Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are amongst the most highly regarded in the movie industry. Their films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new release a guaranteed box-office smash. Yet this highly profitable studio has remained fiercely independent, with the studio's founders, long-time animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, producing a stream of imaginative and individual animations. Although their films are distinctly Japanese, their themes are universal: humanity, community and a love for the environment.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

With countless awards, including a Best Animated Feature Oscar for Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki is one of anime's greatest. His Ponyo just debuted to joyful reviews in a star-dubbed English version. British film critics and coauthors of many Kamera books, Odell and Le Blanc (Vampire Films; David Lynch) capture Miyazaki's phenomenal career, intricately linked with that of his creative partner Isao Takahata, and provide an excellent overview of "the most profitable animation company in the world" outside Hollywood. Studio Ghibli, whose unique name is derived from an Italian aircraft used in World War II, was formed in 1985 by Miyazaki, Takahata, and producer Suzuki Toshio as an incubator for uncompromising artistic freedom. While Ghibli's films have become well known in households with children, Satoshi Kon is gaining prominence in the adult anime market. Osmond (Spirited Away), another British film reviewer, covers Kon's four films (Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika) and his television series (Paranoia Agent) with painstaking synopses, analyses, sample dialog, and production notes for each title. According to Osmond, "Kon makes us unsure of what's real and what's not. He's less a magician than an illusionist of anime." While his research is thorough-and mostly firsthand from numerous interviews-occasional repetitive overwriting makes Osmond's the less compelling of the two titles. Verdict Read together, Studio Ghibli and Satoshi Kon form an ideal contemporary anime 101 self-study. While both contain spoilers, they will make you want to see the films with fresh eyes. For a deeper-and engrossing and irreverent-look at anime from Miyazaki's perspective, try his recent book, Starting Point 1979-1996.-Terry Hong, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.