near the forest with their father in order to be closer to their
dying mother. They come upon a slew of adorable woodland spirits that are unseen to grown-ups as
they acclimatize to their new environment. Totoro is a masterpiece of creativity and one of the most
authentic and charming characters in film history. The picture at moments feels like a beautiful
depiction of the environment, with sweeping strokes capturing the glories of infancy. The mystical
animals' design work is nothing short of astounding, and the magical realism tone is odd to say the least.
This delightful family tale is a suggested entry point into Miyazaki's vast, colorful, hand-drawn universe.

CASTLE IN THE SKY (1986)

"Castle in the Sky," the first film from Studio Ghibli's kitty, is unquestionably Miyazaki's most thrilling
action-adventure. One that rivals any modern-day blockbuster in terms of spectacle and spectacular set-
pieces. Sheeta, a little girl with a mystical amulet that permits her to float in mid-air, and Pazu, a lad in a
small mining tower who is determined to uncover the famous lost floating city of Laputa that his father
once discovered, are brought together in the narrative. To return the fallen highness Sheeta to her
position in the skies, they must outrun pirates and government goons in airships.

THE WIND RISES (2013)

During World War II, The Wind Rises portrays a very basic dramatized history of Zero fighter plane
creator Jiro Horikoshi. The film takes flight with its ambition and inventiveness, despite its dark historical
backdrop and contentious subject matter, with many believing that it sympathizes with a warmonger
who manufactured death robots. In contrast to its predecessors Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro, The
Wind Rises is a more mature film. Miyazaki does not attempt to whitewash Jiro's artistic concepts'
military executions, instead to focus on Jiro's journey, which includes his dreams, schooling, the trip to
Germany, and his love with Nahoko. This picture is a perfect illustration of how the filmmaker has spent
his whole directorial career explaining his feelings about flight as a romanticized experience full of
wonder and amazement. The Wind Rises would have been an appropriate sad farewell for filmmaker
Hayao Miyazaki (it was supposed to be his final picture, but now we know). What is your way of life like?
Studio Ghibli has verified it and it is now in production!) However, it's always nice to get another one
from him, right?

PONYO (2008)
“Ponyo” is an intriguing and unusual take on The Little Mermaid, with its lyrical flow and fairy-tale tone.
Ponyo depicts the story of Sosuke, a 5-year-old kid who discovers a goldfish trapped in a jar on the
seashore. Ponyo, the goldfish, is a sea daughter who is half-fish and half-human. He becomes pals with
Sosuke and obtains the power to change from human to fish form. Ponyo is aimed at a younger
audience, with a simple plot and otherworldly appeal, where atmosphere and texture take precedence
over plot, as is the case with Miyazaki's works. Every time, the smoothness of his hand-drawn animation
dazzles, and this time is no exception.
 GRAVE OF FIREFLIES (1988)
The struggle of a brother and sister in the aftermath of World War II is shown in Grave of the Fireflies. It is
realistic, unlike the rest of Studio Ghibli's work; there are no mythical forces swooping in to save the
children (or very few caring humans). Despite the film's depressing tone, it isn't all doom and gloom. The
kids look out for each other, and the scenes with the fireflies are magical. Grave of the Fireflies is
haunting in its picture of postwar life and eye-opening in the themes it explores.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds (1984)

Earth is facing an ecological crisis in the far future, with a toxic forest covering the majority of the
planet's surface. Many people have sought sanctuary in the Valley of the Winds, which is the only
remaining pristine natural area. A monarch and his daughter, who possesses unique talents, govern the
tranquil realm. An airship transporting vital cargo crashes in the Valley one day, bringing the quiet days
to an end.

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989)

Kiki's Delivery Service is a delivery service run by Kiki. Incorporates aspects of imagination and minor life
difficulties flawlessly into a children's novel. It follows Kiki, a young witch who has reached the age of 13
and is due to leave her house and live alone in another city as per custom. She ends up launching an
aerial delivery business for a bakery, accompanied by her sardonic cat Jiji, and with a shaky grasp of
broomstick flying. She also befriends and falls for a local kid who is obsessed about aviation. Kiki's Delivery
Service explores universal adolescent concerns including independence, uncertainty, and sexuality in a
kind way. It's a simple picture about a little girl learning to trust in herself and overcome her doubts while
trying to find her place in an unfamiliar environment, and it's undoubtedly one of Studio Ghibli's most
straightforward works. The film is utterly charming and sweet-natured, but it can become tedious at
times: the conflicts are relatable but so internal that they feel a little undramatic at times, and while it is
typically beautiful (not least in the stunning flying sequences), it isn't Hayao Miyazaki's most distinguishing
feat of world-building.