10 Studio Ghibli Films Everyone Should See

5. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

Miyazaki's tale of two young sisters who move out to rural Japan and meet a host of magical creatures is both his most child-friendly work and also the most iconic. Despite being originally released as a double bill with the somewhat depressing Grave of the Fireflies, the woodland creature Totoro has since become a character beloved by Japanese children everywhere and is now the unofficial mascot of the studio.

Personally, I would have chosen the awe-inspiring yet slightly disturbing Catbus. Not heard of it? The Catbus has a hollow body which opens up so children can climb aboard. Once they're inside, the Catbus then uses its numerous centipede like legs to leap into the air and fly away, presumably snatching the children from their loving homes for all eternity. Or not. Watch the film to find out!

Why You Should Watch It: Aside from featuring the most disturbing cat this side of hell, My Neighbour Totoro is the perfect alternative for children raised on the crap CGI that Dreamworks pukes out year after year.

Contributor
Contributor

David is a primary school teacher who tries his best to turn every math lesson into a discussion on the latest Pixar film. Passions include superheroes, zombies and Studio Ghibli. In between going to the cinema, moving to South Korea and eating his body weight in KFC, David writes for a number of movie sites, http://becarefulyourhand.blogspot.co.uk/