What do you think?
Rate this book
Studio Ghibli: The Complete Works
A must have for Studio Ghibli fans to experience all the classic works and look into the future of one of the most renowned animation studios from Japan! From classics like Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind to the latest work, Earwig and the Witch, this beautiful art book introduces all 26 acclaimed Studio Ghibli films. Take a deep look into Ghibli's first 3D feature film, Earwig and the Witch, with an exclusive interview with director Goro Miyazaki.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published December 6, 2022
33 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 15, 2025
Un volume che raccoglie l’intera produzione dello studio giapponese, dai capolavori di Miyazaki e Takahata fino alle opere meno note. Schede, immagini e curiosità compongono un viaggio nell’immaginario Ghibli, dove poesia visiva e narrazione universale si incontrano. Un libro da sfogliare come un album di meraviglie.
May 7, 2025
Mielenkiintoinen kirja, hyvin toteutettu. Herättää mielenkiinnon lukea kirja, koska on paljon värikkäitä kuvia ja teksikin on hyvää. Olen jonkin verran näitä jo lukenutkin, joten hirveästi uutta tietoa elokuvista ei tullut mutta jos ei ole näin paljon näihin laittanut aikaa niin varmasti uuttakin tulee.
March 28, 2023
A great overview of Studio Ghibli work with quite a bit of interesting trivia and history included along with a load of art from the films.
Only thing that was missing in my opinion was a bit more interesting trivia as a lot of the rest of the text you'd already know after watching the films (or avoid so you'd don't have it spoilt).
Only thing that was missing in my opinion was a bit more interesting trivia as a lot of the rest of the text you'd already know after watching the films (or avoid so you'd don't have it spoilt).
February 3, 2025
This book covers every Studio Ghibli film from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind to Earwig and the Witch (with some mentions of The Boy and the Heron, which was still in production when this book was being written).
Every one of those movies, except Earwig and the Witch, gets approximately four full pages devoted to it, including information such as the year of release, a description, credits, plot summary, work on which the film was based (when applicable), main characters, a character relationship diagram, noteworthy scenes and trivia, posters and newspaper advertisements from the film's release (including international posters), and a few behind-the-scenes details.
Earwig and the Witch gets a whole 8-page section of its own at the beginning of the book, including an interview with director Goro Miyazaki. That's followed by a history and timeline of Studio Ghibli. The book wraps up with theatrical pamphlet or planning document text for each of the movies.
Quite a bit of the information covered in this book could easily be learned by simply watching the movies - I sometimes wished that the character relationship diagrams and similar info had been left out in favor of more "behind-the-scenes" stuff. Still, I enjoyed the reminders of movies I haven't watched in years (plus more than a few that I realized I've never seen), and the few behind-the-scenes tidbits and interviews were nice. I also enjoyed learning more about the history of Studio Ghibli - it'd be nice to read something similar devoted to other prominent Japanese animation studios.
There are various special sections throughout the book that highlight themes that come up in a lot of Studio Ghibli movies, such as flight, speed, nature and scenery, food, etc. Again, nothing surprising or unusual, but it was still nice seeing the connections drawn between various movies I've enjoyed watching in the past.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Every one of those movies, except Earwig and the Witch, gets approximately four full pages devoted to it, including information such as the year of release, a description, credits, plot summary, work on which the film was based (when applicable), main characters, a character relationship diagram, noteworthy scenes and trivia, posters and newspaper advertisements from the film's release (including international posters), and a few behind-the-scenes details.
Earwig and the Witch gets a whole 8-page section of its own at the beginning of the book, including an interview with director Goro Miyazaki. That's followed by a history and timeline of Studio Ghibli. The book wraps up with theatrical pamphlet or planning document text for each of the movies.
Quite a bit of the information covered in this book could easily be learned by simply watching the movies - I sometimes wished that the character relationship diagrams and similar info had been left out in favor of more "behind-the-scenes" stuff. Still, I enjoyed the reminders of movies I haven't watched in years (plus more than a few that I realized I've never seen), and the few behind-the-scenes tidbits and interviews were nice. I also enjoyed learning more about the history of Studio Ghibli - it'd be nice to read something similar devoted to other prominent Japanese animation studios.
There are various special sections throughout the book that highlight themes that come up in a lot of Studio Ghibli movies, such as flight, speed, nature and scenery, food, etc. Again, nothing surprising or unusual, but it was still nice seeing the connections drawn between various movies I've enjoyed watching in the past.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
February 5, 2023
A wonderfully illustrated book covering the films of Studio Ghibli from 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' to 'Earwig and the Witch'.
