REVIEW: My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999)
NOTE: I will be skipping over Princess Mononoke in the Studio Ghibli line-up because I already have a review which you can find here. My Neighbors the Yamadas is an unusual film, both for Studio Ghibli and in general. Most of their movies tend to be either fantastical or mundane, exploring magical worlds or the […]
REVIEW: Pom Poko (1994)
Released in 1994, Pom Poko is based on a true story of urban development in 1960s Japan. The film details how the destruction of sacred forests affected tanuki, or wild Japanese raccoon dogs. Like many of Isao Takahata’s films, Pom Poko presents its story without message or judgment, leaving the audience to make their own […]
REVIEW: Ocean Waves (1993)
Ocean Waves is the rare Studio Ghibli movie that I’ve not only never seen but never heard of before. Released as a TV movie in 1993, Ocean Waves was directed by Tomomi Mochizukim, marking the first Ghibli film not directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, as well as Mochizukim’s only movie with the studio. […]
REVIEW: Porco Rosso (1992)
In 1992, Studio Ghibli released Porco Rosso. In some ways, Hayao Miyazaki’s historical fiction fantasy is more reserved than his earlier efforts, but it still maintains a sense of magic in the world. The film has a unique tone, balancing slapstick comedy with serious subject matter. Miyazaki has actually remarked that making this movie was […]
REVIEW: Only Yesterday (1991)
1991 saw the release of Isao Takahata’s second film for Studio Ghibli, Only Yesterday. Hayao Miyazaki was inspired by a manga of the same name, which detailed the everyday life of a little girl named Taeko. However, he didn’t think he could adapt the episodic, vignette-style comics to feature-length. Takahata kept the idea under his […]
Animazing: Gundam Wing
Cartoon Network’s Toonami anime block was a huge part of my childhood. I can still remember rushing through my homework to catch Dragon Ball Z every afternoon. Whenever I could, I would explore the other shows Toonami had to offer, such as Ronin Warriors, Tenchi Muyo!, and the show that would serve as my introduction […]