Founded in 1985, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio that has been making numerous movies.To honor the company and their legacy, every year some of the studio’s movies are re-released into theaters for fans to enjoy. That includes this year as well! Last month the schedule for this year’s Studio Ghibli Fest was released. It showed the dates for the eight masterpieces coming back this year!
Kiki’s Delivery Service
From May 17th to the 21st, this movie marks the start of the Studio Ghibli Fest! Kiki’s Delivery Service follows 13 year old Kiki as she moves to a seaside town with her talking cat. Meant for a long standing village tradition for witches in training. Here she sets up a flying delivery service but when she soon loses her magic abilities, she must find herself and get them back.
The Secret World of Arrietty
From June 22nd to the 24th, this movie is about the four inch tall Clock family living within another family’s home, right beneath their floorboards. When their teenage daughter, Arrietty, forms a secret friendship with the other family’s son, Shawn, their relationship could mean danger for this family.
My Neighbor Totoro
From July 19th to the 23rd, this iconic movie returns and is most recognized for its character Totoro. The story follows two sisters befriending spirits in their house and the nearby forest, Totoro included.
Grave of the Fireflies
From August 10th to the 12th, this heartbreaking story comes back telling the tale of war and its impact on two siblings who are forced to rely on each other.
Ponyo
From August 23rd to the 27th, this movie follows the goldfish princess, Ponyo, and her journey to become human after falling in love with a human, Sosuke.
Howl’s Moving Castle
From September 20th to the 24th, this iconic adventure returns with our main character Sophie getting cursed by a witch, causing her to turn into an elderly woman. She befriends a wizard, Howl, who lives in a moving castle and they try to find how to battle the witch and return Sophie to normal.
Spirited Away
From October 18th to the 22nd, this Oscar winning movie comes back and follows Chihiro as she goes to an abandoned amusement park with her parents, where they are soon turned into pigs. She meets Haku and finds the only way to free them and herself is to work at the park.
The Boy and the Heron
Ending off the Fest from November 15th to 19th, this other Oscar winning movie, which is their most recent work, follows Mahito who struggles after his mother’s death and follows a heron into a new world after being informed she is still alive.
Make sure you keep an eye on theater tickets for when their dates approach!