Studio Ghibli

The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are among the most respected in the movie industry. Their films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new release a guaranteed box office hit. Yet this highly profitable studio has remained fiercely independent, producing a stream of imaginative and individual animations. The studio's founders, Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, have created timeless masterpieces. Their films are distinctly Japanese but the themes are universal: humanity, community and a love for the environment. Studio Ghibli outlines the history of the studio and explores the early output of its founders. It examines all the studio's major works including Laputa: Castle in the Sky , Grave of the Fireflies , My Neighbour Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service , Only Yesterday , Porco Rosso , Pom Poko , Whisper of the Heart , Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle , as well as the Oscar-winning Spirited Away . Also included are the more recent animations: Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-nominated masterpiece The Wind Rises , Isao Takahata's The Tale of Princess Kaguya , Gor? Miyazaki's Earwig and the Witch and Hayao Miyazaki's latest box office success, The Boy and the Heron .