Studio Ghibli: The films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata

The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are among the most respected in the movie industry. Their films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new 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, Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, have created timeless masterpieces. Their films are distinctly Japanese but the themes are universal: humanity, community and a love for the environment.

Studio Ghibli outlines the history of the studio and explores the early output of its founders. It examines all the studio's 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 Oscar-winning Spirited Away.

Also included are the more recent animations: Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-nominated masterpiece The Wind Rises, Isao Takahata's The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Gor? Miyazaki's Earwig and the Witch and Hayao Miyazaki's latest box office success, The Boy and the Heron.