Studio Ghibli Movie Collection 1984–2020: Celebrating the ‘B’ Work When cinephiles discuss Studio Ghibli, the conversation is rightfully dominated by the titans: My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away , Princess Mononoke , and Howl’s Moving Castle . These are the "A" works—culturally defining, Oscar-winning, box-office-shattering landmarks. But between 1984 (the pre-Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind ) and 2020 ( Earwig and the Witch ), the studio produced a rich tapestry of what could be called its ‘B’ work . These are not B-movies in the traditional sense of low budget or schlock; rather, they are the second features , the experimental tangents, the quiet character studies, and the box-office disappointments that, upon re-evaluation, hold the studio’s very soul. Here is a curated guide to the essential ‘B’ works of Studio Ghibli. The Definition of a Ghibli ‘B’ Work Before the list, the criteria:
Not directed by Miyazaki? Often qualifies (though Takahata is A+ in his own right). Lower box office gross compared to contemporaries. Quieter stakes – no god-warriors or forest spirits; often personal, domestic, or melancholic. Experimental in tone or technique – digital animation, surreal narrative structures, or challenging themes.
The Essential ‘B’ Work Collection (1984–2020) 1. Only Yesterday (1991) – Dir. Isao Takahata The ultimate ‘B’ work that became an ‘A’ over time. A 27-year-old Tokyo office worker takes a countryside vacation, flooded by childhood memories. It features menstruation, family negotiation, and agrarian labor —none of which sell toys. Disney refused to promote it in the US for years. Today, it’s a masterpiece of quiet, adult nostalgia. 2. Ocean Waves (1993) – Dir. Tomomi Mochizuki Made by Ghibli’s young staff as a low-budget TV movie. The animation is rougher, the story is a messy high school love triangle, and the male lead is frustratingly passive. It feels like a student film—raw, awkward, and painfully honest about adolescent pettiness. A cult favorite for its imperfect humanity . 3. Whisper of the Heart (1995) – Dir. Yoshifumi Kondo Wait—isn’t this beloved? Yes, but it sits in a strange ‘B’ space: no fantasy, no villain. Just a girl writing a fantasy novel and a boy learning to make violins. It’s a slice-of-life künstlerroman . Tragically, director Kondo died shortly after, leaving this as his sole feature—a gentle masterpiece that feels like a warm cup of tea. 4. My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) – Dir. Isao Takahata A radical ‘B’ work. Takahata abandoned Ghibli’s lush painted style for watercolor, sketch-like digital animation —ugly to some, brilliant to others. It’s a series of 5-minute comic vignettes about a dysfunctional suburban family. No plot. Just jokes about a father losing his paycheck. Bombed in theaters. Now a beloved anti-Ghibli Ghibli film. 5. The Cat Returns (2002) – Dir. Hiroyuki Morita A spin-off of Whisper of the Heart ’s in-universe story. A girl saves a cat prince and gets dragged into a feline kingdom. It’s 75 minutes of breezy, absurdist fun —no deep ecology, no trauma. Studio execs wanted a crowd-pleaser; they got a charming, forgettable romp. The ‘B’-est of ‘B’—and that’s fine. 6. Tales from Earthsea (2006) – Dir. Gorō Miyazaki The most controversial ‘B’ work. Gorō’s debut was panned for stiff pacing and muddled themes. Hayao Miyazaki reportedly walked out mid-screening. Yet removed from comparison, it’s a flawed but beautiful meditation on mortality and balance . The ‘B’ here means struggling under impossible expectations . 7. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) – Dir. Gorō Miyazaki Gorō’s redemption. A nostalgic 1960s Yokohama romance about saving a school clubhouse. No magic. No monsters. Just post-war optimism and found family . It’s quiet, old-fashioned, and overshadowed that same year by Arrietty . A perfect Sunday afternoon ‘B’ film. 8. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) – Dir. Isao Takahata Wait—this is an ‘A’! Artistically, yes. But commercially? It lost money despite an Oscar nom. Its rough charcoal-and-watercolor animation and devastating third-act tragedy alienated casual viewers. It’s a ‘B’ only in the sense of being too avant-garde for mass consumption . Essential viewing. 9. When Marnie Was There (2014) – Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi Ghibli’s penultimate film before hiatus. A lonely, anxious girl befriends a mysterious blonde child in a marsh house. The twist ( minor spoiler ) is not ghost story but repressed grief and adoptive-family love. Quietly queer-coded, deeply melancholic . A ‘B’ work that makes you cry on rewatch. 10. Earwig and the Witch (2020) – Dir. Gorō Miyazaki The first fully 3D-CG Ghibli film. Hated on arrival for “ugly” character models and a rushed ending. But as a ‘B’ work? It’s a punk-rock orphan story about a manipulative girl who out-smarts a witch. The animation is experimental (motion-capture + hand-drawn textures). A fascinating failure—and thus pure ‘B’. Why the ‘B’ Work Matters Studio Ghibli’s ‘B’ works are the laboratory and the heart . They allowed:
Takahata to deconstruct animation itself ( Yamadas , Kaguya ). Younger directors to fail and grow ( Earthsea → Poppy Hill ). Miyazaki to rest between epics (his ‘A’ works were funded by these modest earners). studio ghibli movie collection 1984 2020 b work
Without Only Yesterday , there is no Liz and the Blue Bird . Without Ocean Waves , no Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop . The ‘B’ work is where Ghibli breathes—imperfect, intimate, and indispensable. Final Viewing Order for the Curious For a ‘B’ work marathon (approx. 12 hours):
Ocean Waves (1993) – 72 min (awkward youth) The Cat Returns (2002) – 75 min (pure fun) My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) – 104 min (comedy) From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) – 91 min (nostalgia) Tales from Earthsea (2006) – 115 min (flawed epic) Only Yesterday (1991) – 118 min (heartbreak) Earwig and the Witch (2020) – 82 min (experiment)
End with When Marnie Was There (2014) for catharsis. These are not B-movies in the traditional sense
In short: The ‘A’ works fly you to floating castles. The ‘B’ works teach you how to live on the ground. Watch them.
