A couple of months ago, news broke that Hayao Miyazaki is headed for retirement (... or maybe not?). With the upcoming release of Miyazaki's film (The Wind Rises), as well as Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata's first movie in fourteen years (The Tale of Princess Kaguya), what better time than now to revisit -- or visit, for the first time -- the Studio Ghibli films?
Unless otherwise stated, I watched the Disney English dub of each movie. Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention the scores for these movies, because they're AMAZEBALLS. Even if I don't mention the music, it's pretty safe to assume that I love it anyway.
Title: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Year: 1984
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In a Land of Pure Imagination:
(While this isn't a Ghibli joint, it's pretty much the launching point for the studio. Plus, it makes the total movie count into a nice, round number to work with, so it stays!)
A thousand years in the future, Earth has been decimated by mankind and overrun by the lethal Toxic Jungle. Nausicaä, princess of the Valley of the Wind, has learned to coexist with the Toxic Jungle critters. But she happens to be the exception: this is one TJ that humans don't like at all. The creatures -- and the Valley of the Wind -- are caught in the crossfires between the feuding kingdoms of Tolmekia and Pejite. And Tolmekia is also hellbent on eradicating the Toxic Jungle. But standing in the way of further destruction is brave and fearless Nausicaä, who puts herself in harm's way to restore man's connection to nature.
Also: the score is suuuuper '80s (and by Studio Ghibli mainstay, Joe Hisaishi), i.e. I LOVE IT. And there's a semi Dirty Dancing moment -- even though Nausicaä predates that movie, so maybe it should be the other way around.
Adorable Children Alert:
The seeing eye, mini Greek chorus exposition fairies for Obaba.
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekick:
Teto, the fox-squirrel Eevee lookalike (or, again, the reverse is more accurate).
And also, Lord Yupa's... these things.
Wait, WTF?:
Why don't I have a jet glider!? But real talk: it took me ten minutes to figure out that Nausicaä is definitely wearing pants. Although the biggest "Did that just happen!?" moment occurred when Nausicaä whips out her previously unseen cleavage to hide Teto during an attack.
Famous Voices:
OMG EVERYONE (which will be an oft-uttered phrase in this series). Alison Lohman as Nausicaä; Shia LaBeouf (more like Shi-UGH LaBeouf, amirite?) as Asbel; Uma Thurman as Kushana; Sir Patrick Mothereffin' Stewart as Lord Yupa; Joker Skywalker Mark Hamill as the mayor of Pejite; Tress MacNeille (The Simpsons) as Obaba; Jodi Benson (ARIEL!) as Lastrelle's mother; Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) as Mito; and Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride!) as Kurotowa.
Class Superlative: The Ambitious Trendsetter
Nausicaä isn't really my cup of tea, but I respect it a heckuva lot and I can see why others would love it. Nausicaä herself is pretty kickass; she's the rare hero that cries all the time (understandable, since she carries mankind's guilt towards nature and all), but her compassion is a strength, not a weakness. Anyway, it was neat to recognize things in Nausicaä that I had only known from works that it influenced. Plus, it dispensed words of immense wisdom such as this:
Title: Castle In the Sky
Year: 1986
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In a Land of Pure Imagination:
The title says it all! Or, OK -- backtrack. The story starts with a young girl named Sheeta falling from the sky. She's in possession of a crystal amulet that both the military (under Colonel Muska) and sky pirates (led by Captain Dola) are both after. And hey, it's a crystal plotline that doesn't suck! (Hint hint, Secret Circle.*)
Anyway, Sheeta also befriends a boy named Pazu; together, they're on a quest to find the legendary Laputa, aka the castle in the sky, and they must keep the crystal from falling into the wrong hands.
*I will never stop contriving ways to bring up the terribleness of that show.
Adorable Child Alert:
There were some cute kid villagers, but no standouts.
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekick:
The robots! They're totally the precursor of The Iron Giant.
Wait, WTF?:
I submit this moment, without commentary.
Another thing that weirded me was how the henchmen -- grown-ass men -- were, like, in love with Sheeta. She's a cool chick and all, but she's supposed to be a pre-teen in the original Japanese version, Humberts.
