Current Events > Zac's Blind Studio Ghibli Watchthrough (ongoing spoilers)

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've been watching anime for about 20 years, but for one reason or another, I've always avoided the Studio Ghibli films. Partially because I've focused more on longer-form series over movies, but in larger part because of hype-aversion. The movies have been built up as this pinnacle of anime, so I've always feared that I wouldn't enjoy them as much as I felt I was supposed to. In fact, the only time I did see a Miyazaki movie (his pre-Ghibli movie, The Castle of Cagliostro), I wasn't a fan. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more in a vacuum, but after binge-watching a bunch of Lupin, I couldn't get over just how different it was to the show I was used to.

Well, I've decided it was finally time to just ignore all expectations and watch through as many Ghibli films as I can, and if CE cares, share my thoughts about each one here. My goal is to get through one per night, but if time permits, I might be able to squeeze in a second.

#1 - Grave of the Fireflies
I was going to start with a double-header, pairing this with My Neighbor Totoro, as it was when it originally released, but I didn't get started until late last night, so I had to settle for a downer with no upper. Now, despite all the hype surrounding his movies, I've actually managed to stay blind to the theme/premise of all of Miyazaki's films, so outside of a few movie posters and a promise that this was supposed to be a sad story, I didn't actually know what I was in for until it started. Once I realized it was about orphans of war, I kind of knew where it was headed.

That said, this movie was a perfect example of the journey being more important than the destination. It didn't matter that I could see the aunt being a selfish bitch ahead of time, or that it would end with both children starving to death, it was more about Seita's struggle to just keep his sister happy during impossible conditions. It would have been easy to just depict the aunt kicking the children out, but it was far more impactful to have Seita personally make the choice to leave, just so his sister wouldn't have to be around an emotionally abusive person. It takes strength to give up the "certainty" of a roof and food for mental stability. Though, let's be honest, with the aunt taking more than she was giving, that safety net was really just an illusion. (Also, fuck her for telling Setsuko that her mom was dead)

The VO of Setsuko was also really well done - those giggles reminded me of my niece when she was young, which just made it hit harder. They did a good job depicting the few moments of joy she had, despite the tragedy all around them. They also ended the movie on just the right note. I feel that a lot of films nowadays would have tried to force an extra act, showing the final days of Seita before he died in the train station, but they made the right call to not stretch it out.

I had a few more paragraphs typed up after I watched it last night, but I didn't want to bring current events into this "Current Events" watch-a-long. Suffice to say, the movie definitely holds up well 30+ years later. Children starving because of war isn't something that only exists in a time capsule. We are actively seeing aid trucks getting blown up.

On a brighter note, movie #2, My Neighbor Totoro tonight!

I forgot to give an actual rating for Grave of the Fireflies, but it was easily a 10/10

#2 - My Neighbor Totoro
So, this is kind of what I was afraid of, but I was severely underwhelmed by Totoro. I have no issue with the slice of life genre, but it really felt like nothing happened until the final 15 minutes of the film; After opening some windows in their new home, the children learn that forest creatures exist, they find a couple in the woods/bus stop, and then do a dance with those spirits to grow some seeds. It's only in the final act that there is any sort plot progression, but just as suddenly as the letter about mother's extended hospital stay arrives, it is also resolved thanks to the magic cat bus with a literal tracker to the runaway child.

Most surprising of all, is that while Totoro is more or less the mascot of Ghibli, he only ever appears a total of 4 times throughout the entire film. First while asleep in his hidey-hole, second at the iconic bus stop, third to do a seed-growing dance, and then finally to call for an uber the cat bus. Given that he is featured so prominently in the poster and other promotional material (seriously, where was the fishing scene?!), I would have expected him to have a much bigger role than what he ended up with.

I'm not saying it was a bad film, but it definitely wasn't for me (Despite there being a giant cat bus).

My Neighbor Totoro - 7/10

How are you watching these movies? HBO Max has all of them and their license renewed so they'll be there for a few more years.

Whisper of the Heart is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie but Princess Mononoke is up there too.

didn't do Castle in the Sky first?
also Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind skirts the line of being a Ghibli movie, but most people consider it one.

Phantom_Nook posted...

didn't do Castle in the Sky first?
also Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind skirts the line of being a Ghibli movie, but most people consider it one.

I think Ghibli basically adopted Nausicaa as their first film even though they technically didn't exist yet.

I never watched any of them either till the past few months. Haven't seen all yet, but basically all of the most well-known ones. Except for Grave of the Fireflies, haven't done that yet.

SomeLikeItHoth posted...

How are you watching these movies? HBO Max has all of them and their license renewed so they'll be there for a few more years.

