Through the Ages (and Ratings): Studio Ghibli

And like we've mentioned in our blog Studio Ghibli, Movies and Mental Health, Ghibli films also have a unique ability to comfort and inspire, making them an excellent choice for those looking to support emotional well-being through film. Whether you're introducing Studio Ghibli classics to your tamariki for the first time or figuring out which one to choose for your next whānau movie night, our guide will help you navigate the range of Ghibli films, from gentle adventures to more intense experiences.

While all Ghibli films are unrestricted in New Zealand, with ratings from G to M, the level of intensity can vary. Although they are comfort watches for a lot of people, tread carefully when introducing them to tamariki as the films have a strange element to them and are different to your average Disney film. Some offer light-hearted, whimsical adventures, while others explore deeper themes or contain more scary or strange scenes. To help you choose the right Ghibli film for your family, we’ve ranked them from least to most intense, taking into account both the emotional impact and the content.

We know some of these films may carry a wave of nostalgia for you, so this guide is here to help ensure you’re making an informed decision, keeping both the fun and the mental well-being of your tamariki in mind.

A good starting point

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Rating: G | Suitable for general audiences

What’s it about? A father and his two daughters move into an old house. The girls soon find out the house is surrounded by spirits.

Can my child watch this? One of Ghibli’s most popular, this is a good starter film for the whole family to enjoy, and should give you a good sense of the style and themes typical of the animation studio. It’s fairly mild in terms of violence but does have some frightening scenes.

Moments to look out for: There is a distressing scene where a young girl goes missing, showing the desperation of those searching for her. It also features mythical creatures, such as a multi-legged 'cat bus' and large, growling beings with enormous mouths. While they are friendly, they may initially unsettle younger viewers unfamiliar with Studio Ghibli films.

Read more in our content breakdown for My Neighbor Totoro.

The Cat Returns (2002)

Rating: G | Suitable for general audiences

What’s it about? After helping a cat on the street, a seventeen-year-old girl winds up involuntarily engaged to a cat Prince in a magical world where her only hope of freedom depends on some new and unexpected acquaintances.

Can my child watch this? This is another great starter film for younger audiences.

Moments to look out for: Two characters are thrown out the window of a tower as you can hear them scream. Later in the film, their bodies are shown in the background. It appears as though they are either sleeping or dead (but no blood is seen).

Read more in our content breakdown for The Cat Returns.

Arrietty (2010)

Rating:  G | Suitable for general audiences

What’s it about?  The Clock family, four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in a regular-sized family’s home, borrow simple items to live their tiny lives. However, life changes for the Clocks when their teenage daughter Arrietty is discovered.

Can my child watch this? Arrietty should be suitable for all ages as it has minimal frightening or violent scenes.

Moments to look out for: A crow flies into a window screen as a tiny girl stands on the window ledge. The crow squawks and gets trapped in the screen, causing the tiny girl to stumble and nearly fall off the window ledge, but she is saved.

Read more in our content breakdown for Arrietty. 

Ponyo (2009)

Rating: G | Suitable for general audiences

What’s it about? A young boy meets a curious looking goldfish only to find out that she is a princess of the sea who longs to become a human after falling in love with him.

Can my child watch this? Ponyo is another Ghibli favourite suitable for all ages, with fun adventures and heartwarming themes that younger tamariki should love. There are a few potentially scary scenes but they shouldn’t have a lasting impact on viewers.

Moments to look out for: A powerful tsunami floods the town, creating tense moments as characters race to safety. A strong wind nearly blows away a young character, with his mother holding him desperately. Scary-looking water creatures with eyes try to catch the main characters, adding to the tension.

Read more in our content breakdown for Ponyo.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Rating: PG | Violence

What’s it about? A young witch embraces an independent life but finds fitting into a new community in the city tricky. To adjust to the busy and vibrant city life, she embarks on an exciting venture - running a courier service by air.

Can my child watch this? This coming of age film is perfectly watchable for most tamariki, however it does have some themes that very young ones might not pick up on.

