Studio Ghibli's films were not only popular in East Asia, but also in Europe and the United States. In fact, many of Ghibli's animated films have grossed over $100 million internationally, with 2001's "Spirited Away" and last year's "How You Want to Live Your Life" even winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
However, despite the studio's many breakthroughs, not every film has been a huge success. Now that we've covered Studio Ghibli's highest-grossing films, let's focus on the lowest-grossing films.
It's worth mentioning that not every film has box office figures, so it's mainly based on Box Office Mojo data. Here are the top 10 Studio Ghibli movies at the bottom of the box office.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988): $30.69 million
"My Neighbor Totoro" tells the story of a girl and her sister who move to the countryside with her father while her mother is in the local hospital for treatment. The two of them were having fun in their new home and in the forest next door, and soon noticed some elven creatures around. One of them is the huge and mysterious Totoro.
The Tale of Kaguya Hime (2013): $24.7 million
"The Tale of Kaguyahime" is adapted from the Japanese folk tale "The Tale of Taketori" and tells the story of Kaguyahime, a girl born from bamboo. As she grew older, Kaguya became one of the most enviable women in the world. She catches the attention of five dignitaries, who do everything they can to win her heart, but Kaguya has her own way of getting out of their pursuit. However, in the end, even the emperor wanted to welcome her into the palace.
The Witch Courier Service (1989): $10.39 million
In the courier service based on the children's book of the same name, Kiki, a 13-year-old girl, moves to a seaside town with her cat in order to complete her witch practice. After she figured out how to fly a broomstick, she decided to use this skill to start a home delivery business.
However, as Kiki's magic begins to wane, she must overcome her lack of self-confidence in order to complete her mission.
Castle in the Sky (1986): $6.21 million
In Studio Ghibli's first film, Castle in the Sky, the orphan Hida is somehow kidnapped and put on a plane, and is attacked by pirates in the air on the way, and Sida escapes.
Later, she meets an orphan named Pazu, and together they search for a lost city full of treasures. At the same time, they must also be wary of the evil Musca and the tracking of air pirates.
Listening (1995): $4.41 million
In "Listen Closely", based on the manga of the same name, the protagonist Kasumi Tsukishima has always dreamed of becoming a writer. And when she discovers that her favorite books in the library are always borrowed by the same person, she fantasizes about falling in love. She began to look for the boy who read the same book as her. While completing the search for her missing person, she also befriended an antique dealer and wrote her first book.
Porco Rosso (1992): $1.45 million
Based on Hayao Miyazaki's original manga The Age of Airships, Porco Rosso features a brave pilot who soars through the skies of Italy during World War I. However, after he mysteriously transforms into a pig's head, he turns into a bounty hunter and hunts down a group of air pirates. Accompanied by a dynamic young mechanic and an old friend, his legend continues to live.
Tanuki (1994): $1.25 million
Tanuki are creatures in Japanese mythology that are known for being good at shapeshifting. In Changing Tanuki, inspired by the construction of the new town of Tama in Japan, Tanuki's forest home is threatened by a new suburban development plan. They had to band together to find a way to protect their homeland.
A Fairy Tale of the Years (1991): $540,000
Based on the manga of the same name, "The Fairy Tale of Time" tells the story of Tokyo woman Taeko who returns to the countryside of Yamagata Prefecture during the safflower harvest season to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Taeko was looking forward to taking a break, but she was soon surrounded by memories of the past. Let her start to rethink whether her current life is what she wanted when she was younger.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988): $510,000
Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, "Grave of the Fireflies" tells the story of a teenager named Kiyota who struggles to take care of his young sister Setsuko after his family was destroyed by a bomb in World War II. Although the siblings were tenacious, it was not easy to find the shelter, money, and food they needed to survive.
Hear the Waves (1993): $87,000
"Hearing the Waves" was only released in a small theater, so it ended up at the bottom of the list.
This TV movie, based on the novel of the same name, follows a love triangle between two best friends and a Tokyo girl who comes to their high school. Although the girl behaves arrogantly, the boys soon discover that she has been keeping a low profile and hiding some secrets.