Studio Ghiblihas always offered soft moments of beauty, whimsical worlds, and storytelling. However, beneath the surface of many films lies a deeper exploration of themes that often don’t become fully apparent until audiences mature. These include themes of uncertainty, coming-of-age, environmental issues, and anti-war messages that might not resonate as strongly with children.
Some Ghibli films are not considered family-friendly and are specifically aimed at older audiences. These films are made with narratives crafted to have a slower pace, resist easy resolutions, and incorporate internal conflicts. As audiences grow older, the true magic of Ghibli reveals itself through its signature style and complex portrayals of life.
8From Up On Poppy Hill
Released in 2011, Directed by Goro Miyazaki
Set in 1963 Yokohama,From Up on Poppy Hillfollows Umi Matsuzaki, a quiet and capable high school girl who raises signal flags each morning in memory of her father. When she meets Shun Kazama, an outspoken classmate fighting to preserve their school’s historic clubhouse, she joins him, and they gradually begin to form a strong bond.
Their relationship develops alongside Japan’s transition to modernization, a period when people felt caught between tradition and embracing change for the future. As Umi and Shun explore their family histories, they, too, must come to terms with what it means for their relationship and how to move forward from it.
At its core,From Up on Poppy Hillexplores themes of inheritanceand reconciling past and future. As Umi and Shun start to question their origins, viewers become more aware of the significance of what is being left behind. Although the film is suitable for all ages, its themes and depth are best appreciated by adults.
7When Marnie Was There
Released in 2014, Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
When Marnie Was Therecenters around Anna, a young asthmatic girl sent to the countryside to recover her health and escape city life. While exploring the marshlands, she finds an old, seemingly abandoned mansion and meets Marnie. The two quickly form a close bond, giving Anna a sense of connection she’s never experienced before.
As Anna’s visits with Marnie become more frequent, the boundary between memory and reality begins to blur. Marnie’s presence awakens something that has been buried deep in Anna’s past, leading the two to revelations about family and identity. Through their relationship, the film explores mature themes and twists that keep viewers engaged.
The film initially leads audiences to believe that the central question of the story revolves around who Marnie is. However, in reality, it’s about what Anna has been missing in her life, which she desperately seeks to understand and find. That absence and understanding of Anna’s experiences connect much more strongly with adult viewers.
6Princess Mononoke
Released in 1997, Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Princess Mononokeis set in a mythical version of Japan’s Muromachi period and follows Ashitaka, a prince cursed by a demon and exiled from his home. Seeking a cure, he stumbles across the violent clashes between forest gods and industrial settlers, where he meets San, a girl raised by wolves who defends the forest with her life.
As Ashitaka tries to understand both sides of the battle, he slowly begins to grasp the complexities of human ambition and environmental balance. The film doesn’t provide viewers with easy answers or resolutions to the conflict and raises questions about moral responsibility.Princess Mononokeexplores the cost of progress and the fragile harmony between nature and civilization.
The central conflict of the film lacks a clear distinction between good and evil, with both sides depicted as right and wrong in their own ways.Princess Mononokestands outas one of the most complex Studio Ghibli films ever made, with its mature tone and layered conflicts. The film encourages viewers to consider important real-world issues, such as environmentalism.
5Porco Rosso
Released in 1992, Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Porco Rossotakes place at the end of the 1920s in and around the Adriatic Sea. The story follows Marco, also known as Porco, a former World War I fighter pilot who has been mysteriously transformed into a pig. Living as a bounty hunter, he patrols the skies in his red seaplane and mostly keeps to himself.
After being shot down by a rival pilot, Porco travels to Milan for repairs, where he meets Fio, a young and talented engineer who challenges his worldview and helps him confront his past and lingering survivor’s guilt. With themes of identity, redemption, fascism, and the cost of war,Porco Rossostands as a Ghibli film best suited for adults.