Good to know. I started off with amazon, but if HBO max has them, it might be worth a one-month sub - it'd be cheaper in the long run

Phantom_Nook posted...

didn't do Castle in the Sky first?

Castle in the Sky is next. I wanted to do the Grave of the Fireflies/Totoro double-header first, but from here on out, it will be chronological.

AuthenticZac posted...

Good to know. I started off with amazon, but if HBO max has them, it might be worth a one-month sub - it'd be cheaper in the long run

Castle in the Sky is next. I wanted to do the Grave of the Fireflies/Totoro double-header first, but from here on out, it will be chronological.

If you're doing chronological order, then make sure you don't skip Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, as mentioned above. A lot of themes in that one are frequently repeated in subsequent Ghibli movies. And it's also my personal favorite.

#3 - Castle in the Sky
First thing's first, HOLY SHIT, IT'S LUFFY! As soon as I heard the voice of Pazu, I had to pause the movie to verify the actress, and yes, it was in fact our favorite straw hat. Having him work with the Big Mama pirates a decade before creating his own crew just seemed poetic.

Second, as if the familiar voice wasn't enough, I actually got hit with a major dose of nostalgia for music that I'dnever heard before. Reason being, the composer for the movie was the same guy who did the soundtrack for Ni No Kuni, and his work here felt like it came straight out of the game (or really, vice versa).
Example: Ni No Kuni https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrL5WYCnQyc
Castle in the Sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNoIbYvJR5k

I was aware of Level-5 collaborating with Ghibli back when I initially played Ni No Kuni, but it wasn't until today that I finally got to see/hear the designs and songs that would help to shape it (far more obvious here than from Grave of the Fireflies and Totoro). I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot more of that influence in the coming weeks, but having forgotten about the game (despite loving it), it wasn't exactly something I was looking out for.

The adventure itself was structured perfectly as well. So much so, that I couldn't help but want to play a game set in this world, expanding on the various locales. The mining town, the underground caves, the military base, Laputa itself, all seemingly ripe for more exploration. It wasn't just the regions either, I wanted to learn more about the characters. The pirates stood out obviously, but how about the residents of the mining town? The crazy cave-hermit definitely had some stories to tell, especially after he so nonchalantly referred to the kids as demons.

This is why I favor longer series over movies, because after I was done, I was left hungry for more. 2 hours just wasn't enough!

*Sidenote* Pazu 100% has Nathan Drake luck (Or, Drake has Pazu luck). The kid couldn't climb a structure without it crumbling under him

Castle in the Sky - 10/10

And as per some of y'alls suggestions, tomorrow night will be Nausicaa

Yeah I loved Castle in the Sky too. I also felt like I wanted more, probably moreso than any of the other Ghibli films I watched. It's nice that most of the Ghibli films have pretty long runtimes for animated films.

#4 - Nausica of the Valley of the Wind
After this movie, I've definitely gained a new respect for the influence Miyazaki has had on both the gaming and anime industries. Within the first minute of this movie, there are creatures that are clear inspirations for what would become Chocobos, and just a little bit later, large titans who could have easily served as the blueprint for Attack on Titan ("Seven days of Fire" had definite Rumbling vibes). I've always heard how far Miyazaki's sphere of influence has been over the decades, but it's one thing to hear about it, and another to see it first-hand. Now, I could keep making comparisons throughout this topic, but I feel like that might get old, quick, so instead I'll just leave this comment on the matter - "Miyazaki/Ghibli have helped to put down the foundation for many future creators"

On to the rest of the movie, I find myself a little conflicted. One the one hand, it tells an interesting story about the conflict between an encroaching threat on humanity, and the choices they have to contend with it. Warring nations want to destroy it, but the protagonist wants to co-exist. On the other hand, however, I don't find myself agreeing with Nausicaa's line of thinking. These insects have been shown to enrage at the slighting perceived threat, and lay waste to entire cities. The toxic spores have been shown to spread at an incredibly fast rate, rooting themselves into trees and poisoning entire forests. It's idealistic to think that humanity can just peacefully co-exist with something so volatile

It's even worse when you factor in the human element. You can try to say "As long as we prune the spores and refrain from attacking the bugs, we will be all safe", but humanity isn't going to play ball for long, if ever. All it takes is one rogue person kicking a bug, and suddenly a stampede of Ohms is at your front door asking for tree-fiddy. One person decides they want to "experiment" with the spores, and now your entire village is Seattle. This is a trope seen all-too-often in zombie movies, where one person/group can ruin it for everyone, leaving no safe place to live. So yes, I found myself agreeing far more with Kushana and her Giant Warrior/"Earth Defense Force" plan than with Nausicaa's "Give peace a chance" plan. Miyazaki just wanted his film to go a different direction.

