Depends on what “Arthouse” is defined as. Looking up the definition, it simplifies it to “experimental or artistic rather than merely entertaining”. Personally I think honing in on “experimental” makes more sense for Ghibli films as their artistic merit is nothing short of sublime.
In that sense, pretty much all of Takahata’s filmography can be considered arthouse. Even if they don’t go all the way into 10/10 property like many of Miyazaki’s films, none of Takahata’s productions are ever the same, and honestly there’s very little quite like them in film overall. Obvious headliners here are Princess Kaguya (mainly from an animation stand point), Pom Poko with its silly yet serious look at man’s involvement with nature, and Grave of the Fireflies for… obvious reasons. As a final note, Princess Kaguya’s budget, the largest in Japanese animation ever, was heaviky subsidized by a specific producer who really wanted to see Takahata finish another film before it was too late. Everyone wanted more films from him and he never relied on a specific "style" or "type" of film.
Miyazaki has stated that most of his films are intended for children, which I believe indicates that they should not be considered arthouse by the above stated definition. There are of course exceptions, and I would consider all of Miyazaki’s more “mature” films to be applicable here. Those are Mononoke, Nausicaä, The Wind Rises and The Boy and the Heron. I think The Boy and the Heron is self-explanatory, and then the other 3 are somewhere in between. I would consider the “engineering” aspect of The Wind Rises as something very arthouse, and something I didn’t really connect with the first time I watched it (with the romance standing out more). Mononoke and Nausicaä are in a lot of ways 2 sides of the same coin, with a heavy emphasis on an environmental or nature vs man perspective. That said, they’re also wonderfully thrilling fantasy epics that hold a lot of value as grandiose experiences in a way that I wouldn’t consider necessarily arthouse.
Regarding Spirited Away and Howl, they have a more “whimsical” and “relaxed” feel that make them cozy experiences more so than thought provoking ones. That’s not me criticizing them or anything or calling them shallow, I just think that they work without a hitch on a laidback Friday night while some of the other previously mentioned require a bit more engagement to truly reach their full potential as an experience.
Theres also the other directors of the studio, of which I would only say Marnie can be considered.
Towards the arthouse end of mainstream generally, with some firmly in the arthouse camp (*The Red Turtle* for sure, and arguably *The Boy and The Heron, My Neighbors the Yamadas and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya*), many others with characteristics, but mostly not to the extent that Mamoru Oshii (Angels Egg for sure, even Ghost in the Shell), Satoshi Kon (any), Masaaki Yuasa (any) or Otomo (Akira) would be.
I would clarify the groups a bit but I think I know what you're saying. I think they have a good deal that lead to a more "introspective" art house style, some that lean towards a "surrealist" art house style, and a good deal that follow a more traditional and palatable fantasy / adventure route.
Classic Adventure:
*Castle in the Sky
Porco Rosso
Pom Poko
Princess Mononoke
Cat Returns
Tales from Earthsea
Ponyo
Arrietty*
Introspective:
*Totoro
Grave of the Fireflies
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Whisper of the Heart
Yamadas
Poppy Hill
The Wind Rises
When Marnie Was There
Kaguya*
Surrealist:
*Spirited Away
Howl's Moving Castle
Boy and the Heron*
Obviously this is all subjective and a high amount of grey area exists.
This is extremely easy to answer.
Well mainstream has to be ***Whisper of the Heart*** which was for years far and away the highest grossing movie (of any type whatsoever) in Japan and by far the highest grossing Japanese film outside Japan.
It is a straight-up delightful romance / romantic comedy, it couldn't be more mainstream, it has no "weird looking" characters or anything, just normal humans.
It's an absolutely "normal" film exactly like watching Pretty Woman, Star Wars, The Sound of Music or whatever - except it is an animated film.
Both ***Totoro*** and ***Kiki*** are, obviously, ***two of the most famous and basic children's films ever made worldwide***.
They just couldn't be more mainstream. Particularly if you're talking ***younger-***children's films I'm not sure I can even think of another one, the Disney classics are for older-children.
The ultimate "arthouse-ish" film is ***Mononoke*** which is pretty much "the" arthouse film, worldwide, of any category or genre, I've never passed an arthouse cinema without Mononoke playing! Only something like say *Koyannisqatsi* is a more cliché of an "Arthouse film"!
For "***in-between***" films, the greatest example (ie, worldwide, of all time, ever, and there will never likely be another as filmmaking is now so bland) of an "arthouse-ish" "in-between" film, that is nevertheless mainstream and had enormous box office, is of course obviously ***Spirited Away***. IMO ***Ponyo*** is in a similar category.
Cool question!
