Studio Ghibli, the animation studio of director Hayao Miyazaki’s films, boasts titles that stitch visually appealing animation together with a unique storyline. As a testament to Miyazaki’s brilliance, four of his films have been nominated for the Academy Awards, of which two took the prestigious award home. Here are all four of the Oscar-nominated Studio Ghibli films that continue to be the talk of the town.
The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent film, The Boy and the Heron, received an Oscar in the Best Animated Feature category in this year’s 96th Academy Awards. The film has been rated 7.6 on IMDb and has received numerous awards and honors within less than a year of its release in July 2023.
Rumored to be Hayao Miyazaki’s last project, the film revolves around Mahito Maki and his quest to find his allegedly dead mother. When Mahito and his family move to his mother’s rural village, a heron frustratingly begins hovering around him. The twist is that heron is capable of human speech.
Later, the peculiar heron claims that Mahito’s mother is still alive and lures the young boy into an enigmatic tower. Though hesitant, Mahito follows his stepmother, Natsuko, into the tower. By doing this, he steps into an alternate world where he must rescue Natsuko and get back home with her.
The Wind Rises (2013)
This film was also rumored to be Miyazaki’s last film when it was released. It earned the director his third Academy Award nomination and gained popularity for its controversial element. On IMDb, the film is rated 7.8 and remains one of the best of Miyazaki’s projects.
The Wind Rises revolves around Jirou Horikoshi, who moves out of his town to study aeronautical engineering. At Tokyo Imperial University, he aims at designing planes, deriving inspiration from Giovanni Battista Caproni, an Italian aviation visionary.
His life takes a turn when the impending doom of World War II knocks at Japan’s door. Horikoshi’s dilemma as he eventually designs the infamous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane tests him against his principles as a human being. As he deals with his internal struggle, this Oscar-nominated Studio Ghibli film takes viewers on a journey where the protagonist must pay a price to live his dreams.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
The Award-winning Howl’s Moving Castle has a rating of 8.2 on IMDb. Although the film didn’t receive an Oscar, it bagged numerous other top honors, including the Osella Awards for Technical Achievement at the 61st Venice Film Festival in 2004. It lost to Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in the 78th Academy Awards.
The plot centers around a bizarre castle house and a wizard named Howl. He is infamous in his town for using magic. However, Sophie, an ordinary woman who seems content with her life, remains unaware of the Howl’s eccentricity. Sophie’s life takes a sharp turn when the two cross paths, and an envious Witch of the Waste turns her into an old woman.
With this transition, Sophie and the Howl venture together to help her return to her normal self. With the peculiar Howl and his strange companions who reside in the castle, they stitch a beautiful story, making Howl’s Moving Castle one of the best Oscar-nominated Studio Ghibli films.
Spirited Away (2001)
Having won the Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, Spirited Away is rated 8.6 on IMDb. The film remained the highest-grossing in Japan from 2001 to 2020, garnering attention from enthusiasts and critics alike.
The story revolves around a ten-year-old Chihiro Ogino, who is on her way to a new house with her parents. On the way, she discovers an abandoned amusement park. Her curiosity takes her inside, and she finds a world where odd things begin unfolding.
Moving forward with her parents, Chihiro encounters ghost-like creatures, realizing they have barged into the spirit world. As her parents turn into pigs, Chihiro must show resilience and strength to navigate the eccentric world.
