The name Studio Ghibli is synonymous and well known among fans for its good plot and variety of characters. While some characters may have introduced us to an extraordinary world, some characters just remain timeless and memorable. There’s not a single Studio Ghibli character that you may not like and some just never fade away from our memory. Who are the most memorable Studio Ghibli Characters of all time? What made them so unique and memorable?
10 Calcifer
It’s hard to forget Studio Ghibli’s best creation Howl’s Moving Castle. Calcifer is one of the main characters was part of Sophie's journey. Calcifer has a contract with Howl the wizard. The fire demon was once quite powerful and was a shooting star. When he was nearly extinguished, Howl caught him which saved Calcifer. Calcifer is quite memorable because of his interaction with Sophie. He may sound like a grumpy old child but never mess with the house fire demon.
9. Jiji & Kiki
The two well-known characters from Kiki’s delivery service are Jiji and Kiki. Kiki is a young girl in training to become a witch while Jiji is her familiar in the movie. The two of them share a deep bond and Kiki went to extreme lengths when Jiji was nearly kidnapped.
Jiji often accompanies wherever Kiki goes. One of the memorable things about Jiji is quick, humble and always helps Kiki. They share a psychic connection together. Momentarily, Kiki lost her powers which made her unable to understand Jiji. Kiki, on the other hand, is a strong person who is friendly and likes to help others. She is kind and tries her best with everything.
8. Lady Eboshi
It's quite hard to forget the antagonist from Princess Mononoke. Lady Eboshi is quite a memorable character as a strong female character. She can be described as a no-nonsense character who can be a bit arrogant but truly deserves the respect for empowering women in Irontown. Lady Eboshi is charismatic, calm and collected and knows how to women.
7. No Face
Spirited Away is a cult classic from the Studio Ghibli franchise. Koanoashi or No Face is one of the memorable and unique characters of Spirited Away. No Face had taken a liking for Chihiro and even followed her on her train journey. The reason No Face is so memorable and significant is that the character represents loneliness and the desire to be noticed. No Face didn’t have a full physical body and was introduced as semi-transparent. No Face could gain physical traits and personality when ingesting others to express emotions.
6. Catbus
Another masterpiece and memorable Studio Ghibli character from My Neighbour Totoro is the Catbus. Watching Catbus for the first time must have made you wonder, wish there was a real Catbus in the world. Catbus and Totoro know each other and they met the kids Mei and Satsuki. Although Catbus didn’t have any dialogue, the unique creature in the form of a transporting-animal bus created a strong impact.
5. Kamaji
The unique and iconic character Kamaji from Spirited Away is hard to miss. When Chihiro ended up in the spirit world, there was a rule that requires her to work in order to not turn into an animal.
Kamaji is a character with six long arms who works in the boiler room in the Bathhouse. Initially, he was quite hostile towards Chihiro and didn’t give her any work. He didn’t stop Chihiro from helping though and even shows kindness when he found her asleep by placing a blanket. Kamaji even helped Haku when he was injured.
4. Muta San
Maybe it’s a cat thing, but Studio Ghibli does have many feline characters no! Muta san from The Cat Returns is a treasured character and hard to forget. Muta san appears grumpy and could be very sarcastic and condescending. He means well though and cares for Haru. Muta san might as well be the MVP of the movie while helping Baron and Haru. Muta san’s huge appetite and indifference was remarkable.
3. Porco Rosso
The well-known Marco Pagot or also known as Porco Rosso is hard to miss from the list! The famous bounty hunter has the appearance of Buta (Pig). The stylishly suave Mr Rosso attacks ships in the Adriatic Sea. He has earned the nickname of Porco Rosso from the people around him. His character lives freely and participated in the war! As the lone survivor, he placed a curse on himself may be due to the guilt of surviving alone.
2. The Baron
One of the best feline and Studio Ghibli characters is The Baron aka Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. The memorable character appeared in The Cat Returns where he played the main role of rescuing Haru from the Evil Cat King. The Baron is acquainted with Muta san and they are affiliated with the Cat Bureau. You can’t help like The Baron as he still stays imbibed in our memory!
1. Totoro
The mascot of Studio Ghibli is none other than Totoro. He’s a magical neighbour and how we all wished we had one. The popularity of Totoro will never fade away and the character is the most memorable in the Studio Ghibli Universe. We just love Totoro and no character can be anywhere close and as precious as Totoro!
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