The Guardian ranks every Studio Ghibli film

[Deleted member 16516]

Their ranking of the 22 films:

22. Porco Rosso (1992)
21. My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)
20. Only Yesterday (1991)
19. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
18. Arrietty (2010)
17. Pom Poko (1994)
16. When Marnie Was There (2014)
15. Ocean Waves (1993)
14. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
13. The Wind Rises (2013)
12. The Cat Returns (2002)
11. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
10. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
9. Ponyo (2008)
8. Tales from Earthsea (2006)
7. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
6. Spirited Away (2001)
5. Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
4. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
3. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
2. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
1. Princess Mononoke (1997)

https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...anked-netflix-princess-mononoke-spirited-away

Personally, I'd have Nausicaa, Laputa and Princess Mononoke in my top three, with Kaguya in the top ten, instead of the Earthsea adaptation.

 

[Zan]

Yamadas that low? I loved that movie growing up. Wonder if it still holds up?

 

[dancingphlower]

That top two is perfect *chef's kiss*

 

[Aegus]

Porco Rosso was robbed!

 

[astro]

I'm not going to argue with a personal list, but I'd have SA in the top 4 at least personally.

 

[Slash Ess]

Kaguya #1

 

[effingvic]

Howl is too high, Kaguya is too low. My top 5 are:

1. Spirited Away
2. Princess Mononoke
3. Kiki's Delivery Service
4. Nausicaa
5. Kaguya

 

[TeenageFBI]

Porco Rosso was robbed!

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Right? Porco Rosso's great.

And Howl at 2? Over Kiki/Spirited Away? I do not like this list. No sir!

 

[BackwoodsAltar]

Grave of the Fireflies is my absolute favourite, but I can understand why it's not in the top five due to how traumatising it is lol

 

[DJ_Lae]

22. Porco Rosso (1992)

What a shitty goddamn start to their list. Below the horrorshow that is the Yamadas?

Tales from Earthsea way up at 8?

Fuck you, Guardian.

 

[Jakenbakin]

How is Nausicaa so low and Earthsea so high? Why is Porco Rosso so low?

I'm glad Howls Moving Castle is up there though, I love that movie.

 

[HStallion]

Howl's Moving Castle at number 2 is a baffling choice that makes no sense with the titanic films that are behind it. Its one of the weakest Ghibli films even if its not a bad film.

Edit: Earthsea's ranking is another bizarre one.

 

[Yams]

Howl... NO

 

[zoabs]

I think Spirited should be swapped with Howl's and Kiki should be slightly lower, but otherwise a really good list.

 

[mrmoose]

How is Tales from Earthsea so far up there? Do they explain in the article?

Above Nausicaa? Wat?

 

[Einbroch]

I have massive nostalgia for Totoro because it's the only Japanese animation my father and I watched before he passed away, but that list is pretty gewd.

 

[effingvic]

Earthsea in the top 10 is a joke lmao. The highest it should have been is 22.

 

[airbagged_]

Gonna be real.. Totoro is overrated as hell. Fantastic characters, but booooooooooooooooring.

 

[Deleted member 18021]

Whisper of the Heart is not in its rightful #1 place, smh.

Porco down at #22 is also pretty darn weird, lol.

 

[Goldenroad]

The only one of the top 10 I haven't seen is Tales from Earthsea. Is it really that good?

I'd probably put the Wind Rises in the top 10. That movie is just sooo fucking beautiful. Whatever though. It's a fine list. Those are good movies.

 

[Bard]

Porco Rosso being last lets me know I can immediately write this list off. Garbage.

 

[jml]

Spirited Away worse than Totoro is some bullshit. Spirited Away is great, Totoro is a nothing movie that's kinda cute.

 

[Mzril]

Laputa is probably the best animated movie I've probably ever seen.

It should be number 1. The music direction is phenomenal in that one.

 

[Vampirolol]

I just realized I have seen only a small portion of those movies. My favorites are Nausicaa and Spirited Away.
Princess Mononoke is among the few that I've found mediocre, really can't see what's special about it when Nausicaa does everything better. Oh wait, also Howl's Moving Castle... I liked it but I wouldn't rank it that high. Can't wait for all of these movies on Netflix, I'll give them a super rewatch and discover the others.

 

[TronLight]

Porco Rosso being the last automatically invalidates this list. I mean.

 

[MillionIII]

Can't rank perfection

 

[Huey]

Worthwhile endeavour but a really fucked list. Ponyo and tales from earthsea above Nausicaa? Porco at the absolute bottom?

 

[Video Games Are Dumb]

22. Porco Rosso (1992)

Click to shrink...

This. Injustice. Will. NOT. Stand.

