Streaming services have made every effort to obtain exclusive rights to films and television series in order to attract a larger audience as interest in anime has increased in the West. In this sense, HBO Max has adopted a radically different approach, concentrating instead on providing its customers with a vast library of popular anime films rather than developing a catalogue of mainstream series like other platforms. Fans don’t need to search any farther if they want to lose themselves in the fantastical world of animated films.
Table Of Content
- 1 From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
- 2 Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- 3 Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
- 4 My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- 5 Only Yesterday (1991)
- 6 Ponyo (2008)
- 7 Porco Rosso (1992)
- 8 Spirited Away (2021)
- 9 The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
- 10 The Wind Rises (2013)
- 11 Weathering with You (2019)
- 12 When Marnie Was There (2014)
From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
The love drama film “From Up on Poppy Hill,” also known as “Coquelicot-zaka kara,” from Studio Ghibli was scripted by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. The film, directed by Gorou Miyazaki, centres on Umi Matsuzaki, a high school student who assists his parents in running Coquelicot Manor, a boarding house by the sea. A popular clubhouse that the community adores is going to be demolished in her neighbourhood in order to make way for the 2018 Olympics. Umi helped raise awareness of the issue and support the protests against it. She becomes friends with Shun Kazama there. Because he is an orphan, the two begin to investigate his background and find things that astound them greatly. Watch the movie right here.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
The notorious magician Howl resides in a moving castle. Certain rumours state that he is a womaniser and has extraordinary magical abilities. These are stories that Sophie, a small child, is familiar with. She leads a fairly typical life and is the daughter of a hatter. But then he meets Howl when she finds herself in an unsettling circumstance. Howl’s nemesis, Witch of the Waste, is not pleased at all that he saved her. She transforms Sophie into an elderly woman in order to vent her resentment. Sophie’s life is turned around by the curse, and she sets out on a mission to get things back to normal. Watch the movie right here.
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Upon completion of their training, the witches in training are supposed to live alone in a far-off town. For the same reason, 13-year-old Kiki travels to the seaside village of Koriko. When she first meets Osono, who owns a tiny bakery, she discovers that she has a roof over her head. After beginning to deliver packages for her, Kiki finally launches her own broomstick courier business, which earns her enough cash to allow her to live a life free from constraints. Nevertheless, she faces many obstacles along the way, and as a result of her experiences, she gradually comes to understand the true meaning of responsibility. Watch the movie right here.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Hayao Miyazaki is the writer and director of Studio Ghibli’s spooky adventure film “My Neighbour Totoro,” also known as “Tonari no Totoro.” Tatsuo Kusakabe believes that moving to the country with his daughters Satsuki and Mei would be the correct choice after learning that his wife is hospitalised owing to a chronic illness. Mei unintentionally stumbles onto a bunny-like creature one day, and in her pursuit, she finds herself in a forest. She makes friends with Totoro, a giant she encounters there.
The girls’ lives abruptly take a drastically different turn when Satsuki befriends Totoro in the days that follow. They start going on amazing adventures and getting to know the fanciful creatures of the forest. You may see the movie online here.
Only Yesterday (1991)
Tokyo-based Taeko Okajima is an independent lady who chooses to travel home her family during harvest season to lend a hand and unwind. She remembers everything from her early years as she travels. She is finally picked up by Toshio when she gets to the settlement, and the two become friends. She observes the sharp contrast between rural and urban living as she lives in the former. Taeko also gets to know the pleasures and difficulties of farming. The heartbreaking tale of an adult lady facing her history and coming to terms with it is told in “Only Yesterday.” Watch the movie right here.
Ponyo (2008)
A goldfish that escapes from her house ultimately makes it to the shore, where she is saved by Sousuke, a five-year-old kid. It’s interesting to note that once she tends to one of his wounds, they become buddies. Then, Sosuke gave her the name Ponyo, not realising that her true name is Brunhilde and that she has a father. She returns to the surface later, determined to turn into a human, only to be captured. She had not anticipated the wide range of effects that her choice would have. Watch the movie right here.
Porco Rosso (1992)
Sky pirates terrorise ships in the Adriatic Sea; they have no fear of anyone. The only person bold enough to take them on is Porco Rosso, the former flying ace of World War I who, during the conflict, inexplicably changed into a pig. Porco enlists the aid of Fio Piccolo, a mechanic, and his longtime friend Madame Gina as he gets ready to face an American ace from the pirate gang. This is the anime’s streaming page.
Spirited Away (2021)
Perhaps the best anime film ever produced is “Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi,” often known as “Spirited Away,” from Studio Ghibli. The highly regarded movie is a coming-of-age tale that centres on themes of courage, resiliency, love, identity, and self-discovery that are common in popular culture. It centres on Chihiro Ogino, a spoilt and obstinate 10-year-old. She stumbles onto an abandoned amusement park one day while accompanying her parents to a new home.
The family chooses to investigate the area since they’re curious about what they might discover there. However, Chihiro quickly learns that the park is not as simple as it first seems. She soon starts to be haunted by ghostly apparitions and other paranormal activity. She eventually comes to the realisation that she has transitioned to the spirit realm when she sees her parents magically transformed into pigs. For Chihiro, this is the start of a trip that would change her life and entirely change her into a different person. This is the anime’s streaming page.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is a fantasy animation that is based on the same-titled Japanese folktale from the tenth century. The film, directed by Isao Takahata, centres on Okina, a woodcutter who unintentionally discovers an abandoned baby within a bright shoot. In addition to saving her, he chooses, with his wife’s assistance, to raise her as his daughter. The infant quickly matures into Kaguya, a kind and amiable girl. Okina unexpectedly finds a significant amount of wealth and treasure one typical day, which completely changes his life. He gives Kaguya a princess-like life with his newly acquired fortune, not realising that she will soon discover her true calling in life. Watch the movie right here.
The Wind Rises (2013)
Jirou Horikoshi’s dream is to become a pilot, but due to his nearsightedness, this seems unattainable. Nevertheless, he continues to pursue his studies in aviation engineering at Tokyo Imperial University, hoping to become a pilot like his hero, the Italian aircraft pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. However, a historical disaster that ushers in a terrible era of perpetual warfare in Japan occurs shortly after his arrival in Tokyo. Jirou grows more resolute as the obstacles against his dream grow, and as a result, he designs the infamous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft. The movie follows him as he pursues his objectives and overcomes several obstacles along the way. Watch the movie right here.
Weathering with You (2019)
Hodaka Morishima, a high school dropout who was having financial difficulties in Tokyo, finds work as a small-time publisher. An orphan named Hina Amano meets him shortly after that. After saving him from unscrupulous men, Morishima learns she has the ability to summon the sun at any time. Without realising that everything has a cost, the two set out to make the most of her powers. This is the anime’s streaming page.
When Marnie Was There (2014)
Yonebayashi Hiromasa is the director of Studio Ghibli’s mystery drama film “When Marnie Was There,” also known as “Omoide no Marnie.” The young child Anna Sasaki, who suffers from recurrent asthma attacks, is the main character of the movie. Her doctor encourages her to stay in the nation if at all feasible, given her unstable health. Anna travels to a tiny village to see her aunt and uncle as a result. There, she meets Marnie, an enigmatic girl, and they wind up becoming good friends. The mysteries surrounding the Marsh House remain enigmatic even as their relationship deepens. You can watch the movie here if you want to see how the plot develops.
