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In 2020, we released the series Studio Ghibli’s Animated Wonders where we watched all the Studio Ghibli films and combined our own personal lists to compile the Explosion Network’s Definitive Ranking of Studio Ghibli’s films. With the release of Earwig and the Witch, Ashley, Ciaran and Dylan revealed their updated lists on our WDYWW Spoilercast. We now present the updated Explosion Network’s Definitive Ranking of Studio Ghibli’s films.

Each film on each person’s list was given a score value with 1st place getting 21 points, 2nd getting 20 points and so on through to 22nd place getting 0 points. The more points, the higher place on this list.

Let us know what you think of our ranking and let us know yours on Twitter.

22. Tales From Earthsea (2006) – 1 Point

In a mythical land, a man and a young boy investigate a series of unusual occurrences.

Directed by: Goro Miyazaki
Written by: Ursula K. Le Guin (novel), Goro Miyazaki (screenplay), Keiko Niwa (screenplay), Hayao Miyazaki (concept)
Starring: Jun’ichi Okada, Aoi Teshima, Bunta Sugawara, Yuko Tanaka, Teruyuki Kagawa

21. My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999) – 6 Points

The life and misadventures of a family in contemporary Japan.

Directed by: Isao Takahata
Written by: Hisaichi Ishii (comic), Isao Takahata (screenplay)
Starring: Hayato Isobata, Masako Araki, Naomi Uno, Touru Masuoka, Yukiji Asaoka, Akiko Yano, Kosanji Yanagiya

20. Ocean Waves (1993) – 7 Points

As a young man returns home after his first year away at college he recalls his senior year of high school and the iron-willed, big city girl that turned his world upside down.

Directed by: Tomomi Mochizuki
Written by: Keiko Niwa (screenplay), Saeko Himuro (novel)
Starring: Nobuo Tobita, Toshihiko Seki, Yoko Sakamoto, Yuri Amano, Kae Araki, Jun’ichi Kanemaru, Aya Sati

19. EARWIG AND THE WITCH (2021) – 9 Points

A headstrong orphan discovers a world of spells and potions while living with a selfish witch.

Directed by: Gorō Miyazaki
Written by: Keiko Niwa (Screenplay), Emi Gunji (Screenplay), Diana Wynne Jones (Novel)
Starring: Kokoro Hirasawa, Shinobu Terajima, Etsushi Toyokawa, Gaku Hamada, Sherina Munaf, Yuji Ueda

18. The Cat Returns (2002) – 17 Points

After helping a cat, a seventeen-year-old girl finds herself involuntarily engaged to a cat Prince in a magical world where her only hope of freedom lies with a dapper cat statuette come to life.

Directed by: Hiroyuki Morita
Written by: Aoi Hiiragi (comic), Reiko Yoshida (screenplay)
Starring: Chizuru Ikewaki, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Aki Maeda, Takayuki Yamada, Hitomi Sato, Kenta Satoi, Mari Hamada, Tetsu Watanabe

17. Pom Poko (1994) – 19 Points

A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.

Directed by: Isao Takahata
Written by: Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki (idea)
Starring: Shincho Kokontei, Makoto Nonomura, Yuriko Ishida, Norihei Miki, Nijiko Kiyokawa, Shigeru Izumiya, Gannosuke Ashiya, Takehiro Murata

16. Castle in The Sky – 20 Points

Young orphan Sheeta and her kidnapper, Col. Muska, are flying to a military prison when their plane is attacked by a gang of air pirates led by the matronly Dola. Escaping from a mid-air collision via a magic crystal around her neck, Sheeta meets fellow orphan Pazu and the pair join forces to discover the mystical floating city of Laputa while pursued by both Muska and the pirates, who lust for the city’s myriad treasures.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Mayumi Tanaka, Keiko Yokozawa, Kotoe Hatsui, Minori Terada

15. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) – 25 Points

The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family’s residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their teenage daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.

Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay), Keiko Niwa (screenplay), Mary Norton (novel)
Starring: Mirai Shida, Tomokazu Miura, Kirin Kiki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Tatsuya Fujiwara

14. When Marnie Was There (2014) – 28 Points

Due to 12 y.o. Anna’s asthma, she’s sent to stay with relatives of her guardian in the Japanese countryside. She likes to be alone, sketching. She befriends Marnie. Who is the mysterious, blonde Marnie?

Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Written by: Keiko Niwa, Masashi Ando, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Joan G. Robinson (based on the novel by)
Starring: Sara Takatsuki, Kasumi Arimura, Nanako Matsushima, Susumu Terajima, Toshie Negishi, Ryoko Moriyama, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Hitomi Kuroki, Yuko Kaida

13. Grave of The Fireflies (1988)- 29 Points

A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Directed by: Isao Takahata
Written by: Isao Takahata (written by), Akiyuki Nosaka (novel)
Starring: Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Akem Yamaguchi, Tadashi Nakamura

12. Only Yesterday (1991)- 31 Points

A twenty-seven-year-old office worker travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo.

