The Definitive Ranking of Studio Ghibli Movies from Worst to Best
17. Whisper of the Heart
Toshio Suzuki directs this coming of age story about two kids trying to decide what they want to do with their lives. Personally, I would have told them to stop worrying about it until they graduated high school, but Japan is a bit different from the lackadaisical attitude of the West. The two struggle with their fates but find comfort in each other as they cheer and support one another. Like most Studio Ghibli movies, Whisper of the Heart is filled with feels and is pretty cute.
16. My Neighbors the Yamadas
Unfortunately, the Yamadas aren’t the best “neighbors” to appear in Studio Ghibli movies, but we’ll get to that guy in a bit. Finally, one of Isao Takahata’s films appears in the rankings, though this is far from his best. Even taking that into consideration, My Neighbors the Yamadas is a quirky and charming little film. The only downside is that it’s told in a series of vignettes that make it feel more like a micro anime series than an actual movie. As fun as it is, the film is a little incoherent, and I’m not a huge fan of the animation style either.
15. Pom Poko
A big aspect of Studio Ghibli movies is the balance between man and nature. Pom Poko is probably the bluntest when it comes to this theme since it features Japanese animals trying to stop humans from encroaching on their environment. Front and center are one of Japan’s most iconic folklore creatures, the mischievous shape-shifting tanuki. These little scamps try a variety of different ways to get the humans’ attention, including some adorable acts of ecoterrorism. It’s actually a fun little movie, and the story behind the title is just too cute for words.
14. Ponyo
Finally, a Miyazaki movie! Ponyo tells the tale of a goldfish that escapes from the ocean and is saved by a young boy. The two bond to the point that the titular Ponyo wants nothing more than to be a human. So, she uses magic and causes some serious chaos that threatens dozens of lives on the small island the boy lives on. At least, that’s one way to look at it. Another is that Ponyo is an adorable fish-girl that gets up to some mischief and learns a lesson. In the second one, we ignore the collateral damage, that goldfish are freshwater, and that they’re painfully dumb.
13. From Up on Poppy Hill
Gorō Miyazaki is gearing up to be a fine successor to his father’s legacy. Despite directing the lowest ranking entry on this ranking of Studio Ghibli movies, he’s clearly learning a lot from working alongside his father (who co-wrote the film). In From Up on Poppy Hill, two teens experience a coming of age tale as they fight to save their school newspaper clubhouse from being demolished by a local businessman. Yeah, the plot sounds a lot like every movie where kids fight against big business for their right to a childhood, but this one has a bit of Ghibli magic.