Studio Ghibli is frequently referred to as the "Disney of Japan" due to its focus on full animation and its library of family-friendly animated films. Full animation requires 20 to 30 frames per second, which sets it apart from TV animation, which typically uses limited animation (that is, 10 to 15 frames per second) due to time constraints and budget.

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The use of hand-drawn full animation is definitely what makes Ghibli's works stand out as masterpieces. Founder Hayao Miyazaki is known for his inventive imagination and has animated truly beautiful scenes during his time as an animator. But not every Ghibli work is created equal, and some have received worse reviews than others. Here's what MyAnimeList thinks are some of Ghibli's less-impressive works.

10 The Secret World Of Arietty Suffers From Its Lackluster Main Conflict – 7.92

Arietty and Shawn/Sho from The Secret World of Arietty

Arietty is a solid entry in Ghibli's portfolio, but its status as one of the more slice-of-life entries might be costing it some popularity. Arietty follows the life of its titular character, a miniature human known as a Borrower. It's an apt name since these little folks live alongside humans and take, or "borrow", things they need for their survival. A key rule of being a Borrower is to never get involved with humans, but 14-year-old Arietty finds herself drawn to Sho, a sickly boy living in the home alongside Arietty and her family. Viewers have noted that the main antagonist and conflict for this movie isn't as satisfying as it could be.

9 Ponyo's Plot Holes Ended Up Making The Story Unsatisfying For Some – 7.89

Ponyo and Sosuke from Ponyo

This is another film that is heavy on slice-of-life aspects but still has the Studio Ghibli charm fully intact. Five-year-old Sosuke finds and rescues what he perceives to be a goldfish trapped in a bottle, which he names Ponyo. Unbeknownst to Sosuke, Ponyo is actually the daughter of a sea wizard and sea goddess who ran away from home. Ponyo wants to stay with Sosuke, but Ponyo's absence from the ocean sets off a chain of events that causes the Moon to fall out of orbit and the ocean's tides rise as a result. Any story that revolves around the fantastical risks runs into the issue of plot holes, and many viewers have noted the plot holes in Ponyo to be too obvious.

8 From Up On Poppy Hill Needed A More Experienced Director To Stand Out – 7.83

From Up On Poppy Hill Umi and Shun

Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, is responsible for directing this entry in the Ghibli library. It's a coming-of-age period piece that accurately captures 1960s Japan. The film follows Umi Matsuzaki and Shun Kazama, two high schoolers that end up developing feelings for each other after Shun wrote a poem about the flags Umi raises outside her home every day. The art and animation are on par with Ghibli's standards, but the story is less exciting than most of Ghibli's other films. Fans of Ghibli have noted that Goro's direction of the film didn't contain the same wonder and passion that other Ghibli films have.

7 The Cat Returns Lacks A Memorable Narrative – 7.77

the cat returns

Interestingly, The Cat Returns started as a 20-minute short film that ended up as a 75-minute full-length feature. Another notable fact is that this film is one of the few Ghibli features that borrow from its own content since The Cat Returns is a spin-off movie to Whisper of the Heart. The film follows high school student Haru Yoshioka, who's generally bored with the monotony of living.

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One day, she saves a cat from being run over by a truck. The cat ends up being a prince from the Cat Kingdom who eventually asks for Haru's hand in marriage. But if Haru stays in the Cat Kingdom for too long, she'll become a cat herself. Haru goes through a journey of self-discovery that helps her find more confidence in herself. Fans have noted that this film's narrative is too simplistic and doesn't stand out.

6 Only Yesterday's Slow Narrative Isn't Everyone's Cup Of Tea  – 7.46

Only Yesterday

This is one of Ghibli's slower films and the slice-of-life aspect is heavy, so the film might seem boring for those who can't stomach the slice-of-life genre. Only Yesterday is a nostalgic journey through 27-year-old Taeko Okajima's memories. Now an office worker in Tokyo, Taeko takes a 10-day vacation to visit her family back in the country. The film focuses on the differences between urban and rural Japanese life in the 1980s while Taeko forges and strengthens bonds with those she left back home. Taeko's reminiscing leads her to gradually accept the gap between her childhood dreams and her current reality.

5 Pom Poko Is Too Steeped In Japanese Lore To Be Appealing To Everyone – 7.32

pom poko

Pom Poko is heavy on Japanese lore, so it's recommended to do a bit of research on the film in order for the gags to make a bit more sense. This is one of Ghibli's earlier films, released in 1994, nine years after the studio's founding in 1985. It follows a community of tanuki (Japanese raccoon dogs) and their attempts to adjust to the encroaching human population that's destroying their forest homes. Since tanuki are mythical shapeshifters, there are plenty of humorous scenes of the tanuki changing their appearance. This is a fun watch for fans of Japanese myths and culture.

4 My Neighbors The Yamadas Has An Uncharacteristic Art Style – 7.16

my neighbors the yamadas

This film is one of the more unique in Ghibli's library, in terms of both animation and content. My Neighbors the Yamadas is an adaptation of a 4-panel comic of the same name. As such, the film doesn't follow one continuity and instead animates several of the 4-panel episodes of the comics. Ghibli captured the manga style of the Yamadas in its animation, which is quite simple and reminiscent of a comic book. Like Pom Poko, this film is heavily steeped in Japanese culture, so it's definitely appealing for those who enjoy seeing Japanese day-to-day life and relationships. Interestingly, it's one of Ghibli's worst-performing films box-office-wise in Japan.

3 Ronja, The Robber's Daughter Uses CGI Instead Of Hand-Drawn Animation – 7.13

ronja the robber's daughter

Based on the Swedish children's book Ronja Rövardotter by Astrid Lingren, Ronja the Robber's Daughter is Ghibli's only anime series entry in their library. Coming in at 26 episodes, Ronja is about the titular character exploring and enjoying the forest she lives in.

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Ghibli made the interesting choice to animate this in CGI, so the character models still resemble Ghibli's artwork, but the animation is a far cry from the hand-drawn full animation that Ghibli is known for. Regardless, for those who are charmed by simple heart-warming stories, Ronja might be worth a watch... if they aren't unsettled by the CGI animation, that is.

2 Tales From Earthsea Was A Disastrous Debut Film For Goro Miyazaki – 6.91

Tales from Earthsea

This film is Goro Miyazaki's directorial debut and is loosely based on the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin. Unfortunately for Goro, the film did exceptionally poorly. It was harshly criticized by Le Guin for failing to capture the main themes of her series. To add insult to injury, his own father, Hayao Miyazaki, stated that the film made it obvious that Goro was not yet ready to fill his father's proverbial shoes. Tales From Earthsea uses the characters from Le Guin's series but doesn't follow the plot closely. The film is meant to surpass the simple question of good versus evil by addressing the tumultuous human heart, but many disagree on whether Goro managed to pull it off effectively.

1 The Ocean Waves Was A Low Budget Project For Young Ghibli Animators – 6.58

ocean waves

Best friends Taku Morisaki and Yutaka Matsuno find themselves involved in a love triangle with the new transfer student, Rikako Muto, who moved from Tokyo. Rikako soon earns a bad reputation for being snobbish, which makes sense considering the film's coastal small-town setting of Kochi, Japan. In other words, Rikako is having to adjust to a new way of life and only has Taku and Yutaka as friends to turn to. Yutaka is openly enchanted by Rikako, making it awkward for Taku to cope with his own feelings for her since Yutaka is his best friend. The Ocean Waves is a nice slice-of-life romance drama, even if it is the lowest-rated Studio Ghibli movie.

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