Each film is shown over one or two double-page spreads. These give a film description, a plot summary, the source material, a credits list, the main characters with a diagram showing their relationships to each other, film posters and newspaper advertisements.
There are also intermission pages between the film pages which show and describe different aspects of animation. For example: buildings, flight, speed, battle, eating, and scenery.
Finally, there are essays or excerpts from production notes by the director of each film, which go into more detail about how the film was made.
Lastly there is an index of characters.
With so much information, and all the illustrations too, there is a problem with how the book is laid out. It could really have done with being spread over rather more pages. Crammed into 160 pages in the version I have makes the text in some sections extremely small. It is a brilliant book for anyone with an interest in animation or Studio Ghibli in particular, but I wish it had been spread out better over more pages so the text could have been of normal size.
Each film is shown over one or two double-page spreads. These give a film description, a plot summary, the source material, a credits list, the main characters with a diagram showing their relationships to each other, film posters and newspaper advertisements.
There are also intermission pages between the film pages which show and describe different aspects of animation. For example: buildings, flight, speed, battle, eating, and scenery.
Finally, there are essays or excerpts from production notes by the director of each film, which go into more detail about how the film was made.
Lastly there is an index of characters.
With so much information, and all the illustrations too, there is a problem with how the book is laid out. It could really have done with being spread over rather more pages. Crammed into 160 pages in the version I have makes the text in some sections extremely small. It is a brilliant book for anyone with an interest in animation or Studio Ghibli in particular, but I wish it had been spread out better over more pages so the text could have been of normal size.
May 11, 2024
WOW!
25 of the Studio Ghibli films are explored, praised and shared in thousands of colorful photos, interviews, character profiles, plot breakdowns, movie trivia, animation styles, ads, and of course all of the major credits for the hard work on each film.
While I was vaguely familiar with the big-name success films: Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirted Away, and Howl's Moving Castle, I was honestly impressed and loved everything about Ghibli's films, studio's mantra and their themed films and stories.
Such a great read for movie and anime fans!
25 of the Studio Ghibli films are explored, praised and shared in thousands of colorful photos, interviews, character profiles, plot breakdowns, movie trivia, animation styles, ads, and of course all of the major credits for the hard work on each film.
While I was vaguely familiar with the big-name success films: Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirted Away, and Howl's Moving Castle, I was honestly impressed and loved everything about Ghibli's films, studio's mantra and their themed films and stories.
Such a great read for movie and anime fans!
December 26, 2023
i love studio ghibli. the stories they tell, the style each movie uses, all of it is perfect and the breakdown this book does of every movie from the studio (including Nausicaä!!) is absolutely splendid. animation is more than just a genre for children and studio ghibli is a testament to animation being a form of art. this book helps explain that
March 25, 2024
I loved this, not just as a Ghibli fan but also for the information and insight this brings. You can see the movies through different lightning with this and to some extent also life.
April 13, 2025
very cool to see how some of my favorite movies were made 😍
March 25, 2023
My full review here:
https://animeuknews.net/2023/03/studi...
https://animeuknews.net/2023/03/studi...
April 2, 2023
A NYT piece (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/ma...) on the Studio Ghibli park that opened in 2022 shows unassuming children wandering a walk of simple paths with lush trees. A forest in the small city of Nagakute, Japany remains undisturbed by development, amusement rides, cotton candy vendors and crowds. The attractions are minimal and yet it says so much. Studio Ghibli, helmed by 50 years of experience by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, has delivered fantastical imaginative worlds artistry, play, familial values, spiritual emobidments, adventure and deep feeling. Miyazakai has states he sees this work as first and foremost an artistic venture, and only secondly a firm. The production is described as less of a production line and more of an organically flowering piece built on sketches, color palletes, emotional arcs and picaresque travels.
Influenced by fairytales, Renaissance art, manga , and historical events - these stories can range from airy and family friendly to harrowing and apocalpytic. Consider that the cute and pastoral "My Neighbor Totoro" and the anti-war resonant"Grave of the Fireflies" came out the same day. Both can be windows into the psyche of a child's hopes, anxieties, and lived experience - but offer vastly different experiences. Artistic drawing styles and storytelling methods are expanded on with "Only Yesterday's" wistful nostaglic lens or the emotional pulls of young love with "Only Yesterday". The epic "Princess Mononoke" only 4 years prior to the era defining "Lord of the Rings" holds it's one as a parable about nature , destruction from humans, the spiritual deities observing and facing your story head on. "Spirited Away", the much lauded and beautifully rendered story of a girl contending with the faces and embodiments of the spirt world in a Japanese bathhouse - through her eyes the audience meets a strange but beckoning world of energies, appetites and fantasy.
