GAMERS DECIDE - Anime for Kids

[Top 10] Best Studio Ghibli Movie for Kids

SagaTakesAShot — Wed, 12 May 2021 15:54:56 +0000

A lof of anime fans would like to introduce their own kids to anime, one of the best ways to do it is through Ghibli.

I remember as a kid my mom would wonder what cartoon movie she would rent out for me as a reward for a great job at school. Back then, movies were a really big treat for me and weren’t as easily accessible as they are now. Eventually, she opened my world to Ghibli and I preferred it over most movies she picked out over the years. Ghibli is pretty much hailed as the Disney of Japan. While it definity does feel like a Disney film, it does feel slightly more sophisticated and may have darker elements than your usual show for kids. So, while it is generally friendly for kids, they might not be enamored with it right away if not introduced right.

I put together a list of must watch Ghibli films you can view together with siblings or even with your own kids. Movie watching is a great bonding activity, and if you’re with your own kid, you can help them understand the film even more. Please take into consideration the age of your kid when you watch movies with them, as certain themes are more appropriate for older audiences or when your kid is ready to get introduced to certain concepts.

10. My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro Trailer

A well-known Ghibli film by Hayao Miyazaki, the character Totoro even became an icon for Ghibli films. My Neighbor Totoro follows the tale of two young girls Satsuki and her younger sister Mei. The two of them have just moved to their new home in the countryside to wait for their mother to recover from an illness in a nearby hospital. The two sisters explore their new home, and even discover that they have a few playful spirits as their neighbors, one particular big forest spirit Mei named Totoro.

Probably the perfect movie to start off your journey in the whimsical world Ghibli creates for us. Since this movie isn’t action packed, I think it’s a great introductory movie to kids since there is no violence involved. It might even get your kids a little less afraid of any creepy monsters under the bed. The forest spirits may come off a bit creepy to a child but if the kid manages to stay engaged with the movie, he/she will come to realize that these spirits are friendly, and have no intention to harm them.

9. Ponyo

Ponyo Trailer

A tale of friendship and love loosely based on Disney’s own The Little Mermaid. Ponyo tells the adventures of a 5-year old boy, Sosuke who finds a magical goldfish trapped in a jar on the beach beside his house. As a reward for saving her, the fish licks his finger (which was wounded) and it heals instantly. By ingesting human blood, Ponyo can now transform herself to human at will. This sparks the beginning of Ponyo and Sosuke’s friendship. However, due to using her powers, Pony unknowingly triggered ecological changes that caused tsunamis and floods that wreaked havoc in their small town.

This or My Neighbor Totoro are great introductory films to your kids. If your kid is looking for something more exciting when it comes to movies, then Ponyo might be just the right fit. The film features a wider and brighter color palette as compared to My Neighbor Totoro, and there’s a bit of action thrown in here and there. The water animation is also something to take note of and it just might be the key to keep your kid hooked on the movie.

8. Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki's Delivery Service Trailer

When is it time for a witch to leave her nest? For Kiki and her fellow witches, 13 is the age of maturity. Due to tradition, witches start to become independent and begin their formal training by the time they hit 13. Kiki has to leave her home and find a town without a resident witch so she can become that town’s witch and lend her magic to help the townsfolk. The problem is, Kiki only knows how to fly on her broomstick and has no other skill. Deciding to make use of her only skill she sets up the “Witch Delivery Service”.

Now, once your kid or your sibling has a longer attention span, maybe Kiki’s Delivery Service is your next best watch. The film is beautifully animated and the story is pretty simple and easy to understand. Despite its simpleness it does carry a great message, one about friendship and bravery. Through Kiki we can learn to become self-reliant and have trust in our own abilities, we also learn later on, that creating bonds with other people and putting trust in friends is also a good thing.

7. The Cat Returns

The Cat Returns Trailer

While not directed by Hayao Miyazaki, The Cat Returns is another Ghibli Animated Film you should get your kid to watch. The 2002 film directed by Hiroyuki Morita tells the story of an introverted and klutzy high school girl named Haru Yoshioka, who has a suppressed ability to talk to cats. She saves Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom who gifts her his hand in marriage as a thank you for saving his life. One incident after the other she somehow ends up in the Cat Kingdom and to make matters worse, she herself is turned into a cat.

