Home » Anime » Highest Grossing Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked
AnimeHowl's Moving CastlePonyoPrincess Mononoke (1997)Spirited AwayStudio GhibliThe Boy and the HeronThe Tale of Princess KaguyaThe Wind Rises

Highest Grossing Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked

reviewer4you.com reviewer4you.com
3 November 2024
0 Views 0


Anime has made an increasing impact in movie theaters and it’s incredible to see how these animated accomplishments – particularly Studio Ghibli movies – have evolved from niche releases to genuine blockbusters. These features can hold their own against any major studio tentpole picture. Studio Ghibli was founded back in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, and for nearly 40 years the company has been at the forefront of the anime industry with moving stories that are as visually beautiful as they are emotionally touching.




Studio Ghibli feature films have always been exciting cinematic events, but it’s been incredibly validating for the studio’s reliable directors, writers, and producers that their films have made an increasing impact on mainstream audiences. Financial success is hardly the barometer of a movie’s quality. That being said, some of Studio Ghibli’s strongest cinematic accomplishments have made waves worldwide and become serious box office contenders.

Updated on November 3, 2024, by Robbie Robinson: Studio Ghibli has dazzled viewers with enchanting worlds, imaginative characters and breathtaking romances for decades. Most of their movies have gone on to top the charts in the box office, but which ones are considered the most successful? No matter how small a movie’s gross may be, that doesn’t take away its charm or how it may have impacted its viewers. This list has been updated to include more of the biggest hits and to get this list up to CBR’s current formatting standards.



15 Nausicaä of the Valley Wind Is a Story of What Unchecked Rage Can Bring About

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $9 Million

Nausicaä of the Valley Wind was actually released at a time before Studio Ghibli was founded. However, it’s still largely considered a Ghibli film anyway, as it’s included with the rest of their films in collections. While the manga that predates the film offers a much more in-depth look at the story and characters, Nausicaä still manages to properly convey its themes of pacifism versus retribution in a world divided by war. Nausicaä is this story’s heroine, a teenage girl desperate to prevent any more fruitless deaths on an already dying planet.


Sophie telling Howl she loves him in Howl's Moving Castle.

Related

10 Studio Ghibli Movies with Adult Viewers in Mind

While predominantly for younger audiences, some iconic Studio Ghibli films contain themes and messages intended to resonate with adult viewers.

Nausicaä stands as one of Miyazaki’s greatest protagonists. The major themes of the film surround the grief that can come from unchecked rage. Nausicaä herself struggles with this, as she kills people out of necessity for the ultimate greater good. However, her actions haunt her afterward. She strives to be the change that she wishes to see. Rage can be destructive – especially rage that comes from a desire to constantly correct wrongdoing. Overall, the film highlights the importance of pacifism, and refusing to engage in violence when there are other means.


14 Kiki’s Delivery Service Is About Finding a Place In the World

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $10.4 Million

Kiki holding the birdcage and Jiji holding onto the broom after being attacked by a flock of crows over a forest in Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a powerful coming-of-age that plenty of viewers have found comfort in. It easily portrays the magical atmosphere of Ghibili’s work, while also providing a story of a young girl struggling to see how she fits into her world. Miyazaki perfectly captures the fantastically quaint world the story takes place in, as he traveled Europe to guide his artistic direction for the film.


Kiki’s Delivery Service offers a relatable story that every young person must come to terms with. Young and ready for her independence, Kiki takes her cat, Jiji, and her mother’s broomstick to begin forging her own path in the world. She begins a courier service, delivering goods using her broomstick. However, Kiki soon finds herself grappling with her own self-worth and artist’s block. Kiki’s Delivery Service might have magic and witches, but the story itself feels incredibly mundane. This Ghibli anime feature tackles concepts and themes that all young people face, and it hones in on the importance of the relationships that can be made along the way.

13 The Tale of Princess Kaguya Is a Touching Tale of Honesty & Oppression

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $24.7 Million

Kaguya in front of cherry trees in The Tale of the Princess Kaguya


Isao Takahata is one of Studio Ghibli’s greatest filmmakers and the voice responsible for evergreen classics like Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko, and Only Yesterday. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a heartbreakingly beautiful fable-like story that’s very much in the director’s melancholy wheelhouse. One of the most expensive Japanese films upon its 2013 release, the movie follows a nymph who matures into a coveted young princess who becomes the object of affection for five commandeering nobles.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a contemplative and provocative commentary on society’s oppressive nature and how young women can be presented as a man’s property. Princess Kaguya creatively spins this narrative so that its titular heroine gets the last laugh by creating outlandish tasks that Kaguya’s suitors must complete if they’re to successfully have her hand in marriage. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya tells a powerful story, but its lush watercolor-like visuals are the film’s greatest asset.


