Hayao Miyazaki

After the death of his mother during the war, a young boy named Mahito moves to the countryside with his father and new stepmother. Struggling with grief and displacement, he is lured into a derelict tower by a persistent and mysterious talking gray heron. This leads him into a fantastical, dreamlike world populated by spirits, dangerous creatures, and strange magic, where he must confront his own inner turmoil and come to terms with loss.

Based on the critically-acclaimed Studio Ghibli film of the same name, Spirited Away tells the story of a young girl named Chihiro who finds herself trapped in a mysterious bathhouse inhabited by spirits; her parents have also been sucked into the spirit world, and so Chihiro must save them (and herself) and return to the human world. The stage production uses puppets and practical effects to recreate the movie’s iconic characters and beautiful visuals.

A 14-minute animated movie about a diving bell spider who seems to have fallen in love with a water strider.

Inspired by the poetry of Paul Valéry, this fictionalized biopic follows the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the visionary engineer who designed the iconic Japanese fighter planes used during World War II. The film traces his passion for aviation, his personal life, and the moral conflict between his dream of creating beautiful flying machines and the devastating reality of their eventual use in wartime.

Set in 1963 Yokohama, Japan, during the lead-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a meticulous high school girl routinely raises signal flags from her hillside home in memory of her late father. She becomes involved with a passionate, charismatic boy who leads a group dedicated to saving their beloved but dilapidated student clubhouse from being demolished. The two form a powerful bond as they fight for their history and discover a surprising link to their past.

An old farmer discovers a group of rats heading to a sumo wrestling bout. After they lose miserably, he decides to feed the rats to boost their chances of winning. (wikipedia.org) Screened only at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka.

The scenario/story was conveived from/ influenced by the panting "The Harvesters" by the 16th century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel. Many recognizeable themes/ character designs from Miyazaki here. You will see the robot from Lupin TV Series 2 (the lasy Miyazaki episode iirc), later used in Laputa Castle in the Sky, has become the Dough Man/ Bread Man. Many scenes would later make their way to Howl's Moving Castle, and obviously Miyazaki was toying with the ideas for Howl here. (PTP)

A tiny, four-inch-tall girl named Arrietty lives hidden beneath the floorboards of a human family's home, "borrowing" small household items to survive. Her carefully kept secret world is jeopardized when she strikes up a forbidden friendship with Shō, a human boy who has come to stay at the house.

A five-year-old boy living on a cliffside meets an adorable goldfish princess who desperately wishes to become human. Their friendship sets off a magical chain reaction that threatens to flood the world and upset the delicate balance of nature. This vibrant, visually imaginative fantasy explores the power of childhood innocence and unconditional love.

The film tells how a boy moves from the city to the country. He works on a farm and one day when going to sell vegetables on a market, his cart breaks down. A stranger offers him a strange seed in exchange for the vegetables. The boy accepts and finds that the seed grows into a miniature planet. It continues growing as he tends to it, forming an atmosphere, weather systems and life. (wikipedia.org)

The short film's main character is a water spider who seems to have fallen in love with a water strider. Though she is scared of him at first, the water strider soon gets used to the presence of the spider. (wikipedia.org)

As the world's balance begins to collapse, a powerful sorcerer named Sparrowhawk and a troubled young prince journey across the fading land. They seek the source of the mysterious darkness and confront their own inner turmoil and fears, in a sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by classic literature.

Fuki sets out with a big rucksack in high spirits on a journey to look for a new house. Along her way, Fuki encounters and befriends numerous manifestations of the natural world, from fish to insects to a kami who resembled Totoro. All the sound effects in this film were done by human voice. As a nod to the non-Japanese speaking audience, this short film contains little to no spoken Japanese, and the story is conveyed almost entirely through art and sound effects. (wikipedia.org)

Cursed by a jealous witch, a young hat maker is transformed into a ninety-year-old woman. She seeks refuge in a colossal, magically moving castle inhabited by a flamboyant wizard, a fire demon, and his young apprentice. As a devastating war rages, she attempts to break her curse while helping the wizard confront his own hidden fears and mysterious past.

In the form of a humanoid pig, Hayao Miyazaki narrates the story of flight and the many machines imagined to achieve it. (imdb)

The film is about Koro the puppy, who runs away from his mistress, experiences some adventures around town and who is finally happily returned home. (wikipedia.org)

A thirteen minute sequel to My Neighbor Totoro, written and directed by Miyazaki.Chika Sakamoto, who voiced Mei in Totoro, returned to voice Mei in this short. Hayao Miyazaki himself did the voice of the Neko Ba-chan as well as Totoro. It concentrates on the character of Mei Kusakabe from the original film and her adventures one night with the Kittenbus (offspring of the Catbus from the film) and other cat-oriented vehicles. (wikipedia.org)

Kujiraori tells the story of school children playing that they're building a boat. As imagination replaces reality, they find themselves on the ocean, hunting for a whale. A big, gentle whale shows up, accompanies them back to land and play with them. Then the fantasy ends and the children are back in their class room. (wikipedia.org)

While moving to a new town, a sullen ten-year-old girl is trapped in a mysterious, supernatural world when her parents are transformed into pigs. To survive and save them, she must shed her former identity and take a job at a bathhouse catering to spirits and gods. A fantastical and visually rich journey of courage, identity, and environmental themes.

