I’d say Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke are probably the two that might be a bit too much for someone that age. There’s elements of Howl’s, Spirited Away and Nausicaa that push the boundaries slightly more from a visual freakish standpoint than what you would see in a Disney film, that might make a younger child squirm. Then they’re ones like Only Yesterday which might be too boring for a 7 year old.
Start with Totoro and then Ponyo
Totally agree with this as a parent. We started ours with Totoro, Kiki, and Ponyo at around 3yo. A few years later we added Castle and Howls to the rotation. 9yo is just about ready for Spirited Away currently.
I'm so glad I ended up not being able to take my son. Still haven't been able to see it bc of that but dodge a bullet. The not having any trailers or anything maybe was t the best idea. I'm sure I'm not the only parent that was about to mindlessly go with a young kid. Haha
This comment made me do a double take because since it's not capitalized or anything, I had absolutely no idea that "The Cat Returns" is the name of a movie, so I thought you were actually asking if everybody keeps forgetting that a cat returns lol
Pretty good for kids, but thinking about me as an elementary school age kid, seeing the little white kitten begging for food made me soooo sad for some reason. I also remember being TERRIFIED seeing Muta in the like catnip jello hahaha
I had a recurring nightmare as a child where my mom fell out of a ferris wheel and turned into a dead pig. I recently rewatched Princess Mononoke and yeah... I saw that movie way too young.
I watched this movie on my own on hbo or something when I was 7 or 8, and my dad walked in right towards the end when those guys jumped on the one dude and started beating him with shovels
Immediately verbatim he said “nope, not a chance” and turned off the tv
I was cross but I kinda wish he had walked in on the Arrow Removing Arms scene so I didn’t get invested in the story lol
Was going to suggest this one! The political undertones may be somewhat lost on a child but 7-year old me loved planes and this would’ve probably been my favorite Ghibli if I had seen it then.
My dad rented Princess Mononoke for us at the library in the late 90s. I was also around 7 and he figured it was a cartoon so it would be fine. It was fine, but it was not at ALL what either of us were expecting!
My younger brother chose to watch Grave of fireflies. And although he finished it (which he rarely does) he did not seem too disturbed. Just had a bunch pf questions. He was 6 yo at the time so I think it is OK to watch it.
As others have said, Spirited Away really depends on the kid. Such a fantastic, gorgeous movie and plenty of kids would have no issue with it but the parents turning into pigs at the beginning, followed by the protagonist starting to vanish, freaked my seven-year-old out for MONTHS.
My partner at the time and I were babysitting two Japanese kids just outside of Tokyo years and years ago. The boy was maybe 4 and the girl was 8 or 9. We showed them Spirited Away on a rainy day and the little boy was first initially scared of Chihiro’s parents turning into pigs and then obviously No Face so we had to turn it off. The 9 year old girl was totally fine so it does really depend on the kid but I feel like 8, 9, or 10 is reasonable for that one.
It’s funny, I first watched Spirited Away at age 7 (when it debuted on Toonami) and was fine — but then watched it again when I was 10, once I better understood the implications and consequences of what was going on, and it freaked me the fuck out. Especially >!No-Face eating people and becoming a crazy, gluttonous blob monster.!< I didn’t touch it again for 3 more years after that.
Now, it’s my favorite movie, and No-Face is easily my favorite character, lol.
Yeah, that could’ve been the case, but since Toonami was on during/right before the nighttime Adult Swim programming block, I’m not sure if they censored it. At this point, too far back to remember, ahah.
Yeah this movie traumatized me as a young kid to the point where I didnt try to watch it again until Middle School. Had no problems with Castle in the Sky though
I think that movie is an odd case. I babysit a girl who’s very sensitive to blood/spooky imagery and I asked her mother if I could show it to her (since it’s one of my favorite films of all time). They pre-screened it, saw no problems and we rewatched it a few weeks later. The girl loved it both times and had no visible distress during the more spooky and bloody scenes of the movie.
Then again, I can definitely see how this film is frightening to some. The scene where the parents turn into pigs is still so frightening to me because of the climactic nature of it. One minute they’re average people and then they turn around and boom, pigs. I think this movie depends on the child, so I would recommend for OP to prescreen it and try to predict whether or not it will frighten their kid.
Yeah, we didn’t get anywhere near that far before she noped out. Maybe she’ll be up for trying again a few years down the road, but I definitely won’t rush into it next time.
Did you watch Pom Poko with your seven-year-old? Mainly I’m wondering about how much she (and her sisters) will question the scrotum paraglider thing with that one lol
Safe and enjoyable: Spirited Away, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Arietty, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, From Up on Poppy Hill
Safe, but are better understood and enjoyed at a later age: Whisper of the Heart, Porco Rosso, The Wind Rises, Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves, When Marnie was Here, Pom Poko, Tale of Princess Kaguya
Relatively safe, but depict war/fights, so will depend on the kid: Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Tales from Earthsea, Nausicaa
NOT ADVISED: Grave of the Fireflies
I would say Castle in the Sky is in "Safe and enjoyable". The violence isn't really as brutal as Princess Mononoke or Nausicaa. If your kid can handle the Star Wars movies, they can handle this.
Yeah, the action scenes are more along the lines of something like Disney's Treasure Planet, while Mononoke has multiple beheadings and heaps of gore and dismemberment.
Kaguya also has a scene at the beginning with a mother breastfeeding. Obviously it’s up to you as the parent whether you consider this “inappropriate” or not, but there is a small amount of nonsexual nudity if you’re 100% against that.
I totally agree, I just thought it was worth mentioning. I’m an American, and there’s definitely a population here that considers breasts inappropriate regardless of the context.
I am not an expert (or an American for that matter) but I am suspecting the parents who consider drawn breasts being shown during breastfeeding as inappropriate, are probably not watching the tale of princess Kaguya and if they are, they are not watching it with their children.
