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Studio Ghibli films are known for their rich cast of characters, and what makes Ghibli characters so fascinating is how different each of them is. Diverse, well-written antagonists are just as important as the role of a protagonist, and Ghibli antagonists come in various personalities that make each film unique.

Each villain has their own moral compass and worldview, which shapes their decisions and what their goals are. Not all the goals are evil though. Some goals are based on a desire to protect, such as Fujimoto's desire to protect Ponyo, but many of them come from the willingness to control or harm, such as Muska's entitlement to power. Regardless of their motive, these antagonists shape the film in a great way to challenge the protagonists and leave viewers to think about their own morals.

Related 10 Saddest Studio Ghibli Movies (So Far)

Studio Ghibli is one of the...

Studio Ghibli has a reputation for creating beautifully crafted classic movies. Many children grew up watching My Neighbor Totoro and found that the film still held up for them when they watched it as an adult. There's something to appreciate about Studio Ghibli characters at every level.

Studio Ghibli heroes have cohesive character arcs, and good reasons for doing what they do. They may have complicated reasoning and worldviews borne of trauma and a need for justice, like San from Princess Mononoke. Other heroes, like Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle, don't want to be heroes at all and overcome their insecurities in creative but believable ways.

Lisa Is a Very Capable Individual in Ponyo Lisa Models Excellent Discernment for Her Son

Lisa lives with her husband and their son, Sosuke, in a seaside village in Ponyo. Her husband is a fisherman and leaves for trips that can last for weeks,...

Studio Ghibli produces many classic anime movies, and many of them have an audience and themes that overlap with animated Disney movies. Both studios are known for their gorgeous scores and award-winning animation. Both studios even adapt some of the same fairy tales; Studio Ghibli produced Ponyo and Disney produced The Little Mermaid, both directly adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Little Mermaid.

There are some aspects of Studio Ghibli movies and practices that Disney should take note of, though. Recently, many fans critiqued Disney over their new releases. While some of their releases like Moana and Encanto are smash hits, other releases feel uninspired. In contrast, Studio Ghibli maintains its artistic and high-quality reputation.

Related 10 Highest Grossing Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked Studio Ghibli is responsible for some of the most beloved anime films of all time, but many of these movies have also made waves at the box office.

Studio Ghibli produces thoughtfully written protagonists, villains, love interests, and side characters. Hayao Miyazaki said that he thinks it's very important to write as many complex and strong female protagonists as he does male protagonists. Each protagonist goes through change, adapting and growing through their situation, taking a step closer to the person they're meant to be.

There are many kinds of character arcs. Characters like San from Princess Mononoke and Howl from Howl's Moving Castle must figure out their values and how best to live by them. Younger protagonists, like Shizuku from Whisper of the Heart and Ponyo, figure out their place in the world.

Related 10 Anime Protagonists With the Best Character Arcs Anime is full of well-written characters who change drastically for better or worse as their stories progress, from Naruto Uzumaki to Madoka Kaname. Ponyo Finds a New Home Close

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Studio Ghibli creates amazing stories full of whimsy and valuable lessons. The studio directors, producers, writers, and animators, draw from many types of inspiration for each of their movies. Some movies are inspired by Shintoism and history, while others are sourced from fairy tales across the world.

So many creative minds lend their pens and hearts to a Studio Ghibli project. Though Ghibli has some entirely original works, like My Neighbor Totoro, most of their movies are based on novels, manga, and short stories. Hayao Miyazaki is a co-founder and director of Studio Ghibli, but not many know that he's also a manga artist, and one of his manga is the basis for one of the earliest Ghibli projects.

Related 10 Worst Anime Adaptations Based On Visual Novels, Ranked Sadly, the anime adaptations of visual novels like Fate/Stay Night, Muv-Luv Alternative, and Chaos;Head botched their source material. Ponyo Is...

Studio Ghilbi's PonyoAnimation80%Story82%2016-05-1581%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (4 Votes)90%

I feel oddly unsure of my status as a reasonable adult for having enjoyed this film so much but that’s not going to stop me from giving a review on it. Ponyo!

The movie was awesome and if I was the only person over 3 feet in the theatre when I went to go see it then fine. I hold my head high in pride. Unlike a lot of English dubbed movies out there Ponyo was actually done very well. At no point did I cringe a little in my soul and wish for the Japanese voice talents along with some good subtitles.

Ponyo on the Cliff is about a fish named Brunhilda who lives in an underwater aquarium in her father’s castle along with hundreds of her little sisters. When her father takes them on a trip to...

Director: Hayao Miyazaki Writer(s): Hayao Miyazaki Starring: Japanese version: Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi, Tomoko Yamaguchi, George Tokoro, Kazushige Nagashima English version: Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Laraine Newman, Madison Davenport, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Lily Tomlin Ponyo (referred to as Brynhildr by her father, Fujimoto) is a fish girl who lives in an aquarium in her human (?) father's underwater castle with numerous smaller fish sisters. She is driven by an unyielding desire to see and experience the world that her father is trying so hard to protect her from – a world run by environmentally careless humans. Ponyo escapes her father’s grasp and ends up stuck in a bottle stranded on the shore of a small fishing town. Sōsuke – a five year-old boy who lives on a cliff high above the sea – rescues Ponyo; they are instantly enamored with each other and their fates permanently entwined.

    See the first poster from Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo" (a.k.a. "Gake no ue no Ponyo") helmed and written by Hayao Miyazaki.   The animated family adventure first came out in Japan last year and will see limited areas on the 14th of August on U.S. soil.   Japanese language cast includes Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi, Jôji Tokoro, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yuki Amami, Kazushige Nagashima, Akiko Yano and Shinichi Hatori. The English cast stars Cate Blanchett, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Madison Davenport, Cloris Leachman, Frankie Jonas, Lily Tomlin and Betty White.  ...

See the first poster from Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo" (a.k.a. "Gake no ue no Ponyo") helmed and written by Hayao Miyazaki. The animated family adventure first came out in Japan last year and will see limited areas on the 14th of August on U.S. soil. Japanese language cast includes Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi, Jôji Tokoro, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yuki Amami, Kazushige Nagashima, Akiko Yano and Shinichi Hatori. The English cast stars Cate Blanchett, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Madison Davenport, Cloris Leachman, Frankie Jonas, Lily Tomlin and Betty White.

See the first poster from Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo" (a.k.a. "Gake no ue no Ponyo") helmed and written by Hayao Miyazaki. The animated family adventure first came out in Japan last year and will see limited areas on the 14th of August on U.S. soil. Japanese language cast includes Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi, Jôji Tokoro, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yuki Amami, Kazushige Nagashima, Akiko Yano and Shinichi Hatori. The English cast stars Cate Blanchett, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Madison Davenport, Cloris Leachman, Frankie Jonas, Lily Tomlin and Betty White.