Deciphering which of Studio Ghibli‘s movies is the best is one of the most contentious and hotly debated subjects within the anime community. Ghibli is undoubtedly the most popular anime studio across the world, with even the most casual of anime fans being aware of movies like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Grave of the Fireflies. But, a recent poll that gathered the opinions of over 500 filmmakers, actors, and Hollywood executives has tried to make the subjective objective by revealing what is “officially” the best Studio Ghibli movie.
The New York Times conducted the poll to determine what the best movie of the 21st Century is. The top 30 included beloved classics like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, City of God, and Lost in Translation, along with modern hits like Moonlight, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Wolf of Wall Street, with Parasite claiming the top spot. But, alongside the live-action masterpieces, a Studio Ghibli classic snuck its way into the top 10, inadvertently making it the best Ghibli film.
What is Studio Ghibli’s Best Movie?
Sitting high and mighty at the number nine spot is one of Studio Ghibli’s most lauded movies of all time. Released in 2001, the movie was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and won an Oscar in 2003. The film is renowned for its phenomenal worldbuilding, blending the world of humans with supernatural creatures, transfigured pigs, and terrifying old ladies.
If you haven’t guessed by now (firstly, shame on you!), the film in question is none other than Spirited Away. Per the results of the poll, the movie is officially the 9th best film of the 21st century. It was the only Studio Ghibli movie to make it onto the list, unofficially making it the studio’s best, at least, according to some of Hollywood’s most beloved filmmakers.
Spirited Away‘s Cinematic Legacy
It might not be your favorite Studio Ghibli movie, after all, that is an incredibly subjective matter, but it’s hard to argue with the film’s legacy. The movie helped to drastically change the perception of animated movies within mainstream culture. Before Spirited Away, animation and anime were largely seen as being made for children. But, Spirited Away did what the industry has been attempting for decades by shutting down that notion.
Spirited Away is often cited as one of the most influential movies of all time, not just within the anime industry. There are likely hundreds (if not thousands) of animators working today because they were inspired by Spirited Away. But the movie has also inspired countless Western filmmakers. As well as influencing the visual style of contemporary filmmakers and anime directors, Spirited Away also helped to popularize some of the most popular themes and motifs in modern anime. The most apparent is the idea of children facing dark and mature situations.
Do you agree with the poll? Is Spirited Away your favorite Studio Ghibli movie? Do you prefer one of Miyazaki’s other lauded films? Or, perhaps one of the studio’s more underappreciated movies? Let us know in the comments below.
H/T: NY Times
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