Moments to look out for: Kiki faces moments of danger, including being blown off course on her broomstick and attacked by crows. She also engages in risky behaviour, swerving through traffic on a bicycle before veering off a cliff and narrowly avoiding a tram and cars while flying.

Read more in our content breakdown for Kiki’s Delivery Service. 

Next steps

Spirited Away (2002)

Rating: PG |  Supernatural themes

What’s it about? A young girl and her parents wander into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits. To return home, she must rely on her determination, newfound friends, and kindness.

Can my child watch this? Spirited Away is Studio Ghibli’s most famous film, with an Oscar to boot. It's great for many tamariki, but not always right away. There’s mild violence and some creepy moments and characters, so it depends on your child’s comfort level. Try an earlier film first and see how they react – if no hiding behind pillows, you should be good to go! Otherwise, hold off a little longer.

Moments to look out for: The film features unsettling character designs, including spirits, human-like animals, and a shape-shifting creature that becomes more terrifying. Disturbing scenes include Chihiro’s parents turning into pigs, characters being eaten and later vomited out, and a tense chase sequence. Violence includes bloodshed from an injured dragon, fiery outbursts, tantrums, and threats of harm.

Read more in our content breakdown for Spirited Away.

From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)

Rating:  G | Suitable for general audiences

What’s it about?  A group of Yokohama students fight to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball as their town prepares for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Can my child watch this? This film is mostly okay for tamariki but be mindful there is some discussion about death and war.

Moments to look out for:  We see a large explosion as a man’s ship floats toward an underwater mine as a teenage girl’s voiceover explains that her father died in the Korean War. Characters talk about deceased relatives who died in past wars, which sometimes saddens other characters.

Read more in our content breakdown for From Up on Poppy Hill. 

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Rating: PG | Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers

What’s it about? A love story between a girl who loves reading books and a boy who loves violins.

Can my child watch this? Whisper of the Heart is a gentle story with a bit of depth. It’s perfect for tamariki who enjoy a thoughtful, character-driven plot, but there is one dream sequence that may be a bit unsettling. The imagery of a dead chick could be distressing for younger viewers, so it’s worth considering how your child handles more emotional or surreal moments before watching.

Moments to look out for: A dream scene shows a character searching for a gem, which unexpectedly turns into a dead chick. This moment may be upsetting for younger viewers.

Read more in our content breakdown for Whisper of the Heart.

Castle in the Sky (1986)

Rating: PG | Violence

What’s it about? A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and the military in a search for the lost city in the sky, Laputa.

Can my child watch this? This film an action-packed adventure. If your child is sensitive to action or violent scenes, this might be one to save for when they’re a bit older.

Moments to look out for: This film features frequent war violence, including explosions, guns, tanks, and a robot attack that may shock younger viewers. Physical fights and a brief blood spurt from a gunshot are also shown. Some tense scenes involve characters nearly falling from great heights.

Read more in our content breakdown for Castle in the Sky.

Porco Rosso (1992)

Rating: PG | Low level violence

What’s it about? An ex-fighter ace is cursed to look like a pig, becomes a bounty hunter in the Adriatic Sea.

Can my child watch this? Porco Rosso is a fun, adventurous film with a bit of action and light violence. It also includes smoking, which might be worth considering if you’re not keen on exposing your child to that. It’s a good option for kids who are ready for a bit of action but might be better for those a little older.

Moments to look out for: There is some war violence, including airplane dogfights, machine gun fights, grenades, and explosions. A prolonged fistfight leaves characters with bruises and missing teeth. There are also scenes depicting smoking.

Read more in our content breakdown for Porco Rosso.

The Red Turtle (2016)

Rating: PG | Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers

What’s it about? A man is shipwrecked on a deserted island and encounters a big red turtle, who changes his life.

Can my child watch this? There are a couple of scenes with low level violence or frightening moments to be aware of when watching with younger viewers.

Moments to look out for: While frustrated, a man hits a turtle with a stick and flips it over, causing its death. This scene may be upsetting for younger viewers.

