Every Studio Ghibli Film Ranked: The Complete Definitive List

Some film libraries get bigger every year. Studio Ghibli's stays relatively small, which makes every new release feel like an event and every ranking a guaranteed argument starter. With Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron winning the 2024 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, there's never been a better time to revisit the studio's extraordinary catalogue.

The Rankings That Spark Endless Arguments

Ranking Studio Ghibli films isn't about separating masterpieces from failures. There aren't many failures here. It's about deciding whether emotional impact matters more than technical brilliance, or whether the film you watched as a child deserves extra credit for staying with you decades later.

For this list, storytelling comes first. Visual artistry, cultural impact, rewatchability and lasting influence all matter too. That means beloved classics sit alongside a few overlooked gems that deserve far more attention than they usually receive.

Here's the complete ranking, from weakest to strongest.

Tales from Earthsea (2006)

Earwig and the Witch (2020)

Ocean Waves (1993)

My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)

The Cat Returns (2002)

Pom Poko (1994)

From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)

Only Yesterday (1991)

The Wind Rises (2013)

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

When Marnie Was There (2014)

Porco Rosso (1992)

Castle in the Sky (1986)

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Spirited Away (2001)

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

You'll probably disagree with at least five placements. That's exactly what makes Ghibli rankings so much fun.

Why Totoro Still Comes Out on Top

Many fans automatically put Spirited Away at number one, and there's a strong case for it. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and remains one of Japan's highest-grossing films, earning approximately $395 million worldwide. It also holds a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

But My Neighbor Totoro represents everything Studio Ghibli does better than anyone else.

There's barely a traditional villain. The story unfolds at its own pace. Small moments, waiting at a rainy bus stop, exploring a forest or laughing with family, carry as much emotional weight as huge action scenes in most blockbusters. Totoro himself has become one of cinema's most recognisable mascots without ever speaking a full sentence.

That's an extraordinary achievement.

Close behind sits Grave of the Fireflies, arguably the studio's most devastating film. Few animated movies confront war with such honesty, and even fewer leave audiences emotionally exhausted in the best possible way.

The Biggest Surprises in the Middle

The middle of the list is where opinions usually become even more divided.

The Boy and the Heron lands inside the top ten because it rewards repeat viewings. Its dreamlike structure can feel confusing at first, but the emotional core becomes clearer every time you return to it. Winning the Oscar in 2024 confirmed that Studio Ghibli could still surprise audiences more than three decades after its biggest classics.

Then there's Porco Rosso. It rarely appears at the top of fan rankings, yet its mix of aviation adventure, melancholy and dry humour has aged beautifully. It's one of Hayao Miyazaki's most personal films without ever feeling self-indulgent.

Some viewers will argue that Princess Mononoke deserves first place instead. Released in 1997, it became Japan's highest-grossing film at the time before Titanic overtook it. Its environmental themes feel even more relevant today, but its darker tone makes it a tougher recommendation for first-time Ghibli viewers.

Meanwhile, Whisper of the Heart proves that Studio Ghibli never needed magic creatures or fantasy kingdoms to tell a memorable story. Sometimes teenage uncertainty is enough.

Why You Should Care

You don't need to watch every Studio Ghibli film to appreciate why the studio matters. Even if you've only seen one or two, these movies remind you that animation can tell quiet, thoughtful stories without relying on constant action or rapid-fire jokes.

They also age remarkably well. Films released nearly 40 years ago still feel fresh because they're built around timeless emotions instead of trends that quickly fade.

What to Watch Next

Finished your latest Ghibli marathon? There are a few obvious places to go next.

Start with Wolf Children if you loved the family warmth of My Neighbor Totoro. Mamoru Hosoda's film captures everyday parenting with the same emotional honesty that defines Ghibli's best work.

If Princess Mononoke was your favourite, try The Deer King. It shares a similar blend of fantasy, politics and environmental storytelling, even if it never quite reaches the same heights.

And if Spirited Away left you wanting another visually inventive fantasy, Suzume from Makoto Shinkai is an easy recommendation. Its emotional focus is more contemporary, but the breathtaking animation and heartfelt storytelling make it one of the strongest modern companions to Studio Ghibli's catalogue.

No ranking will ever settle the debate, and it shouldn't. The best Studio Ghibli film usually depends on where you are in life when you watch it. That's why fans keep returning to these movies, and why every revisit has a chance to reshuffle the list all over again.