12 My Neighbor Totoro Is the Most Delightful Children’s Story

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $30.3 Million

Totoro, the Cat Bus, and Satsuki are standing together in My Neighbor Totoro.

My Neighbor Totoro has gone on to inspire and influence plenty of media since its release. The iconic lovable spirit, Totoro, has even become a mascot for Studio Ghibli. This film also features the amazingly creative, Catbus. What makes this film so extraordinary is that it is perfectly magical in a way that leaves viewers full of nostalgia and yearning for their childhood. It’s one of the most inventive and imaginative children’s stories out there, which has made it extremely beloved by Ghibli fans.


While their mother is recovering from a sickness, sisters Satsuki and Mei find themselves entangled with the adorable woodland spirits around their new home. Satsuki and Mei are 10 and 4 years old. Their ages bring most of the charm to their adventure. With a rural setting, a focus on nature and an incredibly gentle story, My Neighbor Totoro is a film that has brought a smile to every single one of its viewers. It’s incredibly charming, and it provides an exceptionally enchanting story of childhood.

11 When Marnie Was There Is a Love Story

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $34.9 Million

Marnie hugs Anna in the forest in Studio Ghibli's When Marnie Was There


When Marnie Was There is, no doubt, a love story. Before its release, many Ghibli fans were expecting it to be a romantic lovestory — one between Marnie and Anna. However, fans couldn’t even be that disappointed that it delivered a different kind of love, because the film touches on the sort of familial love that will warm anyone’s heart. When Marine Was There is a movie that excels with its subtlety, which viewers will find unfolds beautifully by the end of the film.

Anna struggles dearly with her self-worth and place in the world. While her foster parents do love her, she has an innate desire to connect with wherever and whoever she comes from. She meets Marnie, and the two develop a gorgeous relationship built on pure love and mutual understanding. As it is revealed that Marnie is Anna’s deceased grandmother, Anna then can better find her place in the world and her family. Anna and Marnie are wonderfully fleshed-out. Anna’s internal feelings of isolation and loneliness strike deeply in viewers.


10 The Cat Returns Is Hilarious and Fun

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $54.5 Million

The Cat Returns is a spin-off of the movie, Whisper of the Heart. It’s a great sequel that has gotten some mixed reactions from certain Ghibli fans. Those mixed reviews are because, in comparison to other Ghibli films, The Cat Returns feels rather grounded as opposed to the more enchanting stories seen in the other features. It also has a more anime-like art style that has left some fans wishing for the very stylized Ghibli art. That said, The Cat Returns is a great movie when not being compared to the most iconic Ghibli movies. Among anime films in general, it’s a stand-out classic.


San from Princess Mononoke, Howl from Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service

Related

10 Best Shojo Anime Tropes in Studio Ghibli Films, Ranked

Fans of shojo anime will find some familiar tropes, like enemies-to-lovers & tsundere characters, in Studio Ghibli films.

It’s the perfect casual movie for anyone to enjoy. Unlike some other Ghibli movies, The Cat Returns doesn’t have any hard lessons to teach or dramatic messages to share. Instead, it’s low-stakes and full of humor that’s sure to make the whole family laugh. The plot may be simple, but it remains engaging and charming enough to make up for a story that isn’t very deep at all. In this movie, Haru saves a cat that turns out to be the prince of the Cat Kingdom, Lune. When Haru finds herself engaged to Lune, she sets out to fix that. The story might not be complicated, but it’s entertaining and has a wonderful soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere.


9 From Up On Poppy Hill Chronicles the Destructive Nature of Progres

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $61.4 Million

Umi rides his bike in the city with Shun sitting on the back - From Up on Poppy Hill.

Goro Miyazaki, Hayao’s son, is a formidable storyteller who’s proven himself to be a powerful contemporary to his father and someone who might be able to keep the Ghibli legacy alive. Goro Miyazaki’s most recent directorial effort, Earwig and the Witch became a controversial release due to its CG aesthetic. However, 2011’s From Up on Poppy Hill is often regarded as Goro’s best work, and it made a decent impact at the box office. From Up on Poppy Hill trades heavily on nostalgia with a moving narrative that’s set in early 1960s Japan.