Read more in our content breakdown for The Red Turtle.

Good for those a wee bit older

Pom Poko (1994)

Rating: PG | Low level violence

What’s it about? A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs, or “Tanuki”, fight to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by impending urban development.

Can my child watch this?  This film has some adult themes that parents may not be comfortable showing younger audiences, for example, the Tanuki inflate their testicles to a comically large size, using them as gliders and weapons. However this is done in a cartoonish, humorous and non-sexual way. Many Tanuki also die trying to save their homes, from starvation, road accidents, or traps which could be upsetting.

Moments to look out for:  There is one scene where a Tanuki gets run over by a car. A large pool of blood is seen under them afterwards.

Read more in our content breakdown for Pom Poko.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Rating: PG |  Violence

What’s it about? After killing a demon to stop it from destroying his village, the demon curses Prince Ashitaka. Forced to leave behind his old life as a prince, Ashitaka travels west to find a cure. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and humans.

Can my child watch this? Princess Mononoke is a more mature Ghibli film, with intense violence, war themes and one pretty disturbing scene. Given its darker themes, this film is better suited for older tamariki or those ready for a more intense, thought-provoking experience.

Moments to look out for: The film features battles with weapons like bows, guns, grenades, swords, and cannons, resulting in dismemberment, decapitation, and bloody injuries. A large boar is shown decomposing to a skeleton after being killed which is quite disturbing and may shock younger viewers.

Read more in our content breakdown for Princess Mononoke.

The Wind Rises (2014)

Rating: PG |  Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers

What’s it about? This fictional biographical film follows the story of aeronautical engineer, Jiro Horikoshi, who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II.

Can my child watch this? The Wind Rises is a more serious and emotionally complex film, dealing with themes of war and personal sacrifice. While it’s not overly violent, there are moments that might be intense for younger tamariki. If your child has seen other Ghibli films with more mild content, this could be a good next step, but be ready for some heavier moments.

Moments to look out for: A character with a medical condition spits up a disturbing amount of blood. A powerful and violent earthquake causes buildings to collapse and large fires, which may be frightening for younger viewers. Bullies pick on a kid, and a character intervenes by taking one down, leaving mild bruises. War scenes show planes crashing or being destroyed.

Read more in our content breakdown for The Wind Rises. 

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Rating: PG |  Some scenes may scare very young children

What’s it about? Sophie's simple life is turned upside-down when she is turned into a 90-year-old woman by the spiteful Witch of the Waste. She leaves her old life behind and ventures into the waste to search for a way to break her curse. With the help of some unlikely friends, she meets along the way, Sophie faces an even bigger threat – war.

Can my child watch this? Howl’s Moving Castle has some war scenes with explosions, and early intimidation of a female character by soldiers. Some characters could be scary for younger ones. It's a magical adventure but may be better for older tamariki.

Moments to look out for: Howl’s Moving Castle has war scenes with bombs and explosions, and early intimidation of a female character by two soldiers. Blob-like figures chase characters, and some transform into winged monsters or are referred to as "demons." While animated, some imagery may be frightening for younger viewers.

Read more in our content breakdown for Howl’s Moving Castle.

When Marnie Was There (2014)

Rating: PG | Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers

What’s it about? A shy 12-year-old girl, Anna, is sent to spend time with her aunt and uncle who live in the countryside, where she meets Marnie, who becomes her best friend. However, Anna slowly discovers that Marnie might not be who he appeared to be.

Can my child watch this? This tale of friendship is mostly suitable for tamariki however there are some heavy moments they may find frightening.

Moments to look out for: An old lady has multiple flashbacks to when a girl and a boy are killed in a car accident, a man dies due to illness, and a girl and her mother quarrel. These scenes are not graphic.

Read more in our content breakdown for When Marnie Was There.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)

Rating: PG | Violence & nudity

What’s it about?  Kaguya, a beautiful young woman, is sought after by five noble men who want to marry her. To try and avoid becoming the wife of a stranger she doesn’t love, she sends the men on seemingly impossible tasks to prove their love.

