10 Best Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked From Great to Absolute Masterpiece by IMDb

It’s hard to imagine the world of modern animation without Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata whose decades-long collaborative work in Studio Ghibli changed the entire industry forever.

Even though the company’s golden era might have been gone for years after Takahata’s death and Miyazaki’s decision to distance himself from animation, Studio Ghibli remains home for some of the most beloved animated movies that haven’t aged a day since their release.

In case you’re a newcomer in Miyazaki’s world of fantastic creatures and compelling storylines, these movies produced by Studio Ghibli are the next addition to your watchlist.

10. ‘The Wind Rises’ (2013)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Wind Rises keeps scores of 88% and 85% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 7.8/10

Inspired by the life story of Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi who created the A-6M World War II fighter plane, the movie follows his animated counterpart through hardships of war and love struggles.

9. ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ (1989)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Kiki’s Delivery Service has scores of 98% and 89% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie rates 7.8/10

The anime feature follows 13-year-old young witch Kiki who moves to a seaside town all alone to live there for an entire year and master her magic abilities; however, when she loses her power, Kiki has to find a way to become more confident in what she strives for to bring it back.

8. ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ (2013)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya holds scores of 100% and 90% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.0/10

Based on an old Japanese tale, Isao Takahata’s historical fantasy movie follows a small scale girl found inside a bamboo stalk who grows into a young princess demanding that her suitors prove their love by completing a series of dangerous tasks.

7. ‘Laputa: Castle in the Sky’ (1986)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Laputa: Castle in the Sky has scores of 96% and 91% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie rates 8.0/10

Following young orphans Sheeta and Pazu’s story, the movie recounts their encounter in the mystical floating city of Laputa where they have to hide from evil Muska looking for the city’s lost treasures.

6. ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ (1984)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind keeps a score of 91% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.0/10

Set far in the future, the movie finds young Nausicaä, a girl who is able to communicate with giant insects that populate local forests, amidst the ongoing war between those who want to destroy the planet and those who want to save it.

5. ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ (1988)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, My Neighbour Totoro holds a score of 94% from both critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie rates 8.1/10

Miyazaki’s highly acclaimed animated tale follows schoolgirl Satsuke and her younger sister Mei who discover a massive cuddly creature named Totoro in a local forest nearby their countryside house.

4. ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Howl’s Moving Castle keeps scores of 88% and 93% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.2/10

The movie follows young Sophie whose blossoming romance with a wizard called Howl results in her becoming a victim of a spell cast by the evil Witch of Waste, with Howl demanded to use all his knowledge to return to Sophie her youth and beauty.

3. ‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Princess Mononoke has scores of 93% and 94% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.3/10

Miyazaki’s historical fantasy animated movie follows a young Emishi prince who gets involved in an ongoing feud between Lady Eboshi and a young girl raised by a pack of wolves.

2. ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ (1988)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Grave of the Fireflies holds scores of 100% and 95% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.5/10

Directed by Isao Takahata, this heartbreaking story revolves around teenager Seita and his younger sister Setsuko who try to survive an American firebombing during World War II after being separated from their parents.

1. ‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Spirited Away holds a score of 96% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.6/10

Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning tale follows 10-year-old Chihiro who, alongside her parents, moves to a Japanese countryside and discovers a hidden world full of fantastic creatures that won’t let her go and reunite with her parents until she completes a difficult task.