Studio Ghibli are one of the great animation studios in the world, having producing some terrific movies over the years.
Spirited Away
The Wind Rises hits the big screen at the end of the week, and to celebrate we look back at some of the best movies from Studio Ghibli - and there are plenty to choose from.
We kick off out week-long series with Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away: which hit UK cinema screens back in 2003.
The movie follows a ten-year-old girl who must save her parents when they are put under a spell. She is plunged into a world of witches and monsters and must battle hard to survive.
If you have never watched a Studio Ghibli movie, then Spirited Away really is a great place to start: from beginning to end this is a wonderful movie that plunges the audience into another world.
We are living in a world where we are surrounded by CGI driven animation films, and it is always so refreshing to see a traditionally handcrafted film.
I think that the handcrafted style just gives a more personal feel to the movie - you can feel the heart and the passion that has gone into every drawing and brush stroke.
Miyazaki has made some terrific films during his career, but Spirited Away really is one of the best.
There is just a magical feel to this film, as it bursts with life and colour. The movie is bustling with larger than life characters that quite literally leap off the screen in every scene.
Studio Ghibli is famed for having strong central female characters, and Spirited Away continues that great trend with Chihiro.
This move is widely regarded as one of the best animation movies of all time, and it is not hard to see why.
You are just pulled into this story and you are totally seduced by the characters and the look of the film.
Spirited Away with capture your imagination as well as your heart: this is a movie that both adults and children will enjoy.
I really cannot praise this movie enough, as it is Miyazaki at his very best.
Spirited Away went on to the most successful film in Japanese history, and was a critical smash.
It went on to enjoy further success as it scooped the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
The Wind Rises is released 9th May.
Tagged in Studio Ghibli