Hayao Miyazaki
#1
The Boy and the Heron
Synopsis:
While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him…
Starring:
Masaki Suda,
Takuya Kimura,
Ko Shibasaki
Plot:
heron,
parakeet,
fire,
grief,
studio ghibli,
anime animation,
magic,
1940s,
year 1943,
world war two
...
#2
Earwig and the Witch
Synopsis:
A headstrong orphan discovers a world of spells and potions while living with a selfish witch.
Starring:
Kokoro Hirasawa,
Shinobu Terajima,
Gaku Hamada
Plot:
witch,
baby,
orphan,
orphan girl,
orphanage,
cemetery,
adoption,
sorcerer,
magic,
magic spell
...
#3
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Synopsis:
When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Starring:
Chris Hemsworth,
Mark Ruffalo,
Jeremy Renner
#4
Toy Story 3
Synopsis:
Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Andy's toys haven't been played with in years. With Andy about to go to college, the gang find themselves accidentally left at a nefarious day care center. The toys must band together to escape and return home to Andy.
Starring:
Joan Cusack,
Tom Hanks,
Wallace Shawn
Plot:
toy,
sheriff,
janitor,
fashion show,
talking toy,
barbie,
toy dinosaur,
dinosaur,
horse,
alien
...
#5
Ponyo
Synopsis:
The son of a sailor, 5-year old Sosuke, lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa. One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo. But she is no ordinary goldfish.
Starring:
Hiroki Doi,
Yuria Nara,
George Tokoro
#6
Howl's Moving Castle
Synopsis:
When Sophie, a shy young woman, is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
Starring:
Chieko Baisho,
Takuya Kimura,
Akihiro Miwa
Plot:
studio ghibli,
steampunk,
anime,
based on novel,
three word title,
teenage girl,
castle,
witch,
demon,
spell
...
#7
The Cat Returns
Synopsis:
Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it's no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.
Starring:
Takayuki Yamada,
Mari Hamada,
Tetsu Watanabe
#8
Spirited Away
Synopsis:
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
Starring:
Miyu Irino,
Tatsuya Gashūin,
Ryunosuke Kamiki
#9
Princess Mononoke
Synopsis:
Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.
Starring:
Sumi Shimamoto,
Yōji Matsuda,
Yuriko Ishida
Plot:
forest,
curse,
anime,
princess,
studio ghibli,
female warrior,
human animal relationship,
cult film,
giant animal,
talking animal
...
#10
Whisper of the Heart
Synopsis:
Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: 'Seiji Amasawa'.
Starring:
Minami Takayama,
Issey Takahashi,
Yoko Honna
Plot:
studio ghibli,
school,
ambition,
coming of age,
female protagonist,
book,
library,
cat,
reading,
crush
...
#11
Porco Rosso
Synopsis:
In Italy in the 1930s, sky pirates in biplanes terrorize wealthy cruise ships as they sail the Adriatic Sea. The only pilot brave enough to stop the scourge is the mysterious Porco Rosso, a former World War I flying ace who was somehow turned into a pig during the war. As he prepares to battle the pirate crew's American ace, Porco Rosso enlists the help of spunky girl mechanic Fio Piccolo and his…
Starring:
Akio Otsuka,
Hiroko Seki,
Akemi Okamura
Plot:
hero,
adriatic sea,
air pirate,
pilot,
italy,
1930s,
pig,
all female crew,
airplane design,
seaplane
...
#12
Kiki's Delivery Service
Synopsis:
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
Starring:
Yuriko Fuchizaki,
Koichi Yamadera,
Haruko Kato
Plot:
witch,
cat,
studio ghibli,
magic,
anime,
rainstorm,
airship,
accident,
good witch,
talking cat
...
#13
My Neighbor Totoro
Synopsis:
Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.
Starring:
Noriko Hidaka,
Hitoshi Takagi,
Chika Sakamoto
#14
Castle in the Sky
Synopsis:
A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.
Starring:
Mayumi Tanaka,
Ichirō Nagai,
Machiko Washio
Plot:
lost civilization,
car on train tracks,
tunnel,
army,
pirate,
castle,
government agent,
airship,
railway chase,
studio ghibli
...
#15
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Synopsis:
After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.
Starring:
Iemasa Kayumi,
Kōhei Miyauchi,
Ichirō Nagai