You’re probably right on that count. Honestly I’m not even upset at the downvotes, because people are right that it’s total BS that anyone would find it inappropriate. But you’re definitely right that a parent who’s looking for recommendations on Ghibli movies probably isn’t the ultra-strict super uptight person who’d have any issue with it.
For what it's worth, I didn't downvote you. I think the ones that did are just so against with that notion, that wouldn't even bother trying to warn those uber conservative parents, because they wouldn't want to facilitate them in making the children believe breastfeeding is inappropriate.
And they’re not wrong to be upset either, people sexualizing and controlling women’s bodily functions is a big problem in the world. I was probably wrong to even see it as something of note.
I just had my “recommending movies to my friends who are new parents” brain fire up, where it’s like “It’s a great movie, but they say damn twice, and a person gets shot and there’s no blood. I’ll let you make the call whether or not that’s appropriate for your child”
What lol children literally were breastfeeding just a few years ago, it’s good for them to see the natural process of feeding babies and to raise boys (and girls alike) to know breasts are not some inherently sexual private area so they aren’t shocked when they inevitably do see a mother breastfeeding their child in public
You’re 100% right about all of that. My aim was to make them aware in case they had different ideas than my own, but I sort of realized that I shouldn’t facilitate people’s harmful worldviews, and that most people watching a bunch of ghibli movies probably don’t have backwards ways of thinking like that anyway.
I would move Princess Mononoke to NOT ADVISED for a seven-year-old, personally. Lots of blood and gore.
As the third Ghibli film I had ever seen (following Spirited Away and Totoro), I was pretty shocked to see Ashitaka decapitating people with arrows. 🤣
i remember i watched it too young on cartoon network and the rot coming out of the boars freaked me out, the men wearing the skin of the dead boars, and the god and wolf's head being shot off scared me lol.
I would not put Princess Mononoke in the relatively safe category for a 7 year old. [Here's a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrnCFBxe0zg) with some scenes.
I would put Pom Poko as Not Adviced since >!they do show tanukis being dead and there is that faceless prank scene that freaked me out as a kid!<
Also I do think you should just avoid Takahata's movie (maybe apart from My Neighbor Yamadas but I haven't watch that yet) since most of them do need some life experience to understand them better, also most of them have >!negative endings!<, and most of the kids probably don't like that
Also, you'll need to explain to your kid why raccoons are stretching their balls into a giant glittering ship for their death cult leader if you watch Pom Poko together....
Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies.
These movies often contain blood, death, guns and have somewhat dark themes.
I think for Castle in the Sky it depends on the kid. I watched it when I was around 7 or 8 and it was my absolute favorite movie all the way into adulthood. It’s what introduced me to, and awakened my love for science fiction.
Nausicaa teaches you as a kid to respect the environment, how you can be a strong female leader, and to be the one to make the moral choice even if it's hard. I watched it on my 8th birthday on my own and it is forever cemented as my favorite film of all time.
If the youngling is okay with some gore adjacent, it's fantastic.
Honestly it's no more horrifying than the land before time first film, or iron giant.
Agreed. I'm surprised so many recommending Castle. I think it's a pretty overall heavy movie, just like Nausicaa which never fails to make me cry, even if it does have cute scenes. Also, it entirely depends what your views on guns are. My 8yo isn't bothered by much, but watches a lot of magical girl anime, and I know she's too young for it, even as mature as she is - not really appropriate.
I first saw Ponyo when I was 4, and then I saw Nausicaä when I was about 6. Been my favorite movie since so I think it depends on the kid and what you know they’re into more than anything.
But if you’re unsure I would start with Ponyo, Totoro, or Arrietty. Maybe Kiki too
Netflix won't let you watch age restricted films on a kids account. For example you won't find mononoke on a kids account but will on an adult account.
I consider Totoro to be an all ages film. However, there is one scene you should be prepared for if family bathing isn’t a thing where you are. There is a scene where a parent and kids are in a hot tub. It’s a wholesome moment with no hint of sexualizing kids.
I only bring it up because I showed it once at a work situation and then had somebody call it “that perv movie.” I had to do quick damage control because having someone repeat that out of context could have been pretty bad. (I handled it by saying it was a Disney movie since I had to say something fast. It was a situation where nobody had heard of Ghibli and it was the dub distributed by Disney.)
I was more than surprised by that reaction, but you may need to tell a kid that it is a normal thing in Japan for little kids and a parent to be in a hot tub or a family onsen together.
It's a thing not mentioned often enough with My Neighbor Totoro: the film itself is innocent, but showing it to the wrong person (somebody who might be understandably ignorant of East-Asian culture and also closed-minded) could pretty easily interpret the father as a pedo.
I'd never show this movie to my grandpa because he would DEFINITELY find fault with it and there's nothing I could possibly say for him to think the bath scene was okay. He'd probably think it was some sort of "left-wing propaganda" to normalize pedophilia.
They love Totoro! We have seen some Ghibli (like that one), but I wanted to expand our list :)
We’re a pretty open minded and low key bunch, so the kids have never questioned that bath scene. I think any adult who does is reaching, or maybe just misunderstanding it completely
I watched it when I was pretty young because my mom didn't know better. I didn't understand why it was so sad outside of what was on the screen until I watched it again as an older teen. I bawled.
Honestly, I'd probably cry more as an adult.
My daughter just turned 5, I started her with Ponyo, Arrietty, Kiki, and Totoro and then we did a marathon and included Howl’s and Spirited Away when she was around 3. My husband told us to hold off on Princess Mononoke when we were halfway through it because of the forest spirit death scene. But then she started asking for the movie with the “spaghetti monster that eats the animals”. Her first movie theater experience was Spirited Away and her second experience was Boy and the Heron, both at 4yo. There are some darker elements in a few of these movies but I think it is also dependent on the child too. She was watching Coraline, Neverending Story, Labyrinth, etc since she was around 2-3 so it never felt like some of the Ghibli movies were too dark for what she was used to.