While the film is lighthearted and even playful on the surface, it carries a powerful undercurrent of melancholy that is tied to loss, regret, and disillusionment. Living a life of self-imposed exile, Porco is both emotionally and physically removed from the world, and his transformation into a pig is an outward expression of his shame and trauma.
The film resonates more deeply with adult viewersdue to its focus on heavy and introspective themes. Beyond redemption, Porco’s journey is about making peace with the past and accepting imperfection. His cynicism and humor are aimed at a mature audience who can better understand the weight he carries and the importance of his growth in the film.
4The Wind Rises
Released in 2014, Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
The Wind Risescenters on Jiro Horikoshi, whose dreams of becoming a pilot are unreachable due to poor eyesight. Instead, he becomes a visionary aeronautical engineer known for designing the A6M fighter plane used in World War II. Set in pre-war Japan, the film follows his journey through both successes and tragedies.
His personal story changes as Japan gradually moves toward war, and his inventions lead to unforeseen consequences. Alongside Jiro’s love story with Naoko, a woman battling an illness, the film is rich in emotional depth and challenging realities. The movie is a historical drama that explores ambition and the costs of war.
The Wind Risesexplores the collision between idealistic creations and the unexpected repercussions that come with it. This theme lands best with mature viewers who can better understand the heavy cost often hidden behind progress. Through Jiro’s dreams and inventions, audiences witness how they can be both inspiring and haunting at once.
3Grave of the Fireflies
Released in 1988, Directed by Isao Takahata
Grave of the Firefliestakes place during the final months of World War II and follows Seita, a young boy, and his younger sister, Setsuko. After they lose their mother in an air raid and their father is away in the navy, the two are left to fend for themselves in a Japan ravaged by war.
As the siblings move from one shelter to another, the film focuses on their bond and small moments of tenderness that emerge even through trauma and devastation. Setsuko’s innocence and Seita’s protectiveness offer audiences a glimpse of hope as the world around them gradually becomes more difficult to navigate as the war progresses.
While the film centers on child protagonists,Grave of the Firefliesisn’t appropriate for children to watch. With its brutally realistic depiction of wartime hardships, the film doesn’t shy away from showing suffering and loss. The tragedy of the story lies in the slow loss of support and the despair of feeling unseen and unheard during difficult times.
2Only Yesterday
Released in 1991, Directed by Isao Takahata
Only Yesterdayfollows Taeko, a 27-year-old woman from Tokyo who leaves the city to help with the annual safflower harvest. As she works alongside farmers and immerses herself in rural life, she begins to reflect on her childhood in the 1960s. The film shifts between past and present, subtly connecting who Taeko was and who she has become.
The film follows her journey with a slow pace that emphasizes introspection and the bittersweet aspects of aging and reflecting on the past. Taeko gradually faces the unresolved emotions and societal expectations that have shaped her childhood, examining how her past has affected her adulthood. The gap between her desire for clarity and her uncertainty is the story’s main strength.
The film resonates far more strongly with grown audiences who understand and relate to Taeko’s exploration of her memories and wonder if she had followed the right path.Only Yesterdayspeaks to the experiencesthat shape an individual’s adulthood and the seemingly insignificant moments that stick with us.
1The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Released in 2013, Directed by Isao Takahata
The Tale of the Princess Kaguyais based on an ancient Japanese folktale and follows a mysterious girl who was found inside a bamboo stalk and raised by humble farmers. As she grows into a young woman, her beauty begins to attract attention, leading her parents to take her away from their rural village so she can live like nobility.
After leaving behind the freedom and joy of her childhood, Kaguya struggles with the restrictions of wealth, status, and expectation. Her longing for a simple life and a connection to nature only increases as suitors begin to arrive, leading her to give them each impossible demands to prove their love for her.
The film is renowned for its beautiful hand-drawn animation and themes of impermanence and duty. As Kaguya struggles between expectation and desire, she gradually becomes overwhelmed by sorrow as her freedom is taken away. The film’s message resonates most with mature audiences who can fully understand the sorrow behind her story and the cost of living for others.
