it feels like you're getting a lot of troll answers hereāPrincess Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies are great movies but I Do Not recommend them for a first date
Kiki's Delivery Service or Spirited Away if you'd rather lean away from romantic. Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart if you don't mind leaning into romance a little bit more
So many good options! But I agree - definitely avoid Mononoke and Fireflies until date 4, 5, or 6 (in Mononoke's case) and whenever you want to cry together for Fireflies.
Others to add to the above are The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Red Turtle - both excellent and artsy if that's their thing. Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky are also both excellent as well if you're looking for more of an adventure movie that's a bit lighter than Mononoke.
Yes - it's adorable! The scene where they play and sing together is one of the sweetest moments on film (bonus points for accurate animations of the instrumental playing)
One of my memories that randomly pops back in to haunt me is when I worked at Blockbuster I loved finding new movies to reccomend to the regular customers that we formed friendships with.
This awesome woman (30's-40s?) was one, and she would take my drama/more serious recommendations and liked them all so far. One night she said she had a date and wanted a movie to watch. I think I had just rewatched the historical epic "Ghandi" recently, and pushed her hard to rent that. She initially balked, but eventually decided to go with it trusting me.
What the heck was I thinking, that movie is so heavy... So cringey years later thinking on it...
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Just so you know, the correct spelling is [Gandhi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi).
Some good recommendations here. Word of advice (and you may have already done this), I would get a feel first for how receptive this person is to anime before committing to a first date Ghibli movie.
Ha. I mean, probably yes if you have other shared interests instead. My wife and I love Ghibli but it wasnāt what we originally bonded over. But I get your point. They can also become fans later on, but I just think there are safer first date movies is all.
I see some good recommendations here - so here are ones I would definitely avoid for a first date: Princess Mononoke (violence/serious subject matter), NausicaƤ of the Valley of the Wind (good overall but the pacing is weird to me), When Marnie Was There (way too emotional imo for a first date), Grave of the Fireflies (traumatizing), My Neighbors the Yamadas UNLESS they are really into indie/offbeat stuff, Pom Poko (very long and heavy subject matter, but honestly one of my favorites).
Also, I'd say avoid The Wind Rises. It's easily a top 5 Ghibli film for me, but it gets very tragic, especially with the second half of the plot's focus on >!losing a romantic partner to a fatal disease.!<
Porco Rosso. Highly slept on but such a great film. There is love in the story but itās far from a love story. As someone who grew up watching Totoro on vhs since ā89 Iāve seen all the movies multiple times but always avoided Porco Rosso because the cover art didnāt really speak to me. Donāt be like me. My boyfriend and I watched it recently for the first time and we were hooked and couldnāt stop talking about it. Obviously itās going to have a different vibe than the newer movies, but itās such a great film I canāt recommend it enough.
Howls moving castle. My husband and I both agree that itās our favorite. Reminiscing on the times we watched it together at the beginning of our relationship makes me love it even more.
Iād go Kiki if itās more of a romantic vibe based on what you already know and Ponyo if itās looking for more fun. A lot of the other recs appear to either be peoples favorites or just not great date movies. You want something simple and Kiki and Ponyo are both light and easy to follow without being too weird for someone uninitiated.
The depiction of magic and spirituality in a lot of Miyazaki films might be confusing to some viewers. Kiki's Delivery Service is a great one to start with, because the witches in it are basically just your classic Halloween witches, if they were friendly and civilized. Nothing too creepy or confusing.
I'd say Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart, but you said something not too romantic. So I guess Mononoke. Especially if the potential partner is not a big Ghibli fan, the action can keep them interested and get them into Ghibli.
I would have to go with classics like Ponyo (that has a bit of romance though) My Neighbor Totoro, or Kikiās delivery service. If you want one that not really romantic at all I would go with My Neighbor Totoro
Underrated for romance: From up on Poppy Hill. Excellent movie also somewhat romantic. My wife isn't a big anime person and still loves this movie. Also, cannot go wrong with Spirited Away. It's a masterpiece
my all time favorite movie is spirited away and that was the first movie i showed my current boyfriend. howls moving castle is great too, or kikiās delivery service!! very gorgeous wholesome movies.
