Hayao Miyazaki‘s filmography is widely regarded as one of animation’s greatest achievements, with movies such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away (which turned 25 on July 20, 2026), and Princess Mononoke earning admiration across generations. Yet not every Miyazaki film has inspired the same level of consensus. His willingness to experiment with tone, structure, pacing, ideology, and storytelling has occasionally produced films that divide even devoted fans.
Some viewers embrace their unusual choices as proof of Miyazaki’s creative ambition, while others find those same choices frustrating, confusing, or emotionally distant. From a wartime drama that raises uncomfortable questions about artistic responsibility to a fantasy epic that leaves crucial ideas deliberately unexplained, these are the Miyazaki films that have generated the most disagreement.
5. The Wind Rises Divided Fans With Its War Story
Jiro and Nahako from The Wind Rises. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]
The Wind Rises ranks fifth because its divisiveness comes from a fascinating contradiction: Miyazaki condemns war while centering a man whose greatest achievement helped create it. The film treats Jiro Horikoshi’s love of aviation with genuine beauty, but some viewers felt its lyrical romance and nostalgic tone softened the moral weight of designing the Zero fighter.
Others appreciated that ambiguity, seeing Jiro as an artist trapped inside history rather than a simple war hero. That unresolved tension is precisely what divides audiences. It ranks the lowest on this list because its central conflict remains clear, even when its treatment of war is uncomfortable.
4. Howl’s Moving Castle Divided Fans With Its Confusing Narrative
Howl’s Moving Castle is more divisive because its emotional ideas are often stronger than its plot mechanics. Miyazaki significantly reshaped Diana Wynne Jones’ novel, turning the story into a more pronounced anti-war fantasy while leaving several character motivations, magical rules, and plot developments deliberately hazy. Supporters see that dreamlike looseness as part of the film’s charm. Critics see a narrative that rushes through major revelations and resolves conflicts too conveniently.
Its shifting tone, from romance and comedy to political commentary and surreal fantasy, can feel thrilling or disjointed. It ranks below Ponyo because its complexity creates genuine debate, rather than simply making the story feel unusually simple.
3. Ponyo Divided Fans With Its Childlike Story And Simple Plot
Ponyo and Sōsuke from Ponyo. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]
Ponyo sits in the middle because its simplicity is both its greatest strength and its most divisive creative choice. Miyazaki deliberately embraces the perspective of very young children, building the film around wonder, repetition, instinct, and fairy-tale logic rather than tightly explained mythology. For some viewers, that makes the film wonderfully pure.
For others, the loose plot and abrupt supernatural developments feel underwritten compared with the layered storytelling of Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. Its environmental ideas are also presented more impressionistically than analytically. Ponyo ranks third on this list and cannot move up because its childlike approach radically challenges expectations of what a Miyazaki film should be.
2. The Castle Of Cagliostro Divided Fans With Its Unorthodox Tone
Arsène Lupin III and Daisuke Jigen from The Castle of Cagliostro. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]
The Castle of Cagliostro ranks second because it can feel like the least traditionally “Miyazaki” film on this list while also revealing the director’s earliest instincts. As a Lupin III adventure, it favors fast-paced comedy, elaborate chases, romantic adventure, and broad heroic charm over the slower, more contemplative storytelling associated with Miyazaki’s later work.
That tonal shift can be exhilarating for viewers seeking pure entertainment, but disappointing for those expecting the moral complexity of his later films, which is why it ranks second here. Miyazaki also substantially reinterprets Lupin’s personality, creating a gentler, more heroic version. If you want to know the ideal watch order of Miyazaki films, then The Castle of Cagliostro is where you begin.
1. Nausicaä Divided Fans With Its Dense Story And Complex Themes
Nausicaä from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. [Credit: Topcraft]
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind ranks first because its ambition creates the sharpest gap between what viewers admire and what some find frustrating. The film compresses a sprawling post-apocalyptic world of ecological collapse, militarism, political conflict, pacifism, and competing ideas about humanity’s relationship with nature into a single feature. In January 2026, Miyazaki fuelled rumors of coming back from retirement when he was seen working on Nausicaä art.
The film is unusually rich, but its dense worldbuilding and compressed storytelling can leave some characters and conflicts underdeveloped. It ranks above the others because its ideological ambition most directly challenges viewers to interpret rather than simply follow the story.
Here’s a ranking table:
RankAnimeIMDb Rating(as of July 21, 2026)Where To Watch5The Wind Rises7.8/10Max (formerly HBO Max), Prime Video/Apple TV (rent)4Howl’s Moving Castle8.2/10Max (formerly HBO Max), Prime Video/Apple TV (rent)3Ponyo7.6/10Max (formerly HBO Max), Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home2The Castle of Cagliostro7.6/10Crunchyroll, Apple TV/Prime Video (purchase)1Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind8.0/10Netflix, Prime Video
Do you agree with this ranking? Share your pick in the comments!
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