In 14th-century Japan, a young prince is cursed and must journey west to seek a cure. He discovers a profound conflict between a mining town intent on clearing the forest and the powerful nature spirits, led by a fierce young woman raised by wolves. This epic fantasy explores the clash between human civilization and the natural world, examining themes of environmentalism and coexistence.

Set in the future: Two men learn that a mysterious winged girl has been taken prisoner, and then decide that they must free her at any cost. (imdb)

A dreamy teenage girl who loves reading discovers that all the library books she checks out have previously been taken out by the same mysterious, charming boy. Intrigued, she tracks him down and finds he is an aspiring violin maker. Inspired by him and by an antique figurine of a cat, she struggles to find her own voice and pursue her passion for writing, all while navigating the complexities of young love and the fear of the future.

In 1930s Italy, a veteran WWI fighter pilot has been mysteriously transformed into a pig. Now a bounty hunter flying his iconic red seaplane over the Adriatic Sea, he defends honest ships from sky pirates. He must contend with a competitive American rival pilot and confront his past in this romantic, adventure-filled tribute to golden age aviation.

The first specially edited memorial episode featuring Jean’s narration. This is a breathtaking sea adventure action animation. The story centers on a series of critical battles by the indestructible submarine, Nautilus, and the conflict between Captain Nemo and the Gargoyle. It’s a shorter, more streamlined version of Nadia called “The Nautilus Story”, which all but eliminates the filler arc and concentrates on the struggle between Nemo and Gargoyle.

The second specially edited memorial episode features Jean’s narration. This is a breathtaking sea adventure action animation. The story centers on a series of critical battles by the indestructible submarine, Nautilus, and the conflict between Captain Nemo and the Gargoyle. It’s a shorter, more streamlined version of Nadia called “The Nautilus Story”, which all but eliminates the filler arc and concentrates on the struggle between Nemo and Gargoyle. …

The third and final specially edited memorial episode featuring Jean’s narration. This is a breathtaking sea adventure action animation. The story centers on a series of critical battles by the indestructible submarine, Nautilus, and the conflict between Captain Nemo and the Gargoyle. It’s a shorter, more streamlined version of Nadia called "The Nautilus Story", which all but eliminates the filler arc and concentrates on the struggle between Nemo and Gargoyle.

In 1889, the world is on the pinnacle of great discoveries in technology. In mankind's grasp for the future, a sinister foe known only as Gargoyle, obsessed with restoring the former Atlantean empire to the glory it once held, begins his plans to take over the world. Nadia, with the help of a young inventor, Jean Ratlique, and Captain Nemo of the submarine Nautilus, must fight to save the world from Gargoyle and Neo-Atlantis. Based on the Novel '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' by Jules Verne. (myanimelist.net)

Following an ancient witch tradition, a cheerful thirteen-year-old witch embarks on a year of independent living and training in a new town, accompanied only by her talking black cat. She settles in a seaside city and starts her own airborne delivery service. The film charmingly portrays her journey as she faces the challenges of fitting in, battling self-doubt, and finding her place in the world while trying to retain her magical abilities.

Two young sisters move with their father to a rambling old house in the countryside to be closer to their hospitalized mother. They soon discover that the nearby forest is home to whimsical, benevolent forest spirits, including the gentle giant known as Totoro. A heartwarming, magical film that captures the wonder of childhood, imagination, and the comfort of nature.

A young boy named Pazu, working in a mining town, rescues a mysterious girl named Sheeta who floats down from the sky wearing a magical crystal pendant. Sheeta is being pursued by government agents and sky pirates, all seeking the legendary floating castle of Laputa, a long-forgotten technological marvel. Pazu and Sheeta embark on a grand adventure to find the mythical kingdom before the military can harness its power for war.

A thousand years after a global war devastated the Earth, humanity struggles to survive near the toxic "Sea of Corruption," a giant fungal jungle infested with monstrous insects. Nausicaä, the courageous and empathetic princess of the peaceful Valley of the Wind, possesses a unique connection to nature. When a neighboring kingdom attempts to use a devastating ancient weapon, she must risk everything to broker peace between the warring human factions and the powerful, volatile inhabitants of the forest.

A flamboyant thief and his gang struggle to free a princess from an evil count's clutches and to learn the hidden secret to a fabulous treasure that she holds part of a key to. (imdb)

After the world is nearly destroyed by a war, a young boy and his friends must fight to save the world from those who seek to conquer what is left of civilization. (imdb)

The circus comes to town and Mimiko and the Pandas make friends with a tiny tiger.

When her grandmother goes away on a trip, 7-year-old Mimiko stays at home by herself in her small, friendly village, unafraid of burglars. When she arrives back home from the train station where she saw her grandmother off, she discovers she has a visitor-a baby panda. (imdb)