The tragedy of World War II is in the rearview mirror, but the oncoming wave of destructive modernization proves to be its own form of erasure. This coming-of-age melodrama revolves around a group of teenagers who do everything in their power to save their school’s clubhouse from destruction in the face of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. From Up on Poppy Hill often slips through the cracks, but it banks on lovable and realistic characters who are incredibly easy to be around. These teens learn crucial lessons about life, love, and legacy, whether they’re able to accomplish their altruistic goals or not.


8 Tales From Earthsea Tells a Magical Story About Guilt & Global Warming

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $68 Million

Marrowhawk faces a dragon in Studio Ghibli's Tales from Earthsea.

2006’s Tales from Earthsea is Goro Miyazaki’s directorial debut, and it feels like a storyteller’s first big effort to find their voice and how to properly express themselves. Tales from Earthsea is a lesser Ghibli fare, and it feels like a less successful version of other films from the prolific animation studio, such as Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and Howl’s Moving Castle. At its core, Tales from Earthsea is about global warming and humanity’s seemingly futile fight to protect the environment from disaster.

The Studio Ghibli movie tackles this message through a dark adventure that unites a wizard, a prince, a priestess, and her daughter. Together, they take on a wicked antagonist whose pursuit of immortality puts the entire world at risk. Tales from Earthsea made an impressive impact at the box office, but it’s far from mandatory viewing for anyone well-versed in the studio’s films.


The Tales From Earthsea poster depicts Therru in her dragon form standing in front of Arren as the sun sets.

Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange… What’s even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn’t enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy’s “fears” against the very one who would help him, Ged.

Director
Goro Miyazaki

Release Date
July 29, 2006

Cast
Junichi Okada , Aoi Teshima , Bunta Sugawara , Yûko Tanaka , Teruyuki Kagawa , Jun Fubuki , Timothy Dalton , Willem Dafoe , Mariska Hargitay

Writers
Ursula K. Le Guin , Goro Miyazaki , Keiko Niwa , Hayao Miyazaki

Runtime
115 minutes

7 The Wind Rises Is a Grounded Ghibli Endeavor on Co-Opting Beauty Into Destruction

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $136.8 Million

Jiro and Nahoko kiss under an umbrella in The Wind Rises.

Hayao Miyazaki has always been incredibly fascinated with aviation and flight. It’s a subject that courses through many of his movies, from Kiki’s Delivery Service to Porco Rosso. The Wind Rises is the most grounded of Miyazaki’s Ghibli feature films, and it trades fantasy for a stark look into responsibility and regret. Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi is conflicted when he learns that the fighter planes that he’s lovingly designed were used for murderous destruction during World War II.


The Wind Rises is a heartbreaking look into how something pure can be transformed into a nefarious tool, all of which plays against a touching love story in this Ghibli anime. It’s a remarkable accomplishment that told a deeply personal story to Miyazaki that would have functioned as an appropriate final film if The Boy and the Heron never came to pass. The Wind Rises is the first Studio Ghibli movie to pass the $100 million milestone at the box office, which is an even more impressive accomplishment considering that the film doesn’t resort to the standard fantasy elements and kid-friendly characters.


6 The Secret World of Arrietty Looks at a Tiny Heroine With a Huge Heart

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $151.4 Million

Arrietty meets Sho in the garden in Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty.

Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s The Secret World of Arrietty is an anime adaptation of Mary Norton’s children’s literature classic, The Borrowers. The story of an abnormally tiny girl who doesn’t know where she truly belongs in the world feels tailor-made for a Studio Ghibli film. Arrietty and her family are supposed to remain hidden from the “real world,” yet she finds a sense of acceptance and purpose when she encounters a 12-year-old boy named Shawn.

The Secret World of Arrietty tackles loneliness and friendship with emotional clarity, all while a gorgeous visual aesthetic brings this magical story to life. The Secret World of Arrietty bridges the gap between Western and Japanese fiction. It’s not surprising to see why this movie resonated with so many audiences in theaters.


Worldwide Box Office Gross: $170.3 Million

Princess Mononoke is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s more mature movies with some genuinely unsettling imagery, such as the boar demon Nago. Princess Mononoke also features one of Studio Ghibli’s most determined antagonists, the tough Lady Eboshi. Studio Ghibli movies frequently explore the precarious balance between man, animal, and nature, but few seem as angry as Princess Mononoke.


Ashitaka from Mononoke, Chihiro from Spirited Away, and Mahito from Boy and the Heron

Related

10 Darkest Studio Ghibli Storylines, Ranked

Though Studio Ghibli often showcases whimsical and sweet-natured experiences, the animation studio is no stranger to illustrating somber storylines.

