1. Ni No Kuni - Oliver Loses His Mother
Animated films from acclaimed studios such as Disney and Studio Ghibli usually are powerful occasions. Theyre so powerful in fact that on occasions they really pull at a viewers heartstrings and make us go through every emotion. One emotion that comes with key classics such as Bambi or Graveyard of the Fireflies is sadness, which if youre brave enough to admit will produce tears. It comes to no surprise then that when Studio Ghibli were involved in the crafting of this years Ni No Kuni, we were subtly contemplating an emotional ride. And in true template fashion, it came very early into the story. Oliver, (the main protagonist) almost dies himself when his wheel buckles forcing his vehicle into the water which forces his mother to rescue him from the water. Shortly after saving her son, she suffers from a mild heart attack and dies shortly after in the hospital bed with her gazing over her. Oliver becomes an orphan figure (reference to Oliver Twist perhaps) in that moment and his cry for his parent is destroying. Unlike the movies however, we could just pause for a moment and compose ourselves. It is just fiction after all.