While not the best film out there, it is a pretty cute and fluffy watch and if you’ve watched the Whisper of the Heart prior to watching this you can treat this as an animated version of Shizuku’s future book, considering the Baron is a character in there as well. Haru as a character is very believable and relatable. A lot of girls her age and younger may feel a bit lost and unsure with themselves, this is what makes her a bit unique compared to other Ghibli protagonists (especially the earlier ones). Through Haru, any girl can feel she is capable of doing a lot of things as long as they set their mind to it. It’s a great inspirational film if you aim to build courage in your kid’s heart.

6. Howl’s Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle Trailer

A movie based on a novel with the same name by writer Diana Wynne Jones. The movie focuses on Sophie, a hatter and the eldest among 3 sisters. Sophie is plain looking and doesn’t seem to be very confident with herself. On her way to visit her sister, she encounters the wizard Howl. Unknown to her, the meeting angers the Witch of the Waste who later curses her, by transforming her into an old-lady. The curse also prevents her from telling anyone of her condition. Wanting to turn back to normal, Sophie begins her journey to search for a cure.

If you feel like your kid is really into Disney and Pixar films, then Howl’s Moving Castle with its stunning visuals would be a treat to the eye for them. Unlike the earlier recommendations, Howl’s Moving Castle is slightly more fast paced and magic is being used in almost every scene. In the movie, both Howl and Sophie learn and grow by learning about the other, this well-paced romance is great for teaching kids about courage, trust and loyalty,

5. The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty Trailer

A fun movie loosely based on Mary Norton’s classic Novel: The Borrowers. The story focuses on Arrietty and her family who are “Borrowers”, tiny people who are about 10 cm tall who borrow/take items that humans no longer need. Arrietty is still learning the ropes of being a borrower and accidently gets spotted by a human boy named Sho/Shawn. Unknown to the both of them, they’ll inspire each other with how they live.

While it might seem like a Thumbelina movie, it really is not. Arrietty is a great family movie, while it does center around the relationship of the two main casts, the film also brings the idea of family to focus. Arrietty is allowed and encouraged to be courageous and daring, sometimes being too protective may hinder a kid from growth. But of course, some limitations and house rules are in order for safety purposes. Just make sure to give your kid space to breathe and have fun and most importantly explore.

Arrietty also shows the importance of hope and inspiration. Shawn has little to no expectations of his upcoming surgery. But observing the burrowers live their difficult lives and survive each day despite the harsh conditions, inspired him to live-on and not give up hope.

4. Whisper of the Heart

Whisper of the Heart Trailer

While in a very normal junior high school setting, Ghibli has not failed in making yet another whimsical masterpiece with Whisper of the Heart. The film follows the story of the manga with the same name. Shizuku, a young girl who loves to read and write longs to be a writer when she grows up, but she doesn’t have the drive to start. One day, in the library she notices all the books she has checked out have also been borrowed by a person named Seiji Amasawa. She eventually does meet Seiji though the two didn’t exactly hit it off. After their second meeting they developed a good relationship. Once Shizuku sees Seiji work towards his dream she gets inspired to work for hers.

If you want to teach your kid the importance of hard-work then you should introduce them to Whisper of the Heart. Although, I would recommend this when your kid is a bit older as the story may seem a bit dull and slow at the very beginning. But if you manage to get him/her to sit through it, the movie shows valuable life lessons and prompts kids to start dreaming at a young age. While there is a bit of romance in the movie, it’s very safe and child-friendly.

3. Spirited Away

Spirited Away Trailer

One of the most popular films by Miyazaki that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature--- hand drawn at that! The story revolves around a 10-year old girl named Chihiro, who is reluctantly moving to a new town with her parents. Enroute to their new place they stumbled upon an abandoned park and explored the area. Her parents end up eating in the many booths set up in the park and get turned into pigs for eating too much. Chihiro now has to figure out a way to break the curse and get them out of the spirit world.

This might be a bit advanced for anyone below 8 so I suggest watching this film with your kid a little later on, ideally Ghibli set their target audience for this film to be children aged 10-13. Some elements may even be a little scary for younger audiences. The film talks about fighting for things truly important in life such as friendship, love and family, and to do away with greed and selfishness that will cast us astray from true happiness. Chihiro is a great role model for kids as she shows she is capable of change and can achieve almost anything with a little faith and determination.

2. When Marnie Was There

When Marnie Was There Trailer

Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s final film before he left Ghibli and his second film following The Secret World of Arrietty. Anna Sasaki moves to the countryside for health reasons. She is quiet and withdrawn from her other peers however, she seems to have a talent in drawing. One day she meets a strange young girl with blonde hair who befriends her. As their friendship deepens, Anna slowly opens up about herself to Marnie and the people around her.