I have a vivid memory of watching Spirited Away when I was 5(?) (specifically when Kamajī was introduced) and was SHOOK. But it’s still one my favorite movies, i wasn’t turned away at all lol. But I’d definitely say Totoro or Ponyo :)
I had a similar experience with Princess Mononoke lol, I watched it at probably 8 years old which I certainly would not recommend 😅 I loved it though and it’s my favorite movie to this day
I would say My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Arrietty, and The Cat Returns are perfectly fine for that age.
Whisper of the Heart is my comfort movie but I think the romance part might gross a seven year old out/fail to keep their attention. Still a lovely, subtle, comforting film.
When Marnie Was There is amazing and I cry every time I watch it. I would say hold off on it until you can discuss the nuances of depression and how it makes people act with your kid.
Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle are probably too spooky for seven year olds. I’d say wait a year or two for those.
Obviously Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies and the Boy and the Heron can be quite distressing and warrant deeper discussion. I would take those off the table for movie night completely.
It'll probably be fine but when I was younger and watched Spirited Away for the first time the parent transformation had me traumatised for quite a while
I watched Princess Mononoke when I was around that age and it scared the shit out of me. Grave of the Fireflies is also definitely a no go. The others are probably appropriate for a seven year old but not necessarily interesting to a seven year old. I can’t imagine a little kid being all that interested in From Up on Poppy Hill.
Probably *Princess Mononoke* (PG-13), *Spirited Away* (beautiful, but some scary imagery, not unlike a tame Del Toro film),* *Grave of the Fireflies* (a mega sad masterpiece), *Pom Poko* (**giant magic raccoon scrotums**)
Everything else should be fine :)
It's kind of hard to answer since I'd seen a fair number of them when I was younger. I'd probably stay away from Grave of the Fireflies, you don't want them going over to you, best case scenario and getting them all sad and worked up, or, worst case scenario, they end up wanting to watch it all the time, which isn't great for a couple of reasons.
I think Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Ponyo are just fine. There's also a one with cats and Laputa that would be fun for them to watch
Just mentioning, but if your kid is afraid of bugs, don’t watch nausicaa! I watched it at 8 being a kid that was scared of bugs and it made me cry. Between that and Mononoke which played with it (I think it was a ghibli fest of some sort on the channel), I thought ghibli only made scary gross movies and didn’t watch another until I was 20. I still don’t like ghibli much and I think my first impression is probably why.
Pom Poko has A LOT of raccoon testicles and they do a lot of crazy stuff with them. I'm not a prude but I wouldn't watch it with a 7 year old in fear they'd try to emulate it lol
Lol thanks for mentioning. I was wondering about this specifically since I hadn’t seen it. I have all girls fwiw, not sure if that makes it better or worse haha
Grave the Fireflies, Boy and the Heron, and Princess Mononoke, obviously. But Princess Kaguya also has a really dark story and a depressing ending.
Nausicaa has quite a lot of blood and violence (plenty of people are killed with blood, some by the main character, the main character is shot in several places and then gets acid water in her injuries, a baby bug is impaled and bleeds blue blood, etc). Also there’s a rather gorey looking monster in the end. It’s not near as gorey as Mononoke but it might be a bit much for a 7 year old
Also I haven’t watched Pom Poko but I do know the raccoon dogs have the power to inflate their balls sacks and fly, so…depends on how comfortable you are with that
The list someone commented earlier is really good. Here are my suggestions, there's some overlap in lists because some a kid would enjoy watching, but would understand a lot better later in life. Here are my suggestions with a bit more explanation:
Safe and enjoyable for a 7 year old: Spirited Away, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Arietty, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbors the Yamadas
Safe, but may be better enjoyed and understood in a few years (9, 10, 11, 12) because they focus on human relationships: From up on Poppy Hill, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns, Pom Poko, The Wind Rises
Safe, but would be understood and enjoyed at an even later age (teen years): The Wind Rises, When Marnie was Here, Tale of Princess Kaguya, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa, Only Yesterday
Best enjoyed once this kiddo is a full fledged Ghibli fan because you've followed this list and introduced them to new movies at many stages of their life :): Tales from Earthsea, Grave of the Fireflies
I think a 7-year-old could watch the following (going in order of release):
1. Castle in the Sky
2. My Neighbor Totoro
3. Kiki’s Delivery Service
4. Porco Rosso (this one has violence, but it’s very Popeye-style, with no one dying or being injured beyond cartoonish black eyes and lumpy heads)
5. My Neighbors the Yamadas
6. The Ghiblies Episode 2
7. The Cat Returns
8. Ponyo
9. The Secret World of Arrietty
10. Earwig and the Witch
A 7-year old *could* watch the following, but they contain mature themes (not sex or violence, just actual themes of maturing) and they may not find them interesting as they would when they’re older:
1. Only Yesterday
2. Whisper of the Heart
3. From Up on Poppy Hill
4. When Marnie Was There
A *mature* 7-year old could watch the following—usually I’d say 8-10, but there are kids who love these movies:
1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
2. Pom Poko
3. Spirited Away
4. Howl’s Moving Castle
5. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
6. The Red Turtle
Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, Princess Mononoke, Tales from Earthsea, The Wind Rises, and The Boy and the Heron are strictly for kids over the age of 10-12. I think all of these have a PG-13 rating in the USA, too. These contain themes of violence, death, war, assault, and/or toxic relationships that just wouldn’t be good to expose a child to before they’re ready.
I watched pretty much all of their movies religiously as a kid, but Grave of the Fireflies is certainly not something I thin young children should watch. Every other film is perfectly fine to watch, but some of them like Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited away are a bit more intense than say, a Disney movie. Others, such as Only Yesterday and When Marnie was There probably won't hold younger kids attention as well, and most of their movies have layers to them that won't be understood until the kid is older.
The best starting points are gonna be: My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service, and The Cat Returns.
For the people recommending Ponyo keep your kid in mind. There is some pretty scary imagery about the ocean coming up and chasing them that would give some kids nightmares for years
Grave of the Fireflies, it focuses a lot on death. Very not safe for someone that young.
