The World of Studio Ghibli
Some popular titles students may recognize are:
- My Neighbor Totoro (1998) a nostalgic and genial story following Satsuke and her younger sister Mei as they move to a new house and encounter friendly spirits in the forest.
- Spirited Away (2001) an imaginative story filled with fantasy as a young girl, Chihiro, and her parents happen upon an abandoned amusement park which is much more than it seems
- Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) is about a 13 year old witch in training named Kiki who moves to a seaside town with her cat Jiji to spend a year alone for her witch training which is tradition in her town.
- Ponyo (2008) a story of strong friendship follows a goldfish princess who makes a forbidden trip to the surface world and makes a human friend, Sosuke, who names the princess Ponyo. Ponyo’s longing to live on the surface grows as her friendship with Sosuke becomes stronger, but breaking free from her protective fathers hold endangers Sosuke’s village.
Some other Studio Ghibli movies include: Castle in the Sky, The Cat Returns, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke, to name a few. Along with these, there are more movies and short stories. If you have seen any of these movies, comment which ones you’ve seen!
Studio Ghibli films have touched many Glasgow students’ hearts. Molly, an 8th grader at Glasgow has seen Totoro and Ponyo, Ponyo being her favorite, she says that, “Studio Ghibli films were a large aspect of my childhood and I have a lot of fond memories after watching them. I personally love the concept of accepting others and treating them like family, even if they seem different or strange to you. I also love the roundness of the animation and how it is not sharp; it’s a wholesome animation style that doesn’t project its characters as having the perfect body or the perfect face.
Sophie Le, a 6th grader at Glasgow shares that, “my favorite Studio Ghibli movie is [My Neighbor]Totoro. Totoro is a very cute and friendly character, who always puts a smile on my face. I think that Studio Ghibli films teach you to have a positive outlook on the world.”
These films have inspired many Glasgow students as well, including Carlin Adjula, an 8th grader at Glasgow. “they inspired me to be myself, and are just really inspiring in general. Kiki’s delivery service really inspired me because it taught me to stick with myself and what I like. Overall, Studio Ghibli is just nostalgic and beautiful and I love every aspect of it, whether it’s the animation, the storyline, or the music.”
Studio Ghibli has created an imaginative and beautifully crafted world that many Glasgow students have enjoyed. Find and have fun watching all Studio Ghibli films on HBO Max. If you enjoy creative animation, perilous adventures, and heartfelt stories, Studio Ghibli is just for you!
Sources: https://ghiblicollection.com/ & https://variety.com/lists/best-studio-ghibli-movies/
Brooke Ehmann - Jones (she/her), an 8th grader at Glasgow MS has been a writer for the Panther Post since the 2020 school year. She has lived in Northern Virginia all of her life and plays on a soccer team, loves playing music on her saxophone and the piano, enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and painting, and loves spending time outdoors on the many hikes she and her family have been on. Brooke is also very passionate about the environment and enjoys learning about nature, and volunteering to protect it. She has two cats at home, and loves traveling to national parks with her family.
Rowan
Jan 11, 2022 at 3:09 pm
I’ve seen almost all of them there great
Elisa Paredes Lopez
Jan 11, 2022 at 2:44 pm
WOW! this was truly amazing reading this i enjoyed it a lot