Castle in the Sky also endured a lot of behind-the-scenes shenanigans (so says Wiki, anyway). I'm pretty sure I watched the 2010 re-release, thankfully.
Famous Voices:
FPJ's lil sis Rogue Suh-kee Anna Paquin as Sheeta; the Beek from the Creek, James VDB, as Pazu; national treasure Cloris Leachman as Dola; intergalactic treasure Mark Hamill as Muska; my name twinsie (er, tripletsie... quadrupletsie.. ) Mandy Patinkin as Louie; our name impostor, Andy Dick, as Henri; Tress MacNeille as Okami; and Debi Derryberry (Jimmy Neutron!) as Madge.
Class Superlative: The Ambitious Trendsetter, Redux
Actual start of Studio Ghibli now! Castle in the Sky touches on some similar themes as Nausicaä, but they're still completely different entities. Sheeta and Pazu are just ordinary kids in extraordinary circumstances. (Well, as ordinary as a girl who fell from the sky and the boy that found her can be, at least.) And she's not a grandma, but Dola has all the makings of a kickass gram! Castle in the Sky is a lot of fun, but it also has a sneaky amount of depth. It's easy to see how Studio Ghibli had captured the audience's imagination right from the start.
Title: Grave of the Fireflies
Year: 1988
Director: Isao Takahata
In a Land of Pure Imagination Utter Devastation:
The very first thing you learn about Seita is that he dies on September 21, 1945. Yup, it's a war movie about children. You're going to need tissues for this one, TRUST.
The tear pile from the last time I watched this. Trufax: I couldn't even make it through the DVD menu without my eyes watering. And the waterworks officially started after the first three minutes.
(A disclaimer: I'm a really specific and erratic crier. Even the biggest YA tearjerkers don't get actual tears from me -- just a burst of "This is what crying would feel like." So I just might be part robot. When I'm not being an emotional mess, I mean -- like when I'm watching this movie. My biggest ugly-cries were actually reserved for the happy moments, because omg they don't know what's in store for them.)
The film is a flashback showing the events leading up to Seita's death. As World War II nears its end, Seita and his little sister, Setsuko, head to a bomb shelter during the firebombing of Kobe. In the aftermath, the siblings are taken in by distant relatives, but it's essentially just Seita and Setsuko against the world. And what a shitty world it can be sometimes.
Adorable Child Alert:
Setsuko, OBVIOUSLY. (STOP CRYING, HEART.)
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekick:
None, really. But shout-out to the titular fireflies! (SOB.)
Wait, WTF?:
YOU GUYS, I CAN'T EVEN SEARCH GIFS WITHOUT GETTING TEARY EYED. This movie is so sad that it was paired with My Neighbour Totoro as a double feature during its theatrical release in Japan. And it's based on Akiyuki Nosaka's semi-autobiographical novel -- so YEAH, this shit actually happened. (Not all of it, obvs, since the author survived to write said book. So it's like a real-life reverse Atonement. Except, y'know, good.*)
Sigh, war is so terrible, y'all. Having just watched Catching Fire, I found this quote to be really apt: "There are survivors. There are no winners."
*That movie's only redeeming qualities were introducing me to James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan, and making libraries sexy without using sexy librarians. I even tried to read the book to see if I'd like it any better. (NOPE.) But lest I lose all my recommending cred with you, the great Roger Ebert considered GotF to be one of the best and most powerful war films. Then again, Mr. Ebert and I disagreed about Atonement, so.
Famous Voices:
Grave of the Fireflies hasn't received the big name treatment, since Disney doesn't have distribution rights to it in the U.S. I own the Central Park Media version, which, in addition to clearly using an adult for Setsuko, has Tony-nominated actor J. Robert Spencer as Seita, and Veronica Taylor (Ash Ketchum!) as the mother.
Class Superlative: You're the First, the Last, My Everything
I've actually wanted to sing the praises of this movie ever since I started writing for FYA, and I'm so glad to have an outlet to do so now. Even though it absolutely guts me with TOO.MUCH.FEELS. -- I'm talking eyes stinging from crying, nose raw from tissue abrasion* -- Grave of the Fireflies is one of (if not the) my all-time favourite movies. My relationship with this movie goes wayyyy back -- as in, it's one of the first films that I remember. Even as a clueless two-year-old blob child, I cried and I grieved for these characters -- a story that my mom loves to recall.