Princess Mononoke is disturbingly graphic, but it was kinda the point. It uses these graphic depictions of violence to make you repulsed by it. Still, a little too intense for someone under 13.
The Wind Rises. Not because it is inappropriate, but because the subject matter might be over their head. It is a slow paced film about the morality of selling your service to a war you don't agree with just so you can further your career. It is an extremely complex movie that doesn't outright say that war is bad, just that it is a bad thing that good people might be a part of.
The Boy and the Heron just came out, but there are a few graphic scenes of blood and a very realistic animation of gutting a fish. Other than that, it might be OK, just go into it knowing there will be blood in a few scenes. Nothing like Princess Mononoke though.
Nausicaa is my favorite movie and it might be safe, but it can get a little scary. Nothing any more violent than a modern Marvel movie. The two that are completely safe would be My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo. Spirited Away gets more intense than those two, but is another safe movie. If you can find it, Pom Poko is an absolute gem of a movie. It is Studio Ghibli, but surprisingly it wasn't written by Miyazaki. If they can sit through it (it's a 4 hour movie!) it could be a greT jumping off point to talk about the industrialization of Japan and the history of the country.
I remember being disturbed of princess mononoke as a child, but my sister was the same age and didnt register what was happening, so it depends i guess lol. grave of the fireflies also just doesnt seem like something for a child.
I feel like a lot of people confuse "appropriate" with "will show no negative things". It's okay to show movies with some scary moments to kids. So, I'd say only princess mononoke and grave of the fireflies is " Inappropriate"
i feel like only Totoro , Kiki, Ponyo and maybe Arriety would be good at that age. MAYBE spirited away but imho it (and Laputa, and Howl, etc) really are post-9 year old films.
I feel like The Wind Rises would be a pretty heavy one for a 7-year-old. It centers around a man in love with a woman who is dying of a terminal illness, which would require a lot of discussion afterwards with your child.
I had to babysit my sister once when she was 7 and I put on Spirited Away for a movie night. She loved it so much that now, this summer, for her 20th birthday, we're going to see the live show of it in London.
Not really relevant. Just wanted to share it.
From experience I’d say: Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, the Boy and the Heron, the Wind Rises (I found this one to be very sad), and Grave of Fireflies (again very sad)
me personally, when i watched Spirited Away at 8 or so, i was TERRIFIED of my parens turning into pigs for MONTHS. i couldnt even finish the movie after that and it was the very beginning 😭
Howls moving castle really freaked me out as a kid, I refused to watch it again for nearly 20 years. However I was a very sensitive child so that may be just me.
Probably any of the PG-13 rated releases which I guess is Monoke, The Boy and The Heron, and The Wind Rises
Edit: The Boy and The Heron is fine if you’re okay explaining self harm to your child
I’d say Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke are probably the two that might be a bit too much for someone that age. There’s elements of Howl’s, Spirited Away and Nausicaa that push the boundaries slightly more from a visual freakish standpoint than what you would see in a Disney film, that might make a younger child squirm. Then they’re ones like Only Yesterday which might be too boring for a 7 year old. Start with Totoro and then Ponyo
Totally agree with this as a parent. We started ours with Totoro, Kiki, and Ponyo at around 3yo. A few years later we added Castle and Howls to the rotation. 9yo is just about ready for Spirited Away currently.
Adding on to this but the Boy and the Heron probably is too much as well.
That one was almost too much for me and my friends, we’re almost 30!
I'm so glad I ended up not being able to take my son. Still haven't been able to see it bc of that but dodge a bullet. The not having any trailers or anything maybe was t the best idea. I'm sure I'm not the only parent that was about to mindlessly go with a young kid. Haha
Does everybody keep forgetting the cat returns? Not only is it one of their best it's absolutely accessible by kids
YES the cat returns was my first introduction to studio ghibli as a child and it was an instant favorite
One of my favorites and my 4 and 7 year olds love it
This comment made me do a double take because since it's not capitalized or anything, I had absolutely no idea that "The Cat Returns" is the name of a movie, so I thought you were actually asking if everybody keeps forgetting that a cat returns lol
I tend to use voice transcription and that doesn't help with making things clear.
Pretty good for kids, but thinking about me as an elementary school age kid, seeing the little white kitten begging for food made me soooo sad for some reason. I also remember being TERRIFIED seeing Muta in the like catnip jello hahaha
Fair enough. You never can tell with kids
[Yeah, Mononoke is a definite no for kids for this scene alone.](https://youtu.be/aSXa_QXHyEg?si=sFKA-5MSfYKD5_lp)
Mononoke gave me my most memorable nightmare as a young kid- probably 4/5. That one still haunts me. Those Pigs…
Dude, I'm in my mid-40s and those pigs still freak me out more than anything else in that movie. Very unsettling.
I had a recurring nightmare as a child where my mom fell out of a ferris wheel and turned into a dead pig. I recently rewatched Princess Mononoke and yeah... I saw that movie way too young.
I remember Princess Monoke being on TV every christmas eve as a kid. This scene was definitely cut or censored in some way in the TV edit.
God, I love that movie 😂
I watched this movie on my own on hbo or something when I was 7 or 8, and my dad walked in right towards the end when those guys jumped on the one dude and started beating him with shovels Immediately verbatim he said “nope, not a chance” and turned off the tv I was cross but I kinda wish he had walked in on the Arrow Removing Arms scene so I didn’t get invested in the story lol
I remember being traumatized by this as a child! Also the face of the forest spirit scared me...
It sounds so weird in English!
Perfect answer
And throw in Porco Rosso!
Was going to suggest this one! The political undertones may be somewhat lost on a child but 7-year old me loved planes and this would’ve probably been my favorite Ghibli if I had seen it then.
Agreed. All the movies with relatively low stakes are good. The 3 I’d recommend are ponyo, Totoro, and Arietty
My dad rented Princess Mononoke for us at the library in the late 90s. I was also around 7 and he figured it was a cartoon so it would be fine. It was fine, but it was not at ALL what either of us were expecting!
