Though Studio Ghibli films are generally well-received in Japan, they've also managed to find success in North America. In fact, many of these animations have scored hundreds of millions at the international box office, and 2001's Spirited Away even went home with the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Despite all of the studio's breakthroughs, however, not every movie has been massively successful. Because we already looked at the highest-grossing Studio Ghibli films of all time, we're instead focusing on the lowest-grossing ones. To do this, we'll be using stats from Box Office Mojo.
Before we get started, it's worth noting that international box office numbers are not available for every film, therefore, many of the movies lower on the list will only have their domestic scores taken into consideration. It's time to let the features roll. Here are the Studio Ghibli films that didn't gross as much as their counterparts.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988): $30 Million
My Neighbor Totoro tells of a girl and her sister who move to the rural countryside with their father while their mother heals from sickness at a local hospital.
While the two have fun playing in their new home and the forest next door, they soon discover that there are spirit creatures in their midst. One of these is the giant and mysterious Totoro.
The Tale Of Princess Kaguya (2013): $24 Million
The Tale of Princess Kaguya follows a girl who is born inside of a bamboo stalk. As she grows older, she becomes one of the most admired women in all the land.
She catches the attention of five noblemen who decides to fight for her attention, but Kaguya has a few plans to throw them off their tracks.
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989): $10 Million
In Kiki's Delivery Service, a young teen girl moves to a town on the water with her cat in order to complete her training as a witch. After she figures out how to fly a broomstick, she decides to create a mail service.
However, when Kiki's powers start to fade, she must overcome her lack of confidence in order to fulfill her destiny.
Castle In The Sky (1986): $6 Million
Castle in the Sky has orphan Sheeta making a trip on a plane with her kidnapper. After the vessel is attacked by sky pirates, however, Sheeta finds a way to escape her captivity.
She ends up meeting another orphan named Pazu, and together, they search for a lost city full of treasures. While doing this, they must be wary of the villainous Muska and the pirates, who are also on the hunt.
Porco Rosso (1992): $1.3 Million
The titular character of Porco Rosso was once a brave pilot who soared through Italy's skies during World War I. However, sometime after he is mysteriously turned into a pig, he decides to go on a bounty hunting mission to track down a crew of sky pirates.
Joining together with a vibrant mechanic and an old friend, he hopes to keep his legacy going strong.
Pom Poko (1994): $1.2 Million
The tanuki are Japanese mythical creatures who are known for their shape-shifting talents. In Pom Poko, their forest home becomes threatened by a new suburban development projected called New Tama.
It is up to the takuni to team together and find a way to keep their home safe.
Only Yesterday (1991): $0.5 Million
Only Yesterday recounts the tail of Tokyo woman Taeko, who is taking a vacation away from the businesses of the city. Her destination: the Yamagata countryside during the safflower harvest.
While Taeko is looking forward to taking a break, she's soon haunted by memories of the past. This has her reconsidering whether the life she has now is the one her younger self would have desired.
Whisper Of The Heart (1995): $0.5 Million
Whisper of the Heart catches up with Shizuku, who has always dreamed of becoming a writer. However, after she realizes that all of her favorite library books have been checked out by the same person, she also fantasizes about falling in love.
Shizuku sets out to find the boy who reads the same books as her. She completes this hunt while befriending an antique dealer and penning her first book of her own.
Grave Of The Fireflies (1988): $0.5 Million
Grave of Fireflies tells the story of a teen boy named Seita who must take care of his young sister Setsuko after a World War II bomb divides up their family.
Though the pair's perseverance is strong, finding the necessary shelter, money, and food to survive is no easy task.
Ocean Waves (1993): $0.1 Million
Ocean Waves received a limited theatrical release, therefore it is ending up at the bottom of the list.
This 1993 drama follows the love triangle between a set of friends and a Tokyo girl who ends up at their high school. Though she comes off as arrogant, the boys soon learn that she has a few secrets she's been keeping on the down-low.