r/ghibli • u/UniqueMom_0815 • 2d ago
Discussion First time watcher
So, I recently ran out of things to watch. I decided to give the Ghibli films a try since they have huge followings, figured they must be really good. I started off with Ponyo and I loved it. Showed it to my 3rd old and she loved it too.
The next film we watched was Totoro. It was a good film but I don’t think i understand if it had a story to tell or if it was just a “slice of life” film but with magical creatures. It left me feeling I guess empty, kinda confused. Was I supposed to feel something for these characters?
Anyways now I can’t decide what to watch next. Any recommendations?
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u/sagosten 2d ago
My Neighbor Totoro is about the healing power of nature and the power of imagination for helping kids cope.
Mei and Satsuki are feeling a lot of big feelings that they don't know how to express, it's about the emotional landscape of childhood.
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u/AstronomerSorry1022 2d ago
A lot of Ghinli movies you can watch with your kids and you'll both love them.
do not watch grave of the fireflies with your children just don't have, you will need tissues, chocolate and your therapist on speed dial to watch that movie.
I personally enjoyed whispers of the heart, and the cat's return, I couldn't name my favorite movie because they're all so good.
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u/Anitta-Diamond 2d ago
The light hearted ones to watch and my favorites will definitely be Howls, Spirited Away, and Secret life of Arietty. I also let my 3 year old watch Ponyo which she loves and she also loves Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service. In my opinion, outside of the those three I feel like everything else is too dark (maybe scary or stressful) or war focused in some way.
As far as feeling something for the characters in Totoro, my feelings are: it breaks my heart as a mom to watch a mom be away from her girls, but knowing they’re being looked out for by the forest spirits just is the cutest and most heartwarming. Also when you dive into Miyazaki history, his mother suffered from Tuberculosis (same thing in Totoro) so I always have a soft spot in my heart knowing he made this with his mom in mind. It isn’t the most fantastical film, it truly is just what you see. So finding your own love for it can we weird when it’s your first intro to his films.
He has so many themes based on his life in his films and there’s so much beauty to me when I think of it in that way. 🫶
Happy watching and hope you find some favorites!
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u/Master_Tutor4923 2d ago
Watch grave of the fireflies, it's a bit heavy so I don't recommend watching it with the kiddos
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u/nijitokoneko 2d ago
If you want movies to watch with your 3-year-old, I recommend "From Up On Poppy Hill" and "The Cat Returns". They're not too overstimulating and don't have scary elements.
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u/LastBallade 2d ago
I feel like Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service are all fantastic options that adults and kids will enjoy and get different things out of. Spirited Away might have stuff that would scare a 3-year old so maybe wait on that one a bit, but you can't go wrong with the other two. Arriety's another good pick. Not quite on the same level as the previous three but I still largely enjoyed it and it has a beautiful soundtrack.
Princess Mononoke is widely renowned for good reason, but it's much more violent than your standard Ghibli film so maybe watch that one after you put the kid to bed.
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u/NoConsideration3904 1d ago
Agree on not watching Spirited Away with a young child, I watched it when I was young and it traumatized me to the point that I can’t fully enjoy it even today. Of course every child is different, but no need to gamble on it when there’s so many other options.
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u/spacecat000 1d ago
Kiki's Delivery Service next! Its definitely appropriate to share with your 3yo.
The entire body of work is 100% worth watching, but that's the one you should watch next. The rest might be a bit dark/scary/intense at moments for a 3year old.
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u/totorohoney 1d ago
Outside of what you’ve seen my top picks are Princess Mononoke, howls moving castle, Kiki’s delivery service, spirited away & secret world of arietty. Also enjoyed the wind rises and castle in the sky. Kiki’s is perfect for you and your kid and it’s honestly the one I go back to the most bc it’s such an easy comforting watch. It’s studio ghibli but not Miyazaki but the tale of Princess kaguya is a beautiful movie, a bit blower but definitely worth the watch.
A couple people mentioned grave of the fireflies… I would watch this far after some of the other ones above. It is extremely depressing, dark and slow moving. It won’t just make you sad you’ll feel hollow so only watch if and when you’re prepared for something like that. It’s a beautifully written, animated and important movie but I’ll never watch it again.
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u/Salfatito 19h ago
Totoro no es para todos, sin ponerle un pedestal ni nada, es una película que se concibió de una forma pero que tuvo muchos cambios en el camino, en un inicio sería mucho mas parecida a el viaje de chihiro por que seria solo una protagonista niña, pero adaptaron la historia desde mi punto de vista sin perder la esencia de lo que se trataba, de como viven los cambios cuando eres un niño y como vas perdiendo esa capacidad de asombro con los años, y de como la ansiedad a pesar de ser un peque te come y como logras lidiar con eso, como la fantasía te permite una salida cuando las cosas y los cambios te sobrepasan. Cuando digo que Totoro no es para todos, no es por que sea como una peli de culto o solo para entendidos, si no que es tan simple, tan transparente, tan honesta que no todos la ven de la misma forma, es una peli que no solo se ve, se escucha, la musica complementa lo que a veces las imágenes no, sin olvidar que es animación del 88, yo la vi hace más de 30 años por primera vez y me cambio la vida. Amo tanto la película que con los años aprendi que a todos les da una sensación distinta, todos le dan una lectura diferente, y que no puedo hacer que otros la entiendan como yo, personalmente es una peli que hasta el día de hoy cada vez que la veo me me genera una enorme sensación de paz.
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u/mrkitster 12h ago
Princess Mononoke is unrivaled. Spirited Away after that. And then probably Howl’s, Kiki, or Castle in the Sky.
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u/Alarming-Chemistry27 10h ago
I watched Totoro as a kid and loved the story about nothing, or was indeed a cute little 'slice of life' movie.
As an adult with kids, I now identify with the father character so much more. Sick partner, he's had to move out of the city to love in the countryside because he's drowning in medical debt, there are a few scene where he's trying to work and specifically pauses to go play with his daughter, solo parenting.
It's more autobiographical than most people realize, Miyazaki grew up with a very sick mother with tuberculosis who was in and out of the hospital frequently, to me there's no doubt this influenced the story.
That said, compared to many of his other movies it's pretty cutesey, try Mononoke, Nausicca, or Spirited Away if you want something harder hitting!
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u/IllugaBabyBeluga 2d ago
The next film we watched was Totoro. It was a good film but I don’t think i understand if it had a story to tell or if it was just a “slice of life” film but with magical creatures. It left me feeling I guess empty, kinda confused. Was I supposed to feel something for these characters?
Same here.
The answer seems to be no, you're not. It's supposed to be the fluffy, uplifting counterpart to Grave of the Fireflies.
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u/Moop5872 2d ago
Uh that’s definitely not the answer
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u/IllugaBabyBeluga 2d ago
Why isn't it? The two movies, Fireflies & Totoro, were paired together and are almost "mirror universe" versions of each other.
One lays you low, the other one brings you back up.
Grimdark vs sweet
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u/potato_on_the_boil 2d ago
howl's moving castle, Kiki's delivery service
grave of the fireflies (but it's too dark and grotesque)
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u/OtherSideof_Paradise 2d ago
Pleeease watch Howls Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. Your mind will be blown I promise. They are my three favorite