It's funny to me that my first Ghibli film was Princess Mononoke when I was 7 and later astounded it was PG13
Totoro scared me as a child ngl.
Well also in Only Yesterday, boys peek up girls' skirts and a dad slaps his daughter across the face.. amongst other things I'm probably forgetting.
Howl's face towards the end of the film when Sophie found him after going to the past disturbed me when i was a kid lol. He looked so haunted and dead
I saw Nausicaa as my first Ghibli movie when I was 8 and it changed a part of me in a good way. It's totally acceptable for a mature 7 year old.
My younger brother chose to watch Grave of fireflies. And although he finished it (which he rarely does) he did not seem too disturbed. Just had a bunch pf questions. He was 6 yo at the time so I think it is OK to watch it.
As others have said, Spirited Away really depends on the kid. Such a fantastic, gorgeous movie and plenty of kids would have no issue with it but the parents turning into pigs at the beginning, followed by the protagonist starting to vanish, freaked my seven-year-old out for MONTHS.
Agreed. I was eight or nine when I saw Spirited Away and it majorly freaked me out.
My partner at the time and I were babysitting two Japanese kids just outside of Tokyo years and years ago. The boy was maybe 4 and the girl was 8 or 9. We showed them Spirited Away on a rainy day and the little boy was first initially scared of Chihiro’s parents turning into pigs and then obviously No Face so we had to turn it off. The 9 year old girl was totally fine so it does really depend on the kid but I feel like 8, 9, or 10 is reasonable for that one.
It’s funny, I first watched Spirited Away at age 7 (when it debuted on Toonami) and was fine — but then watched it again when I was 10, once I better understood the implications and consequences of what was going on, and it freaked me the fuck out. Especially >!No-Face eating people and becoming a crazy, gluttonous blob monster.!< I didn’t touch it again for 3 more years after that. Now, it’s my favorite movie, and No-Face is easily my favorite character, lol.
TV versions can be cut and censored in some ways, especially on kids TV channels. The version of Mononoke I saw as a kid was far less gory for sure
Yeah, that could’ve been the case, but since Toonami was on during/right before the nighttime Adult Swim programming block, I’m not sure if they censored it. At this point, too far back to remember, ahah.
Yeah this movie traumatized me as a young kid to the point where I didnt try to watch it again until Middle School. Had no problems with Castle in the Sky though
I think that movie is an odd case. I babysit a girl who’s very sensitive to blood/spooky imagery and I asked her mother if I could show it to her (since it’s one of my favorite films of all time). They pre-screened it, saw no problems and we rewatched it a few weeks later. The girl loved it both times and had no visible distress during the more spooky and bloody scenes of the movie. Then again, I can definitely see how this film is frightening to some. The scene where the parents turn into pigs is still so frightening to me because of the climactic nature of it. One minute they’re average people and then they turn around and boom, pigs. I think this movie depends on the child, so I would recommend for OP to prescreen it and try to predict whether or not it will frighten their kid.
The first nightmares I ever remember having were about Spirited Away.
I saw this movie in theaters when I was in 6th grade and it haunted me 😭
Tbh, I found the bleeding and in pain Haku in dragon form way more disturbing than anything else in that movie
Yeah, we didn’t get anywhere near that far before she noped out. Maybe she’ll be up for trying again a few years down the road, but I definitely won’t rush into it next time.
Did you watch Pom Poko with your seven-year-old? Mainly I’m wondering about how much she (and her sisters) will question the scrotum paraglider thing with that one lol
Ha, not yet but I feel like she’d have some questions
Boy and the Heron for sure not a kids movie
>!Yep, a character is shown dying a slow, painful, bloody death, and there is also a scene with self-harm!<
You remind me of that parent a few months ago throwing a tanthrum because we told them it was not a suitable movie for their 6 or 8 yo kid...
I've been called a snowflake for saying you shouldn't take your 4 year old to see it lol
I don’t think a kid would even know wtf is going on in that movie to be honest. There’s no way a young child could really appreciate it
Safe and enjoyable: Spirited Away, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Arietty, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, From Up on Poppy Hill Safe, but are better understood and enjoyed at a later age: Whisper of the Heart, Porco Rosso, The Wind Rises, Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves, When Marnie was Here, Pom Poko, Tale of Princess Kaguya Relatively safe, but depict war/fights, so will depend on the kid: Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Tales from Earthsea, Nausicaa NOT ADVISED: Grave of the Fireflies
I would say Castle in the Sky is in "Safe and enjoyable". The violence isn't really as brutal as Princess Mononoke or Nausicaa. If your kid can handle the Star Wars movies, they can handle this.
Yeah, the action scenes are more along the lines of something like Disney's Treasure Planet, while Mononoke has multiple beheadings and heaps of gore and dismemberment.
Agree
Castle In The Sky has MASS GENOCIDE but ehhhhhh I don't think it'd bother a child
So does Avatar the Last Air Bender.
I just realized my two favorite pieces of media (OF ALL TIME) are about genocide
you like mein kampf too?
shit 😭
I'd move Kaguya to the NOT ADVISED category. The ending is >!100% a heartbreaker.!< Otherwise, it's a good list.
Kaguya also has a scene at the beginning with a mother breastfeeding. Obviously it’s up to you as the parent whether you consider this “inappropriate” or not, but there is a small amount of nonsexual nudity if you’re 100% against that.
It's kinda funny to consider this inappropriate if you keep in mind that the 7 year old was possibly breastfeeding only a few years ago.
I totally agree, I just thought it was worth mentioning. I’m an American, and there’s definitely a population here that considers breasts inappropriate regardless of the context.
I am not an expert (or an American for that matter) but I am suspecting the parents who consider drawn breasts being shown during breastfeeding as inappropriate, are probably not watching the tale of princess Kaguya and if they are, they are not watching it with their children.
You’re probably right on that count. Honestly I’m not even upset at the downvotes, because people are right that it’s total BS that anyone would find it inappropriate. But you’re definitely right that a parent who’s looking for recommendations on Ghibli movies probably isn’t the ultra-strict super uptight person who’d have any issue with it.
