Hayao Miyazaki is Japan’s Disney. His films are emotionally compelling, visually arresting, and easily digested.

Howl’s Moving Castle, 2005 - Lightweight fantasy with dark edges, dream-like in its cavalier attitude toward exposition, its juxtaposition of cuteness with wartime themes, and its often Lynchian logic. For serious children and their governesses.

Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi), 2001 - Enchanting magical alternate-world adventure drama, a Japanese Alice in Wonderland. Every aspect is superlative. For the whole family.

Princess Mononoke (Mononoke Hime), 1997 - Beautifully rendered and animated, but the noble savage romanticisation shows this to be an essentially naive ecology drama, which distracts a bit from the visual appeal. Avoid the dub. For the hopeful.

Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta), 1992 - Miyazaki’s classy barnstorming adventure love story. Main character is a biplane pilot with a heart of gold and the head of a pig. Nothing too complicated, some fun airplanes. For the grown-up kid.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (Majo no takkyubin), 1989 - Gentle, nostalgic, and sincere magical coming-of-age drama. For children.

My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro), 1988 - Lush, relaxing, and plotless children’s romp through an enchanted countryside. Miyazaki out-cutes himself with great motion and design. For the very young and those who take them seriously.

Laputa (Castle in the Sky) (Tenku no shiro Rapyuta), 1986 - Verneian steam-powered kid’s fantasy. Genuinely solid and fantastic, a rare combination. For the impressionable.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika), 1984 - Trippy dewy-eyed sci-fi morality tale. Well done overall, but too much like “Wizards” in spots, and the didactic plot drags. For the well-intentioned naïf.

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