With beautiful scenery, wonderfully written words, and stories that suck viewers in, it’s no wonder that Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most widely watched and well-known animated movies of all time.
One of the more amazing aspects of Studio Ghibli films are the hidden messages that are woven into the storyline, whether it’s to cherish all beings, take care of the environment, fight for what and who you love, or never let your creativity die. There’s always something wonderful to discover and cherish in Studio Ghibli films. Much like how the characters within these films cherish, protect, and love their strong bonds of friendship.
10 Kiki And Jiji Show How Heartbreaking It Can Be To Give Up A Childhood Friend (Kiki’s Delivery Service)
Kiki’s Delivery Service follows the story of Kiki as she leaves home for a year to practice becoming a witch, as tradition demands. She leaves with as many belongings as she can carry and her black cat named, Jiji, who can talk.
Besides the wonderful storyline and hidden message within the movie, it’s the friendship, connection, and bond between Kiki and Jiji that help to bring the story together. But as Kiki is forced to grow up, she loses her ability to communicate with Jiji who signifies her childhood innocence.
9 Seita And Setsuko Are Siblings Who Are Everything To Each Other – Even Best Friends (Grave of the Fireflies)
In a world where war takes anything and everything away, sometimes family can become a person’s best friend, and sometimes it’s the other way around. In this emotionally gripping movie, Seita and Setsuko cope with the hardships of being alone and the death of their mother.
Throughout this flashback, viewers witness the love and care that Seita shows Setsuko. He does everything that he possibly can to make sure that she is loved, fed, clothed, and taken care of. Not only that, but he also does what he can to ensure that she’s happy and becomes everything to her – her best friend, brother, and guardian. Even though it wasn’t enough, their friendship and love for one another will never be broken.
8 Totoro, Satsuki, And Mei Prove That Friendship Goes Beyond Humans And Spirits (My Neighbor Totoro)
In My Neighbor Totoro, the friendship between Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei goes to show that the bonds of friendship aren’t influenced by species, size, or where a person is from. As the two young girls adjust to living in a new home and dealing with their mother being in the hospital, the spirits that surround their house are a welcome relief.
Together, they dance around a newly sprouted tree and find happiness in moments that they didn’t think possible. The three go on many adventures and look out for one another as they explore the world around them with a child-like sense of wonder, proving that everyone can be friends if their outer appearance is overlooked.
7 Arren, Therru, Ged, And Tenar Are More Than Friends – They’re Family (Tales From Earthsea)
In Tales From Earthsea, many mysterious events are taking place, like dragons being seen in the human world. Because of this, a young wizard named Ged sets out on a journey to discover the cause of these bizarre events. Along the way, his party extends to include, Arren, Therru, and Tenar.
Even though they come from different backgrounds, the four get along as if they’ve known each other for their entire lives. They are so close, in fact, that they almost appear like a family. The group is always making sure that everyone is cared for, loved, and are happy – which makes for some special and wonderful moments.
6 Ponyo And Sosuke Make For A Couple That Shows Just How Far Some Will Go For Their Friends (Ponyo)
Even though they were very young, Ponyo and Sosuke have a beautiful friendship that inspires viewers to see beyond a person’s skin to the soul that lies within. In Ponyo, Sosuke finds a goldfish that had washed up on shore. He then names the goldfish Ponyo. After a few interesting events that lead the goldfish to return to her home, Ponyo tells her father that she wishes to be a girl. She then uses magic to make it happen.
She then returns to Sosuke and the two grow closer. Sosuke and Ponyo were inseparable, sharing everything with each other from laughs to adventures. In the end, Ponyo gave up her life under the sea and her magical powers in order to be a human girl, just so she could remain friends with Sosuke.
5 Pazu and Sheeta Show The Lengths That People Will Go To To Protect Their Friends (Castle In The Sky)
From the beginning, Pazu and Sheeta looked out for each other. In this movie, Sheeta is abducted and is aboard a Skyliner that is attacked by pirates who are after the stone that Sheeta possesses. After a few unfortunate accidents, she ends up hurtling towards the earth and is thankfully slowed by the glow emitting from her stone. Seeing the light, a young miner named Pazu rescues Sheeta and brings her to his home.
It’s here that the two become incredibly close as they both understand what it’s like to be orphans and could bond over shared experiences. The two did everything they could to protect the other – from Sheeta telling Pazu to leave her to avoid capture to Pazu taking on armed guards to protect Sheeta. The two went above and beyond the normal bounds of friendship and proved that they were willing to do whatever it takes to protect the other.
4 Ashitaka And San Are Able To Prove Through Friendship That There Are Good Humans In The World (Princess Mononoke)
Ashitaka and San both come from similar backgrounds – they’re both royalty (even though San was exiled) and they’re both natural-born leaders and warriors. Because of these similarities, they shared many core values and beliefs that they can bond over.
Unfortunately, this didn’t happen right away because San hated humans. She believed that they couldn’t be trusted. Ashitaka was the first human to make San realize that there are actually good humans – people who care about the environment (and the forest). Their friendship is one that started off on the wrong foot but eventually blossomed into a deep bond filled with love and understanding.
3 Anna and Marnie Strike Up A Beautiful Friendship When It Was Needed The Most (When Marnie Was There)
In When Marnie Was There, Anna and Marnie have a beautiful friendship that goes beyond anything that viewers expect. There’s even a major plot twist that changes the way the movie was heading. After an asthma attack and her family noticing her withdrawn self, Anna is sent to the country to spend some time with her foster mother’s relatives.
Once there, she goes exploring to find an abandoned mansion which she’s told belongs to a family of foreigners and is apparently haunted. It’s then that she dreams of a girl with blonde hair. Returning to the mansion, she meets Marnie and they become friends – something Anna has been needing and yearning for. It’s the first time that Anna has been able to trust someone and Marnie gives her much-needed emotional support.
2 Arrietty And Sho Show That Even The Briefest Of Friendships Can Have The Biggest Of Impacts (The Secret World of Arrietty)
Despite not being of the same species and the fact that humans aren’t supposed to know about the Borrowers, Arrietty and Sho become friends against the wishes of Arrietty’s mother. They were able to comfort one another and be there for each other when they thought that they didn’t have anyone else to talk to.
It’s during one of their brief conversations that Sho reveals that he has a heart condition and is going in for surgery that doesn’t have a high success rate. But when the housemaid captures Arrietty’s mom, Sho helps the Borrowers escape. Outside in the garden, Sho tells Arrietty that the Borrower’s fight for survival gives him hope for his operation.
1 Chihiro and Haku Show That Strong Friendships Can Exist Between Species (Spirited Away)
Spirited Away follows the story of Chihiro, a girl who has to find her way out of the world of a supernatural world that her parents and herself stumbled upon. Unfortunately, her parents were turned into pigs and she ends up working at a bathhouse in hopes of finding a way to free herself and her parents from their curse.
During this story, Chihiro meets Haku, a river spirit who supports the young human as she attempts to navigate the supernatural world. Haku was one of the few beings that was nice to Chihiro and encouraged her to never give up her hopes. Chihiro even went as far as taking a long journey to Zeniba’s to return the seal that Haku stole that ended up cursing him. The two develop such a beautiful and sweet bond that it will last a lifetime.