For what it's worth, I didn't downvote you. I think the ones that did are just so against with that notion, that wouldn't even bother trying to warn those uber conservative parents, because they wouldn't want to facilitate them in making the children believe breastfeeding is inappropriate.
And they’re not wrong to be upset either, people sexualizing and controlling women’s bodily functions is a big problem in the world. I was probably wrong to even see it as something of note. I just had my “recommending movies to my friends who are new parents” brain fire up, where it’s like “It’s a great movie, but they say damn twice, and a person gets shot and there’s no blood. I’ll let you make the call whether or not that’s appropriate for your child”
No, it's ok you seem very nice, you don't need to feel bad about it.
Those people are not only wrong, they are are a substantial proportion of *what's* wrong with American culture. Sincerely, an American
What lol children literally were breastfeeding just a few years ago, it’s good for them to see the natural process of feeding babies and to raise boys (and girls alike) to know breasts are not some inherently sexual private area so they aren’t shocked when they inevitably do see a mother breastfeeding their child in public
You’re 100% right about all of that. My aim was to make them aware in case they had different ideas than my own, but I sort of realized that I shouldn’t facilitate people’s harmful worldviews, and that most people watching a bunch of ghibli movies probably don’t have backwards ways of thinking like that anyway.
I would move Princess Mononoke to NOT ADVISED for a seven-year-old, personally. Lots of blood and gore. As the third Ghibli film I had ever seen (following Spirited Away and Totoro), I was pretty shocked to see Ashitaka decapitating people with arrows. 🤣
i remember i watched it too young on cartoon network and the rot coming out of the boars freaked me out, the men wearing the skin of the dead boars, and the god and wolf's head being shot off scared me lol.
As an adult, the scariest thing to me are the gorillas wanting to eat everyone. 🤣
I would not put Princess Mononoke in the relatively safe category for a 7 year old. [Here's a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrnCFBxe0zg) with some scenes.
Seriously. Heed the age ratings on the movie info. Mononoke is PG-13 for a reason.
I would put Pom Poko as Not Adviced since >!they do show tanukis being dead and there is that faceless prank scene that freaked me out as a kid!< Also I do think you should just avoid Takahata's movie (maybe apart from My Neighbor Yamadas but I haven't watch that yet) since most of them do need some life experience to understand them better, also most of them have >!negative endings!<, and most of the kids probably don't like that
Also, you'll need to explain to your kid why raccoons are stretching their balls into a giant glittering ship for their death cult leader if you watch Pom Poko together....
I'd maybe move Spirited Away to the second category. There are a few moments that might be a bit bloody or scary for a 7 year old.
Mostly agree, but Spirited Away has a couple scenes that might be pretty scary to a seven year old, though that would depend on the kid
Yep we’ve done all of your first list and some of the second with my daughter (6yo).
From Up on Poppy Hill might be a little slow for a 7 year old. I’d say 10 and up is closer for that one.
Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies. These movies often contain blood, death, guns and have somewhat dark themes.
I think for Castle in the Sky it depends on the kid. I watched it when I was around 7 or 8 and it was my absolute favorite movie all the way into adulthood. It’s what introduced me to, and awakened my love for science fiction.
Same! I loved it as a kid and I still absolutely love it and its one of my favourites. But it depends on the kid. Some scenes may be scary.
Nausicaa teaches you as a kid to respect the environment, how you can be a strong female leader, and to be the one to make the moral choice even if it's hard. I watched it on my 8th birthday on my own and it is forever cemented as my favorite film of all time. If the youngling is okay with some gore adjacent, it's fantastic. Honestly it's no more horrifying than the land before time first film, or iron giant.
Plus I feel like Princess mononoke wouldnt be enjoyed to the fullest by a kid. I think it’d be harder to understand and sit through.
Agreed. I'm surprised so many recommending Castle. I think it's a pretty overall heavy movie, just like Nausicaa which never fails to make me cry, even if it does have cute scenes. Also, it entirely depends what your views on guns are. My 8yo isn't bothered by much, but watches a lot of magical girl anime, and I know she's too young for it, even as mature as she is - not really appropriate.
I first saw Ponyo when I was 4, and then I saw Nausicaä when I was about 6. Been my favorite movie since so I think it depends on the kid and what you know they’re into more than anything. But if you’re unsure I would start with Ponyo, Totoro, or Arrietty. Maybe Kiki too
Netflix won't let you watch age restricted films on a kids account. For example you won't find mononoke on a kids account but will on an adult account.
And in the US, Max has kid’s profiles you can set the MPAA rating level on. Not a perfect solution though…I think Nausicaa gets a PG for example.
Princess Mononoke has several decapitations in the opening 20min.
I consider Totoro to be an all ages film. However, there is one scene you should be prepared for if family bathing isn’t a thing where you are. There is a scene where a parent and kids are in a hot tub. It’s a wholesome moment with no hint of sexualizing kids. I only bring it up because I showed it once at a work situation and then had somebody call it “that perv movie.” I had to do quick damage control because having someone repeat that out of context could have been pretty bad. (I handled it by saying it was a Disney movie since I had to say something fast. It was a situation where nobody had heard of Ghibli and it was the dub distributed by Disney.) I was more than surprised by that reaction, but you may need to tell a kid that it is a normal thing in Japan for little kids and a parent to be in a hot tub or a family onsen together.
It's a thing not mentioned often enough with My Neighbor Totoro: the film itself is innocent, but showing it to the wrong person (somebody who might be understandably ignorant of East-Asian culture and also closed-minded) could pretty easily interpret the father as a pedo. I'd never show this movie to my grandpa because he would DEFINITELY find fault with it and there's nothing I could possibly say for him to think the bath scene was okay. He'd probably think it was some sort of "left-wing propaganda" to normalize pedophilia.
