Hayao Miyazaki’s films have left quite an impression on audiences over the years. Films likeKiki’s Delivery Service,Spirited Away,Howl’s Moving Castle,Princess Mononoke,Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, andMy Neighbor Totorohave fans all over the world. There are plenty ofanime seriesthat would also be a good choice for fans of Miyazaki’s movies.
Many series share similar themes or settings that Miyazaki’s films are known for. A few series have similar animation styles. In fact, they are quite a few anime series that Miyazaki himself worked on early in his career, showing ideas that would later show up in his feature films.
Anne Of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables, also known asRed-Haired Anne, is an anime series based on the Lucy Maud Montgomery novel of the same name. As in the novel, the anime stars Anne Shirley, a young orphan who starts a new life in Prince Edward Island. The series is part of Nippon’sWorld Masterpiece Theaterseries, which adapted various classic stories to anime, and is one of the most-well known examples. The series was popular enough to inspire a prequel series in the late 2000s and an anime film,Road to Green Gables, in 2010.
For Hayao Miyazaki fans, the series proved a pivotal moment for Miyazaki, who worked on the anime’s scene design and layout. Miyazaki left the series after fifteen episodes, marking his end with Nippon Animation. Despite the Canadian setting, the series' English dub was actually made in South Africa. In fact, Canada only got the French dub of the series.
Grimm’s Fairy Tale Classics
Grimm’s Fairy Tale Classics, also known asGrimm Masterpiece Theater, is an anime series adapting and reimagining variousBrothers Grimm fairy tales. This includes classics likeCinderellaandSnow White, as well as more obscure stories likeBluebeardandGodfather Death. There’s often a unique twist, from Cinderella’s bird friends flying her to the prince with a net to theHansel and Gretelwitch slowly turning into a winged, skeleton beast. An English dub of the series from Saban notablyaired on Nickelodeonin the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The series would be a good match for fans of Miyazaki’s films, as many are influenced by fairy tales and European settings. Much like Miyazaki’s films, the anime is known for having beautiful landscapes in a fairy tale version of Germany. In the original Japanese, there are also plenty of silent, emotional scenes where characters go through the motions, something considered a Miyazaki staple. With Miyazaki’s love of flying, Cinderella’s sky voyage even feels like something that would happen in a Studio Ghibli film.
Lupin IIIis the first television anime of the Monkey PunchLupin IIImanga. The title character is the descendant of Maurice Leblanc’s fictional gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. Much like his ancestor, Lupin III is an international thief. This Lupin is also famous for his network of anti-hero allies: the laid-back, quick-draw Jigen, the master samurai and swordsman Goemon, and crafty cat burglar Fujiko Mine.
Miyazaki served as a director for 14 episodes. Under the alias “Tsutomu Teruki,” Miyazaki also worked on a few episodes of the sequel series,Lupin III: Part II. In the interim, Miyazaki also worked on the film,Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. Considering its darker elements and morally ambiguous heroes, the earlyLupin IIIseries may be better for older Miyazaki fans, even compared tolater versions of the character.
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Sherlock Hound
Sherlock Houndwas a co-production between Italy’s REI and Japan’s TMS Entertainment, recasting the characters ofSherlock Holmesas anthropomorphic dogs. Early on, Miyazaki wore many hats during the production of the series, working on script, storyboard, and direction for the first eleven episodes. There are also a few Miyazaki trademarks, like flying scenes.
The series marked an important time in Miyazaki’s career. At one point, production was halted due to issues with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate. Miyazaki had left the project by the time things were resolved, having moved on toNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, making this Miyazaki’s last television project. A few episodes of the series that Miyazaki worked on were compiled into movies. The 11th episode actually aired in the United States on HBO before it aired in Japan, making it the first time a Miyazaki work aired in the country.
Flying Witch
Flying Witchrevolves around the teenage Makoto Kowata, who travels to Aomori where she’ll stay with relatives. All the while, Makoto is secretly studying to be a witch, something Aomori is secretly in abundance of. Soon, the mundane, quiet world finds itself co-existing with supernatural goings-on, from a dog fortune-teller to a flying whale.
