Commonly regarded as one of the best animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli continues to be lauded for its impeccable art style and unique storytelling capabilities. While much of this praise is centered around the immersive, wholesome ambiance in works like Kiki's Delivery Service, Studio Ghibli's darker, creepier subject matter has played a critical role in their continued success.

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Many of these darker Studio Ghibli films have become iconic in their own right for the spine-tingling spirits and monsters they spotlight. Even though viewers are supposed to root for these films' human (or human-adjacent) protagonists, audiences can't help but be drawn to the over-the-top, visually unsettling creatures that act as supporting characters or outright antagonists.

10 Catbus Has A Constant Smile That Unnerves Viewers

My Neighbor Totoro

The Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro shining its lights on Totoro.

The aptly named Catbus in My Neighbor Totoro is a large 12-legged cat that serves as a form of transportation for Totoro throughout the film. While many fans gravitated to this character for its cat-like qualities and interesting design since it was heavily inspired by the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, many others found its perpetual toothy grin unnerving.

Another creepy aspect of the Catbus is the glowing yellow eyes that act as the feline vehicle's headlights. Since these eyes rarely blink, they make the Catbus seem ominously all-seeing — despite the creature doing nothing villainous throughout the film.

9 The Kodama Can Be Quite Unsettling In The Right Context

Princess Mononoke

The kodama from Princess Mononoke.

Although the Kodama in Princess Mononoke are inherently harmless and can even be quite cute, these creatures' simplistic features and odd, stilted movements can be unsettling. Despite being a positive presence throughout the film as an indication that the forest they inhabit is healthy, the constant, inquisitive looks on their faces combined with their rudimentary features can send tingles down viewers' spines.

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While many viewers have a hard time pinpointing what is so unnerving about these little monsters, much of their creepiness comes from their humanoid qualities, like their doughy white bodies. Because of this, these creatures could easily be made into creepy, inhuman-yet-humanoid antagonists in a feature-length horror film.

8 Therru's Dragon Form Is Creepy In An Understated Way

Tales From Earthsea

Therru's dragon form in Tales from Earthsea.

Despite being seen as neither good nor evil, the dragons in Tales from Earthsea can be quite unnerving to look at in their sheer magnitude and jagged, intimidating features. While these monsters' enormous size is more than enough to make them feared, they are made much more unsettling by their immense strength and cynical view of humans.

There are many terrifying dragons present in Tales from Earthsea, but the creepiest one is undeniably the dragon Therru becomes near the end of the film. Although Therru's dragon form is not revealed until the film's climax, this transformation is immensely effective due to the sheer enormity of her dragon form and how tremendous of a departure this transformation is from Therru's human form.

7 The Blob Men Are Made Even More Unsettling When Viewers Realize How Humanoid They Are

Howl's Moving Castle

The blob men from Howl's Moving Castle.

The blob men in Howl's Moving Castle are magical beings that the Witch of the Waste created to do her bidding. Although these creatures aren't entirely sinister, their inhuman contortion abilities combined with their humanoid figures make them effortlessly creepy.

Just when audiences thought these monsters couldn't possibly get more unsettling, Madame Suliman's blob men appear in form-fitting green soldier uniforms that make their bulbous appearance even more readily apparent. While the blob men are not notably unnerving at first glance and can even look quite silly due to their rotund noses, these mindless minions can be immensely creepy in the right context.

6 The Ohmu Are Unnerving In Their Sheer Magnitude

Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind

The Ohmu from Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind.

Throughout Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, audiences gradually become endeared to Ohmu as they realize how misunderstood these gentle giants are by humans. However, for much of the film, Ohmu are hulking, intimidating presences that are made even creepier by their erratic behavior and unpredictability.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind ends on an uplifting note that highlights the holistic and restorative results of realizing the inherent wonder of the natural world and the creatures that call these environments home. However, it can be hard to appreciate this resounding theme due to the Ohmu's intimidating appearances and unnerving ability to enact mass destruction when angered.

5 The Kashira Prove That Humanoid Monsters Are Some Of The Most Unsettling

Spirited Away

The Kashira Heads from Spirited Away.

The Kashira (which aptly translates to "head") are a trio of large green heads that serve as Yubaba's minions in Spirited Away. While their appearance as bodiless, free-willed heads is creepy in and of itself, these creatures are made even more unsettling by their odd movements and the angry expressions they constantly have on their faces.

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Without question, the odd trio's creepiest moment occurs as they ominously hop around Chihiro. Throughout this brief sequence, these monsters' eyes remain crossed and unfocused, a simple yet effective detail that enhances their understated, unsettling presence.

4 Lord Cob's Sinister Intentions Manifest In His Immensely Creepy Final Form

Tales From Earthsea

Lord Cob from Tales From The Earthsea.

Although many of the creepiest Studio Ghibli monsters are monstrous by nature, some of these creepy characters appear to be human for much of the film, only to transform into truly unsettling monsters. A perfect example of this is Tales from Earthsea's main antagonist, a dark wizard named Lord Cob, who upsets the earthly balance between life and death by seeking immortality.

While Cob is a compelling presence throughout the film as a mysterious, androgynous character, his taboo motivations eventually begin to manifest physically. When they do, Cob assumes a skeletal, almost rotting form that brings the atrocity of his actions to light.

3 Nago Serves As A Testament To How Terrifying Animal Antagonists Don't Need To Be Anatomically Accurate To Be Impactful

Princess Mononoke

Nago from Princess Mononoke.

In Princess Mononoke, Nago is initially the well-respected leader of the Boar clan. However, the film quickly takes a turn for the worse when Nago is shot by Lady Eboshi, which corrupts him and turns him into a fearsome Demon God.

From this point onwards, Nago poses an unsettling presence as a merciless Demon God who solely lives to make all humans suffer, as Lady Eboshi made him suffer. Nago looked like a typical boar before he was corrupted, but once he becomes a Demon God, he is truly a source of nightmare fuel — from his red glowing eyes to the crawling worms that cover his body and crush everything and anything in his path.

2 Howl's Bird-Like Monster Form Is Effectively Creepy Despite Its Lack Of Screen Time

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's monster form in Howl's Moving Castle; a scary face enveloped by gray-blue feathers.

Throughout the majority of Howl's Moving Castle, powerful wizard Howl is immensely charming, and his kind-hearted nature shines through as he develops a close bond with Sophie. However, the wizard's monstrous, bird-like form reminds viewers of the wretched toll Howl must pay for using Calcifer's magic.

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When Howl first transforms into a bird-like monster, any inkling of terror is quelled by the fact that audiences can still see Howl's face. However, as Howl continues to transform, he gradually loses his humanity, and the appearance of his creepy, monstrous form begins to reflect this.

1 No-Face Creepily Exemplifies How Humanity's Abounding Greed Can Turn Monstrous

Spirited Away

No-Face looking at the camera in Spirited Away with food in his hand

Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away could easily be considered a psychological horror film, from the central plot device of Chiharu's parents being turned into pigs to the abundance of creepy spirits that patronize the Bathhouse to pamper and nourish themselves. However, out of the Bathhouse's many unnerving patrons, one that undoubtedly stands out is No-Face, a dark spirit with an emotionless mask for a face.

While No-Face is initially soft-spoken and mild-mannered, this quickly changes as he ingests individuals at the Bathhouse and begins to display their toxic, negative traits. As a result, No-Face becomes a creepy, gluttonous monster whose hunger and greed know no bounds.

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