Viewing the movies is a rewarding and enriching experience on it's own. Still some of the most rewarrding part sof this book are the commentary and thoughts from the creators. Addresses is what it means to create in this post-pandemic time - it adds a layer of creative intent and reflection that adds to the work. At a time when the value of human-generated work is beginning to be questioned by the advent of AI-generated work, a studio like Ghibli may be a refuge and retort to those who admire the mixture of story and craftsmanship touched by the artist. Works like "Spirited Away" are described as a way to cut through the ambiguity of this world and wander into the fantastical. "Kiki's Delivery Service" is described a work in solidarity with youth at crossroads of depdepenance and independance. Newspaper clips and posters imposed throughtout show the mix of commerce and artistry that went well beyond the feature lengths.
Studio Ghibli remaains a growing a powerful force reflecting childhood imagination , ambitions and empowerment. Although the studio has modernized in some ways - exploring digital and computer animation, it remains tied to an original vision. As we await a new release "How do you live" (lated for 2023 release) the original movies remain vibrant and enveloping. Portals to the past , the bizzare , the unexpected and the transcendent.
Influenced by fairytales, Renaissance art, manga , and historical events - these stories can range from airy and family friendly to harrowing and apocalpytic. Consider that the cute and pastoral "My Neighbor Totoro" and the anti-war resonant"Grave of the Fireflies" came out the same day. Both can be windows into the psyche of a child's hopes, anxieties, and lived experience - but offer vastly different experiences. Artistic drawing styles and storytelling methods are expanded on with "Only Yesterday's" wistful nostaglic lens or the emotional pulls of young love with "Only Yesterday". The epic "Princess Mononoke" only 4 years prior to the era defining "Lord of the Rings" holds it's one as a parable about nature , destruction from humans, the spiritual deities observing and facing your story head on. "Spirited Away", the much lauded and beautifully rendered story of a girl contending with the faces and embodiments of the spirt world in a Japanese bathhouse - through her eyes the audience meets a strange but beckoning world of energies, appetites and fantasy.
Viewing the movies is a rewarding and enriching experience on it's own. Still some of the most rewarrding part sof this book are the commentary and thoughts from the creators. Addresses is what it means to create in this post-pandemic time - it adds a layer of creative intent and reflection that adds to the work. At a time when the value of human-generated work is beginning to be questioned by the advent of AI-generated work, a studio like Ghibli may be a refuge and retort to those who admire the mixture of story and craftsmanship touched by the artist. Works like "Spirited Away" are described as a way to cut through the ambiguity of this world and wander into the fantastical. "Kiki's Delivery Service" is described a work in solidarity with youth at crossroads of depdepenance and independance. Newspaper clips and posters imposed throughtout show the mix of commerce and artistry that went well beyond the feature lengths.
Studio Ghibli remaains a growing a powerful force reflecting childhood imagination , ambitions and empowerment. Although the studio has modernized in some ways - exploring digital and computer animation, it remains tied to an original vision. As we await a new release "How do you live" (lated for 2023 release) the original movies remain vibrant and enveloping. Portals to the past , the bizzare , the unexpected and the transcendent.
November 28, 2025
An editorial work by Studio Ghibli themselves, published by Kodansha, no wonder it is such a treat.
The book chronicles Studio Ghibli films from the very first one that was Nausicaa (1984) until The Red Turtle (2016), both directed and produced works alike. The content includes the general need-to-know and doesn't discriminate, even towards some lesser works like Earthsea.
My favourite section is definitely "In Their Own Words", which has memos and letters from the directors themselves to the production teams and the staff, how they saw the films, what they wanted to bring, the messages they would like to share, and why these stories the ways they were and so on. I don't think I'd have access to these pieces of writing without this book. (Or maybe I'm not hardcore enough of a fan to find all of these myself.)
I also appreciate all that about Isao Takahata, especially my three favourites of his: My Neighbours the Yamadas, Princess Kaguya and Pom Poko.
How I wish I could look into the artbooks of My Neighbours the Yamadas and Spirited Away, just next to this book but wrapped tightly in plastic...
Still, I think they can do a better job at making this book something new, something exciting (maybe an experience, like their movies) rather than this feeling of a formula, or worse: a chore.