For many anime fans, an anime with a young witch on a broomstick, complete with a talking black cat, leaving her parents' home for a new adventure can bring to mindKiki’s Delivery Service. Granted, witches, good and bad, are often a staple in Miyazaki works. Similarly, scenery and backgrounds are important toFlying Witch, just like in a Miyazaki film. In fact, Makoto partially chose to study in Aomori because of all the beautiful surrounding nature. In fact, the animereplicates many real-life placesaround Hirosaki City. Overall,Flying Witchis well-known for itspeaceful, relaxing nature, being part of the iyashikei, or “healing,” genre.
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Dayis an anime series dedicated tothe grieving process. After a young girl, Meiko “Menma” Honma, dies, her four friends begin to grow apart from each other. Years later, one of the friends, Jintan, is visited by Menma’s spirit, saying she needs his help to grant her last wish. Unfortunately, she doesn’t remember what it was. However, there may be hope of reuniting their old friend group.
Over the years, fans ofMy Neighbor Totorohave often praised the film for similar themes to teaching audiences how to process grief. Although both anime series have similar themes,Anohanahas darker themes and is slightly less idealistic. Like in Miyazaki works, much attention is giving to the backgrounds, replicating real places in Chichibu. Allegedly, the anime is believed to have increased tourism to the real-life Chichibu.
Fruits Basket
Fruits Basketfocuses on Tohru Honda, who finds herself without a home in the events following her mother’s death. Tohru is eventually welcomed into the Sohma house, where she learns the family suffers under a curse. Members of the family are transformed into the animals of the Chinese zodiac once they are embraced by members of the opposite sex. This even includes the cat, an animal traditionally cheated out of the line-up, and its host, Kyo, who is similarly condemned to be an outcast among the family. Tohru’s kind spirit and determination might just be what’s needed to break the curse.
Fruits Basketshares a lot of key elements with Hayao Miyazaki’s films: a strong, plucky heroine, transformations, and curses, all with an atmosphere of magical realism. While many of the characters endure tragic backstories,Fruits Basket, like many of Miyazaki’s works, shows the power of idealism ultimately winning out over cynicism.
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InInuyasha, Kagome, a young girl from a relatively modern Tokyo, falls down a well and into a fantasy version of Feudal Japan, filled with yokai. Soon, Kagome learns that she is the reincarnation of a great priestess, Kikyo, and encounters a boy, Inuyasha, the son of a dog yokai, and a mortal mother, who was Kikyo’s former lover. Kagome also finds herself in possession of the mysterious, wish-granting Shikon Jewel, but it soon shatters, spurring her and Inuyasha to search for the missing fragments, facing enemies and making allies along the way.
Fans ofPrincess Mononokemight particularly enjoy the series, as both stories take place in fantastic versions of a historical Japan, filled with yokai and spirits. Stories of love and friendship between humans and supernatural beings are also a recurring trend in Miyazaki’s works, like inSpirited AwayorHowl’s Moving Castle.
Princess Tutu
Princess Tutustarts with a duck wishing to help a prince who has literally lost his heart. Her wish is granted when she is transformed into a human girl, Ahiru, complete with the power to transform into the magical girl heroine, Princess Tutu. In this form, Ahiru can restore the prince’s heart. Unfortunately, Ahiru’s benefactor’s true intentions aren’t so noble, as he’s trapped the town inside a living fairy tale. To make matters worse, the author doesn’t want a happy ending.
Princess Tutu shares quite a few themes with Miyazaki’s works, like its fairy tale trappings and European setting. In fact, thePrincess Tutucrew members even visited Germany to help capture the series' look. Transformations and talking animals also abound inPrincess Tutu. In addition to Ahiru transforming back and forth between a girl and a duck, the entire town is filled with all sorts of anthropomorphic animals from around the world, like anteaters and aardvarks.
Non Non Biyori
Non Non Biyoriis an iyashikei slice-of-life anime set in the small country village of Asahigaoka. Young Hotaru Ichijo moves to the area with her parents and finds herself adjusting to a whole new environment. Lacking the entertainment and conveniences of big cities, the setting is so remote that the local school only has five students, who all sit in one classroom. Fortunately, Hotaru’s new friends help her become part of their close-knit community.
Non Non Biyoriis known for its lush landscapes, often drawing comparisons to Studio Ghibli films. In fact, the remote setting helps give the series a slow-paced, laid-back feel, making it all the more relaxing.
