But I'm gonna agree with 'My Neighbour Totoro'. And I'm pretty sure 'My Neighbours the Yamadas' is also generally pretty feel good and trying to be about life's lessons (despite the similar titles, these two aren't related or at all similar).

Also I may be mistaken but I think 'The Cat Returns' is generally just a whimsical fantasy without too much of the deep and heavy stuff. Although that's kinda a loose sequel to 'Whisper of the Heart' (iirc), which isn't a feel bad movie but is fairly philosophical and heart wrenching at times.

Then I would also agree with 'Ponyo'. And I'm gonna add 'Earwig and the Witch', which is one of the only Ghibli movies where people are split on even liking it or not. I liked it personally. Not expecting you to. But from what I can remember, it's not that deep and is more on the fun side.

Just want to say, about 'Kiki's Delivery Service', I don't know if I would've classed it as completely feel good. Maybe that's a personal thing though. It's more like a "get real" kind of movie for me personally.

spoiler

To me (and this is what I like about it), it doesn't have a happily ever after, it's pretty open ended. The movie basically just says that some people will get you, others will make you feel like an alien. And sometimes you'll go from feeling happy to feeling like shit for no good reason and what you need is to step away for a while. She even says in her letter to her parents at the end that sometimes her confidence still slips but mostly she's doing ok.

Also, she doesn't understand her cat anymore at the end, even after she's got her magic back. Which is supposed to mean that she's growing up but it's still sad. Or bittersweet at least.

'Kiki's Delivery Service' is my favourite Ghibli film, in case you can't tell.

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bcgm3 5 points 2 years ago

Kiki's is my favorite too, but that last part you mentioned in the spoiler text WRECKS me, everytime. For that reason alone, it's just not a "feel good movie" to me, either. But absolutely an amazing piece of art.

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dustyData 7 points 2 years ago

Kiki's delivery service shows an idealistic, but non-utopic achievable reality. Save the witches and magic existing part, of course. The world isn't ending, no existential threat exists, there are no monsters, villains or evil forces. Just a witch and her friends. Nice exploration of coming of age, far more mature than the typical Disney slop.

Close second, because I find it to be underrated in general for how good it is. Whisper of the heart. A throurough exploration of the emotional side of the creative process and skill development from a non-celebrity POV. Creativity is not about fame, but about learning about yourself. A completely foreign concept to Hollywood.

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Yingwu 1 point 2 years ago

I really love Whisper of the Heart. And such good soundtrack too.

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tatterdemalion 3 points 2 years ago

Porco Rosso or The Cat Returns. Both are primarily comedy with a tinge of romance. I think Porco Rosso is a bit more entertaining overall though.

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bcgm3 3 points 2 years ago

I'd say Pompoko. There's a heavy environmentalism message throughout, but it's all conveyed to you by Hobbit-like, shape-shifting raccoons with huge nutsacks (in a charming way).

Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle... All of those have at least one scene that rips at my heartstrings. Much more so for Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, The Boy and The Heron. I still haven't steeled my resolve enough to watch Grave of the Fireflies.

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insanemantis 2 points 12 days ago

I'm definitely biased, but in my opinion it's Nausicaa. The premise is gritty with grim undertones, but the payoff at the end just always makes me cry. It's so beautiful

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