From 1984's "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" to 2023's "How Do You Live?" Studio Ghibli has produced a total of 27 works, including TV specials, short tales, and feature films.
The 27 Ghibli works will be presented in chronological sequence in this article, along with an explanation of each work's summary and distribution status.
Ghibli works from the 1980s (5 works)
Two great masters, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, lay the groundwork for Studio Ghibli in the 1980s.
From "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" to "Kiki's Delivery Service," we shall present five works in chronological order.
1. “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” (1984)
Studio Ghibli official website
This novel, which takes place in a post-civilization world, follows Nausicaa, the daughter of the chieftain of the Valley of the Wind, which is next to the Sea of Decay, a poisonous forest, as she tries to find a way for humans and nature to live.
The original Hayao Miyazaki comic that was serialised in the manga magazine "Animage" served as the basis for the film.
2. “Castle in the Sky” (1986)
Studio Ghibli official website
Sheeta, a girl who falls from the sky, and Pazu, a lad who works in the mines, are the protagonists of this action-adventure story as they pursue the fabled floating city of Laputa.
It is regarded as the first full-length movie made following Studio Ghibli's founding.
3. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Studio Ghibli official website
The story, which takes place in 1950s Japan, follows sisters Satsuki and Mei as they relocate to the countryside and come across Totoro, an enigmatic forest creature.
It was released concurrently with Grave of the Fireflies, and the two pictures brought in a total of 1.17 billion yen at the box office.
Since then, it has expanded across the country thanks to goods sales and television broadcasts.
4. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
The life of a brother and sister named Seita and Setsuko, who lost their parents, is shown in this Isao Takahata film, which is set in Kobe toward the close of World War II.
The Naoki Prize-winning novel by Akinori Nosaka was the original work, and it was shown concurrently with My Neighbour Totoro (the two films' combined box office receipts were 1.17 billion yen).
5. “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989)
Studio Ghibli official website
In order to become independent, 13-year-old witch Kiki launches a delivery service in an unidentified city in this coming-of-age tale.
The film, which broke the box office record for a Japanese film at the time of its release, was a major hit and was based on children's literature by Eiko Kadono.
Ghibli works from the 1990s (8 works)
Ghibli became a societal phenomenon in the 1990s, when "Princess Mononoke" became the highest-grossing movie in Japan.
We will present eight pieces that have challenged themselves to write short stories and TV specials in order to broaden their scope of expression.
6. “Omohideporoporo” (1991)
Studio Ghibli official website
This is the tale of Taeko, a 27-year-old office worker who, while visiting relatives in Yamagata, faces her recollections of being in the fifth grade of elementary school.
Director Isao Takahata wrote the role of 27-year-old Taeko himself, based on the manga by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone.
7. “Porco Rosso” (1992)
Studio Ghibli official website
This narrative takes place in the Adriatic Sea of Italy in the 1920s and centers on Porco, a pilot who battles air pirates by miraculously changing into a pig.
It is a Ghibli production for adults and is based on a manga by Hayao Miyazaki that was serialised in Monthly Model Graphics.
8. “I Can Hear the Sea” (1993)
Studio Ghibli official website
The delicate relationship between high school students Taku Morizaki and Rikako Muto, who transferred from the city, is shown in this TV special, which is set in Kochi and Tokyo.
It is not a theatrical release and will air on Nippon Television's "Friday Road Show" time slot.
9. “Heisei Tanuki Battle Pon Poko” (1994)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this social satire animation, raccoon canines that lost their homes due to Tama New Town's development use chemistry to confront people.
It was the highest-grossing Japanese film of 1994 and is an original work by filmmaker Isao Takahata that portrays environmental challenges as amusement.
10. “If you close your ears” (1995)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this coming-of-age tale, Shizuku Tsukishima, a third-year junior high school student who enjoys reading, meets Seiji Amasawa, a boy who wants to be a violin artisan, and learns about her desire.
It is the first full-length film directed by Yoshifumi Kondo and is based on a girls' manga by Aoi Hiiragi.
11. “On Your Mark” (1995)
Studio Ghibli official website
The song of the same name by CHAGE and ASKA served as the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki's seven-minute short film.
The story of two police officers saving a girl with wings in a radioactive near future is conveyed solely through images and music, with no conversation.
It was screened concurrently with "Whisper of the Heart."
12. “Princess Mononoke” (1997)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this epic tale, which takes place in Japan during the Muromachi period, a young man named Ashitaka—who has been cursed by the god Tatari—becomes involved in a conflict between the gods of the forest and humanity.
It became the highest-grossing Japanese movie ever at the time of its release and is credited with introducing Ghibli to a global audience.
13. “Hoho Kekyo My Neighbor Yamada-kun” (1999)
Studio Ghibli official website
This piece, which is based on Hisaichi Ishii's four-panel comic "Nono-chan," uses an omnibus format to show the everyday lives of five Yamada family members and one pet.
It is regarded as Ghibli's first entirely digitally created piece and is distinguished by its distinctive animation style with a watercolour touch throughout.
Ghibli works of the 2000s (6 works)
In the 2000s, Ghibli gained international recognition and Spirited Away received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
We will present six films, including the directorial debut of Goro Miyazaki.
14. Spirited Away (2001)
Studio Ghibli official website
In order to save her parents, who have been transformed into pigs, 10-year-old Chihiro works at a bathhouse and travels into a mystery realm while relocating to a new home.
It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and made the most money at the Japanese box office ever (31.68 billion yen).
15. “The Cat’s Return” (2002)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this fantasy novel, a high school student named Haru is abducted by a cat nation and, with the aid of the cat baron Baron, attempts to return to her home world.
