The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are among the most respected in the movie industry. Their delightful films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new eagerly anticipated release a guaranteed box office hit. Yet this highly profitable studio has remained fiercely independent, producing a stream of imaginative and individual animations. The studio's founders, long-time animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, have created timeless masterpieces. Although their films are distinctly Japanese, their themes are universal: humanity, community and a love for the environment. No other film studio, animation or otherwise, comes close to matching Ghibli for pure cinematic experience. This book examines all their major works including Laputa: Castle in the Sky , Grave of the Fireflies , My Neighbour Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service , Only Yesterday , Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle , as well as the critically acclaimed Spirited Away and The Tale of Princess Kaguya . Odell and Le Blanc's informed analysis also considers Studio Ghibli features such as Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-nominated final masterpiece The Wind Rises and the studio's most recent release When Marnie Was There .