For slightly older kids, preferably 10 years old and above. When Marnie Was There deals with darker themes than the previous entries and some scenes may come off as disturbing. However, the film does show us the importance of friendship. Anna, as a character, is also very relatable to audience members who have difficulty with socializing. There aren't a lot of magical elements so it might not be as appealing as Spirited Away, but the film is charming in its own right. It’s also a good idea to expose young children to Slice-of-Life films every now and then.

1. Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke Trailer

Will humans ever find harmony with forest spirits? Or is this another spiral of battles with no clear victor? Princess Mononoke is a film about the Emishi prince named Ashitaka and his involvement in a struggle between the gods of the forest and the humans who consume the forest's resources. Along the way he gains the trust of San, a young girl who is raised by the wolf god of the forest.

Princess Mononoke is a must watch film but it’s best to introduce this film to an older kid rather than someone too young, as this film deals with violence. Miyazaki during an interview for Cine Front expressed that he wanted elementary kids to be introduced to it despite the presence of violence. Violence is already a part of daily life and unless the film does not touch the subject then it might not be convincing to kids who are developing. At the end of the day, I believe it’s the parent who makes the final decision on when to introduce this film to their kids. But I think it’s a good move to let them watch it someday since it is a great Ghibli classic.

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[Top 10] Best Studio Ghibli Characters

SagaTakesAShot — Wed, 12 May 2021 13:30:57 +0000

What are some of the iconic characters that stand the test of time in Studio Ghibli?

If you’re an anime fan then there is no doubt that you have probably watched at least one Ghibli film. The studio has never failed to create fantastic imaginary worlds, extraordinary stories and of course; amazing characters that move the very story. Like most films, Ghibli is challenged to create three-dimensional characters which a viewer can either sympathize or empathize with.. Despite this challenge, Ghibli this feat with their main characters, and even their background characters are given so much depth you can’t help but praise the studio.

While everyone has their own favorite characters, here are 10 of the characters I think were some of the best created by the studio. If this is your first time encountering the character in the list then go and watch the movie! Trust me, you won’t regret a second of it.

10. San/ Mononoke Hime from Princess Mononoke

You're Beautiful Scene

A young girl who was raised by the wolf gods. When she was just a baby her parents abandoned her to appease Moro, a wolf god who was mad at them for violating the forests. Moro then decides to raise San as one of her own. Eventually, San would grow up to be resentful towards humans for harming the forests.

Instead of the film being named after the actual protagonist, San’s name was used instead since she had such a dominating presence in the film despite serving as the Anti-hero in the story. Her disdain towards humans is also very justified due to how she was just left by her parents to starve or get eaten in the forest and well, we humans never really respected the forest to begin with. While Ghibli is known for having strong female characters, San is a great example of a character who is strong both mentally and physically.

9. Nausicaa from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Ending Scene of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaa is the beloved princess of the Valley of the Wind and the eleventh child of King Jhil. She is also the only one of his children to reach maturity. She assumes the responsibilities of her father, who fell ill prior to the events of the story, and later succeeds him to the throne. Fueled by the love for her people and life itself, she does her best to study ecology in order to understand the earth and how to prevent it from getting worse.

Miyazaki’s first major heroine easily makes it to this list for me. Nausicaa sets a great starting point for all of the other female Ghibli characters. During the 1980 there were only a few female heroines to hit the screens. Nausicaa came into the picture around that time, and what’s so great about her is that she was not sexualized as a female character and could stand toe-to-toe with the male characters in a fight.

8. Sosuke from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Kiss Scene

He is one of the two main characters of the film. He is five years old when he finds Ponyo and decides to keep and protect her. Sosuke is Ponyo’s best friend and towards the end of the movie they are presumed to be a couple.

I was debating on putting both him and Ponyo as one character in this list because they seem inseparable (they might as well be considering the earth might drown if they part at this point) but I decided to give this spot to Sosuke for being so accepting despite his tender age (but that might be the reason why he is accepting). He finds a magical fish near his home and decides that he will protect her. True to his word, he never left Ponyo’s side despite all the scary things happening around him. Aside from being a good friend to Ponyo he’s a very sweet kid in general to all the other characters in the film most especially to his parents.

7. Sophie Hatter from Howl’s Moving Castle

Flower Field Scene

Sophie is an apprentice hat maker in the small town of Market Chipping in the fictional Kingdom of Ingary. She lives a very dull life till she runs into a wizard named Howl. She also ends up getting cursed by the Witch of the Waste and seeks refuge in Howl’s Castle.

