Studio Ghibli movies in order of release date and overview

By Sofia Martinez · Culture & Entertainment Editor

May 8, 2026 · 6 min read

Hannah Diffey

Updated May 7, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Hannah is a senior writer and self-publisher for the anime section at ScreenRant. There, she focuses on writing news, features, and list-style articles about all things anime and manga. She works as a freelance writer in the entertainment industry, focusing on video games, anime, and literature.**

Her published works can be found on ScreenRant, FinanceBuzz, She Reads, and She Writes.

Studio Ghibli** has spent nearly four decades defining what anime can achieve on a global scale. Founded in 1985 by legendary filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the studio became synonymous with breathtaking animation, emotionally rich stories, and fantastical worlds that have stuck with fans across generations. While Ghibli is often compared to Disney because of its family-friendly appeal and instantly recognizable characters, the studio’s catalog reaches far beyond simple fantasy adventures, tackling themes like war, environmental collapse, loneliness, and growing older with remarkable sincerity.

From quiet coming-of-age dramas to sweeping historical epics, Studio Ghibli’s films have earned a reputation for combining artistic ambition with universal emotional depth. The studio’s influence extends far beyond Japan, with movies like Spirited Away_ and Princess Mononoke helping anime gain mainstream critical respect worldwide. Across more than 20 feature films, Ghibli has continuously evolved its storytelling and animation style while maintaining the handcrafted charm that turned the studio into one of animation’s most beloved institutions.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Nausicaä _was directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, but it was technically just before Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985. Nausicaä was released and distributed by Ghibli, though, so it definitely counts. _Nausicaä _tells the tale of the eponymous Nausicaä, a princess of the Valley of the Wind who strives for a way for humans and creatures to coexist in the post-apocalyptic world in which the story is set. When a long-lost weapon reappears in her territory, Nausicaä must stop the militaristic forces from reclaiming it, lest the tragedy that destroyed the world happen again.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

Another film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Castle in the Sky_ is the first film by Studio Ghibli proper. The story is about young Sheeta, the owner of a mysterious crystal that certain people are after, and Pazu, a boy who hopes to fulfill his father's dream of finding the mythical floating island of Laputa. Sheeta and Pazu must search for Laputa and make their way to the island before these opposing groups do, and use the crystal to lay claim to the island themselves.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

_ Seita sitting with Setsuko in Grave Of The Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies_ is an underrated Ghibli film directed by Isao Takahata, but that has more to do with it being very different from their other work than a problem with its quality. Possibly one of the saddest movies of all time, Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of orphaned siblings struggling to survive in World War 2-era Japan.

Having lost everything but each other, the pair get through one misfortune after another as the war slowly winds down. The film has a softer visual style, with less noticeable outlining, giving it an almost painting-like quality that adds a degree of beauty to the stark and heart-wrenching tale.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Miyazaki's next film with Ghibli was the famed My Neighbor Totoro_, which tells the story of two young girls and their relationship with the forest spirit that lives nearby, Totoro. Totoro took off in popularity and remains one of Ghibli's most well-known films to this day, with Totoro eventually becoming the mascot for the entire Studio Ghibli. It sets the stage for many of the Ghibli films that follow with its fantastical elements and lighter and softer tone, making it a must-see anime film, even if only for its influence on later works.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

_ Kiki flying her broom in Kiki's Delivery Service

Another film by Miyazaki, Kiki's Delivery Service_ recounts the tale of Kiki, a young witch heading off to make her way in the world with little more than a flying broomstick and a cat familiar. Finding a new town to call home, Kiki starts up a service for delivering packages using her flying abilities, eventually making her a beloved figure around town. _Kiki's Delivery Service _is very much a coming-of-age story, dealing with one's first attempts to strike out and live on their own, away from their parents, and what it truly means to be independent.

Only Yesterday_ _(1991)

The second film by Isao Takahata, Only Yesterday _is a lesser known movie in the Ghibli catalog, despite having near-perfect review scores. For some reason, the film remained untranslated to English until 2016, when Western fans finally got their chance to see this "forbidden" Ghibli film.

Only Yesterday follows Taeko Okajima, an adult woman taking a break from city life to experience life in the countryside. It's a more adult film, in the sense that it deals with themes like work and finding love, and the sense of nostalgia that comes with growing older.

Porco Rosso_ _(1992)

Miyazaki's fifth film on this list is Porco Rosso_, a bit of a strange one. Porco Rosso is about an Italian fighter pilot after World War 1, who takes to the skies on his own initiative to defeat the dastardly air pirates who pillage from planes. Oh, and the fighter pilot is also cursed to look like a pig, naturally. It's considered by some to be the most underrated of all Ghibli's films, and clearly shows a lot of loving detail when it comes to depicting these early aircraft. Porco Rosso has long had sequel rumors, but the film seems unlikely to ever happen.

Ocean Waves_ _(1993)

Ocean Waves is a romance/coming-of-age drama that was originally meant to be a project specifically for the younger generation of creatives at Studio Ghibli. It was a television film rather than a theatrical one, which makes it difficult to compare to other Ghibli films. The movie's plot revolves around a love triangle that emerges among friends and the new transfer student, and all the drama that entails. Like Only Yesterday_, Ocean Waves wasn't released in English until 2016, but it ultimately didn't fair well in reviews or at the box office.

Pom Poko (1994)

Isao Takahata's third Ghibli film is Pom Poko_, a fantasy film with heavy themes of environmentalism. The film focuses on Tanuki, or raccoon dogs, real animals which were thought to be magical creatures in Japan's past. When the Tanuki's land is threatened by urban development, they begin to resist, using their magic powers to interfere with construction. The film is less well-known abroad in part because of the... anatomical features of traditional depictions of Tanuki, which threatened to give it a rating unsuitable for its target audience.

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

While this film was written by Hayao Miyazaki, it was actually directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, his only film for Ghibli due to his untimely passing. The film is a romance about young Shizuku and a boy named Seiji. It focuses heavily on writing and what it means to be a writer, with Shizuku writing her own story within the film. An odd fact about the film is that the John Denver song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" plays a pivotal role in the film's plot, which made it rather difficult to localize due to rights issues surrounding the song.