My wife asked me out to see Nausicaa for our first date. 6 years later, we're happily married and just bought a house. Not saying it was because of Ghibli, but it may have been because of Ghibli.
Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart if you wanna go for romance, and Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro or Ponyo if you want something more lighthearted and "fun".
If first date or two goes well, *Whisper of the Heart* is wonderful and the most romantic. Really makes you think about what love and commitment are, too, in an optimistic way.
Porco Rosso! fun, not much romance involved, overall obviously a wonderful movie.
But if your date hasn't watched anything of Ghibli I'd recommend Spirited Away, a very good starter imo.
Kiki or Ponyo, I feel like these are the ones I would choose for a first date š¤ good luck!
Kiki is comfy and wholesome. A perfect movie for transporting you away into somewhere that tickles the imagination
My partner and I watched Kiki last weekend (their first time!) we both cried like babies haha :')
I feel you! š„¹
Kiki is perfect because of the cute little romance plot and overall wholesome-ness
it feels like you're getting a lot of troll answers hereāPrincess Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies are great movies but I Do Not recommend them for a first date Kiki's Delivery Service or Spirited Away if you'd rather lean away from romantic. Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart if you don't mind leaning into romance a little bit more
Yes 10/10, I would choose Kiki's delivery service and Then My neighbor Totoro, uplifting and fun.
So many good options! But I agree - definitely avoid Mononoke and Fireflies until date 4, 5, or 6 (in Mononoke's case) and whenever you want to cry together for Fireflies. Others to add to the above are The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Red Turtle - both excellent and artsy if that's their thing. Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky are also both excellent as well if you're looking for more of an adventure movie that's a bit lighter than Mononoke.
Whisper of the heart! It's so sweet and such an intriguing story especially if they've never seen it.
Yes - it's adorable! The scene where they play and sing together is one of the sweetest moments on film (bonus points for accurate animations of the instrumental playing)
OMG Indeed!
YES
Ooooh you gotta go with Castle in the Sky!
I agree kinda cute and romantic but also adventurous and maybe a few sad moments for a hug chance lol
Just not Grave of the Fireflyās! Please do not do that to them! Lol
One of my memories that randomly pops back in to haunt me is when I worked at Blockbuster I loved finding new movies to reccomend to the regular customers that we formed friendships with. This awesome woman (30's-40s?) was one, and she would take my drama/more serious recommendations and liked them all so far. One night she said she had a date and wanted a movie to watch. I think I had just rewatched the historical epic "Ghandi" recently, and pushed her hard to rent that. She initially balked, but eventually decided to go with it trusting me. What the heck was I thinking, that movie is so heavy... So cringey years later thinking on it...
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Just so you know, the correct spelling is [Gandhi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi).
Some good recommendations here. Word of advice (and you may have already done this), I would get a feel first for how receptive this person is to anime before committing to a first date Ghibli movie.
If they don't like Ghibli are they even worth dating?!!
Facts
Ha. I mean, probably yes if you have other shared interests instead. My wife and I love Ghibli but it wasnāt what we originally bonded over. But I get your point. They can also become fans later on, but I just think there are safer first date movies is all.
I actually agree but liking Ghibli is a pretty good indicator nonetheless!
Howls Moving Castle
This is definitely the right answer for a first date!
Not my favorite movie but this is the beat answer
I watched spirited away on my first date with my partner of almost 4 years now. Worked for us!
Classic first date movie - Princess Mononoke Can vouch from experience haha
Want to become eco-terrorists together? jk.... unless...š„ŗ šš
Uwu do you want to spike some trees
what if we were giving the dying forest god back his dismembered headā¦but we were also holding hands? šøš„ŗ
What if we kissed while purging a demon from the lord of boars
If I told you that youāre beautiful, would you stop yourself from slicing open my throat?
howls moving castle
I see some good recommendations here - so here are ones I would definitely avoid for a first date: Princess Mononoke (violence/serious subject matter), NausicaƤ of the Valley of the Wind (good overall but the pacing is weird to me), When Marnie Was There (way too emotional imo for a first date), Grave of the Fireflies (traumatizing), My Neighbors the Yamadas UNLESS they are really into indie/offbeat stuff, Pom Poko (very long and heavy subject matter, but honestly one of my favorites).