 

[Dice]

22. Porco Rosso (1992) WHAT??? *

12. The Cat Returns (2002) Charming but way too high?

17. Pom Poko (1994) * EASY SWAP I kinda...hated this movie. D:

11. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Waaaay too low.

10. Whisper of the Heart (1995) Underrated. 👍

9. Ponyo (2008) I really didnt like this. It was cute but just way too weird. Giant fish woman, strange magic man, breastfeeding scene, little fish turns into little girl and falls in love with little boy...they're fucking 5.


8. Tales from Earthsea (2006) At 8????? I think it ain't THAT bad but definitely not THIS good.

6. Spirited Away (2001). Surprised it ranked as "low" as it did, but I do think this "general area" works.

5. Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) So fun, glad it's up here. And it's god stupid vanderbeek, hamil, and cloris

4. My Neighbour Totoro (1988) Honestly feels a bit overrated or one of those "Ya had to be there" ones. I'mma say too high.

3. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) Reluctantly disagree for #3, but I 100% agree it's one of the better ones (if not one of the most pleasant movies ever).

2. Howl's Moving Castle (2004) I think parts of the plot stink, but I like this one a lot.

1. Princess Mononoke (1997) Deserved.

 

[capitalCORN]

Howl's getting the respect it deserves.

 

[DJ_Lae]

The only one of the top 10 I haven't seen is Tales from Earthsea. Is it really that good?

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I don't think it's even halfway decent - it's boring, bland, and forgettable. It was the last Ghibli movie I bought on blu-ray (other than the Yamadas, which I have no interest in owning another version of) and even at the $10 price tag I felt ripped off.

 

[rude]

Arrietty is underrated and too damn low (the UK dub is perfect btw). Howl's is way too high.

TALES FROM EARTHSEA IN TOP 10. Everyone in here new to Ghibli can safely ignore this shit aside from them getting #1 right.

 

[smurfx]

spirited away is my fav. howl is not top 5 material.

 

[kvetcha]

lol Porco Rosso at 22. fuck that jazz.

Only Yesterday at 20?

What the hell is this.

 

[Bonefish]

Only Yesterday at the bottom below Earthsea and Porco Rosso last lmao are you fucking kidding.

 

[apocat]

Putting Earthsea above some of the absolute all time classics of animation is absurd. It should be lowest on the list by anyones standards.

 

[Deleted member 18021]

The only one of the top 10 I haven't seen is Tales from Earthsea. Is it really that good?

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I don't think it's as bad as the internet makes it out to be, but being that high is, uh, certainly a take.

The Earthsea series deserved so much better.

 

[Dimple]

What the fuck is Earthsea doing at 8? Also I love Howl but no way is it at No.2.

Swap Earthsea for Porco and Howls for Grave of the fireflies and we're gold.

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

I'm glad to see laputa is that high. I feel like nobody ever mentions it and it's amazing.
Side note earthsea was horrible

 

[Ridley327]

There isn't a universe, reality or plane of existence where Howl's Moving Castle deserves to be 20 spots higher than Porco Rosso. What the actual fuck.

 

[coma]

Awful list.

And Howl's doesn't belong anywhere in the top 10.

 

[Symphony]

Eh, my opinions of Ghibli movies are probably out of step with other people but I never liked Howl's Moving Castle and couldn't even finish it so I'd move that out of the top 10. Glad to see The Cat Returns on the list at least, but I still love that one and would put it top 5. I enjoyed Ponyo at the time but rewatched it recently and ehh... not a fan any more. Don't remember Earthsea being more than ok, Arrietty absolutely deserves to be top 10 along with Porco Rosso. Haven't seen a lot of the ones from 15 and below so I can't say much about them.

 

[Aadiboy]

Tales from the Earthsea #8? I thought everyone hated that movie. Spirited Away is way too low, it should be first.

 

[lunarworks]

WTF @ Porco Rosso? Even my DAD loves that film.

The first of Hayao Miyazaki's aviation-themed films, it remains unclear why its pilot character is a pig (unfortunately, a sexist one).

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It's implied he was cursed for his actions as an air force pilot in the Great War.

 

[KNZFive]

How the fuck is Porco Rosso and not Earthsea at the very bottom of the list? HOW IS EARTHSEA IN THE TOP TEN ABOVE NAUSICAA AND KAGUYA.

 

[jph139]

I think Porco Rosso is a strong contender for best animated film of all time, nevermind just Ghibli films.

 

[Disclaimer]

The Guardian has good taste. Mononoke and Howl's are in the right spots.

 

[Bitch Pudding]

Spirited away and Porco should both be much higher.

 

[Dice]

I think a tier-list would be waaay better for Ghibli

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

seeing Porco at the bottom means i didnt even look at the rest of the list