Studio Ghibli is not only one of the most celebrated animated movie studios, but one of the most celebrated movie studios, period, either animation or live-action. The anime studio is known for its stunning hand-drawn images, heartwarming narratives, and incredible voice acting for the dubbed American versions.
However, not everyone has been won over by the studio’s magic, and some Redditors think that the animation is just a parlor trick to hide the fact that the movies don’t have any depth. From criticizing the movies’ pacing to unfairly comparing the studio to more famous American studios, Ghibli has its fair share of hot takes.
My Neighbor Totoro Isn’t All That Adorable
My Neighbor Totoro is the very first Studio Ghibli movie, and it has remained one of the most heartwarming in the studio’s filmography, as it has one of the most emotional endings. As it follows two young sisters on an adventure while their mother is in the hospital, it’s a highly engaging coming-of-age fantasy.
However, not everyone bought into the magic and wonderful designs in Totoro. One Redditor argues that all of the high pitch screaming from the young children in Totoro was too stressful. But to the user’s credit, as magical as the movie is, it’s very much aimed at young children more than any other Ghibli movie.
The Protagonists Of Each Movie Are Interchangeable
As this user claims to be a huge fan of anime, they believe that the Studio Ghibli movies are vastly overrated and repetitive compared to other movies in the genre. But one of the biggest criticisms the user has is that the protagonists are interchangeable. However, most would agree that this isn’t true, as just as there are some incredible Ghibli villains, there are great heroes too.
There might be a bit of credence to what the user trying to say though, as most of the protagonists are heroic females that are just of different ages. But the characters in all of the Ghibli movies are written so that young children can relate to and empathize with them. And as Ghibli guru Hayao Miyazaki had young daughters during the time he was making most of these movies, he clearly wanted to make films that his children could relate to.
The Movies Leave Viewers Wanting More
This user admits that they have only seen a couple of the studio’s movies, but they feel it’s enough to have an opinion about the whole studio. Based on watching My Neighbor Totoro And Kiki’s Delivery Service, the Redditor believes that the movies were too short and the endings were unsatisfying.
But true fans would say that this couldn’t be further from the truth, especially when it comes to Totoro. Claiming that they wanted an exciting ending is unrealistic, as Totoro and Studio Ghibli, as a whole, is rarely about excitement and spectacle, but instead about the heart of the story.
Spirited Away Has No Plot
Spirited Away is, by far, the best studio Ghibli movie for most fans, but a select few on Reddit disagree. They straight up call the movie horrible before claiming that there’s no plot, as there's no conflict or resolution, just a bunch of random magical stuff happening.
But when it comes to Studio Ghibli movies, most would agree that Spirited Away has more of a plot than any other film from the studio. The movie sees Chihiro’s parents get turned into pigs and she spends the whole movie trying to return them back to their human form. The user also lambasts Howl’s Moving Castle, another beloved Ghibli movie that many fans find impossible to hate.
The Animation Is An Eyesore
This might be the biggest hot take of them all, as most of the other unpopular opinions have some reasoning behind them or come down to subjectivity, but this Redditor argues that the stunning animation is an eyesore. They argue that there are so many other anime studios that put Ghibli to shame, but not many would agree with this.
Though there are many great anime studios outside of Ghibli, none of them can match how great the studio is at its animation. It is one of the lasting studios that still creates hand-drawn images in an industry that had moved to CGI decades ago, and many of the images are breathtaking with some incredibly designed creepy creatures.
The Wind Rises Is The Best
The Wind Rises is somewhat of an outlier in Ghibli’s catalog of films, as it’s loosely based on a true story. The movie is about the designer of the fighter aircraft used by the Empire of Japan in World War II. Though it’s loved by many, some don’t think it gets the attention it deserves.
They cite the philosophy and the emotion of the movie as to why it's one of the Ghibli movies that deserves more attention and it is true that it is often overlooked in the studio's canon of movies. Though movies like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away deservedly get all the attention, The Wind Rises should get just as much recognition.
Ponyo Is Terrible And Has Horrible Voice Acting
With some of Ghibli’s best animation yet, Ponyo is another outstanding movie from the studio, but there are some who hate it. They claim that they were just waiting for the movie to be over, but above all else, they thought the English voice acting was abysmal. But one thing that Studio Ghibli takes great pride in, outside of the fantastic visuals and story, is its voice acting.
For all of the American dubs, the studio casts the best actors, whether it’s Christian Bale in Howl’s Moving Castle or Emily Blunt and John Krasinski in The Wind Rises. Ponyo is no different, and it might have the best voice acting out of all the movies, as it features actors such as Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, and many others.
The Movies Meander Too Much And Are Too Long
When compared to other animation studios, Studio Ghibli clearly likes to take its time with telling the story and is in no rush to get to the resolution. This Redditor complains about this, citing that Ponyo, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, and many others spend too much time meandering.
But the movies are intentionally slow-paced in order to build the world, and that’s one of the studio’s movies’ biggest appeals.
Pixar Would Be Criticized If They Made Anything Like Howl’s Moving Castle
One Redditor tries to gaslight Ghibli by saying that Pixar would be criticized for making anything like Howl’s Moving Castle. Though Pixar does have strong messages that adults can learn from, just like Studio Ghibli, it’s like comparing apples and oranges, as Ghibli makes movies mostly based on Japanese folklore and the country’s history.
And it isn’t even outside the realm of possibility that Pixar could make something like this, as they have been known to make meaningful movies about other cultures, as seen in Ratatouille and Coco. And though Pixar wouldn’t make it, fans do want a live-action version of Howl’s Moving Castle too.
The Fantasy Settings In The Movies Are Mundane
While criticizing the animation seems absolutely unreasonable for Ghibli fans, the same goes for the imaginative fantasy settings in all Ghibli movies, but that won’t stop some Redditors. The user posits that though the creatures are brilliantly designed, the way they’re used is mundane and bland.
Clearly talking about Spirited Away, the user questions why such interesting creatures would be used for a storyline about them simply staying in a hotel. But that’s exactly why it’s so interesting, as Studio Ghibli doesn’t use the creatures to create action scenes, but instead subverts expectations and creates a heartfelt story. And the hotel in Spirited Away is the gold standard of world-building in anime, too.