No studio has a higher floor than Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki and Takahata spent four decades turning out films that most other studios would call a career-best once. We ranked Ghibli's catalog by SenpaiRanks score so you can see which films the crowd rates highest — and, just as important, where you can actually stream them.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best Studio Ghibli movies are Spirited Away at 8.74, Princess Mononoke at 8.36, and Howl's Moving Castle at 8.25 — the three highest-rated Ghibli films on our board. Each is ranked on SenpaiRanks's dual-axis system (Consensus + Quality), and — the part streaming guides bury — none of them are on Crunchyroll. Ghibli lives on Netflix in most of the world and on Max in the US.
Why Ghibli sits so high
A Ghibli film is hand-drawn to a standard the industry rarely attempts anymore, and the writing trusts the audience to sit with quiet. That combination is why the studio scores well on both our axes at once: broadly beloved and durable on rewatch. Very few catalogs clear that bar this consistently.
The ranked list
1. Spirited Away — 8.74
The highest-rated Ghibli film on SenpaiRanks at 8.74, and the one that won the Oscar. Chihiro's trip through the bathhouse is still the studio's definitive statement.
2. Princess Mononoke — 8.36
Mononoke Hime holds 8.36 — Miyazaki's angriest, most ecological film, and the one that proves Ghibli was never just for kids.
3. Howl's Moving Castle — 8.25
Tracked at 8.25, a wartime romance wrapped in one of the most beautiful moving objects ever animated.
4. Grave of the Fireflies — 8.19
Takahata's Hotaru no Haka sits at 8.19 — the film everyone recommends and no one rewatches lightly. The gut-punch of the catalog.
5. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — 8.11
The pre-Ghibli blueprint, tracked at 8.11. Every theme the studio would spend forty years exploring is already here.
6. My Neighbor Totoro — 8.09
The mascot movie, and deservedly so — 8.09 on SenpaiRanks for the gentlest film about childhood ever made.
7. Castle in the Sky — 8.01
Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa holds 8.01, the studio's purest adventure and the template for a hundred imitators.
8. Whisper of the Heart — 7.99
Mimi wo Sumaseba sits at 7.99 — the quiet coming-of-age favorite that Ghibli devotees name when they want to test yours.
9. Kiki's Delivery Service — 7.96
Majo no Takkyuubin rounds out the top tier at 7.96, a small story about burnout and finding your feet that lands harder every year.
Where to watch Studio Ghibli
This is where Ghibli breaks the usual anime pattern. The films are not on Crunchyroll. In most of the world they stream on Netflix; in the United States they're on Max; in Japan they aren't on subscription streaming at all. That platform split is exactly the kind of thing a platform-neutral guide exists to tell you — we'll point you to Netflix when a Crunchyroll-first site won't.
How to read it
A studio ranking is a starting point, not the last word — the dual-axis score shows where the crowd lands, but your taste decides. Open any card, rate the film, and you nudge it on the live board. From here, branch into the best Kyoto Animation and best Madhouse rankings, or start at the top of the full SenpaiRanks board.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best Studio Ghibli movie?
A: According to SenpaiRanks, Spirited Away is the best Studio Ghibli movie at 8.74, followed by Princess Mononoke (8.36) and Howl's Moving Castle (8.25).
Q: Where can I watch Studio Ghibli movies?
A: In most countries Ghibli films stream on Netflix; in the US they're on Max. They are not available on Crunchyroll, and in Japan they aren't on subscription streaming.
Q: Are Ghibli films on Crunchyroll?
A: No. Despite being anime, Studio Ghibli's catalog is not on Crunchyroll — it lives on Netflix worldwide and Max in the United States.
Q: Is Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke better?
A: On SenpaiRanks, Spirited Away edges it at 8.74 versus 8.36 for Princess Mononoke — but rate both on their pages and your Quality axis may disagree.
Q: How does SenpaiRanks score films?
A: Every title gets a dual-axis Consensus and Quality score, so you see whether a film is broadly liked, critically durable, or both — a MyAnimeList alternative built on two numbers instead of one.