[mute]

(Original post by AngryJellyfish)
The best thing about Ghibli films is that they're affordable (though I'd be willing to pay twice if not three times that amount since they're that great).

Whisper of The Heart was the first and last Ghibli film directed by the late Kondo Yoshifumi. He died of an aneurysm, thought to have been brought about by his excessive work . A shame really, as he could have gone on to be one of the great directors of Studio Ghibli; leaves me wondering exactly who could take over from Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata when they retire

I just hope before the ghibli line dies out they get the recognition they dserve, they really do rival oldstyle disney.

It was quite different from some of the more popular ones, very simple, but really good.

[AngryJellyfish]

Though the Ghibli films are a lot more well known than most other anime films (or Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke seem to be at least), I agree that they do deserve more recognition.

[mute]

one of my housemates has the box set

thats like, four or five discs full of ghibli for me to borrow one of her admirers sent it to her for free because they'd never met anyone else who likes anime

[AngryJellyfish]

Wow, that's lucky! Some of my Ghibli collection is still VCR recordings from Film4 in English dub (Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso). I have the rest on DVD at least (except Earthsea).

[mute]

(Original post by AngryJellyfish)
Wow, that's lucky! Some of my Ghibli collection is still VCR recordings from Film4 in English dub (Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso). I have the rest on DVD at least (except Earthsea).

yeah, Earthsea isn't on this one either but one of my other housemates (the one that has the inuyasha) was thinking of buying it.

I think I might have talked her out of it though

[mute]

just watched Graveyard of the fireflies a couple of days ago and my neighbour totoro and the cat returns.

fireflies was the most depressing thing I have ever watched, the other two were good. I think totoro is the perfect antidote to fireflies.

[AngryJellyfish]

Yeah, my usual advice to people who get depressed by Grave of the Fireflies is to watch something like Totoro

So, who here has watched Earthsea yet?

[geetar]

Porco Rosso is a work of genius (the dubbed version is best).

[AngryJellyfish]

A little info about Ponyo on a Cliff in this interview with Toshio Suzuki:

http://www.ghibliworld.com/suzuki_toshio_interview.html

[Excalibur]

I watched Earthsea yesterday. It was a bit meh to be honest; I couldn't get what the film was trying to get at, and the ending was quite confusing. I didn't empathise with any of the characters (I don't know why Earthsea is called Ged Senki in Japanese when Ged did virtually nothing in the film); Therru and Arren were particularly annoying. I liked Cob though lol. And as ever, the visuals were absolutely stunning - the town looked like a mix of the Middle East, Europe and China and the whole atmosphere of the film was great. Shame the story wasn't much.....

[nickcoal]

this isn't actually a ghibli at all, but it is also a japanese anime film, so...has anyone seen steamboy?
it is so good, but it is a bit strange as it is much less japanese than ghibli, as it is set in england, and the only giveaway is the animation

[AngryJellyfish]

I've seen Steamboy, I wasn't that impressed to be honest. It wasn't bad, but I've seen much better series and movies.

A film that I'd consider similar to Ghibli would be Windaria (1986). It had a similar feel, albeit Windaria gets a lot darker later on.

[caraniel]

I watched My Neighbour Totoro at long last at the weekend Such a good watch, it just completely sweeps you up along for the ride and then leaves you with a warm feeling and stupid grin by the end!

I've yet to get up the courage to watch Fireflies again - I was in flood the 1st time I watched it - so depressing, but brilliant all the same.

[Saruken]

(Original post by mute)
fireflies was the most depressing thing I have ever watched, the other two were good. I think totoro is the perfect antidote to fireflies.

Funny you should say that.
Both films were in fact produced and realeased in Japan at the same time.
Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro) was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies) by his associate and contemporary, Isao Takahata.

They were shown theatrically as a double feature.

It has been suggested that the reason for this is that 'Totoro' was predicted to be a flop, whereas 'Fireflies' was considered to be so depressing that 'Totoro' was used, in effect, as a light-hearted accompanyment to the former.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, the theatrical release of 'Fireflies' was a commercial flop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_the_fireflies

[AngryJellyfish]

I wasn't overly struck on Totoro to be honest (though it was far from bad). It was nice and happy and well drawn as always, but of all the Ghibli films it has the least in terms of storyline IMO.

[Saruken]

(Original post by AngryJellyfish)
I wasn't overly struck on Totoro to be honest (though it was far from bad). It was nice and happy and well drawn as always, but of all the Ghibli films it has the least in terms of storyline IMO.

True, although personally I think that, in leiu of a great plot, it has some of the best characterisation of any Ghibli movie. It's also one of those cute little movies that takes you back to your childhood, making you feel nostalgic and all warm-and-fuzzy inside.

[kestral]

My favorite Ghibli films are Spirited away and Howls moving castle.
I also like the castle of cagliostro, though i dont know if this is a ghibli film.
Grave of the fireflies is the most depressing film i've ever seen, though not denying it was a good film, i didnt like it.

[theredsox]

Bump.
Who loves The Cat Returns?

[AngryJellyfish]

(Original post by Katie)
Bump.
Who loves The Cat Returns?

It was funny, a great movie but by no means the best of the Ghibli films.

[theredsox]

Well, certainly, but a brief look above me shows the rest have already been discussed to death.