It's time for our next three Studio Ghibli films as my quest to watch and rank all the studio's output continues. This time it's a Miyazaki family extravaganza with Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo directed by Hayao and Tales from Earthsea directed by his son Goro. If you want to start from the beginning part 1 is her e. If not, let's get cracking with these 3 and see how they compare to what I've seen so far.

Loosely based on Dianne Wynne's novel of the same name, Howl's Moving Castle tells the story of a young woman named Sophie who is turned old by an evil witch. She then meets a wizard named Howl, who lives in a spectacular but rather dilapidated old castle which moves on four legs, and is powered by a fire-demon named Calcifer. In the backdrop to all this, there is a war happening with another unnamed kingdom.

Howl's Moving Castle was made in response to the Iraq war and Miyazaki's anger about it. As such it definitely has an anti-war message in there. War is depicted as idiotic and unwise throughout the film. However, this isn't the only theme and I'd say the more prominent message is that of humans getting happier in old-age, as we are freed from the expectations and challenges of youth. It once again features a very strong female central character in Sophie who helps the rather self-destructive and vain Howl realise the power he has. This is another Miyazaki film that tackles an awful lot of subjects in its running time and I felt it didn't quite do it as skillfully as for example Princess Mononoke where, although there was a lot going on, it all still felt absorbable in one viewing. This one feels like you need to watch it at least twice and there were definitely certain parts that didn't fully sink in for me on my initial viewing. It joins Spirited Away on the list of films that may well rise up the rankings on a second viewing. It's ambitious and magical, if slightly inaccessible.

8/10

Hayao Miyazaki had always wanted to adapt Ursula K. Le Guin's Tales from Earthsea books to the big screen. When he initially asked he was turned down due to Le Guin's assumption that Ghibli was just another Disney. Many years later, when she realised this was not the case, she gave Studio Ghibli the rights to the film. Unfortunately, Hayao Miyazaki was busy on Howl's Moving Castle and so against his will, the film was given to his son Goro, who had limited animation experience. Father and Son didn't talk throughout its entire production and Hayao was apparently rather disappointed with his son's film upon seeing it for the first time.

Tales from Earthsea is a fantasy tale of wizards and dragons. It follows the story of Ged (or Sparrowhawk), a wizard who bumps into Prince Arren, a young boy with a dark side, as the world is beginning to deteriorate and all kinds of strange happenings are going on. They adventure together on a quest to stop an evil foe whose search for immortality could be the end of Earthsea.

This film gets a lot of hate and is generally believed to be Ghibli's worst film. While I probably agree, I disagree that this is a bad film, I just think it's a flawed one. The animation itself is just as stunning as any other Ghibli film (if perhaps less original or imaginative) and the dragons look particularly fantastic. The story, pacing and script are a little clunky but not to the point where it's particularly egregious, it just lacks the magic of some of his father's best work. As I've never read the books, the fact it takes large liberties with the plot didn't bother me. I liked the main characters, particularly Sparrowhawk, and thought that some of the more dreamy scenes were very effective. I also liked the androgynous villain. I think Goro Miyazaki bit off a little more than he could chew here, but the film is still enjoyable and I'd say it's 'ok' rather than 'bad'.

6/10

Ponyo is essentially Hayao Miyazaki's take on The Little Mermaid. One morning when heading down to the small beach near his house, the young Sosuke finds a small goldfish in a glass which he rescues and calls Ponyo. The films centers on their adventures together and Ponyo's quest to become a human and bring back the balance of nature.

As with a lot of Ghibli films, this one has a strong environmental message. However unlike a lot of Ghibli films, this one is definitely aimed at children. Ponyo as a character is absolutely adorable and the whole film has a very whimsical, sweet feel to it despite some of the horrible things happening. The protagonists are younger than those in most Ghibli films and that adds to the more simplistic feel of the film. It's beautiful to watch and there are some touching moments. However, it isn't among my favourites thanks to there not being as much to chew on than other films by the studio and the fact I found it a little hard to get behind the idea of kids this young falling in love. It's definitely one I'd recommend showing to children as I think they'd really enjoy it and it is very sweet, but it didn't do that much for me personally.

6/10

With only two of these posts left to go let's see how these three rank up against the others I've seen so far. New entries in bold italics.

1. Princess Mononoke

2. My Neighbour Totoro

3. Grave of the Fireflies

4. Kiki's Delivery Service

5. Spirited Away

6. Howl's Moving Castle

7. Laputa: Castle in the Sky

8. Whisper of the Heart

9. Only Yesterday

10. Porco Rosso

11. The Cat Returns

12. Ponyo

13. My Neighbours the Yamadas

14. Pom Poko

15. Tales from Earthsea

Thanks for reading. Join me again next time for Arrietty, From Up on Poppy Hill and The Wind Rises.