Can my child watch this?  There is some low-level violence and one character death that may upset younger audiences, as well as a few instances of non-sexual nudity.

Moments to look out for:  A young man is beaten in the head and chest before he falls unconscious. One person falls on his back, and it is later revealed that he died shortly afterwards.

Read more in our content breakdown for The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Rating: PG |  Violence and coarse language

What’s it about? A young boy named Mahito loses his mother in a fire and moves with his father out of Tokyo to a small village. A talking heron tells him that his mother is still alive, pushing him to enter an abandoned tower in search of her, which takes him to another world.

Can my child watch this? The Boy and the Heron is better suited for older tamariki and rangatahi as there are moments with disturbing imagery and challenging themes.

Moments to look out for: The film features a brief school-yard fight, a sea creature being cut open for food, and carnivorous budgies threatening humans, which may unsettle some tamariki. A character, Mahito, experiences grief and self-harm, leading to a bleeding wound. There’s also some coarse language, including the repeated use of "turd."

Read more in our content breakdown for The Boy and the Heron.

Best for older tamariki or rangatahi

Only Yesterday (1991)

Rating: PG | Adult themes

What’s it about? A twenty-seven-year-old office worker travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo.

Can my child watch this?  This film contains some moments that some may find inappropriate for younger viewers and may be better suited for older tamariki.

Moments to look out for:  In one scene, boys flip up girls skirts, peeking under them to see what underwear they’re wearing, but this view is not shown. There are some discussions about menstruation, which may go over younger viewers’ heads. A girl’s dad slaps her hard across the face.

Read more in our content breakdown for Only Yesterday.

Tales from Earthsea (2006)

Rating:  M |  Medium level violence

What’s it about?  In a mythical land, a wizard rescues a runaway prince, who both set out to investigate their world’s imbalance and defeat an evil foe who seeks to find immortality and destroy Earthsea.

Can my child watch this? Tales from Earthsea contains violence, with some blood, severed body parts, and character deaths. While it’s not overly graphic, this film is better for older tamariki.

Moments to look out for: There is a scene where a boy stabs and kills his father. While little detail is shown this may shock some viewers. A young girl is caught by slave traders, who talk about “having a good time” with her. They grab at her clothes but are interrupted before anything happens to her.

Read more in our content breakdown for Tales from Earthsea.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Rating: M | Adult themes

What’s it about? Siblings and war orphans Seita and Setsuko desperately struggle to survive in Japan during WWII.

Can my child watch this? This film is heavy and emotional, dealing with the devastating impact of war. It’s not suitable for tamariki, and we recommend checking out our content breakdown in advance to ensure it’s the right watch for rangatahi.

Moments to look out for: The film depicts war violence, including bombing raids, explosions, and corpses. Scenes show charred bodies, injured people with bloody bandages, and a corpse wrapped entirely in bloodstained cloth. A particularly strong scene features a decaying corpse covered in bandages with flies and maggots. Another scene shows corpses being dumped into a mass grave. These moments may be disturbing for younger viewers.

Read more in our content breakdown for Grave of the Fireflies.

Final Thoughts

While all Studio Ghibli films are unrestricted in New Zealand, it’s important to remember that they vary in intensity. If your child is ready to dive into the world of Ghibli, films like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Whisper of the Heart are great starting points. But for more intense films like Princess Mononoke or The Wind Rises, a little more maturity might be needed.

Our ratings are here to give parents and whānau the tools to make informed choices about what their tamariki watch. We hope this guide helps you decide which Ghibli films are the right fit for your family!

Further reading:

Studio Ghibli, Movies and Mental Health (Blog)

G-Rated Films: Safe With a Side of Devastation (Blog)

Learn and Watch, don’t Watch and Learn (the hard way) – ‘Find a Rating’ Tool (Blog)

Navigating Early Horror Experiences: Don’t Let Nostalgia Get in the Way of Good Choices! (Blog)

What the M?! (Blog)