Netflix brought the entire Studio Ghibli collection to its library of animated films in 2020, but if you live in the US, this collection is unavailable to stream. But not to fret, you can find this entire list of movies on HBO Max instead.

While the Ghibli collection is extensive (with new movies such as The Boy and the Heron), there are some classics that rise above the rest. These 10 films are some of the best works conceived by Studio Ghibli and its co-founder, the famed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

10

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Based on Eiko Kadano’s 1985 book of the same name, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a fantasy animation by Ghibli. It follows the story of Kiki, a young witch, who, along with her black cat Jiji, has to set out on her own, as expected of witches her age. With her mother’s broomstick and her cat in tow, Kiki searches for a place to live and work, settling on a town called Koriko. Here, she starts helping a couple by undertaking delivery services (called the Witch Delivery Service) for their bakery.

Kiki’s adventures in her new life, making new friends, and dealing with obstacles that stand in the way of her delivery services, make up the rest of this movie. Kiki’s Delivery Service has won 13 awards in various animation and film award shows.

9

The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises is a tragic historical animation based on Hayao Miyazaki’s 2009 manga of the same name. Based on a fictionalized account of the Japanese aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi, The Wind Rises takes the audience through his life from his aspirations to fly with his idol, an Italian aircraft designer, to his education and career, and eventual role in building a Japanese fighter plane during World War II. Interspersed within Jiro’s life as an aviation engineer and designer is his love story with a woman named Nahoko.

The Wind Rises was Japan’s highest-grossing film of 2013 and was intended to be Miyazaki’s final feature film, but he went on to direct Ghibli’s latest film, The Boy and the Heron.

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8

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a historical fantasy film and an adaptation of the monogatari (an old Japanese literary tale) The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The movie tells the story of a “princess” who is discovered as a nymph growing inside a bamboo shoot by her father, a bamboo cutter. She is considered divine nobility and a good-luck charm by her parents, who come across immense wealth after she comes into their lives. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya depicts the princess growing up to be a beautiful woman and asking suitors to perform near-impossible tasks to win her love. The mystery of Kaguya’s origin and the story behind her destiny make up the rest of this story.

7

Castle in the Sky

The first feature film to be animated by Studio Ghibli, Castle in the Sky is partially inspired by Miyazaki’s trips to Wales. It tells the story of a young orphan girl named Sheeta, who is kidnapped by Col. Muska and, by chance, escapes when their aircraft is attacked by pirates. Sheeta meets a young orphan named Pazu after she survives the incident with the help of a magic crystal around her neck. With Muska still on their tail, the two young orphans set out to find the mystical city of Laputa, a floating city filled with treasures.

The movie deals with themes such as capitalism and environmentalism, represented by the utopian idea of the floating city of Lupata. Castle in the Sky won four awards at various film festivals in Japan, including one for its movie art. It is critically acclaimed and seen as an important movie in the steampunk style.

6

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a post-apocalyptic fantasy film based on Miyazaki’s manga series of the same name. The oldest movie on this list, this story is set in the Valley of the Wind, a fictional, post-apocalyptic kingdom in a world where, after a devastating war destroyed the ecosystem, humans can only live in certain pockets of the Toxic Jungle. Nausicaa is a pacifist who gets caught in the crosshairs of the Empire of Tolmekia’s war with the Valley of the Wind, and tries to prevent them from giant insect-like creatures who live in the jungle.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is widely considered one of the best animated films of all time, and has been praised by critics for its storytelling and soundtrack. It was re-released in Japan in 2020.

5

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro is a fantasy animation that inspired one of the most popular Japanese animation characters and Studio Ghibli’s mascot and logo (Totoro). It tells the story of two young sisters, Mei and Satsuki, who move into a new house in the countryside with their father while their mother recovers in a hospital nearby. Here, Mei and, eventually, Satsuki, befriend friendly spirits, including the titular Totoro, a large and fluffy spirit. Their friendship with these playful creatures while their mother recovers is the focus of the film.

Totoro’s popularity as a character has been compared to cartoon characters like Winnie the Pooh, and even made cameos in films such as Toy Story 3. The film won six awards at various Japanese film award shows.

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4

Howl’s Moving Castle

This fantasy film, partly based on Diana Wynne Jones’s book of the same name, is set in a fictional kingdom, where Sophie, who leads a boring life, crosses paths with a wizard named Howl, who lives in a flying, moving castle. Sophie is soon cursed to age prematurely by a jealous witch because of her relationship with Howl, and the wizard has to find a way to reverse the curse. The story is set against the backdrop of an impending war between Sophie’s kingdom and its neighbor.

Howl’s Moving Castle contains elements of feminism, anti-war sentiments, aging, and love. It is one of the most successful films in Japan’s box office history, garnering high praise for its themes and story.

3

Princess Mononoke

Set in the 14th-century Muromachi era Japan, Princess Mononoke depicts the story of a prince named Ashitaka, who is cursed after he slays a demon who threatens his village. While the curse also gives him some powers, it will eventually kill him, and the only way to cure it is to uncover the source of the demon’s hatred and seek a deer-like god. In his pursuit to cure himself of this curse, Ashitaka comes across Princess Mononoke, a girl raised by wolves, and stumbles upon conflict between her and the people of Iron Town, who want to destroy her home.

Princess Mononoke won over 20 awards at various film awards and remains a cult classic in Ghibli’s filmography of feature films.

2

Grave of the Fireflies

Set in Kobe, Japan, during the Pacific War of the early 1940s, Grave of the Fireflies is a historical war film depicting the tragic story of siblings and war orphans Seita and Setsuko. Teenager Seita has to take care of his younger sister through depleting money and resources after they are separated from their parents due to an American bombing. Facing obstacles in a war-torn Japan and fighting malnutrition and other problems, the siblings must survive through brutal conditions.

Grave of the Fireflies has been widely praised for its depiction of civilian loss and tragedy during times of war, with its emotional storytelling earning it critical acclaim.

You can stream Grave of the Fireflies on Netflix US, since it is yet to be made available on Max.

1

Spirited Away

Spirited Away, one of Ghibli’s most popular films to date, is a masterclass in fantasy animation. It depicts the story of a ten-year-old girl, Chihoro and her parents, who, on their journey to their new home, stumble upon an abandoned amusement park. Here, Chihoro’s parents are turned into giant pigs, and she is thrown into a mystical world of spirits, which is also a resort for supernatural beings. She needs to work in this world to free herself and her parents, and during this journey, she acquaints herself with a mysterious spirit called No-Face.

Spirited Away held the record of the highest-grossing film in Japan for 19 years before being surpassed by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba in 2019. It was the first non-English animated film to win an Academy Award, and is regarded as one of the best animated films in history.

If you would still like to stream the entire Ghibli collection of 24 movies on Netflix, you can always use a VPN service of your choice. If you live outside of the US (except Japan), you can stream the entire Ghibli collection (including Grave of the Fireflies) on Netflix.