The anime powerhouse Studio Ghibli has an uncanny ability to give unconventional storytelling universal appeal. The unapologetically lengthy scripts feature plucky protagonists, fantastical worlds, and bittersweet denouements. While some purists say that the dubs can be distracting, especially if the dubbed script doesn't match the lips of the animation, there are fans that believe the dub is helpful to the viewing experience.

Speaking with The Guardian, Hayao Miyazaki said that he prefers audiences to watch his films in their language so they can concentrate on the imagery. While fans agree that all Ghibli dubbings are decent, however, the following goes beyond translation—they transport the audience to another realm.

Castle In The Sky

Three characters in the jungle in Castle in the Sky.

Miyazaki's steampunk action adventure has robots, pirates, and the ruins of an ancient civilization floating in the sky. It follows a standard the director uses many times in his work: two humble leads surrounded by a quirky yet emotionally complex supporting cast of characters whose desires motivate the plot.

Related: Which Studio Ghibli Side Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac? 

The dialogue has a natural flow and the adaptation stays decently faithful to the original without any jarring syntax. Anna Paquin's Sheeta is fine, but James Van Der Beek, over 20 at the time, was too old to play the prepubescent Pazu. Mark Hamill and Cloris Leachman shine respectively as the sly and menacing Colonel Muska and the aggressive, authoritative, and maternal Captain Dola.

Pom Poko

A still from the Studio Ghibli movie Pom Poko.

This fantastical adventure tale about shapeshifting Japanese raccoon dogs whose territory is being intruded upon by greedy humans is one of Isao Takahata's best. It's grittier and funnier than anything in Miyazaki's portfolio, and it's as much a plea for environmentalism as Princess Mononoke.

While the words don't match up as precisely as some of the other dubs on this list, the voice acting more than makes up for it. While there are several familiar names in the cast (J.K. Simmons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Clancy Brown), this dubbing did not rely on Hollywood star power, instead featuring many professional voice actors who make the colorful characters pop.

The Wind Rises

Jiro and Honjo sit in a taxi in The Wind Rises.

The only fantasy elements in Miyazaki's penultimate film about the man who invented the Zero airplane are in the few dream sequences that pepper the narrative. This slow-moving character study would not serve as a new viewer's best introduction to Ghibli, yet every frame is visually sumptuous.

The cast, helmed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt, is wonderfully nuanced and sincere. Jim Hubbert and Rieko Izutsu-Vajirasarn's adaptation fits the naturalistic tone. Switching between the English and Japanese versions on HBO Max (it's extraordinarily easy) reveals the translation is almost word-for-word; it benefits from characters' mouths often being obstructed.

Spirited Away

Chihiro and No Face on the train in Spirited Away

The Oscar-winning masterpiece that served as many Western audiences' introduction to anime continues to top lists for one of the best-animated films of all time. Spirited Away blurs the line between content for kids and adults, though, unlike Disney, it does so without tugging on nostalgic heartstrings.

Related: How Each Spirited Away Character Relates To Their Mythological Origin 

The English version was written by Cindy Davis and Donald H. Hewitt, longtime collaborators of Ghibli who adapted seven of the company's films. The translation is fine; it occasionally relies on literary cliches, but it never detracts from the viewing experience. Suzanne Pleshette is equally great as the wicked Yubaba who values her gold more than her child and her twin sister, the sweet Zeniba.

Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki flies on her broom over the ocean in Kiki's Delivery Service

This is a joyful, uncomplicated growing-up story about an industrious little witch adjusting to life in the big city, finding her tribe, and discovering herself. A young Kirsten Dunst is a delight as Kiki, a protagonist who's sweeter than many Ghibli leading ladies, yet no less formidable.

Dubs suffer when a combination of voice acting and writing changes too much, such as the softening of San in Princess Mononoke. This first collaboration between Ghibli and Disney, who has produced most of the English dubs, was criticized for making several changes; the most jarring being Kiki regaining the ability to understand her familiar Jiji. When Disney re-released the film in 2010, this was changed back to match the original version in which Kiki matures beyond talking to her cat.

Grave of the Fireflies

Seita carrying Setsuko, both looking frightened in Grave of the Fireflies

Takahata's wartime tragedy film is one of Ghibli's most misunderstood. The film is not condemning war, but the apathy shown by the Japanese people to their own. It celebrates the resilience of children amid terrible circumstances.

The tone of Grave of the Fireflies is subtle and understated, and the script is succinct, even borderline terse, with very few words added in. The pared-back acting allows the viewer to take in the difficult material without histrionic distractions, especially in the case of Adam Gibbs' Seita, who is desperately trying to keep it all together for the sake of his younger sister.

Ponyo

Studio Ghibli

After the success of Spirited Away in the West, Hollywood actors were eager to lend their voices to future projects. An emotionally-faithful script by Melissa Mathison features an impeccable cast led by Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Tina Fey, Matt Damon, and the late Betty White.

Related: 10 Most Stunning Frames From Studio Ghibli Films

There is one glaring change from the original, however; Sosuke calls his parents by their given names in the Japanese version, yet the English dub uses the conventional "Mom and Dad." Ghibli has never explained why little Sosuke does this, but it follows his Westernized parents who wanted to raise him unconventionally. It's a shame the adaptation lost this element.

Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind

Nausicaä flying over the valley

The spiritual ancestor of Princess Mononoke is an environmentalist allegory that takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth where poisonous forests are fast encroaching on the only remaining healthy land left. The unofficial Studio Ghibli movie is frequently ranked in Japan as one of the best anime.

The original voice actor to play Nausicaa used a high, breathy tone that bordered on flirtatiousness and did not fit the princess' gravitas, intelligence, and confidence. Alison Lohman grounded Nausicaa and made her both more likable and realistic. The entire cast in this adaptation is great, particularly Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman, and Shia LeBeouf.

Howl's Moving Castle

Young Sophie in the burning castle in Howl's Moving Castle

Combined with a setting evocative of Edwardian Great Britain, this dubbing is so good it could be mistaken for the original version. Based on Diana Wynne Jones' novel of the same name, the meandering scenes of Howl's Moving Castle follow emotional beats, reflecting the unhurried spirituality Miyazaki admires in the elderly.

Billy Crystal's Calcifer is a joy. Christian Bale, who had just wrapped Batman Begins, turns Howl into Bruce Wayne and portrays the bird monster with his signature gravelly Batman voice. But it is the women who make this adaptation outstanding. Emily Mortimer's Sophie is vulnerable yet self-possessed. Jean Simmons' portrayal of Grandma Sophie is hearty and melancholy and Lauren Bacall's haughty, insecure Witch of the Waste steals the show.

Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso gives a thumbs up in their plane

While the location of Howl's Moving Castle hints at Britain, the setting of Porco Rosso is unambiguous. The action (and what action it is!) takes place in the Adriatic Sea during the Interwar period. Just on grounds of historicity, a Western audience may find the Japanese version jarring.

The incredible cast is led by Michael Keaton, Susan Egan, Kimberly Paisley-Williams, Carl Elwes, Brad Garrett, and David Ogden Stiers, with Keaton and Egan delivering the standout performances. Keaton's clipped tone effectively communicates Marco's apathy while matching the original mouth movements. Egan's sultry delivery is like something out of a film noir. This is absolutely the best dubbing of all Ghibli.

Next: 10 Best English Dub Voice Actors in Studio Ghibli Films