Studio Ghibli: A Definitive Review of the Collection (1984–2020) – From “Nausicaä” to “Earwig” For nearly four decades, Studio Ghibli has functioned as the cinematic heart of hand-drawn animation, earning a reverence often compared to Disney’s golden age. However, reviewing the studio’s work from its 1984 pre-Ghibli debut Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind to its first CG feature Earwig and the Witch (2020) reveals not just a collection of films, but a coherent artistic philosophy. While the studio is famous for masterpieces, a complete review must acknowledge its B-tier works—the flawed, experimental, or simply less magical entries that provide essential context to the giants. The Genesis (1984–1988): Defining the Soul The collection technically begins before Ghibli was founded. Nausicaä (1984) , directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is the prototype—an ecological epic with a fierce heroine that established the studio’s core themes: nature’s wrath, pacifism, and flight. This led directly to Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) , an adventure serial that refined the boy-girl duo dynamic. The first true landmark is My Neighbor Totoro (1988) . Reviewed against the rest of the collection, it remains an anomaly: a film with no villain, no stakes beyond a mother’s illness, yet it distilled Ghibli’s magic into the iconic creature. In the same year, Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies delivered a devastating realist counterpoint. Together, these two 1988 releases prove Ghibli’s range—from transcendent childhood wonder to the brutal poetry of war’s aftermath. The Golden Era (1989–1997): Unmatched Peaks This period contains the studio’s most reviewed and beloved works. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) is a gentle masterpiece about creative burnout disguised as a witch’s coming-of-age. Porco Rosso (1992) , a bizarre tale of a cursed WWI pilot pig, showcases Miyazaki’s love for flawed, weary adults. However, the twin titans are Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001) . The former is Ghibli’s The Godfather —an adult, bloody, morally grey samurai-eco-thriller where no one is purely evil. The latter, the only hand-drawn film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, is a surrealist masterpiece of Japanese folklore and capitalist satire. In any collection review, these are the mandatory watches. The Middle Era (2002–2010): The B-Work Emerges This is where the “B” (secondary) work becomes critical for an honest review. The Cat Returns (2002) is lightweight, charming filler—fun but forgettable. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) , while visually stunning, suffers from a famously incoherent third act; it’s a beautiful mess. Tales from Earthsea (2006) , directed by Miyazaki’s son Goro, is the collection’s first true failure—a derivative, narratively hollow fantasy. Yet this era also produced Ponyo (2008) , a return to Totoro ’s childlike logic, and The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) , a delicate, bittersweet borrowing of The Borrowers . These prove that even Ghibli’s lesser-known films maintain impeccable craft. The Late Period (2011–2020): Nostalgia and Experimentation The Wind Rises (2013) , Miyazaki’s “final” (then un-retired) film, is a mature, controversial biopic about a plane designer—a meditation on creative beauty enabling war machines. It’s a masterpiece for adults, not children. Then comes the B-work: When Marnie Was There (2014) , directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, is a quiet, melancholic film about loneliness and implied queer longing—excellent but slow. Finally, Earwig and the Witch (2020) , Goro Miyazaki’s first full CG feature, is widely reviewed as the studio’s nadir. The animation is stiff, the characters unlikable, and the plot unresolved. It feels like a television pilot, not a Ghibli film. Critical Assessment of the Collection as a Whole Strengths:
Visual Consistency: Even the B-films ( The Cat Returns , Tales from Earthsea ) are gorgeously drawn, with meticulous backgrounds and fluid movement. Thematic Depth: No other animation studio consistently explores eco-feminism (Nausicaä, Mononoke), pacifism (Porco, The Wind Rises), and aging (Totoro, Marnie) with such nuance. Joe Hisaishi: His scores (for all Miyazaki films) are a separate treasure, elevating even weaker entries. Often qualifies (though Takahata is A+ in his own right)
Weaknesses:
Narrative Opacity: Works like Howl’s Moving Castle and Earthsea prioritize mood and imagery over logical plot, frustrating Western viewers. Goro Miyazaki’s Films: Both Earthsea (2006) and Earwig (2020) are objectively weak, dragging down the collection’s average. Pacing: The studio’s meditative style can become lethargic in lesser hands ( Marnie , The Yamadas ).