(A friend of hers actually recommended GotF to her for me to watch. So there were at least two adults responsible for me seeing it as a toddler. There's never a 'right' age to learn about the horrors of war -- those who lived through it certainly didn't have a say in the matter -- but I wouldn't advise doing that, y'know? Or do it. This movie is important, regardless of how old you are.)
As I grew up, with more and more years distancing myself from it, this movie kept haunting me. I knew I had to find it again. And when I did, it broke me all over again -- as it continues to do every time I muster the courage to watch it. Grave of the Fireflies has left a permanent scar in my heart, and I'll carry it with me for as long as I live.
*I worry that I'm overselling the sadness, but Megan no h agrees with me ("That movie is KILLER."). So if you doubt my Atonement-hating self, trust her!
Title: My Neighbor Totoro
Year: 1988
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In a Land of Pure Imagination:
Satsuki has just moved to a new house with her father and her little sister, Mei. (This fam makes moving wayyyy more fun than it has any right to be.) While the girls wait for their mom to recuperate at a nearby hospital, they discover the friendly wood spirits in the forest.
Adorable Children Alert:
Mei is way too adorbs!
Oh, screw it -- have more GIFs of Mei! (With bonus Chibi Totoro and Chu Totoro!)
After all, this movie's supposed to balance out the sadness of Grave of the Fireflies. So we're gonna need all the cuteness we can get!
Like Kanta's crush on Satsuki, which is THE GREATEST.
And this includes a non-child, but how cute is this fam jam!?
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekicks:
ERMAGHERD, all of them!
Starting with King Totoro himself, obvs.
And his tinier counterparts!
And of course, Catbus!
Don't forget the soot sprites!
Wait, WTF?:
I'm instituting a no-nudity clause. As in, they won't be official WTF moments -- since they're all perfectly innocent and clearly not sexual. But the North American hang-up over nudey-pants being what it is, I feel like I should at least address them, y'know? Anyway, the girls and their dad take a bath together. Their last name is not Dollanganger, so we have nothing to worry about.
Anyway, my actual WTFery comes from the mom. Why was she in the hospital for so long? I seriously thought things would be taking a dark turn, and it'd be revealed that she was institutionalized. (GotF has put me in a constant state of fear for animated characters.) But then the dad used the c-word* around her, so I guess not.
*No, not that one! This is a beloved kids' movie, for fuck's sake. I meant 'crazy'.
Famous Voices:
The sisters Fanning -- Dakota as Satsuki, and Elle as Mei; Superman Tim Daly (as opposed to Tim Curry, which explains why I was waiting for a villain to appear) as the father; Lea Solanga (singing voices of Jasmine and Mulan, who, sadly, does not sing) as the mother; Frank Welker (ABU! And Fred from Scooby Doo, among other things -- including other animals for Ghibli) as Totoro and Catbus; and Pat Carroll ("Poooor unfortunate souls!") as Granny.
Class Superlative: Most Iconic
Well, Totoro is the Studio Ghibli logo, so it's obviously a BFD. My Neighbor Totoro is so innocent and whimsical. It's the kind of film that inspires children of all ages to let their imaginations run wild.
Title: Kiki's Delivery Service
Year: 1989
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
In a Land of Pure Imagination:
At the age of 13, all witches must spend a year on their own to hone their craft. For her apprenticeship, Kiki moves to a scenic port town. But she's yet to come into her magical abilities, and all she can do is (just barely) fly a broom. In order to support herself -- she can't just accio cash, y'know? -- Kiki starts a delivery service (SPOILER ALERT). As if being a teenager wasn't enough to worry about -- Kiki has a whole business to run! And as you might suspect, things don't always go so smoothly.
Adorable Child Alert:
The birthday boy may be adorable, but he also seems a bit spoiled.
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekicks:
JIJI! Jiji is everything!
Jiji gets another GIF because he's my favourite Ghibli pet! (Note that I said pet, not non-human. 'Cause DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE, I WON'T!)