The Baron doll from "Whisper of the Heart" is positioned as the inspiration for this piece.
16. “Giblies episode 2” (2002)
Studio Ghibli official website
This 25-minute short film was shown concurrently with "The Cat Returns."
The six episodes of this omnibus comedy show the everyday lives of the staff members of the fictional animation studio "Studio Ghibli's."
17. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this fantasy novel, Sophie lives in the wizard Howl's movable palace after a witch's curse turns her into a ninety-year-old woman.
Based on Diana Wynne Jones's novel of the same name, the movie made 19.6 billion yen at the box office.
18. “Gedo Senki” (2006)
Studio Ghibli official website
This tale, which takes place in an archipelago planet where the world's equilibrium is crumbling, follows Prince Allen and the renowned sage Sparrowhawk on their voyage.
This is Goro Miyazaki's first feature film and is based on the "Gedo Senki" series of novels by Ursula K. Le Guin.
19. “Ponyo on the Cliff” (2008)
Studio Ghibli official website
Ponyo, a fish girl who lives at the bottom of the sea, meets Sousuke, a guy who is human, and decides she wants to change into a human.
The animation in this piece is entirely hand-drawn and is based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid."
Ghibli works from 2010s to 2020s (8 works)
During this period, Isao Takahata's posthumous work, Hayao Miyazaki's announcement and retraction of his retirement, the difficulty of 3DCG, and the pursuit of a generational shift persisted.
Eight pieces will be presented, ranging from the most recent piece, "How Do You Live?" to "The Borrower Arrietty."
20. “The Borrower Arrietty” (2010)
Studio Ghibli official website
This is the story of Arrietty, a dwarf girl who lives under the floor of a human house, who meets Sho, a boy who has come to receive treatment for his illness.
Based on Mary Norton's children's novel ``The Dwarfs Under the Bed'', this is Hiromasa Yonebayashi's feature-length directorial debut.
21. “From Poppy Hill” (2011)
Studio Ghibli official website
This work, which is set in Yokohama in 1963, explores the youth and secrets of Shun, a lad in the newspaper club, and Umi, a girl who lives on a hill overlooking the port.
This is Goro Miyazaki's second film, which is based on the manga by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsuro Sayama.
22. “The Wind Rises” (2013)
Studio Ghibli official website
Director Hayao Miyazaki's work combines the life of Zero Fighter designer Jiro Horikoshi with episodes from Tatsuo Hori's novel ``The Wind Rises.''
This work was created by Hayao Miyazaki as a ``retirement work,'' and is also the first Ghibli work based on a real person.
23. “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” (2013)
Studio Ghibli official website
Isao Takahata's film is a distinctive retelling of Japan's oldest tale, "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter."
The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and received a lot of attention for its watercolor-like animation.
24. “When Marnie Was There” (2014)
Studio Ghibli official website
This is the tale of Anna, a young woman with a closed heart, who opens her heart after meeting Marnie, an enigmatic girl, in a Hokkaido village where she is recovering.
This is Hiromasa Yonebayashi's second film, which is based on the children's book by Joan G. Robinson.
25. “Red Turtle: A Story on an Island” (2016)
Studio Ghibli official website
This piece tells the tale of a guy who becomes stuck on an isolated island, meets a red sea turtle, and lives there without speaking.
The Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard special award went to this multinational collaboration between France and Studio Ghibli.
26. “Aya and the Witch” (2020)
Studio Ghibli official website
This is the tale of Aya, a little girl who gets adopted by a witch's home and utilises her natural resourcefulness to subdue the witch.
It was created as Ghibli's first full-length 3DCG animation piece and was based on the children's novel by Diana Wynne Jones.
It debuted in theatres in August 2021 after being pre-broadcast on NHK in December 2020.
27. “How do you guys live?” (2023)
Studio Ghibli official website
In this tale, Masato, a young man who lost his mother in the Pacific War, is led by an enigmatic grey heron to another planet.
The film earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film because of its unique marketing plan, which required virtually no prior promotion.
After "Spirited Away," this is Ghibli's second honour.
Frequently asked questions
A list of commonly asked questions about Ghibli works has been put together.
We will discuss the quantity of works, the state of distribution, and any fresh information.
How many Ghibli movies in total?
The official Studio Ghibli website lists 27 works in total.
The TV special "I Can Hear the Sea" and the short stories "On Your Mark" and "Giblies Episode 2" are included in addition to the full film.The "
Why is Ghibli not available on subscription?
Studio Ghibli continues to distribute its works via DVDs, Blu-rays, and special TV broadcasts.
This is also because Ghibli works' TV broadcasting rights are owned by Nippon Television, which makes it challenging for subscription services to obtain distribution rights.
Although it is now unavailable in Japan, it is distributed internationally on Netflix and HBO.
Any information on Ghibli's next work/new work?
Although director Goro Miyazaki stated in 2024 that he was working on the next one, no formal announcement had been made as of April 2026.
Director Hayao Miyazaki has verified that he is still working on his projects at the company.
Which Ghibli film has the highest box office revenue?
With 31.68 billion yen (including revivals), Spirited Away holds the top spot in history.
It received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and is the highest-grossing Japanese movie ever.
Summary
The 27 Studio Ghibli productions were presented in chronological sequence.
From 1984's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind to 2023's How Do You Live?, the business has been producing masterpieces for around 40 years.
The only method to watch Ghibli works is to rent DVDs from TSUTAYA DISCAS because they are not available on domestic video distribution platforms.
Why not take advantage of this chance to enjoy Ghibli works? The 8 Double flat-rate renting plan is 2,200 yen (tax included) per month, with a 30-day free trial period.