5 Valuable Studio Ghibli Posters and the Films That Made Them Iconic

Studio Ghibli doesn’t just make animated movies—they craft timeless worlds. Whether it’s a giant spirit or a war-torn forest, these films pull us in and never quite let us go. However, there’s another layer to their magic that doesn’t always get the spotlight—unless you're a die-hard Ghibli fan, of course! 

We're talking about the Studio Ghibli movie posters.

In this blog, we explore five Studio Ghibli classics and the truly unforgettable posters that helped define them.

1. "My Neighbor Totoro" (1988)

"My Neighbor Totoro" is a quiet film. There are no battles, no villains, no life-or-death stakes. Instead, it’s about two sisters adjusting to a new home in the countryside while their mother is in the hospital. They explore the woods, encounter forest spirits, and ride a Catbus across the sky.

And then they meet Totoro—a giant, fluffy forest spirit with a Cheshire Cat grin.

Totoro doesn’t speak. He doesn’t solve problems. But somehow, he becomes a symbol of comfort, imagination, and childhood wonder.

Now think about the poster. It’s one of the most famous images in animation: Totoro standing at a bus stop in the rain next to a small girl. There are umbrellas, puddles, and a dark forest behind them. It’s mysterious, but also deeply comforting.

What’s even more mind-blowing is that the girl in the poster isn’t even in the movie. She’s a mix of the two sisters, designed purely for promotional purposes. Still, that poster became so beloved that it helped cement Totoro as Ghibli’s official mascot. 

2. "Kiki’s Delivery Service" (1989)

At first glance, "Kiki’s Delivery Service" is sweet and simple: a young witch leaves home to find her place in the world, delivering packages by broomstick in a seaside city. But under the charm lies one of Studio Ghibli’s most emotionally honest films—a coming-of-age story that doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulty of growing up.

Kiki doesn’t face villains. Her real battles are internal. 

And that’s what sets this film apart: it’s about creative burnout. About losing confidence. About waking up one day and realizing you don’t feel like yourself anymore. For anyone who's struggled with motivation, identity, or just being enough, Kiki’s journey hits home.

What makes the film even more special is how quietly revolutionary it is. Released in 1989, it featured a strong, independent female lead without needing romance or rebellion to define her. Kiki is kind, flawed, capable, and relatable. 

As for the poster, it’s a soft, sweeping shot of Kiki flying over rooftops, red bow in her hair, cat in tow. It doesn’t scream for attention, and neither does the film. But it stays with you—quiet, steady, and real.

Fun fact: the city Kiki flies over isn’t any one place—it’s a hybrid of Stockholm, Visby, Paris, and other European towns!

3. "Princess Mononoke" (1997)

"Princess Mononoke" is what happens when Ghibli goes full epic. It’s bloody, it's political, and it’s filled with gods and demons and dying forests. It’s also breathtakingly beautiful. 

The story centers on Ashitaka, a cursed prince caught between humans exploiting nature and gods trying to protect it. And then there is San—a fierce girl raised by wolves. She bites, she bleeds, and she hates humans—but she’s also one of Ghibli’s most beloved characters. 

Miyazaki reportedly went into near-collapse during production. The film took years to complete as it was hand-drawn with almost obsessive attention to detail. The result? A global box office smash that redefined what animated films could be.

5. "Spirited Away" (2001) 

This is the film that changed everything for Studio Ghibli. 

"Spirited Away" won the Academy Award, broke box office records, and introduced millions outside Japan to Ghibli for the first time.

It starts with a girl, Chihiro, entering a mysterious world to rescue her parents, who’ve been turned into pigs. What unfolds is a surreal coming-of-age story: a bathhouse for spirits, a faceless monster who eats emotions, and a dragon boy who’s also a river. It’s strange, it’s spellbinding—and it all makes emotional sense.

The film is loaded with metaphors: about growing up, losing your name, and working to find your place in a confusing adult world. It’s also deeply Japanese in its spiritual imagery, blending Shinto folklore with universal themes of identity and resilience.

5. "Howl’s Moving Castle" (2004)

“Howl’s Moving Castle" was released a few years after Spirited Away, and while it doesn’t hit quite the same critical high notes, it’s become a fan favorite. 

The story is about Sophie, a young woman who is cursed with old age by a jealous witch, and who finds refuge with the vain and mysterious wizard Howl. And then there’s the castle itself—an unforgettable creation. It wheezes, clanks, and waddles across valleys like it’s alive. It’s made from scraps, powered by magic, and held together with heart—very much like the film itself.

The film is based on the novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones, but Miyazaki reshaped it into something far more personal. He was disillusioned by the Iraq War at the time, and the film reflects that. It’s one of Ghibli’s most openly anti-war works.

At the same time, it’s a deeply romantic film. Not in a cheesy, love-at-first-sight way, but in a quieter, more adult way: two people broken in different ways learning how to care for each other.

Bonus #6:"Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind"(1984)

Technically, this one isn’t a Ghibli film. It was released in 1984, a year before Studio Ghibli was officially founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki. However, none of Ghibli would exist without it, and this is why it's a bonus entry to this list. 

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where toxic jungles have overtaken much of the planet, and what’s left of humanity is locked in endless wars over survival. In the middle of it all is Nausicaä—a princess, a scientist, a pilot, and a fighter—trying to understand the strange new nature instead of fearing or conquering it.

What sets this film apart isn’t just its world-building (which is, incidentally, totally incredible), but its message. Nausicaä doesn’t win with force. She listens. She learns. And she sacrifices. 

For a film made in the mid-'80s, it's shockingly forward-thinking, especially in how it frames environmental collapse and human arrogance. 

As for Nausicaä, she became the prototype for many future Ghibli heroines—strong, empathetic, and morally complex.

If these films live rent-free in your head, imagine what a Studio Ghibli poster could do on your wall. Explore FilmArtGallery’s collection and bring home a piece of animation history.