Studio Ghibli Confirms Which Movie Is Their Most Beloved (By a Wide Margin)

If you ask a group of Studio Ghibli fans to pick their favorite movie, chances are you’ll get a variety of answers as diverse as the studio’s filmography. Some might prefer the high-octane action of Princess Mononoke, while others might want the emotional turmoil of Grave of the Fireflies. It’s an incredibly subjective question. But, one online poll has attempted to make the subjective objective in a bid to workout which film is Studio Ghibli’s true masterpiece.

The poll was conducted by Ranking.net, and the results might not be that surprising. Despite Castle in the Sky and Kiki’s Delivery Service receiving strong support from the fan base, Spirited Away was the clear winner. Of 5,849 participants, over half (2,475) voted in favor of the 2001 fantasy adventure movie. Spirited Away is arguably Ghibli’s most successful film, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003 and currently being ranked as the 31st greatest movie of all-time on IMDb, above The Pianist! The disparity between 1st and 2nd place was particularly large. Castle in the Sky took second place with a total of 1,671 votes.

Studio Ghibli Confirms Spirited Away as Its Most Beloved Masterpiece

For the five people who have never seen nor heard of Spirited Away, the movie follows Chihiro as she sets out on a journey across the spirit world to free her trapped parents. The official synopsis reads, “Ten-year-old Chihiro and her parents end up at an abandoned amusement park inhabited by supernatural beings. Soon, she learns that she must work to free her parents, who have been turned into pigs.”

The official Top 10 ranking was as follows:

1. Spirited Away
2. Castle in the Sky
3. Kiki’s Delivery Service
4. Princess Mononoke
5. My Neighbor Totoro
6. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
7. Howl’s Moving Castle
8. Porco Rosso
9. Whisper of the Heart
10. The Cat Returns

If there’s one conclusion to make from the results, it’s that Ghibli fans definitely prefer the studio’s happier films. The harrowing Grave of the Fireflies and the recent The Boy and the Heron were nowhere to be found in the Top 10.

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Hayao Miyazaki Is Returning For Another Movie

During the build-up to The Boy and the Heron‘s release in 2023, much of the fandom’s conversation resided around Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement after the movie’s release. The Boy and the Heron was marketed as Miyazaki’s final film. But, after The Boy and the Heron was released, the notorious workaholic director shocked fans across the globe by revealing he has another movie in the works.

Hayao’s son, Goro Miyazaki, teased what fans can expect from his father’s next (and potentially final… for real this time) film. Goro said the new, untitled film is “looking like an action-adventure-type movie.” Goro continued, with a reveal that will make those who voted on the above poll very happy, by saying the new project is “nostalgic and reminiscent of the old days.” Hayao Miyazaki’s next movie hasn’t been given an official release date, nor has it been officially announced by Studio Ghibli yet.

Studio Ghibli’s poll results were obtained via Ranking.net.