10 Studio Ghibli Films Everyone Should See

6. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

For Howl's Moving Castle, Miyazaki was inspired once again by children's literature and the results won the studio their second Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. The story follows Sophie, an 18 year old hat maker who gets on the wrong side of the Witch of the Waste.

To punish her, the Witch curses Sophie, transforming her into a 90 year old woman. Rather than just give up, Sophie leaves her home, hoping to be cured by Howl, the mysterious wizard who roams the countryside in his moving castle. Who would have thought old age pensioners could have so much sass? Aside from a slightly convoluted ending, Howl's Moving Castle is one of the most gripping and visually stunning films ever produced by Studio Ghibli, deftly alternating between exhilarating set pieces and humorous exchanges.

Why You Should Watch It: An anime about a 90 year old lady may not instantly scream 'WATCH ME!' but Howl's Moving Castle features one of the most bizarrely loveable sets of characters you'll ever see in an anime. It's hard to choose a favourite between Calcifer, the sarcastic fire demon or Turnip Head, the mute scarecrow who bounces around after Sophie, but then again, even Howl himself is the definition of charm.