5 Recommended Anime Series and Movies like Castle in the Sky
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For not only classic but also recent fans of Japanese anime, Castle in the Sky is one of the best choices in Studio Ghibli movies. The fantasy adventure anime directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki has been watched by both children and adults since it was released in 1986.
If you love and miss Castle in the Sky, it is also recommended to check these anime recommendations. With a briefing about the renowned film, here are 5 best anime series and movies like Castle in the Sky including the other Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece and the modern anime series.
About Castle in the Sky
Castle in the Sky (天空の城ラピュタ) is the first anime movie created by Studio Ghobli in 1986, directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki. The fantasy adventure movie, which has been loved by both kids and adults around the globe for a long time, is the completely original Studio Ghibli movie.
Castle in the Sky is set in the world inspired by Europe around the late 19th century, following the two main characters: a young boy named Pazu and a young girl named Sheeta. One day, he sees her falling slowly from the sky. She is pursued by the air pirates and government agency, whose target is her crystal pendant. Her adventure with Pazu begins to run away from them.
5 Recommended Anime Series and Movies Similar to Castle in the Sky
1. The Castle of Cagliostro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJudurbkv1E
If you have not watched The Castle of Cagliostro (ルパン三世 カリオストロの城), it is highly recommended to check it since it is the first full-length movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was released in 1979 before the his early works such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and The Castle of Cagliostro were released. It is one of the few Ghibli films that is based on an existing popular franchise, which is the manga series of Lupin the Third written by Monkey Punch.
As other Lupin the Third series, The Castle of Cagliostro centers on the master thief Arsène Lupin III and his fellow Daisuke Jigen. They steal vast amounts of money for a casino but find that the money is counterfeit bills later. Then, they head to the country named Cagliostro which seems to be the source of the counterfeit bills and see the heroine Clarisse.
2. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
For fans of The Castle of Cagliostro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ) is one of the best anime movie of Studio Ghibli, too. The fantasy movie, released in 1984, was made by the Studio Ghibli’s predecessor animation studio Topcraft with the director Hayao Miyazaki. It was adapted from the original manga series written by himself, which consists of 7 volumes published between 1982 and 1994.
Set in the post-apocalyptic world where 1000 years pass after the Seven Days of Fire, the terrible war, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind tells the story of the young princess of the Valley of the Wind called Nausicaä. She lives in human society taking care of poisonous forests created by the war, which are hazardous to humans.
3. Tales from Earthsea
Tales from Earthsea (ゲド戦記) is a fantasy Studio Ghibli movie released in 2006 as the first anime movie directed by Goro Miyazaki, the son of the renowned leader of the animation studio. It is based on Earthsea, the novel series written by Ursula K. Le Guin and published between 1968 and 2001, and The Journey of Shuna, an illustrated graphic novel created by Hayao Miyazaki in 1983.
Tales from Earthsea centers on a 17-year-old Prince Arren, who suffers from a mental illness because of his pure and earnest personality. During the journey to run away from his country, he meets a grand sorcerer Sparrowhawk, who is also known as Ged, and a young girl named Therru. Suported by them, he continues his trip in search of the cause of the cosmic catastrophe in the world.
4. Made In Abyss
Made In Abyss (メイドインアビス) is a modern popular anime series, which is also recommended for fans of Castle in the Sky to watvch. The dark-fantasy adventure anime started with 13 episodes in 2017, followed by three anime movies in 2019 and 2020 and the second season of the anime series in 2022. It is adapted from the manga series published from 2013.
Made In Abyss revolves around a 12-year-old orphaned girl Riko, who meets a humanoid robot Reg. Its symbol is a giant vertical hole called Abyss, which has a unique ecosystem and lots of extremely high-tech artifacts. Riko explores Abyss to search her mother with Reg that wants to know who he is.
5. Children Who Chase Lost Voices
Children Who Chase Lost Voices (星を追う子ども) is the 4th full-length anime movie directed by Makoto Shinkai, is recommended to watch if you like Castle in the Sky. It is less known than his other popular movies such as Your Name and Weathering with You but has the atmosphere similar to Studio Ghibli worlds.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices depicts a trip of a young girl named Asuna, who meets a teenage boy named Shun coming from the underground world called Agartha. She travels to Agartha to disclose a mystery related to a crystal called Clavis.
For more info about anime and other Japanese pop cultures, check these articles below, too!
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I'm writing by my motto: helping travelers spend their limited time experiencing something priceless in Japan. My articles won't let you down! Living in Tokyo and traveling many popular and hidden sites all over Japan, I deliver well-selected and latest tourist information to you from the perspective of “100% Japanese local”. My specific interests are island hopping, eating countless bowls of ramen, watching anime and reading manga. Enjoy Japan Web Magazine for recommended food spots, hidden gems Japanese Otaku (geek) culture, and everything about Japan :)
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