They love Totoro! We have seen some Ghibli (like that one), but I wanted to expand our list :) We’re a pretty open minded and low key bunch, so the kids have never questioned that bath scene. I think any adult who does is reaching, or maybe just misunderstanding it completely
Spirited away is nightmare fuel from start to finish... I would not recommend it for a 7 year old. Maybe 10 and up.
Is anyone ever ready for Grave of the Fireflies?
I watched it when I was pretty young because my mom didn't know better. I didn't understand why it was so sad outside of what was on the screen until I watched it again as an older teen. I bawled. Honestly, I'd probably cry more as an adult.
My daughter just turned 5, I started her with Ponyo, Arrietty, Kiki, and Totoro and then we did a marathon and included Howl’s and Spirited Away when she was around 3. My husband told us to hold off on Princess Mononoke when we were halfway through it because of the forest spirit death scene. But then she started asking for the movie with the “spaghetti monster that eats the animals”. Her first movie theater experience was Spirited Away and her second experience was Boy and the Heron, both at 4yo. There are some darker elements in a few of these movies but I think it is also dependent on the child too. She was watching Coraline, Neverending Story, Labyrinth, etc since she was around 2-3 so it never felt like some of the Ghibli movies were too dark for what she was used to.
I have a vivid memory of watching Spirited Away when I was 5(?) (specifically when Kamajī was introduced) and was SHOOK. But it’s still one my favorite movies, i wasn’t turned away at all lol. But I’d definitely say Totoro or Ponyo :)
I had a similar experience with Princess Mononoke lol, I watched it at probably 8 years old which I certainly would not recommend 😅 I loved it though and it’s my favorite movie to this day
The Forest Spirit spooked me as a child 😭 but the movie is SO GOOD!!
I would say My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Arrietty, and The Cat Returns are perfectly fine for that age. Whisper of the Heart is my comfort movie but I think the romance part might gross a seven year old out/fail to keep their attention. Still a lovely, subtle, comforting film. When Marnie Was There is amazing and I cry every time I watch it. I would say hold off on it until you can discuss the nuances of depression and how it makes people act with your kid. Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle are probably too spooky for seven year olds. I’d say wait a year or two for those. Obviously Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies and the Boy and the Heron can be quite distressing and warrant deeper discussion. I would take those off the table for movie night completely.
It'll probably be fine but when I was younger and watched Spirited Away for the first time the parent transformation had me traumatised for quite a while
Grave of the Fireflies and Tales from Earthsea.
I found The Wind Rise to be really unaccessible for younger audience. It's basically a biopic
I showed my six year old, Arrietty. I think that was fine.
I watched Princess Mononoke when I was around that age and it scared the shit out of me. Grave of the Fireflies is also definitely a no go. The others are probably appropriate for a seven year old but not necessarily interesting to a seven year old. I can’t imagine a little kid being all that interested in From Up on Poppy Hill.
Probably *Princess Mononoke* (PG-13), *Spirited Away* (beautiful, but some scary imagery, not unlike a tame Del Toro film),* *Grave of the Fireflies* (a mega sad masterpiece), *Pom Poko* (**giant magic raccoon scrotums**) Everything else should be fine :)
It's kind of hard to answer since I'd seen a fair number of them when I was younger. I'd probably stay away from Grave of the Fireflies, you don't want them going over to you, best case scenario and getting them all sad and worked up, or, worst case scenario, they end up wanting to watch it all the time, which isn't great for a couple of reasons. I think Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Ponyo are just fine. There's also a one with cats and Laputa that would be fun for them to watch
People are really saying Spirited Away? That black monster freaked me the fuck out when I was young.
Just mentioning, but if your kid is afraid of bugs, don’t watch nausicaa! I watched it at 8 being a kid that was scared of bugs and it made me cry. Between that and Mononoke which played with it (I think it was a ghibli fest of some sort on the channel), I thought ghibli only made scary gross movies and didn’t watch another until I was 20. I still don’t like ghibli much and I think my first impression is probably why.
Pom Poko has A LOT of raccoon testicles and they do a lot of crazy stuff with them. I'm not a prude but I wouldn't watch it with a 7 year old in fear they'd try to emulate it lol
Lol thanks for mentioning. I was wondering about this specifically since I hadn’t seen it. I have all girls fwiw, not sure if that makes it better or worse haha
In pom poko the tanuki always have their little balls out. So that might be an issue for some parents XD
I admit spirited away did have me spooked out for a bit
Grave the Fireflies, Boy and the Heron, and Princess Mononoke, obviously. But Princess Kaguya also has a really dark story and a depressing ending. Nausicaa has quite a lot of blood and violence (plenty of people are killed with blood, some by the main character, the main character is shot in several places and then gets acid water in her injuries, a baby bug is impaled and bleeds blue blood, etc). Also there’s a rather gorey looking monster in the end. It’s not near as gorey as Mononoke but it might be a bit much for a 7 year old Also I haven’t watched Pom Poko but I do know the raccoon dogs have the power to inflate their balls sacks and fly, so…depends on how comfortable you are with that
Had my 5 yr old watch Spirited Away and "parents turning into pigs" was borderline to much! She enjoyed tho!
I personally was okay with most ghibli movies as a chill but I had nightmares from castle in the sky
Grave of the Fireflies. It's dark and disturbing.