Directed by: Isao Takahata
Written by: Hotaru Okamoto (manga), Yuuko Tone (manga), Isao Takahata (written by)
Starring: Miki Imai, Toshiro Yanagiba, Yoko Honna, Mayumi Izuka, Mei Oshitani, Megumi Komine, Yukiyo Takizawa, Masashi Ishikawa, Yuuki Masuda, Michie Terada, Masahiro Ito, Yorie Yamashita, Yuki Minowa, Chie Kitagawa

10. (Tie) From Up On Poppy Hill (2011) – 34 Points

A group of Yokohama teens look to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball in preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Directed by: Goro Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay), Keiko Niwa (screenplay), Chizuru Takahashi (comic), Tetsuro Sayama (comic, original story)
Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Jun’ichi Okada, Keiko Takeshita, Yuriko Ishida, Rumi Hiiragi, Jun Fubuki, Takashi Naito, Shunsuke Kazama

10. (Tie) The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) – 34 Points

Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her, but ultimately she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime.

Directed by: Isao Takahata
Written by: Isao Takahata (story & screenplay), Riko Sakaguchi (screenplay)
Starring: Aki Asakura, Kengo Kora, Takeo Chii, Nobuko Miyamoto, Atsuko Takahata

8. (Tie) The Wind Rises (2013) – 41 Points

A look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Hideaki Anno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Miori Takimoto, Masahiko Nishimura, Mansai Nomura, Jun Kunimura, Mirai Shida

8. (Tie) Whisper of The Heart (1995) – 41 Points

A love story between a girl who loves reading books, and a boy who has previously checked out all of the library books she chooses.

Directed by: Yoshifumi Kondô
Written by: Aoi Hiiragi (comic), Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay)
Starring: Yoko Honna, Issey Takahashi, Takashi Tachibana, Shigeru Muroi, Keiju Kobayashi, Mayumi Izuka, Mai Chiba

7. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) – 44 Points

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.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay), Eiko Kadono (novel)
Starring: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi, Keiko Toda, Mieko Nobusawa, Koichi Miura, Haruko Kato, Hiroko Seki, Yuriko Fuchizaki

5. (Tie) Porco Rosso (1992) – 48 Points

In 1930s Italy, a veteran World War I pilot is cursed to look like an anthropomorphic pig.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Shuichiro Moriyama, Tokiko Kato, Bunshi Katsura Vi, Tsunehiko Kamijo, Akemi Okamura, Akio Otsuka, Hiko Seki

5. (Tie) My Neighbour Totoro (1988) – 48 Points

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Tanie Kitabayashi, Hitoshi Takagi

4. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – 49 Points

When an unconfident 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.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Diana Wynne Jones (novel), Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay)
Starring: Cheiko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki

3. Princess Mononoke (1997) – 50 Points

On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami’s curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Yuriko Ishida, Yoji Matsuda, Tsunehiko Kamijo, Kaoru Kobayashi

2. Spirited Away – 55 Points

During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yumi Tamai

1. Ponyo (2008) – 57 Points

A five-year-old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become a human after falling in love with him.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Tomoko Yamaguchi, Kazushige Nagashima, Yuki Amami, George Tokoro, Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi

Individual lists

Ashley:

1. Princess Mononoke
2. Howl’s Moving Castle
3. Ponyo
4. Porco Rosso
5. Kiki’s Delivery Service
6. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
7. Whisper of the Heart
8. My Neighbor Totoro
9. Spirited Away
10. The Wind Rises
11. From Up on Poppy Hill
12. Only Yesterday
13. The Secret World of Arrietty
14. Pom Poko
15. When Marnie Was There
16. Castle in the Sky
17. Earwig and The Witch
18. The Cat Returns
19. My Neighbor the Yamadas
20. Ocean Waves
21. Grave of the Fireflies
22. Tales from Earthsea

Ciaran:

1. Spirited Away
2. Howl’s Moving Castle
3. Ponyo
4. From Up on Poppy Hill
5. Porco Rosso
6. Whisper of the Heart
7. The Wind Rises
8. My Neighbor Totoro
9. Grave of the Fireflies
10. Princess Mononoke
11. Kiki’s Delivery Service
12. When Marnie Was There
13. The Cat Returns
14. The Secret World of Arrietty
15. Castle in the Sky
16. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
17. Pom Poko
18. Ocean Waves
19. Only Yesterday
20. Earwig and The Witch
21. Tales from Earthsea
22. My Neighbor the Yamadas

Dylan:

1. Spirited Away
2. My Neighbor Totoro
3. Ponyo
4. Only Yesterday
5. Princess Mononoke
6. Kiki’s Delivery Service
7. Grave of the Fireflies
8. The Wind Rises
9. Porco Rosso
10. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
11. When Marnie Was There
12. Whisper of the Heart
13. Howl’s Moving Castle
14. The Secret World of Arrietty
15. Castle in the Sky
16. Pom Poko
17. From Up on Poppy Hill
18. The Cat Returns
19. My Neighbor the Yamadas
20. Earwig and The Witch
21. Ocean Waves
22. Tales from Earthsea

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