Within the first 15 minutes of this anime, we become lost in the enchanted realm with 10-year-old Chihiro, her world ruled by spells and spirits. On their move to a new home, Chihiro's parents have taken an alternative route and are charmed by the unexpected surroundings. Chihiro finds it disturbing. Two decades since the original release, Spirited Away keeps its power into anime.

Oscar-winning anime - Spirited Away

Many people in the film industry have been disregarding Japanese animation, but Spirited Away's success was a wake-up call. Throughout the film, environmental themes are shown. Nature is magical, while humans seem graceless, destructive, and disastrous. Creator Hayao Miyazaki loves not only a sustainable environment but also the right of children to be children. Spirited Away shows the pressures and distractions of modernity and a little girl's parents who succumb to temptation and greed.

Environmental themes throughout the film

Part of the magic in Spirited Away is the depth of detail and its heroine Chihiro, as she helps us relate to the other characters. Miyazaki has thought about what the world would look like if he was only 4ft tall and used that knowledge to portray his world. Ultimately, Spirited Away taps into themes such as care for the environment, reverence for nature, and a belief that the energy of the good spirits within us will help young people change the world for the better.

The world through a child's eye

As Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning anime turns 20, Arwa Haider asks why the film's powerful magic still captivates today.

Stashed ideas

The film that captures millennials' greatest fear

Japan is famous for its animated movies. Ghibli, meaning "desert wind" in Libyan, is one of a kind, and its beautiful painted visions set the stage for many more subsequent movies.
Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and have produced 21 movies to date. Those who have seen the films love them with all their heart.

Studio Ghibli movies

This movie has often introduced people to Ghibli. It won the best-animated feature trophy at the 2003 Academy Awards.
The story is of a 10-year-old girl, Chihiro, who moves with her parents to a new home. When her father takes a shortcut, she ends up lost and alone in the spirit world and has to navigate a landscape to save her parents.

Spirited Away (2001)

<ul>
<li>My Neighbour Totoro (1988) is the tale of two young girls and their father who move to a new country home near the hospital where their mother is recovering. They meet Totoro and his friends.</li>
<li>Pom Poko (1994) has a strong environmental message. A tribe of raccoons have to deal with their differences to stop developers from destroying their wooded hillside.</li>
</ul>

My Neighbour Totoro, and Pom Poko

<ul>
<li>Porco Rosso (1992) is an Italian WWI flying expert who by a curse changed into a humanoid pig. Now he is working as a bounty hunter battling sky pirates over the Adriatic.</li>
<li>Grave of the Fireflies (1988) tells of Seita and his younger sister fighting to survive in Japan at the end of WWII. Their mother died in a bombing raid, and their father is fighting in the Japanese Navy, leaving the children to fend for themselves.</li>
<li>The Wind Rises (2013) tells a fictionalised life story of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Mitsubishi Zero that formed the basis of Japan's aerial might in WWII.</li>
</ul>

WWI and WWII settings

<ul><li>Whisper of the Heart (1995) is a story about a bookish girl, Shizuku, who finds that all the books she borrows from the library have been checked out by a boy, and she sets out to find him.</li><li>Only Yesterday (1991) is about a 27-year-old woman recollecting her life and the choices she's made.</li><li>From up on Poppy Hill (2011) is the recurring Ghibli theme of supposed progress replacing tradition. Two young people fight to save a school clubhouse from demolition.</li></ul>

Contemporary drama 

<ul>
<li>When Marnie was There (2014) is based on Joan G Robinson's 1967 novel about a 12-year-old girl who starts a friendship with Marnie, who is not all she seems.</li>
<li>Arrietty (2010) is based on Mary Norton's The Borrowers (1952).</li>
<li>Tales from Earthsea (2006) is loosely based on Ursula K Le Guin's quartet of novels.</li>
<li>Howl's Moving Castle (2004) is loosely based on the 1986 Diana Wynne Jones novel and features a strong anti-war message.</li>
</ul>

Adaptations of treasured books

<ul>
<li>Princess Monoke (1997) was Ghibli's most successful movie before Spirited Away. A young prince is caught between the ecologically greedy inhabitants of an industrial town intent on clearing a huge forest to mine for iron, and the diverse spirits who live in the threatened woods.</li>
<li>The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) is about a poor couple who find a tiny girl growing inside a bamboo shoot.</li>
</ul>