It's because of that ending that I can't give it a 10/10. Still a stellar film, and there was a big laugh when she got knocked 20 feet into the sky from the stampede (For a brief minute, I actually thought he would go for an apocalypse ending), but in the end, I'd have to say

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - 8.5/10

(Side note: Despite being a pacifist, she is a capable badass, taking out multiple soldiers in a few seconds)

here's a funny story about Nausicaa.
https://cinema.wisc.edu/blog/2016/09/06/when-nausica%C3%A4-became-warriors-wind

Phantom_Nook posted...

here's a funny story about Nausicaa.
https://cinema.wisc.edu/blog/2016/09/06/when-nausica%C3%A4-became-warriors-wind

Days later, famed Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki sent a katana sword to Weinsteins office, with an attached note reading No cuts.

Hah, that's actually kind of metal (no pun intended). More artists need to protect their work, to prevent it from having its image ruined for years afterwards (Looking at you, 4kids!)

#5 - Kiki's Delivery Service

There isn't much to write about this one, but it was a very cute and charming movie. The dialogue was well written (especially the sarcastic one-liners from Jiji), and the entire cast of characters were a joy to see, from the artist to the grannies (<3). Even the baker himself had some cute moments, like trying to impress Jiji at the beginning. The only characters that didn't lend themselves to the sweet nature of the film were the spoiled youngins who Kiki had to deliver the packages to, which actually served as a nice balance to the rest of the film.

All in all, I found myself smiling the entire time.
Kiki's Delivery Service - 10/10

(Side note: I was not expecting japanese Doo-wop at the beginning, but it was a pleasant surprise, and now I find myself looking for more in that style on youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwtKY_iWkM

Nothing on Sunday night due to Wrestlemania, but movie night returns tonight with;

#6 - Only Yesterday

Easily the weakest entry in the series of films. I can maybe see some people enjoying it as a coming of age story, but to me, most of Taeko's memories just felt disconnected from what she was doing in the present day. Flashbacks to her troubles with math (the only time I had more than a slight chuckle), or her time wanting to act could have just as easily be left on the cutting room floor without affecting the rest of film.

The movie also had a tendency to hang on certain scenes for way too long. The 5-ish minutes spent cutting/eating the pineapple was bad, but the strongest example would have to be the car ride to the farm, where Toshio spent close to 10 minutes just talking about his love of farming. Which was then followed up by some long still-framed shots of the people working in the field. Establishing shots are one thing, but this almost felt like a gag with the way it was presented. Honestly, if this was a series, those extended shots would get called out as "filler".

The animation style, one of Ghibli's biggest strengths, even felt off in this film. Taeko is supposed to be in her mid-20s in the present-day, and yet, anytime she is seen laughing or smiling, her dimples and facial lines make her appear just as old as the older women she is working with.

Sadly, I have to give Only Yesterday a 6/10

AuthenticZac posted...

#5 - Kiki's Delivery Service

There isn't much to write about this one, but it was a very cute and charming movie. The dialogue was well written (especially the sarcastic one-liners from Jiji), and the entire cast of characters were a joy to see, from the artist to the grannies (<3). Even the baker himself had some cute moments, like trying to impress Jiji at the beginning. The only characters that didn't lend themselves to the sweet nature of the film were the spoiled youngins who Kiki had to deliver the packages to, which actually served as a nice balance to the rest of the film.

All in all, I found myself smiling the entire time.
Kiki's Delivery Service - 10/10

(Side note: I was not expecting japanese Doo-wop at the beginning, but it was a pleasant surprise, and now I find myself looking for more in that style on youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwtKY_iWkM

you had me going in the first half. I saw not much to write and was expecting a bad score lol. This being top 3 if not 1 from nostalgia makes me happy to hear you liked it!

one question, have you gone back and watched the first 5 min of grave of fireflies after finishing it yet? If you havent, you should.

Zeeak4444 posted...

one question, have you gone back and watched the first 5 min of grave of fireflies after finishing it yet? If you havent, you should.

Yep! As soon as I finished it, I went back to see what was in that fruit drop tin. Like I said, I'm so glad they didn't try to stretch out the movie with his final days, so it relied on the viewer remembering what they saw, or simply going back to re-watch it.

AuthenticZac posted...

Yep! As soon as I finished it, I went back to see what was in that fruit drop tin. Like I said, I'm so glad they didn't try to stretch out the movie with his final days, so it relied on the viewer remembering what they saw, or simply going back to re-watch it.

couldnt agree more, way more impact that way. Cant wait to see the rest of the reviews and hope you enjoy, still got a lot of greats ahead of you!

