Isao Takahata

Isao Takahata

October 29, 1935 · 90 years old

Isao Takahata (October 29, 1935 – April 5, 2018), co-founder of Studio Ghibli, was one of the most famous directors of Japanese animated films. Unlike most anime directors, he did not draw and never worked as an animator before becoming a director. For the first two decades of his career from the 1…

Known For

13 titles
1
Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies

1988 · 1h 28m · Movie

A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

8.5
2
Castle in the Sky

Castle in the Sky

1986 · 2h 4m · Movie

Pazu's life changes when he meets Sheeta, a girl whom pirates are chasing for her crystal amulet, which has the potential to locate Laputa, a legendary castle floating in the sky.

8.0
3
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

1984 · 1h 57m · Movie

Warrior and pacifist Princess Nausicaä desperately struggles to prevent two warring nations from destroying themselves and their dying planet.

8.0
4
The Red Turtle

The Red Turtle

2016 · 1h 20m · Movie

A man is shipwrecked on a deserted island and encounters a big red turtle, which changes his life.

7.6
5
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

2013 · 2h 17m · Movie

Kaguya is a beautiful young woman coveted by five nobles. To try to avoid marrying a stranger she doesn't love, she sends her suitors on seemingly impossible tasks. But she will have to face her fate and punishment for her choices.

8.0
6
Only Yesterday

Only Yesterday

1991 · 1h 59m · Movie

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

7.6
7
Pom Poko

Pom Poko

1994 · 1h 59m · Movie

A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.

7.2
8
My Neighbors the Yamadas

My Neighbors the Yamadas

1999 · 1h 44m · Movie

The life and misadventures of a family in contemporary Japan.

7.1
9
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

2013 · 1h 58m · Movie

Follows the routines of those employed at Studio Ghibli, including filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki as they work to release two films simultaneously, The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

7.7
10
Panda! Go Panda!

Panda! Go Panda!

1972 · 34m · Movie

A Papa Panda and his son escape from the zoo in search of a home and find one with a little orphan girl. The pandas decide to stay with her and become her new family. They, then, find a lost circus tiger and help him find his way ...

6.7
11
Yuki's Sun

Yuki's Sun

1972 · 5m · Movie

The Story centers around a child name Yuki, a 10-year old orphan who's being adopted by a family.

5.9
12
Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron

Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron

2024 · 2h 0m · Movie

A two-hour window into the heart of Hayao Miyazaki's creative process, the documentary follows six long years of work during the making of The Boy and the Heron, the latest film by the master of Japanese animation.

7.8
13
Miyazaki, L'Esprit de la Nature

Miyazaki, L'Esprit de la Nature

2025 · 1h 24m · Movie

A documentary exploring the life and influential works of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, known for films like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, focusing on his passion for animation and advocacy for the natural world.

8.0