The Most Underrated Studio Ghibli Movies Of All Time

Whenever conversations turn to Studio Ghibli, the same titles always steal the spotlight — Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro. And while I love these movies as much as anyone, tucked behind these blockbusters is a whole collection of overlooked gems that rarely get the flowers they deserve.

Some were dismissed for being too everyday, while others were judged harshly for straying too far from the studio’s traditional mold, but each of these underrated Ghibli movies has the quality to leave a lasting mark on you.

If you are ready to discover a different side of the legendary studio, here are the most underrated Ghibli films that are well worth your time.

1. Ocean Waves

Whenever I think about Studio Ghibli’s catalogue, Ocean Waves is usually the title people often forget. Yet it is one of those films that hit me right in the kokoro when I watched it.

Set in the quiet seaside town of Kochi, the story follows high schooler Taku Morisaki as his life gets tangled up with a moody transfer student from Tokyo named Rikako and his best friend Yutaka.

While there is a love-triangle that develops, it is subtle, and it would be criminal to box this movie merely as a romance.

Ghibli handed this project to their younger crew for a TV broadcast, and so, it lacks the magical fantasy of their bigger hits. And then there is Rikako herself. It is easy to get frustrated with her selfish attitude.

Still, I love how honest it feels about teenage messiness. The awkward pauses, petty jealousies, and unsaid feelings make this slowburn narrative a boringly beautiful flick. It is a lovely little time capsule, that comes with a perfect retro feel.

2. My Neighbors the Yamadas

My Neighbors the Yamadas always feels like a secret treasure in so many ways. Rather than painting lush, realistic backgrounds, director Isao Takahata used minimalist sketch lines and gentle watercolor washes to adapt a much loved newspaper comic strip on to the big screens.

The movie presents short, funny slices of ordinary domestic life with the Yamada family, from goofy bickering over the TV remote to forgotten grocery items and lazy afternoons.

I understand why it divides audiences, since there is no grand quest or fantasy adventure. Two hours of simple episodic skits can feel a bit loose to some. But every time I sit down with it, I find myself grinning from ear to ear. And that’s the charm of the movie.

Its observations of parenthood, marriage, and family squabbles feel wonderfully warm, making it pure comfort food for your soul.

3. Only Yesterday

There are few anime movies that act as an introspective ode to adult life, and Only Yesterday is one of them. Directed by Isao Takahata, it follows twenty-seven-year-old office worker Taeko as she takes a summer trip to harvest safflowers in rural Yamagata.

Along the train ride and throughout the countryside, vivid memories of her ten-year-old self resurface (in pastel colors), prompting her to rethink her life choices, childhood dreams, and feelings for a local farmer named Toshio.

Some of you might find the relaxed pacing and long conversations about farming a bit slow, but I was completely absorbed from start to finish. By the time the end credits rolled, I was left with a satisfactory, yet heavy feeling. It is an emotionally honest masterpiece about reconciling with your younger self.

4. Porco Rosso

Set over the sparkling Adriatic Sea during the late 1920s, Porco Rosso stars Marco, a cynical World War I flying ace mysteriously turned into an anthropomorphic pig, who works as a freelance bounty hunter hunting air pirates.

What I adore here is how mature and witty the whole adventure feels. Against the backdrop of a vibrant Italian scenery, Miyazaki weaves a hearty story about survivor’s guilt, which is laced with quiet rebellion against rising fascism.

Sure, the movie never spells out why Marco was cursed (there is the whole middle aged man being disillusioned with humanity theme and others), and its ambiguous conclusion might frustrate those who want tidy answers. Even so, the subtle, world-weary charm makes it a Ghibli classic that deserves more love.

5. From Up on Poppy Hill

For a movie as critically acclaimed as this, I was honestly surprised by how quite the reputation of From Up on Poppy Hill is compared to Ghibli’s other hits. Directed by Goro Miyazaki from a script co-written by his father Hayao, this 1963 Yokohama tale follows high schoolers Umi and Shun as they rally their classmates to clean up and preserve an eccentric old school clubhouse threatened with demolition.

I will admit the mid-film plot twist feels melodramatic and a little clumsy. Even so, the breezy coastal setting, fantastic jazz soundtrack, and gentle optimism about post-war healing will definitely win your heart over. It is definitely one of the most underrated Ghibli movies ever.

6. Pom Poko

Don’t go into Pom Poko expecting a wacky comedy about magical raccoons, because it is movie that will completely floor you with its raw emotion. Directed by Isao Takahata, the film centers on a community of shape-shifting tanuki in the Tama Hills fighting to save their forest home from expanding Tokyo suburbs.

To be fair, the nearly two-hour runtime meanders during the second half, and the heavy reliance on traditional folklore might catch casual viewers off guard. But the movie refuses to offer an easy, sanitized fairy-tale ending.

The movie’s ending is surprisingly honest and heartbreaking and it remains one of the boldest environmental stories Ghibli has ever given us along with Princess Mononoke. But this one never rose to the heights of the latter in fame, making it a criminally underrated flick.

7. When Marnie Was There

When Marnie Was There focuses on Anna, a lonely, asthmatic foster kid drowning in self-doubt, who gets sent to a quiet seaside village in Hokkaido for the summer. There, across the marsh, she meets Marnie, a mysterious girl in an old mansion who offers Anna unconditional warmth.

While the slower beginning requires patience and the third-act twist catches some people off guard, the emotional payoff will destroy even the strongest. I still remember crying my eyes out when I watched the movie for the first time. Well, it creates the perfect atmosphere to match Anna’s melancholy mood, so there’s no escape.

It is definitely one of the studio’s saddest movies exploring anxiety, separation and learning to love yourself. It easily deserves far more appreciation than it gets.

8. Tales from Earthsea

I know Tales from Earthsea gets plenty of flak from anime fans, but whenever I watch it, I find myself drawn into its quiet, mystical world.

Directed by Goro Miyazaki and loosely inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s fantasy books, the story follows Prince Arren, a troubled young runaway grappling with an inner darkness, who joins the wise Archmage Sparrowhawk on a drifting journey through a decaying kingdom.

Admittedly, the film strays far from its source material and can feel slow or confusing for viewers expecting tight high fantasy worldbuilding. Even so, the movie carries an endearing, whimsical charm that made me feel like I was simply riding along with the wandering characters.

Between the hauntingly beautiful singing of Teru (sung by the brilliant Aoi Teshima), the medieval towns and the journey has a gentle allure that I think deserves a much fairer shake.

9. The Cat Returns

Born as a playful spin-off to Whisper of the Heart, this breezing seventy-five-minute adventure follows Haru, a clumsy schoolgirl who saves a cat from getting hit by a car, only to learn he is royalty.

When the eccentric Cat King tries to drag her into an arranged marriage in the Cat Kingdom, the stylish Baron and the grumpy white cat Muta come to her rescue. The anime features a simpler animation style and somewhat lacks the engrossing detail of peak Miyazaki, with the story also lacking when it comes to grandiose themes. But, I think that simplicity also aids the movie a lot by eventually standing out.

Haru’s journey toward self-respect is genuinely sweet, the jokes land consistently, and the whole ride is pure, unpretentious fun that deserves more love.