And for thoes of you who prefer dogs, here's Jeff! (With more Jiji!)
Wait, WTF?:
KIKI, WHY ARE YOU SO LOUD?
Famous Voices:
Kirsten Dunst as Kiki (typecasting!); the great Phil Hartman as Jiji; Tress MacNeille as Osono; Janeane Garofalo as Ursula; Matthew Lawrence (Jack from Boy Meets World!) as Tombo; Brad Garrett as the baker; Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil!) as Kiki's mother; the fantastic Debbie Reynolds as Madame; Pamela Adlon (Spinelli! Bobby Hill! Louie love interest!) as Ket; and OH HOLY SHIT Edie McClurg (the secretary from Ferris Bueller!) as Bertha.
Class Superlative: Most Cheerful
(You best believe that's a Bring It On pun!) It's hard to believe that anything could bring bubbly, effervescent Kiki down. But everyone feels insecure from time to time. And UGH, Kiki -- are you me!?
To paraphrase Fraulein Maria, we just need confidence in us! Kiki's Delivery Service is so full of joy and positivity, and that energy is super infectious.
Title: Only Yesterday
Year: 1991
Director: Isao Takahata
In a Land of Pure Imagination Historical Fiction:
It's 1982, and 27-year-old Takeo's life is in stasis: she doesn't care for her job, and her love life is nonexistent. Takeo is nostalgic for her childhood -- back when she was full of hopes and dreams. As Takeo revisits her past, her present involves a break from city life with a visit to the rural countryside, which makes her reconsider her priorities.
Adorable Child Alert:
Young Taeko can't be much older than Satsuki from Totoro, but those few years make a difference. These kids are a bit too old for adorable, but there are a few cute crushes.
Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekick:
None! I don't even think there were any animals, except maybe some farm animals or something.
Wait, WTF?:
This remains the only Studio Ghibli movie that Disney has distribution rights to that has never been released on home video in North America. I kept this in mind as I watched it, which led me to this scientific conclusion: DAFUQ? The only mildly (and I mean mildly) pearl-clutching moments that I picked up on were a brief scene at a bath house (i.e. nekkidness, which we've established -- and will establish again -- that it doesn't stop Disney from releasing a movie), a questionable parenting moment (highlight for the spoiler: Takeo's father slaps her once and only once, ever), and a storyline involving puberty. And by that, I mean OMG MENSES. Because it's not like half the world hasn't menstruated at some point. (Heck, some of you might be doing it right now!) Hasn't anyone over there read Judy Blume!?
Only Yesterday was the highest grossing film of 1991 in Japan. It had no trouble attracting an audience -- female or male. It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There is no good reason why this has't been released on North American home video yet! Maybe there's some closed-door worries about branding or profits or some shit. But a good movie is a good movie. Get Jennifer Lawrence to voice Adult Takeo, and, like, Prim as the child version, and call it a day.
Famous Voices:
No English dub, so I watched a sub that I procured via undisclosed means. Or maybe there are some Japanese celebs in the original cast, I don't know. Pardon my ignorance of Japanese cinema.
Class Superlative: Sister from Another Mister
Adult Takeo: oooh, girl -- I feel you. You're single and 27, but your family's like, "OMG SHE'S BECOMING A SPINSTER." (Granted, you're in 1982, so that's like being 37 in 2013 -- which is still shitting young. GET OFF OUR BACKS, YO.) You'd get my BFF charm for sure; I found you so incredibly relatable. (Minus the whole meeting-a-cute-boy-in-the-country thing. 'Cause I'm soooo not a Country Mouse. Player don't play that game.)
Only Yesterday is pretty much an animated live-action movie about life, work, and love -- and a really good one, at that. Because who says anime can't be used to tell realistic stories? Who says anime can't be geared towards adults? After all, the readers of this site like ours know better than anyone that there's no age limit to the type of movies and books that we're 'allowed' to enjoy.
So, dear readers: have y'all watched all of these movies? Which is your fave from this set?
Join me back here next time, when I'll be checking out Studio Ghibli's films from 1992 to 2001: Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors the Yamadas, and Spirited Away.