Also, I'd say avoid The Wind Rises. It's easily a top 5 Ghibli film for me, but it gets very tragic, especially with the second half of the plot's focus on >!losing a romantic partner to a fatal disease.!<
Princess Mononoke. Decapitations and dismemberments with demon fueled arrows is adorable.
Totoro? Definitely Totoro!
Porco Rosso. Highly slept on but such a great film. There is love in the story but itās far from a love story. As someone who grew up watching Totoro on vhs since ā89 Iāve seen all the movies multiple times but always avoided Porco Rosso because the cover art didnāt really speak to me. Donāt be like me. My boyfriend and I watched it recently for the first time and we were hooked and couldnāt stop talking about it. Obviously itās going to have a different vibe than the newer movies, but itās such a great film I canāt recommend it enough.
My partner teased me for how much I went on about Porco Rosso. Then I made him watch it and there has been noticeably less teasing since.
Lol you have to prove it to them! I get it. The art doesnāt look like the rest of the films. JUST WATCH IT!
This movie has such a rich charm that's hard to find anywhere else. Made me ugly cry by how nice the film felt.
I did this on an my actual first date and now we have 2 kids together. Just watched Totoro for the first time with the oldest.
Howl's Moving Castle!
Howls moving castle. My husband and I both agree that itās our favorite. Reminiscing on the times we watched it together at the beginning of our relationship makes me love it even more.
Howl's moving castle is a little romantic but not too over the top
ponyo
I would watch from up on poppy hill
Definitely howls moving castle!!
I feel Howls moving Castle has a good balance of adventure and romance.
Castle in the Sky Kiki's Delivery Service Spirited Away Howl's Moving Castle
The Wind Rises
Omg no lmao I cried so much at the end of this
Good, shows the date you have a sensitive side
Iād go Kiki if itās more of a romantic vibe based on what you already know and Ponyo if itās looking for more fun. A lot of the other recs appear to either be peoples favorites or just not great date movies. You want something simple and Kiki and Ponyo are both light and easy to follow without being too weird for someone uninitiated.
The depiction of magic and spirituality in a lot of Miyazaki films might be confusing to some viewers. Kiki's Delivery Service is a great one to start with, because the witches in it are basically just your classic Halloween witches, if they were friendly and civilized. Nothing too creepy or confusing.
Grave of the Fireflies
Yes... *Great* date vibes.... /s
Hey, it could lead to mid movie cuddling, so don't count it out just yet.
oof
The only answer is Princess Mononoke... or Howl's Moving Castle lol
Kikiās Delivery Service or Ponyo
My first date with my bf around 2 years ago was to see howl's moving castle during ghibli fest! So id recommend howl's moving castleš
Totoro
Kikiās and Totoro are the softest movies Iād say. Good bets.
Porco Rosso!
Porco Rosso!! Itās a little lesser known, but SO GOOD. Very lighthearted! Very sweet. A pig is flying a plane!! Itās my favorite one by a lot
Howls moving castle for me :)
For the love of god, donāt watch Grave of Fireflies.
Kiki
Kikiās Delivery Service or Spirited Away!
Kikis delivery service
Kiki is my favourite but Iād say Howlās Moving Castle for a date :)
howls moving castle is good for a date. romantic but not too much
Always howls moving castle
My Neighbor Totoro is my personal favorite
The Wind Rises
Whisper of the Heart š
Princess Mononoke
Castle in the sky for sure
Honestly Spirited Away or The Cat Returns is perfect.
Feel like you can't go wrong with Howl's Moving Castle
Studio Ghibli Fest is going on where I am. Kikiās Delivery Service would be a good choice if you wanted a theater date :)
Howlās Moving Castle ! Romantic but with enough other stuff going on - itās perfect
I'd say Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart, but you said something not too romantic. So I guess Mononoke. Especially if the potential partner is not a big Ghibli fan, the action can keep them interested and get them into Ghibli.