Getting turned into a granny might have been a good thing for Sophie, she actually grows a backbone after becoming one. The old age also unlocks her courage and she now puts up a bigger fight against those who harass her. While Howl’s Moving Castle is known as one of the lesser Miyazaki Films, they did an amazing job developing a plain anti-social girl to a leading female protagonist which a lot of young girls can look up to.

6. Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro

Under the Rain with Totoro Scene

Totoro is one of the main characters of the film My Neighbor Totoro. He is a wood/forest spirit that would occasionally help and play with the sisters Satsuki and Mei. Miyazaki wrote in the film’s art book that “Totoro” isn’t the creature’s actual name, it was a name given by Mei and no one really knows what its real name is.

How could I forget this iconic Ghibli mascot? Totoro embodies everything magical and whimsical when it comes to Ghibli’s word building. For me there isn’t anything wrong with just loving Totoro for what the film had to offer. I don’t think I’m the only one who loved this gentle giant of a forest spirit. The Totoro icon/image can be seen almost everywhere nowadays.

5. Chihiro Ogino/Sen from Spirited Away

Spirited Away Trailer

Chihiro is a young girl who is very unhappy about the prospect of changes. On the way to her new home she and her parents end up exploring an abandoned park and get themselves trapped in the Spirit World. Chihiro now has to face some of the biggest changes in her life in order to save her parents.

When we talk about character development in Ghibli Films, Spirited Away’s Chihiro would be one of the perfect examples for the topic. She starts off really bratty in the film but gradually begins to open up and become a caring and understanding individual, including to enemies in the film. While she’s no warrior princess like San and Nausicaa she is one of the bravest girls out there—not to mention she’s only 10 years old.

4. Jiro Horikoshi from The Wind Rises

First Test Flight Scene

Jiro Horikoshi is the protagonist of the Ghibli Film The Wind Rises. He has a passionate love towards airplanes since his childhood which continued all the way to his adulthood. Throughout the events of the series, he marries Naoko Satomi and also creates the “perfect aircraft”.

Jiro is one of the few Ghibli characters based on an actual person; however, Miyazaki may have altered some of his personality traits to keep the movie less political. Jiro, unlike other Ghibli characters, is incapable of reaching his true goal. As a kid he dreams of one day piloting an airplane however, due to his poor eyesight he is not permitted to even fly a plane. This does not hinder him from working on planes. He becomes a designer for planes and shifts his goals to making a great plane. Despite working on something he loves, Jiro does express guilt over the future use of the planes he designed. He’s a tragic character constantly overlooked since this film deals with different themes as compared to most known Ghibli Films.

3. Anna Sasaki from When Marnie Was There

The Marsh House Scene

Is the main protagonist of the Ghibli Film When Marnie Was There. She starts off as a polite but rather withdrawn individual with a love for art in the movie. After she meets Marnie she gradually opens up about herself to her new friend and the people surrounding her.

If you’re an introvert who loves art then maybe you can see a little bit of yourself in Anna. In turn, this character might give you the courage you need to let other people in your life. Ghibli is known for pushing change upon characters through their interaction with either mythical being or even spirits. In the film Anna learns to open up more due to her interactions with Marnie, who is actually her dead grandmother.

2. No Face from Spirited Away

No Face Scenes

A lonely and faceless spirit that Chihiro let in the bathhouse. Due to her kindness to him, he grew a sort-of affinity towards her. He eventually takes advantage of the greed of the other workers in the bathhouse by providing them with fake gold to get fed and cared for.

Another iconic non-human character other than Totoro, he probably wasn’t a bad spirit in the start, he just wanted to repay Chihiro’s kindness in some way…although, he was a bit extreme. What “corrupted” him was he learned how to control other characters with the use of gold—also when he ate the other workers, he took in some of their personality traits which may explain his obsessive and greedy behavior. As he throws them up, you can see that he gradually becomes better and only wishes to have a friend by his side.

1. Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki Gets Hired Scene

Kiki is a 13-year-old witch who has left home to begin her training to become a full-fledged witch. When she flies she is usually seen with her animal companion Jiji and a radio.

Despite being an individual of supposed great magical power, Kiki seems only proficient when it comes to flight and it doesn’t seem like the film she starred in was about her getting better in magic. In fact, the film seemed more of a coming-of-age story for any young girl and what she has to go through when she enters her teenhood or adolescence when she first moves out of the comfort of her own home.

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