Princess stories

<ul>
<li>The Cat Returns (2002) is a fantasy story about a young girl who can talk to cats. After she saves an apparent street cat, she gets inducted into the world of the Cat Kingdom.</li>
<li>Ponyo (2008) is the name of a goldfish found by a young boy, but in reality, she is one of many shape-shifting siblings who live in an underwater community.</li>
</ul>

Animal stories

<ul>
<li>Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) takes place in a post-apocalyptic future with gigantic marauding insects. A young woman hopes to find a way for humans to co-exist with mutated insect creatures in the jungle.</li>
<li>Laputa: Castle In The Sky (1986) is an adventure with an aerial city, sky pirates, airships, giant old steampunk robots, and a quest by two young heroes to protect a magic crystal.</li>
</ul>

Futuristic stories

<ul>
<li>My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999) is a tale that starts as a family comedy but then turns into surreal territory.</li>
<li>Kiki's Delivery Service (2003) A 13-year-old witch, Kiki, hops on her broomstick with her cat to offer her witchy services to the citizens of a town. Things don't go as planned, and Kiki learns from her mistakes.</li>
</ul>

My Neighbours the Yamadas, and Kiki's delivery service

Now that 21 films made by the legendary Japanese animation house are available to stream, David Barnett lists which films to watch, according to your mood.

Self Improvement

Studio Ghibli films: An indispensable guide

Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films may take place in fantastical worlds, but they possess many real-world lessons.&nbsp;They tackle deeply relatable themes that many millennial artist's face.<ul><li>Trying to make it as a creative. “She has to develop a work/life balance that doesn’t completely wear her out.”</li><li>Creative burnout. “[Kiki’s] lost of flight communicates that when you wear yourself too thin and turn your passion into just a job, you’ll no longer be able to just create,” </li><li>Self-care. Kiki&nbsp;finds enjoyment in flying again by learning when to take a break from things.</li></ul>

Lessons from Kiki's Delivery Service

Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films may take place in fantastical worlds, but they possess many real-world lessons. They tackle deeply relatable themes like coming of age and finding self-confidence. Oh, and economic principles. A new ScreenPrism visual essay brilliantly dissects how the 1989 film Kiki's Delivery Service can be seen as an allegory for the financial struggles millennial artists face.

kiki's delivery service is the perfect guide for broke millennials

<ul><li>Cooking and cleaning can be fun! The way these films artfully portray everyday tasks encourages us to work hard even at dusting.</li><li>A human relationship is more than just romance. The relationship develops from knowing the other person, having a common goal, and wanting that other person to succeed and be protected.</li><li>We all feel overwhelmed sometimes, but we must keep going. It will lead to a positive transformation if we choose to act. </li><li>We have a lasting impact on nature, and we must be conscientious of it. "Princess Mononoke" taught us that the war humanity wages with nature is a losing one. </li><li>Hardship, while difficult, can improve your outlook on life in the end.</li></ul>

5 Ghibli lessons to life

Studio Ghibli movies are known for their distinctive, anime-esque style, paired with iconic fantasy story lines and an emotional score that, all combined, evoke feelings of nostalgia. Sometimes for the childhood you once knew, or even places and people you've never known.

Five Life Lessons We Learned From Studio Ghibli

People enjoy watching anime at any age and in almost every corner of the world. One of the main reasons why we all feel drawn to this genre is because the artwork is just flawless and unlimited: every kind of character, of surrounding and of event can be created inside of an anime. You just have to choose the suitable one for you and enjoy it.

Animes and their force of attraction

Everybody loves a good story. When watching anime, you actually give your consent to enter a world where topics such as death, acceptance, morality or war are being presented in a quite realistic manner. Besides, even though they are just drawn characters, you will find yourself in love with the creations of the anime author: they are portraits of each of us.

Storytelling and anime

Besides great stories and amazing artwork, you are bound to find in anime beautiful music too. Music for every feeling that can be or is lived by the different characters: from the biggest joy to the deepest sorrow. You just cannot avoid falling in love with anime, as it has all it takes to keep you stuck in front of your computer.

Music and anime

Why do people like anime? For the exact same reasons you love your favorite shows. There are so many misconceptions about anime. Some people believe anime is meant for children. Some people think anime is pornographic. Some people think every anime is exactly like Pokemon. And none of that is the truth.

The film that captures millennials' greatest fear

Studio Ghibli films: An indispensable guide

kiki's delivery service is the perfect guide for broke millennials

Five Life Lessons We Learned From Studio Ghibli

Why Do People Like Anime?

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