Tag

#7 - Porco Rosso

As a kid, one of the few games that I played with my dad was Wings 2, so there was some clear bias in favor of the movie. In fact, if not for that nostalgia, I wonder if I would have been able to overlook the film's lack of a plot, to enjoy it as much as I did

It was charming, funny, and beautifully done, but severely lacked in the story-department. Marco starts off with wanting to repair his plane, only to get shot down mid-flight, and then declare a rematch against the American who did it (someone he doesn't show any real animosity towards). We get a single line about how he was cursed into becoming a pig, hinting that this isn't just a world where animal-people co-mingle with humans, but instead one where actual curses exist... And that's it. Sure, he gets "cured" at the end, but having never shown any struggle with the curse, it feels completely unnecessary.

The real strength comes from the comedy and characters: Children who are excited about pirates, and see a kidnapping as an adventure; Marco, who chooses to no-sell his pig-self, and instead whip out puns about his appearance; An antagonist who wishes he was Gaston. It's a film with little plot, but great comedic moments (especially what the final dogfight devolved in to). Could it have been better, certainly, but it wasn't a bad film.

Porco Rosso - 8.5/10

Side note: One hell of a coincidence, in that Ghibli once again casts a future Straw Hat (Nami-swaaan~), to interact with pirates and brings out their softer, friendly side.

Speaking of Porco Rosso, I like that three generations of Batman have now been in Studio Ghibli movies. Michael Keaton in the English dub of Porco Rosso, Robert Pattison and Christian Bale in the English dub of The Boy and the Heron.

bump

#8 - Ocean Waves

This was a much shorter film, at just over an hour, and yet it still lasted for 10 minutes longer than it should have. The final few scenes focused on a reunion of characters that were never introduced or given any sort of screen time in the rest of the movie, which made the "growth"/feelings of chubby-dude and short-haired female towards the main cast completely meaningless. It then devolved into what I assume had to be unintentional comedy when Taku began to fondly reminisce about Yutaka, only to have memories of her complaining and berating him.

The rest of the film wasn't that great either, as 2 of the 3 cast members were downright unlikable;
Taku loved the idea of Rikako, but only because of how much she stood out. When she spent time with anyone else, he showed just immature he really was, first by sulking when his "best friend" spent any time with her, and then later by storming off when he met her ex.

Rikako isn't much better, as she was a very self-centered character, dragging down those who got near her (nearly taking that one friend to Tokyo against her will!)

Yutaka was the only character I liked, and that was due to a complete misread of his character on my part. Throughout the film, he is shown as very close to Taku, doing things like calling him up just to see him, or talking him up to Rikako. There was even a line early on where Taku says "From that day, I saw Yutaka differently from my other friends". I know this was made in 1993, but I swear, there was some yaoi undertones there, and I was all for it. Near the end, when Yutaka was talking to Taku and said "I'm in love with you", I 100% thought they had confirmed it, but alas, it quickly cut to him talking to Rikako. Deliberate? Hard to say watching it through a modern lens. But those two would have made a much better pairing than Taku/Rikako

I wouldn't say it's the worst anime movies I've seen, but it has set a new low bar for Ghibli
Ocean Waves - 5/10

#9 - Pom Poko

Much to my surprise, I absolutely loved this movie. It tells an interesting story about the conflict between an encroaching threat on Tanuki-ty, and the choices they have to contend with it...

Sorry, flashback to Nausicaa, but the premise is very similar. The tanuki have just taken the role of the humans, whereas the humans have tagged in for the insects/spores, overtaking the land of what once belonged to our protagonists. It doesn't take long for the story to branch off into a different direction, however. Aside from now being a comedy, this telling of the story has the Tanuki actually willing to fight to keep their land intact. Occasionally they go about it in violent ways, but more often than not, their actions are simply mischievous, leading to some of the film's funnier scenes. Though, even some of the "violent" ones were also quite humorous (ex: Chopping off the head of a cop statue)

Sadly, their pranks were no real match for the indifference of humanity, and what was a once fun-filled movie took a turn towards the end, with our furry friends losing many of their own (RIP Gonta). They didn't suffer a complete failure, as they did get some parks to live in, but not all cities are that accommodating. 90s Japan may have cared enough to keep some parks up for the wildlife, but here in modern America, it's all about commerce growth. I can't begin to tell you how much land has been bulldozed near where I love to make way for unnecessary retail outlets or shopping centers.

Pom Poko - 9.5/10

Side note: Out of the 9 movies I've seen so far, this one rated the lowest on Rotten Tomatoes (86%), which is odd since I found it to be one of the better ones. I have to wonder if it's because of western audiences being confused over "racoons" with giant balls/powers