Studio Ghibli is a renowned Japanese animation studio founded on June 15, 1985 The studio is celebrated for its beautifully crafted animated films that blend fantasy, adventure, and deep emotional storytelling.
Studio Ghibli was established with the goal of creating high-quality animated films that explore the depths of human experience and imagination. The name “Ghibli” was chosen to symbolize a new wind blowing through the anime industry, inspired by the Italian word for a hot desert wind and Miyazaki’s love for aviation.
Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki. The studio quickly became known for its beautifully crafted animated films that blend fantasy, adventure, and deep emotional storytelling. With iconic movies like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle, Studio Ghibli has captivated audiences worldwide.
Our films are celebrated for their unique storytelling, stunning hand-drawn animation, and memorable characters. Over the years, we’ve received numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Spirited Away. Studio Ghibli continues to inspire and enchant viewers of all ages with its magical worlds and heartfe
Won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, being the first non-English language film to receive this award.
Was the first animated film to win the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year in 98.
Received the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1988.
Won the Animation of the Year award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair in 2005.
Won the Animation of the Year award at the Tokyo Anime Awards in 2009.
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2014.
Won the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014.
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2016.
Won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016.
Blue Ribbon Awards: Won the Best Film award in 1989.
Hayao Miyazaki is a legendary figure in the world of animation, known for his profound impact on Studio Ghibli and the broader animation industry. Here’s a brief overview of his journey:
Early Career
Miyazaki began his career at Toei Animation in 1963, where he worked as an in-between artist. He quickly rose through the ranks, collaborating with Isao Takahata on several projects.
Founding Studio Ghibli
In 1985, Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli with Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. This marked the beginning of a new era in animation, with Ghibli producing some of the most beloved animated films of all time.
Notable Works
Miyazaki directed numerous critically acclaimed films at Studio Ghibli, including:
• Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
• My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
• Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
• Princess Mononoke (1997)
• Spirited Away (2001)
Themes and Style
Miyazaki’s films often explore themes of environmentalism, pacifism, and the complexities of human nature. His storytelling is known for its rich, imaginative worlds and deep emotional resonance.
Legacy
Miyazaki’s influence extends beyond his films. He has inspired countless animators and filmmakers worldwide. Even in his 80s, he continues to work on new projects, demonstrating his enduring passion for animation
Isao Takahata was a highly influential figure in the world of animation, known for his unique storytelling and deep emotional narratives. Here’s a brief overview of his life and career:
Early Career
Takahata was born on October 29, 1935, in Ujiyamada (now Ise), Japan. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with a degree in French literature. His interest in animation was sparked by the French film Le Roi et l’Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird).
Founding Studio Ghibli
In 1985, Takahata co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. This collaboration led to the creation of some of the most beloved animated films.
Notable Works
Takahata directed several critically acclaimed films, including:
• Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
• Only Yesterday (1991)
• Pom Poko (1994)
• My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)
• The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
Themes and Style
Takahata’s films often delve into themes of war, family, and the passage of time. His storytelling is characterized by its grounded realism, emotional depth, and a keen observation of everyday life.
Legacy
Takahata’s films are known for their emotional depth, social commentary, and unique animation styles. Unlike many directors, he did not draw himself but focused on storytelling and direction. He passed away on April 5, 2018, leaving behind a legacy of profound and impactful films.
2008 / 103 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Steve Alpert, Toshio Suzuki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"Magical... An extraordinary vision of a dazzling undersea world rich with visual wonders" – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, and Academy Award®-winning* director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a heartwarming adventure, now featuring hours of new bonus features never-before-released in North America!
When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.
1988 / 89 min
Directed by: Isao Takahata
Produced by: Ryoichi Sato, Toru Hara
Written by: Isao Takahata
As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying.
Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Iaso Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan's legendary Studio Ghibli,) Grave of the Fireflies has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force. Now digitally remastered and restored, it is one of the rare films that truly deserves to be called a masterpiece.
2001 / 125 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Naoya Fujimaki, Ryoichi Fukuyama, Kôji Hoshino
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"Visually gorgeous" – Richard Corliss, TIME
Acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) delivers a modern masterpiece with this Academy Award®-nominated* exploration of creative passion in a hostile world.
Jiro Horikoshi is fascinated by aviation but unable to become a pilot due to a medical condition. He moves to Tokyo in 1923, surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake to become a highly accomplished airplane designer. As rumors of war escalate, Jiro reunites with Nahoko, a young woman he met during the earthquake years earlier. The two fall deeply in love, just as Nahoko falls ill with tuberculosis. Inspired by visions of Italian aeronaut Caproni, Jiro must confront mounting tragedies with dignity in this epic tale of love and perseverance.