Ashitaka seeks a cure for a fatal infection that puts him in contact with the mighty wolf god, Moro, and the titular Princess Mononoke. Torn between two worlds, Ashitaka fights for peace between these two extremes and is forced to confront mankind’s many selfish sins. Initially approached as Miyazaki’s final movie, it’s immensely gratifying that the filmmaker has continued to tell stories and build upon Princess Mononoke‘s powerful themes and condemning point of view.


4 Ponyo Is a Delicate Tale of Nature Intersecting With Nurture

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $205.1 Million

Granmamare floating on her back in the water and holding a boat in Ponyo.

Many of Hayao Miyazaki’s feature films – as well as Studio Ghibli fare in general – are deeply interested in the preservation of nature and why it’s important to respect the world’s natural balance. Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and even The Boy and the Heron tackle this subject through more adult themes. However, Ponyo is a more innocent reflection of nature’s fragility.

Ponyo almost feels like Studio Ghibli’s version of The Little Mermaid, and it deconstructs a goldfish princess’ metamorphosis into a human. Ponyo is repeatedly told that she belongs in the ocean, but she increasingly longs for a life on the surface where she can experience a more freeing existence. Ponyo is deeply adorable and elegantly animated, especially its water effects, but there’s a valuable lesson to be learned at its core.


3 Howl’s Moving Castle Is an Anti-War Tale of Self-Acceptance

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $240.4 Million

Howl's Moving Castle's heroes, Howl and Sophie, glide through the air.

Howl’s Moving Castle is another Studio Ghibli effort that was at one point conceived to be Hayao Miyazaki’s farewell film and there’s a powerful, poignant quality to it as a result. Howl’s Moving Castle feels like a fitting steppingstone between Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away. Sophie, a precocious girl, finds herself transformed into an elderly lady when a jealous witch takes exception to her friendship with a wizard named Howl. Howl’s Moving Castle is a nuanced yet loose adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones’ novel of the same name. Miyazaki’s version dives into anti-war sentiment and ultimately the importance of self-acceptance and hope.


Howl’s Moving Castle throws a lot at the audience when it comes to the Ghibli movie’s strange, supernatural creatures, not all of which necessarily make sense or justify their existence. However, it’s easily one of Studio Ghibli’s most gorgeous movies, and it accomplishes a lot through its vibes and lovable characters. Howl’s Moving Castle is not necessarily as deep as Miyazaki’s other movies, but there’s an undeniable and magnetic quality to it, all the same.

2 The Boy and The Heron Is Hayao Miyazaki’s Touching Swan Song On Life & Legacy

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $294.2 Million


The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s most recent feature film. This instills the film with a powerful energy, especially since Mahito’s journey seems to draw many parallels to Miyazaki’s own life. The Boy and the Heron deals with Mahito coming to terms with his mother’s death, his father remarrying, and where he fits into the world, yet the movie could also function as Miyazaki’s emotional goodbye to Studio Ghibli.

The Boy and the Heron sends Mahito on a fantastical journey that’s reminiscent of other Miyazaki classics, but it’s hard to shed the movie’s melancholy baggage and the lofty weight of Ghibli’s legacy that hangs over the movie. It’s a Studio Ghibli film that requires multiple viewings to fully understand and deconstruct. The Boy and the Heron was a successful box office contender for Studio Ghibli, but it also received unprecedented critical accolades, such as the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature Film.


1 Spirited Away Indulges the Full Spectrum of the Imagination

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $395.8 Million

All of Hayao Miyazaki’s feature films are thought-provoking achievements, but it will be hard for Studio Ghibli to top the heights of Spirited Away. The idea of a young character going on a fantastical and supernatural journey of self-discovery is par for the course for Miyazaki, but Spirited Away excels with the truly inventive creatures that Chihiro encounters as she tries to save her parents from an eternity of being transformed into boorish swine. Miyazaki is often at his best when he explores female protagonists and Chihiro is one of his most adventurous and inspirational creations.


Spirited Away is a true visual experience that bombards the viewer with unbelievable and unforgettable beings, whether it’s No-Face or the Radish Spirit. Some of the more slapdash creatures from The Boy and the Heron function as an important reminder of how difficult it can be to consistently trade in imaginary entities without everything falling apart. Spirited Away remains Studio Ghibli’s top box office performer and even the theatrical release of the live-action stage show, Spirited Away: Live on Stage, made over one million dollars with its worldwide gross.

Discover more from reviewer4you.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.

Tags:

Related Articles
We will be happy to hear your thoughts

Leave a reply

0
Your Cart is empty!

It looks like you haven't added any items to your cart yet.

Browse Products
Powered by Caddy

Discover more from reviewer4you.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading