Hello Sunny Siders, I hope you all are doing well! Today, I wanted to talk about Studio Ghibli Films as I have been watching them lately with my brother and really loving them.
For those who are unfamiliar, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese Animation Studio that is know for developing stunning animated films.
Thus far, I have watched Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Ponyo. And I thought it’d be fun to share my thoughts on each one! One common theme I have noticed through all of these films is that what I personally thought the movie was going to be about was very different from the actual plot, but in a good way. These films are all so creative and not like much else I have ever seen in my life.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service is about a girl who is a witch. At age 13 witches are supposed to leave their home to find a new town to use their magic to help people. Kiki ends up using her power of flight to run a delivery service out of the local bakers shop. I found the film to be visually stunning and a fun concept. Prior to seeing the film I always thought Kiki was a baker, but I was totally off base there. A sub plot of the film is that a boy in town is fascinated with flight and gets a chance to ride in the Zepplin. Kiki ends up having to save the boy and the rest of the crew on the Zepplin when disaster strikes. Overall, I really enjoyed this film and it was a perfect introduction into Studio Ghibli Films!
Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle is about a magical man named Howl who is using his powers to stop an ongoing war. Sophie a girl he meets along the way ends up getting cursed and transformed into an old woman before finding her way into Howl’s home. She then works to clean the place up and helps Howl to not lose his heart every time he goes off into battle. My personal favorite part of the film is the fire demon Calcifer who is just so adorable. Again, this film is so visually stunning and I really enjoyed both the main and side plot, especially when they converged together.
Spirited Away
This is the film most people know when they hear Studio Ghibli. Spirited Away is a bout a girl and her family who are currently driving to their new home. The family takes a detour and the girls parents end up getting turned into pigs after eating food meant for someone else. In order to get her parents back, Chihiro must become a servant at Yubaba’s Bathhouse. Another film with a very interesting storyline that visually was stunning. I personally like the other three films I saw more than this one, but it still was a wonderful film.
Ponyo
Currently, my favorite of the Studio Ghibli films, Ponyo is about a fish who wants to become human. She has innate magical powers, but when she accidentally stumbles upon a magic elixir her powers become exponentially stronger and she transforms into a human. However, in doing so she has altered the tides so significantly that the world is virtually underwater. In order to restore the world back to normal, a boy named Sosuke must learn to love Ponyo, even if she is just a fish. This film being primarily under water made for some truly gorgeous animation. Some of the ways they used magic to represent the water so visually appealing. This film was wacky and fun all in one.
This is just my start into a journey of seeing all the Studio Ghibli films. So far I haven’t seen a film I haven’t enjoyed and I am excited to watch more!
Sunny Side Up With Siri 