2013 / 137 min
Directed by: Isao Takahata
Produced by: Kôji Hoshino, Yoshiaki Nishimura, Seiichirô Ujiie, Geoffrey Wexler
Written by: Isao Takahata, Riko Sakaguchi
"A Staggering Masterpiece" - Glenn Kenny, RogerEbert.com
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, comes a powerful and sweeping epic that redefines animated storytelling and marks a triumphant high point within an extraordinary filmmaking career for Academy Award®-nominated* director Isao Takahata. Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her — but ultimately, she must confront her fate and embark on a transformative journey.
2001 / 125 min
Directed by: Isao Takahata
Produced by: Ritsuo Isobe, Seiichiro Ujiie, Toshio Suzuki, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
Written by: Isao Takahata
"Wondrous! Filled with great flourishes of imagination!" – Chris Cabin, Slant Magazine
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award®-nominated* director Isao Takahata, comes an action-packed ecological fable about the clash between nature and human civilization.
The tanuki (raccoon dogs) of Tama Hills find their fun-loving community under attack when their quiet woodlands are threatened by encroaching developers looking to create still more houses and shopping malls. Desperate to survive, the tanuki band together and learn the ancient art of transformation, shape-shifting into a comical variety of humans and spirits as they undertake a last-ditch plan to scare away the humans and save their home, in this deeply affecting, funny and heartfelt look at what it means to live in the modern world.
21991 / 118 min
Directed by: Isao Takahata
Produced by: ôru Hara, Ritsuo Isobe, Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hotaru Okamoto, Yuuko Tone, David Freedman, Isao Takahata
"Gorgeous! A rare and powerful film" - Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly
Having lived her whole life in the city, 27-year-old Taeko decides to visit her relatives in the countryside. As she travels, memories of her youth resurface, and after meeting young farmer Toshio, she wonders if she's been true to the dreams of her childhood self.
From Academy Award®-nominated* director Isao Takahata and General Producer Hayao Miyazaki, Only Yesterday is a masterpiece of time and tone, rich with humor and stirring emotion, and beautifully animated by Studio Ghibli, one of the world's most revered animation studios.
1997 / 133 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Toshio Suzuki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
From Academy Award®-winning* director Hayao Miyazaki, comes an epic masterpiece that has dazzled audiences worldwide with its breathtaking imagination, exhilarating battles, and deep humanity. Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrier Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There he stumbles into a bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there.
1986 / 125 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Isao Takahata, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"Stunning! A masterpiece of action filmmaking!" – Leonard Maltin
Castle in the Sky is a timeless story of courage and friendship, with stunning animation from acclaimed Academy Award®-winning* director Hayao Miyazaki.
This high-flying adventure begins when Pazu, an engineer's apprentice, spies a young girl, Sheeta, floating down from the sky, held aloft by a glowing pendant. Both Sheeta and Pazu are searching for the legendary floating castle, Laputa, and they vow to travel there together to unravel the mystery of the luminous crystal. But their quest won't be easy, as soon they are being pursued by greedy air pirates, the military, and secret government agents, who all seek the power Sheeta alone can control.
2004 / 120 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Rick Dempsey, Ned Lott, Toshio Suzuki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"An animated tour-de-force" – A.O. Scott, The New York Times
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, comes the Academy Award®- nominated* fantasy adventure for the whole family.
Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a curse on Sophie and turns her into a 90-year-old woman. On a quest to break the spell, Sophie climbs aboard Howl's magnificent moving castle and into a new life of wonder and adventure. But as the true power of Howl's wizardry is revealed, Sophie finds herself fighting to protect them both from a dangerous war of sorcery that threatens their world.
1988 / 86 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Toru Hara, Ned Lott
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"One of the most beloved of all family films" – Roger Ebert
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award®-winning* director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family.
When Satsuki and her sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece.
1989 / 102 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Hayao Miyazaki, Jane Schonberger
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"A beautifully animated, kindhearted gem" – Leonard Maltin
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award®-winning* director Hayao Miyazaki, comes the beloved coming-of-age story of a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt.
It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation.
2001 / 125 min
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Donald W. Ernst, John Lasseter, Toshio Suzuki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
"Nothing less than magical!" – Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature,* Hayao Miyazaki's wondrous fantasy adventure is a dazzling masterpiece from one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation.
Chihiro's family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time.