The book chronicles Studio Ghibli films from the very first one that was Nausicaa (1984) until The Red Turtle (2016), both directed and produced works alike. The content includes the general need-to-know and doesn't discriminate, even towards some lesser works like Earthsea.
My favourite section is definitely "In Their Own Words", which has memos and letters from the directors themselves to the production teams and the staff, how they saw the films, what they wanted to bring, the messages they would like to share, and why these stories the ways they were and so on. I don't think I'd have access to these pieces of writing without this book. (Or maybe I'm not hardcore enough of a fan to find all of these myself.)
I also appreciate all that about Isao Takahata, especially my three favourites of his: My Neighbours the Yamadas, Princess Kaguya and Pom Poko.
How I wish I could look into the artbooks of My Neighbours the Yamadas and Spirited Away, just next to this book but wrapped tightly in plastic...
Still, I think they can do a better job at making this book something new, something exciting (maybe an experience, like their movies) rather than this feeling of a formula, or worse: a chore.
August 14, 2024
I usually watch several of the Ghibli Fest films every year in theaters, but this year I had a severe injury that basically kept me homebound for most of the summer. Since I couldn't watch the films, I decided to read about them instead, and it was a real pleasure.
I loved reading about all the little details of each film, and seeing all the different promotional posters and news ads that were printed. The "In Their Own Words" section gave me a whole new insight and appreciation into the stories. My favorite parts, however, were the "Ghibli Draws" sections. Seeing how creatively, colorfully, and intentionally all the art and animation was made really demonstrates how Ghibli works are masterpieces in and of themselves.
My only dissapointment with this book is that it did not include the most recent film, "The Boy and The Heron." The author notes that as of 2022, Miyazaki was working on the film. It's a shame publication of this book couldn't be delayed to include that final film, but I also can't blame the author considering how often Miyazaki bounces in and out of retirement.
A very enjoyable read and an excellent addition to my personal collection.
I loved reading about all the little details of each film, and seeing all the different promotional posters and news ads that were printed. The "In Their Own Words" section gave me a whole new insight and appreciation into the stories. My favorite parts, however, were the "Ghibli Draws" sections. Seeing how creatively, colorfully, and intentionally all the art and animation was made really demonstrates how Ghibli works are masterpieces in and of themselves.
My only dissapointment with this book is that it did not include the most recent film, "The Boy and The Heron." The author notes that as of 2022, Miyazaki was working on the film. It's a shame publication of this book couldn't be delayed to include that final film, but I also can't blame the author considering how often Miyazaki bounces in and out of retirement.
A very enjoyable read and an excellent addition to my personal collection.
May 21, 2025
Reads like they needed to reach a word count for an essay. They take an incredibly interesting subject matter and never say anything more in depth than a few sentence summary of the films they discuss. Seeing the different newspaper ads was cool, but the repetition of them appearing combined with a lack of diversity in how they presented the information made even those grow boring after a while. +1 star for including the theatrical pamphlets at the end.
July 2, 2023
If you love Studio Ghibli this book is perfect for you. Extremely detailed and provides so much information about the creation of the Studio, their iconic films and the process of making each of them.
March 15, 2024
The pictures were beautifully put together and the behind the scenes were eye popping. Marketing and promotion of each movie led me to the interest in the business side of ghibli and that it involves so many people to make it such a perfect film.
April 1, 2023
3.5 stars
October 27, 2023
For Ghibli Fans this is an awesome book with extra background information about the movies
February 16, 2024
very much a picture book but a good overview of the ghibli universe. done but people who understands ghibli and it’s beauty
February 26, 2024
Is it gif or gif?
Ghibli or Ghibli? Well hey,
It's art, regardless.
(3.5 stars)
Ghibli or Ghibli? Well hey,
It's art, regardless.
(3.5 stars)
July 14, 2024
Extremely basic, even as a coffee table book.
For the ones that have never heard of the studio but are interested. It’s nice(ish).
For the ones that have never heard of the studio but are interested. It’s nice(ish).
July 28, 2024
Essential reading for those of us who are fans of all things Ghibli. A great way to dip int your favorites and explore some of the lesser well known films.
September 25, 2024
Un increíble libro que revisa 25 películas de estudio Ghibli
Read
December 31, 2024sehr interessant!🫶🏼
October 12, 2025
Nothing special but a cute little book for fans
December 9, 2025
There’s some interesting tidbits but for the most part you will get more out of just watching the movies
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews