Studio Ghibli has earned its place among the most iconic creative producers of all time. Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of an anime, there’s a significant chance you’ve seen a Ghibli movie. FromSpirited AwaytoHowl’s Moving CastletoPonyoand beyond, its portfolio speaks for itself.
The Boy and the Heron, the latest work by Ghibli and its co-creator Hayao Miyazaki, is set for release in the west on July 14, 2025. So, it makes perfect sense that there will be people who wonder if there is a preferredwatch orderfor films made by Studio Ghibli. So, let’s dive in and find out!
Is there a watch order for Studio Ghibli movies?
It might not be much of a surprise, but the films made by Studio Ghibli are isolated from each other, meaning there is no story-based reason to watch one before the other. That said — everyone will have their own opinions about where to begin with Ghibli films, and it’ll probably have a lot to do with where they began with Ghibli films.
That said, there’s reason to highlight the release order as a meaningful Ghibli watch order. If you decide to watch them in release order, you’ll be able to see the steadfast improvement in visual and aural style that Ghibli has made from the early ‘80s to today. It also gives you 25 films to catch up on if you haven’t seen any (though there’s nothing wrong with rewatching them if you’ve already seen them).