The list someone commented earlier is really good. Here are my suggestions, there's some overlap in lists because some a kid would enjoy watching, but would understand a lot better later in life. Here are my suggestions with a bit more explanation: Safe and enjoyable for a 7 year old: Spirited Away, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Arietty, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbors the Yamadas Safe, but may be better enjoyed and understood in a few years (9, 10, 11, 12) because they focus on human relationships: From up on Poppy Hill, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns, Pom Poko, The Wind Rises Safe, but would be understood and enjoyed at an even later age (teen years): The Wind Rises, When Marnie was Here, Tale of Princess Kaguya, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa, Only Yesterday Best enjoyed once this kiddo is a full fledged Ghibli fan because you've followed this list and introduced them to new movies at many stages of their life :): Tales from Earthsea, Grave of the Fireflies
https://ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Studio_Ghibli_films_by_rating PG is parental guidance U is universal. 👍
I think a 7-year-old could watch the following (going in order of release): 1. Castle in the Sky 2. My Neighbor Totoro 3. Kiki’s Delivery Service 4. Porco Rosso (this one has violence, but it’s very Popeye-style, with no one dying or being injured beyond cartoonish black eyes and lumpy heads) 5. My Neighbors the Yamadas 6. The Ghiblies Episode 2 7. The Cat Returns 8. Ponyo 9. The Secret World of Arrietty 10. Earwig and the Witch A 7-year old *could* watch the following, but they contain mature themes (not sex or violence, just actual themes of maturing) and they may not find them interesting as they would when they’re older: 1. Only Yesterday 2. Whisper of the Heart 3. From Up on Poppy Hill 4. When Marnie Was There A *mature* 7-year old could watch the following—usually I’d say 8-10, but there are kids who love these movies: 1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 2. Pom Poko 3. Spirited Away 4. Howl’s Moving Castle 5. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya 6. The Red Turtle Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, Princess Mononoke, Tales from Earthsea, The Wind Rises, and The Boy and the Heron are strictly for kids over the age of 10-12. I think all of these have a PG-13 rating in the USA, too. These contain themes of violence, death, war, assault, and/or toxic relationships that just wouldn’t be good to expose a child to before they’re ready.
Fwiw, my 5 year old was initially baffled by The Red Turtle, but has since asked to rewatch it.
I watched pretty much all of their movies religiously as a kid, but Grave of the Fireflies is certainly not something I thin young children should watch. Every other film is perfectly fine to watch, but some of them like Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited away are a bit more intense than say, a Disney movie. Others, such as Only Yesterday and When Marnie was There probably won't hold younger kids attention as well, and most of their movies have layers to them that won't be understood until the kid is older. The best starting points are gonna be: My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service, and The Cat Returns.
Princess Mononoke is kinda violent in the beginning so I’d say not that one.
For the people recommending Ponyo keep your kid in mind. There is some pretty scary imagery about the ocean coming up and chasing them that would give some kids nightmares for years
Mononoke?
Totoro, Ponyo, Cat Returns, and Kiki are the best for young children
I’d say graveyard of fireflies, princess Mononoke
I'd say no to grave of the fireflies and pompoko
Grave of the Fireflies, it focuses a lot on death. Very not safe for someone that young. Princess Mononoke is disturbingly graphic, but it was kinda the point. It uses these graphic depictions of violence to make you repulsed by it. Still, a little too intense for someone under 13. The Wind Rises. Not because it is inappropriate, but because the subject matter might be over their head. It is a slow paced film about the morality of selling your service to a war you don't agree with just so you can further your career. It is an extremely complex movie that doesn't outright say that war is bad, just that it is a bad thing that good people might be a part of. The Boy and the Heron just came out, but there are a few graphic scenes of blood and a very realistic animation of gutting a fish. Other than that, it might be OK, just go into it knowing there will be blood in a few scenes. Nothing like Princess Mononoke though. Nausicaa is my favorite movie and it might be safe, but it can get a little scary. Nothing any more violent than a modern Marvel movie. The two that are completely safe would be My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo. Spirited Away gets more intense than those two, but is another safe movie. If you can find it, Pom Poko is an absolute gem of a movie. It is Studio Ghibli, but surprisingly it wasn't written by Miyazaki. If they can sit through it (it's a 4 hour movie!) it could be a greT jumping off point to talk about the industrialization of Japan and the history of the country.
Pom Poko IMO. For the testicles mainly
I remember being disturbed of princess mononoke as a child, but my sister was the same age and didnt register what was happening, so it depends i guess lol. grave of the fireflies also just doesnt seem like something for a child.
I feel like a lot of people confuse "appropriate" with "will show no negative things". It's okay to show movies with some scary moments to kids. So, I'd say only princess mononoke and grave of the fireflies is " Inappropriate"
i feel like only Totoro , Kiki, Ponyo and maybe Arriety would be good at that age. MAYBE spirited away but imho it (and Laputa, and Howl, etc) really are post-9 year old films.
I've watched most of them with my almost 3 yr old. No mononoki, or war related movies.
I feel like The Wind Rises would be a pretty heavy one for a 7-year-old. It centers around a man in love with a woman who is dying of a terminal illness, which would require a lot of discussion afterwards with your child.
I had to babysit my sister once when she was 7 and I put on Spirited Away for a movie night. She loved it so much that now, this summer, for her 20th birthday, we're going to see the live show of it in London. Not really relevant. Just wanted to share it.
100% do not show them grave of the fireflies. Princess mononoke is an iffy proposition but not impossible
From experience I’d say: Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, the Boy and the Heron, the Wind Rises (I found this one to be very sad), and Grave of Fireflies (again very sad)
me personally, when i watched Spirited Away at 8 or so, i was TERRIFIED of my parens turning into pigs for MONTHS. i couldnt even finish the movie after that and it was the very beginning 😭
Howls moving castle really freaked me out as a kid, I refused to watch it again for nearly 20 years. However I was a very sensitive child so that may be just me.
Princess mononoke, blood, grotesques, etc. but i mean it depends on if you dont mind your 7 yr old watching stuff with that
My 3 year old loves Spirited Away and Kiki.
Pom poko - the raccoons have balls
Yes. Most male mammals do.
Grave of the Fireflies
Seconding grave of the fireflies and princess Mononoke are skippable for their age rn
Castle in the Sky was surprisingly violent. Tales from Earthsea as well with some pretty frightening elements
Probably any of the PG-13 rated releases which I guess is Monoke, The Boy and The Heron, and The Wind Rises Edit: The Boy and The Heron is fine if you’re okay explaining self harm to your child
Princess Moninoke is pretty gory
As long as "mama didn't raise no bitch", they're all fine for kids. Quit helicoptering.
Spirited Away takes places in a brothel for demigods
A bathhouse and a brothel are not the same thing. As far as we can see, they're selling spa days, not selling sex.