Studio Ghibli started a long time ago. Way before a lot of anime fans were even born, including myself of course. That’s how much of an OG the company and studio is to the anime industry.
Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Ghibli is even more of an OG and is one of the oldest, most successful anime figures the industry has.
Ghibli is so different as a studio that most don’t even look at it in the same way they do with other anime or studios because it’s in its own lane and feels completely different.
It’s like Pokemon in this way.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Back in 1988 the anime movie My Neighbor Totoro was released and it’s one of their most recognisable anime movies of all time, even if not the most successful as far as sales.
My Neighbor Totoro has become one of their popular mascots and the anime movie is what set the stage for the studio’s successes years later.
After the 2000’s which bred the top selling anime movie Spirited Away, people started to assume Studio Ghibli have stopped making anime movies all together.
Is it true?
Has Ghibli stopped making movies all together? The Truth
During the 2000’s Hayao Miyazaki himself was claimed to have said “anime was a mistake” but this meme was the real mistake and has been taken out of context to mean something else.
What Miyazaki really said is this:
“You see, whether you can draw like this or not, being able to think up this kind of
design , it depends on whether or not you can say to yourself, ‘Oh, yeah,girls like this exist in real life. If you don’t spend time watching real people, you can’t do this, because you’ve never seen it. Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves.Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It’s produced by humans who can’t stand looking at other humans. And that’s why the industry is full of otaku!” – Hayao Miyazaki
This is important because it’s things like this that lead to some of the speculation relating to Ghibli not making movies anymore. I mean think about it.
Miyazaki is the face of Ghibli, the two can’t be separated. And Miyazaki’s consistent strong views over the years would have any hardcore fan believe the studio would stop making movies given the owners perspective.
The reality is a lot different though and studio Ghibli has NOT stopped making anime movies.
The fact is most fans (even some Ghibli fans) haven’t heard of the movies that have been produced up until the year 2020 since the 2000’s.
The amount of movies though is so small that it’s not surprising that a lot of Ghibli’s recent content has gone unnoticed.
Let’s talk about it.
Ghibli movies you might have missed since the 2000’s:
1. Earwig And The Witch (2020)
In 2020 there was Earwig And The Witch which was heavily criticized for its animation style and quality. It’s a Ghibli creation but it takes a new approach.
With the blatant western approach to this movie and some of the effects that are different to their usual style, you can see Ghibli tried their best to create new grounds and walk their own path.
That’s exactly what they did, but it wasn’t their best product released.
2. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
The Tale Of Princess Kaguya is another example of a Ghibli movie that released since the 2000’s. This anime movie in particular released during 2013.
Of all the anime movies (of which there aren’t many since the 2000’s) released by Ghibli, The Tale Of Princess Kaguya is one of their highest rated and most successful movies to date.
It’s a historical/fantasy type of movie with killer ratings on platforms like MAL and elsewhere online as well.
3. When Marnie Was There (2014)
Released back in 2014, When Marnie Was There is a
It’s about 2
This is another one of Ghibli’s movies that did well but some may have not noticed.
4. The Red Turtle (2016)
The Red Turtle is another Ghibli movie that released back in 2016. The problem with this anime movies timing is it was released alongside to big names that year.
Can you guess what they are?
- Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa)
- A Silent Voice.
We all know how massive Your Name was that year. It topped the charts, killed it in sales, and made the anime industry a whole lot of dough. A Silent Voice was 2nd to Your Name’s success.
Its strong themes of bullying, isolation, and more through the eyes of a disabled girl hit home and hit deep.
The Red Turtle ironically is a love story with
The ratings were good but it seems it was overshadowed by other anime.
5. The Wind Rises (2013)
The Wind Rises was actually supposed to be the final film of Hayao Miyazaki himself. But we all know that didn’t come to fruition, hence this post.
Released back in 2013 this movie has stunning visuals and is another one of Ghibli’s
Also similar to the movie In This Corner Of The World.
6. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
From Up On Poppy Hill is another take on the
The demographic is specifically Shoujo, so you can expect some sweet,
In a nutshell the two lovers of this anime find a lot in common despite their glaring differences on the surface (like the boy being an orphan, etc).
7. How Do You Live? (2023 release)
And finally we’ll mention one of Ghibli’s upcoming anime movies in 2023. This is being directed by the man Hayao Miyazaki himself.
The movie is gonna be based on a 1937 novel that has the exact same name.
Animation began for the movie in 2016, with the title being announced in 2017.
Other Ghibli movies since 2000’s:
- Arrietty (2010).
- Ponyo (2008).
- Tales From Earthsea (2006).
All in all – when you count the amount of anime movies released since 2000’s by Ghibli, we’re talking around 11 movies in total within 2 decades.
They never were the most prolific studio as far as quantity, but they are a studio who chooses to make movies at a slow pace which doesn’t align with the anime market in general.
At this point they’re legends in the anime industry and have already created a legacy as it is, and that’s regardless of what they do from this point forward.
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Read:
42+ Of The Greatest Hayao Miyazaki Quotes About Life & Anime
