As a household name in China, Hayao Miyazaki and the animations he made with Studio Ghibli have had a huge influence on generations of viewers. Hayao Miyazaki’s movies always have the perfect balance between engaging children and adults alike, and his masterpiece Spirited Away raked in about USD 27.7 million during its opening weekend, according to Chinese film ticketing website Maoyan.

There are many Miyazaki-related events going on in town right now, not only can you enjoy a Japanese animation and Studio Ghibli manuscript exhibition, but there’s also the Hayao Miyazaki Hisaishi anime themed concert going on. Here’s our guide to his classics, to help you choose a Miyazaki movie with your little ones and appreciate these events even more.

Spirited Away (2001)

With a score of 9.3 out of 10 on Chinese film rating and review website Douban, Spirited Away is the highest rated of all animation films listed on the site to date. It’s my personal favorite, and I’ve watched it five times, every time feeling something different and reflecting more about myself. Spirited Away documents the adventures of a young girl in a magical world of river gods, witches, and other spirits. The world is tainted by human garbage, but through the help of others and her own persistence and bravery, she finally gets the curse lifted from her parents and is able to take them home.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Based on a novel by the British author Diana Wynne Jones, the story is about a castle made out of junk which moves with the help of a lovable little fire demon named Calcifer, and the relationship between a wizard named Howl and the spunky milliner Sophie. It focuses on how love can lift curses, old and new. The background scenes are drawn with a watercolor aesthetic while characters are vividly portrayed with beautiful colors. Some little children might be upset by the war planes and bombs in the movie, but older ones will enjoy the magic and romance.

Castle in the Sky (1986)

This high-flying adventure begins when a young boy encounters a girl floating down from the sky. They discover they are both searching for a legendary crystal, floating castle, and together they protect it from greedy air pirates and secret government agents. It won the Animage Anime Grand prix in 1986. As classic as the movie itself, the theme song “The Merry-Go-Round of Life” draws you into the beautifully depicted scenes Miyazaki is famous for.

My Neighbor Totoro（1988）

Arguably, My Neighbor Totoro is the most kid-friendly Miyazaki movie. It features the incredible journey of a girl and her four-year-old sister as they move to be closer to their sick mother and discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro. During the journey, they also make friends with different woodland creatures. The movie’s beautiful landscapes and charming characters make it an enchanting treat.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

This film is about two forces battling against one another for survival. The main characters, a young warrior and the brave Princess who was raised by wolves, together protect the forest. The film stands as an allusion to mankind’s desire for economic prosperity while disregarding the destruction of the environment in that pursuit. As it was his first PG-13 film, younger children might be scared by some scenes.

Ponyo (2008)

Ponyo, the eighth film Miyazaki directed for Ghibli, and his tenth overall, features a lovely story about a young boy and a magical goldfish named Ponyo. Drawing its influences from Japanese folklore and The Little Mermaid, Ponyo charms the audience with its simple but touching story. With its likable characters and colorful storytelling, it’d be a visually sweet fairy tale for children of all ages.

Photos: imdb.com, 3lian.com, fathomevents.com

Classic animations have been tested by time and passed, as generation after generation still watch them and fall in love with them. The following animations are a mix of both well known and not so well known. There are the usual solid picks such as the masterpieces of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, the Little Mermaid and more for that family movie night but are not on this list. These animations were released in the 1990s while one was before in the 1980s. These movies still have the same elements as the rest teaching lessons to both young and old viewers and entertainment. These first part includes:

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1998)
This is a remake of an 1989 Japanese animation of the same title in which  a 13-year-old witch, Kiki, must go out into the world and live on her own and lands a job as a delivery girl for a bakery at a seaside town. The fledgling witch is befriended by a talking cat, an artist, and a boy inventor who dreams of sailing through the air on his bike. When Kiki becomes exhausted and sick, she finds the magic within herself to take to the skies again. This movie is rated G.

Mulan (1998)
Unlike other Disney heroines, Mulan shows more grit than glamour. When the Huns invade China, Mulan dresses as a male soldier to take her sick father’s place in the army. She ventures in to the male world to try and prove that she can bring good fortune to her family as she failed to impress the local matchmaker. This Chinese folklore animation is touching and inspiring and great sing a longs.

Spirited Away (2002)
This Japanese (2001) remake is part of Hayao Miyazaki collection of animations. Miyaki also directed Kiki’s Delivery Service creates by hand painterly and surreal images telling the story of a 10-year-old girl, Chihiro who gets lost and separated from her parents in an abandoned theme park. She becomes a worker in a mysterious bathhouse, full of lost souls and phantasmagorical creatures. The exotic landscape that greets the eyes is as vivid as any dream landscape or nightmare. This animation is Parental Guidance (PG) for young viewers.

The Secret of NIMH (1982)
A mousy widow, Mrs. Brisby, must find a way to save her home from the springtime plow. She approaches the mysterious rats of NIMH for help. These super intelligent creatures have high mental prowess due to the result of a lab experiment gone awry at the National Institute of Mental Health. This movies does sound more like a horror but it has the ability to have the whole family laughing due to the mischief the rats get into. This movie is rated G.

Next week, we feature another four movies to pick for movie night.

Photos from movieposters.com