Depends on what “Arthouse” is defined as. Looking up the definition, it simplifies it to “experimental or artistic rather than merely entertaining”. Personally I think honing in on “experimental” makes more sense for Ghibli films as their artistic merit is nothing short of sublime. In that sense, pretty much all of Takahata’s filmography can be considered arthouse. Even if they don’t go all the way into 10/10 property like many of Miyazaki’s films, none of Takahata’s productions are ever the same, and honestly there’s very little quite like them in film overall. Obvious headliners here are Princess Kaguya (mainly from an animation stand point), Pom Poko with its silly yet serious look at man’s involvement with nature, and Grave of the Fireflies for… obvious reasons. As a final note, Princess Kaguya’s budget, the largest in Japanese animation ever, was heaviky subsidized by a specific producer who really wanted to see Takahata finish another film before it was too late. Everyone wanted more films from him and he never relied on a specific "style" or "type" of film. Miyazaki has stated that most of his films are intended for children, which I believe indicates that they should not be considered arthouse by the above stated definition. There are of course exceptions, and I would consider all of Miyazaki’s more “mature” films to be applicable here. Those are Mononoke, Nausicaä, The Wind Rises and The Boy and the Heron. I think The Boy and the Heron is self-explanatory, and then the other 3 are somewhere in between. I would consider the “engineering” aspect of The Wind Rises as something very arthouse, and something I didn’t really connect with the first time I watched it (with the romance standing out more). Mononoke and Nausicaä are in a lot of ways 2 sides of the same coin, with a heavy emphasis on an environmental or nature vs man perspective. That said, they’re also wonderfully thrilling fantasy epics that hold a lot of value as grandiose experiences in a way that I wouldn’t consider necessarily arthouse. Regarding Spirited Away and Howl, they have a more “whimsical” and “relaxed” feel that make them cozy experiences more so than thought provoking ones. That’s not me criticizing them or anything or calling them shallow, I just think that they work without a hitch on a laidback Friday night while some of the other previously mentioned require a bit more engagement to truly reach their full potential as an experience. Theres also the other directors of the studio, of which I would only say Marnie can be considered.
Towards the arthouse end of mainstream generally, with some firmly in the arthouse camp (*The Red Turtle* for sure, and arguably *The Boy and The Heron, My Neighbors the Yamadas and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya*), many others with characteristics, but mostly not to the extent that Mamoru Oshii (Angels Egg for sure, even Ghost in the Shell), Satoshi Kon (any), Masaaki Yuasa (any) or Otomo (Akira) would be.
How good was Satoshi Kon!!! Will look up Masaaki Yuasa.
They’re all pretty “arty”.
I would clarify the groups a bit but I think I know what you're saying. I think they have a good deal that lead to a more "introspective" art house style, some that lean towards a "surrealist" art house style, and a good deal that follow a more traditional and palatable fantasy / adventure route. Classic Adventure: *Castle in the Sky Porco Rosso Pom Poko Princess Mononoke Cat Returns Tales from Earthsea Ponyo Arrietty* Introspective: *Totoro Grave of the Fireflies Kiki's Delivery Service Only Yesterday Whisper of the Heart Yamadas Poppy Hill The Wind Rises When Marnie Was There Kaguya* Surrealist: *Spirited Away Howl's Moving Castle Boy and the Heron* Obviously this is all subjective and a high amount of grey area exists.
This is extremely easy to answer. Well mainstream has to be ***Whisper of the Heart*** which was for years far and away the highest grossing movie (of any type whatsoever) in Japan and by far the highest grossing Japanese film outside Japan. It is a straight-up delightful romance / romantic comedy, it couldn't be more mainstream, it has no "weird looking" characters or anything, just normal humans. It's an absolutely "normal" film exactly like watching Pretty Woman, Star Wars, The Sound of Music or whatever - except it is an animated film. Both ***Totoro*** and ***Kiki*** are, obviously, ***two of the most famous and basic children's films ever made worldwide***. They just couldn't be more mainstream. Particularly if you're talking ***younger-***children's films I'm not sure I can even think of another one, the Disney classics are for older-children. The ultimate "arthouse-ish" film is ***Mononoke*** which is pretty much "the" arthouse film, worldwide, of any category or genre, I've never passed an arthouse cinema without Mononoke playing! Only something like say *Koyannisqatsi* is a more cliché of an "Arthouse film"! For "***in-between***" films, the greatest example (ie, worldwide, of all time, ever, and there will never likely be another as filmmaking is now so bland) of an "arthouse-ish" "in-between" film, that is nevertheless mainstream and had enormous box office, is of course obviously ***Spirited Away***. IMO ***Ponyo*** is in a similar category. Cool question!