Watching Studio Ghibli Movies Has Been Such A Sweet Way To Bond With My Daughter. Why It's Even More Important Now That She's Getting Older

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I’m sure every parent goes through this multiple times in their life, but my daughter is 8 years old and has started to transition from being a little girl to a preteen. Movies, shows, and activities that used to help us pass the time and bond are old news for her growing mind, but there is one constant: our shared love of Studio Ghibli movies.

Over the years, my daughter and I have watched countless movies from the famed Japanese animation studio, even those not directed by the incomparable Hayao Miyazaki, and the films have been something that has brought us closer and opened up myriad conversations. Now that she’s getting older, this shared admiration is becoming even more important for both of us. Allow me to explain…

Our Studio Ghibli Journey Started When My Daughter Was Only A Few Months Old

Though I was familiar with Studio Ghibli growing up, I didn’t start watching the company's movies until my daughter was born. When my wife went back to work after our daughter’s birth, there were days when it was just the two of us, and so I decided it would be fun to watch My Neighbor Totoro one afternoon.

On those random afternoons and weekends when my wife was photographing a wedding or taking family photos, my daughter and I would sit on the couch and watch as Satsuki and Mei went on an imaginative adventure with a majestic creature or follow a young witch finding her place in the world in Kiki’s Delivery Service. It became our thing, and as she got older, we just kept it going.

As A Toddler, She Was More Obsessed With Kiki's Delivery Service Than Frozen, Which Is Saying Something

Not long after my daughter’s fourth birthday, we signed up for a Max subscription, which meant we had access to just about every Studio Ghibli film released up to that point. Despite being able to watch movies long out of print on DVD or with long waiting lists at the library, my daughter became obsessed with Kiki’s Delivery Service, which is admittingly a classic worth a rewatch all these years later.

This was a few months after Frozen II debuted on Disney+ and in the middle of my daughter’s peak obsession with the beloved franchise (she had dresses, toys, a singalong mic, bedsheets, you name it). But, she just kept gravitating to Kiki’s Delivery Service and its charming and empowering coming-of-age story about a young witch figuring out her powers and place in the world. It’s stayed that way ever since, and the Studio Ghibli staple has essentially become a comfort blanket of sorts.

As Time Has Gone By, She's Starting To Talk About The Stories And Themes In Addition To The Animation

Don’t get me wrong, my daughter still loves the animation in Studio Ghibli movies and she has several books about the making of classics like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Castle in the Sky, but she’s started to become more interested in the stories and themes than the visuals as of late.

We recently went on a camping trip and my daughter brought a handful of DVDs along with her to watch while relaxing after a day’s swim or hike. One night, as we were walking around the campground, she said she wanted to pick up The Boy and the Heron when we got home (it finally came out on Blu-ray right before our trip), but that she was worried about the movie’s themes about death, grief, and sorrow.

I didn’t expect to have a conversation with an 8-year-old about losing a parent while walking to the bathroom, but there we were, talking about loss and grief. It was one of those parenting moments that you hear about and wonder if you’ll ever get to experience. I did and it was great.

While Our Relationship Has Changed Over The Years, Our Shared Love For Studio Ghibli Movies Has Remained A Constant

In the past, I’ve written about how watching Field of Dreams as a 36-year-old led to me contemplating my relationship with my father and how the movie has been a constant in our lives over the years. Looking back on the bond I’ve shared with my daughter these past eight-and-a-half years, I’m having a similar experience with how Studio Ghibli movies have been a major part of our lives and how our shared admiration for them has remained one of the few constants.

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching my daughter – my first child – grow and mature into someone with their own distinct thoughts, desires, and interests, but I’m going to be honest and say that, as a parent, it’s hard to let go. While we might not connect over this or that and our relationship is morphing into something different, it’s nice to have shared interests like Studio Ghibli movies that help us find some commonality in the journey that is life.

Honestly, I Can't Wait To See Where This Not Only Takes Our Bond But Also Her Life

I don’t know what the future holds, but I sincerely hope that as we continue to grow and experience all that life has to offer, my daughter, the girl I sang Townes Van Zandt’s “I’ll Be There In Morning” to on that cold February morning in 2016, and I will have movies like Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Castle in the Sky.

On top of all of this about our bond and relationship and how both have changed over the years, I also can’t wait to see how my daughter’s love of Studio Ghibli continues to impact her life. It’s already introduced her to the world of anime, manga, and graphic novels, so much so that it drastically improved her reading skills over the past year. As a parent, it’s really great to see your child find something that helps them get more out of life and not just entertainment.

I guess this is just part of life and part of being a parent. I don’t know when a new movie from Hayao Miyazaki will come again, but there are some re-releases I plan on checking out thanks to Studio Ghibli Fest, which is bringing some classics to the big screen on the 2024 movie schedule.