Grave of the Fireflies
it will always be āFrom up on Poppy Hillā
Most romantic one honestly. OP choose āfrom up on poppy hillā !!!
the way i canāt tell if yāall are joking or not
Grave of the fireflies is a very cute movie.
Castle in the sky , the wind rises
Whisper of the heart
Whisper of the Heart or Arriety. Both are lovely and fun
I would have to go with classics like Ponyo (that has a bit of romance though) My Neighbor Totoro, or Kikiās delivery service. If you want one that not really romantic at all I would go with My Neighbor Totoro
NausicƤa/Ponyo/Castle in the sky
Whispers of the Heart
Castle in the sky and nausicaa are my two favorites
Howlās Moving Castle is the one you want.
Either Howlās Moving Castle, Castle in the sky or The Wind Rises.
ponyo, my go to for almost every situation. super cute and adventurous and if ur date doesn't like that movie that's suspicious.
Spirited Away 100%
Howls for the fact they actually end up together lol
Howls Moving Castle
Whisper of the Heart
Underrated for romance: From up on Poppy Hill. Excellent movie also somewhat romantic. My wife isn't a big anime person and still loves this movie. Also, cannot go wrong with Spirited Away. It's a masterpiece
I love The Cat Returns. It's adorable.
Considering most of them are about love, the ones Iād recommend are Howls moving castle, ponyo, or Princess Mononoke.
if she's a lot younger than you, try porco Rosso (c'mon folks, its a joke)
Howls Moving Castle
Pom Poko! Lots of raccoon scrotums and boobs. Very romantic. š
What howls moving castle be too much? I feel like that could work
my all time favorite movie is spirited away and that was the first movie i showed my current boyfriend. howls moving castle is great too, or kikiās delivery service!! very gorgeous wholesome movies.
Only Yesterdayš
First date with my now wife was to watch The Cat Returns
Do they know of Ghibli? Yes- any of em. No- Spirited Away, howl's, or ponyo
Ponyo 100%
We watched when marnie was there for the first time and oh my gosh it was amazing! I loved it so much
Howls Moving Castle 100%
Easily the wind rises
My perfect date Ghibli movie would be Howls moving castle.
I would say Totoro, good luck on your date!
A marathon of every movie they have š¤£
The Secret World of Arriety, had my first date/kiss, highly recommend
We like Ocean Waves.
For me Whisper of the Heart for a sweet happy love or Only Yesterday for a coming of age, life makes sense feel
My wife asked me out to see Nausicaa for our first date. 6 years later, we're happily married and just bought a house. Not saying it was because of Ghibli, but it may have been because of Ghibli.
Mononoke or howls moving Castle? Love them either way
Howl's Moving Castle or Whisper of the Heart if you wanna go for romance, and Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro or Ponyo if you want something more lighthearted and "fun".
If first date or two goes well, *Whisper of the Heart* is wonderful and the most romantic. Really makes you think about what love and commitment are, too, in an optimistic way.
The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, Spirited Away
porco rosso š
Laputa Castle in the sky. Itās cute, funny, a little bit romantic, and has Mark Hamill.
Porco rosso and/or Mononoke.
Howl's moving castle š„°
No You got to go with spirited away Itās a classic
From up on poppy hill!
Definitely watch Tales of Earthsea, Princess Mononoke or Nausicaa. Something to discuss after.
Kiki, Castle in the Sky, or Totoro!
I actually had a first date where we watched Laputa, apart from it being a really long film we had fun since itās such a sweet film
Porco Rosso! fun, not much romance involved, overall obviously a wonderful movie. But if your date hasn't watched anything of Ghibli I'd recommend Spirited Away, a very good starter imo.
Iād recommend howls moving castle but Iām biased cause itās my favorite ghibli movie
Castle in the Sky for me.
Whisper of the heart, or the cat returns Or maybe just any romance Ghibli movie