
Kodomo Eiga Plus, an entertainment web portal that specializes in children’s films and children’s film events, asked 132 film industry pros which movies they’d recommend the most for children to watch before they turn 13. Unsurprisingly, Ghibli movies took the top three spots, as well as many positions on the Top 15.
While voters seemed to be in agreement about the top five movies, they had a tough time ordering the remainder.
1. My Neighbor Totoro
2. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
3. Laputa: Castle in the Sky
4. Seven Samurai
4. Good Morning (お早よう)
5. The Castle of Cagliostro
6. Spirited Away
7. Twenty-Four Eyes
7. Tenkōsei (Exchange Students)
7. Otoko wa Tsurai yo (“It’s Tough Being A Man“)
7. I Was Born, But… (later remade as Good Morning)
7. Typhoon Club
7. Whisper of the Heart
7. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
7. Night on the Galactic Railroad
Which of these >have you seen? Do you have any favorite movies, in any language, you’d want to show a kid? Let us know in the forums!
[Via Cinema Today via Yaraon]
More from Anime News Network

British newspaper ranks the best Studio Ghibli films and reader passions flare
The slogans for every Studio Ghibli movie, ranked by fans in Japan【Quiz】
Top 5 Studio Ghibli films Japanese viewers are tired of watching
Have you seen them all? The top 10 Ghibli films Japanese college students haven’t watched
Hayao Miyazaki Working on Proposed New Anime Feature Film
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
Data suggests increased bear sightings have led to a decrease in mountain climbers across Japan
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
Nephew of Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki serves up Totoro Shaved Ice in Tokyo
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Pikachu and other Pokémon evolve into hydration types with Thermos drinkware collaboration [Pics]
Amid foreign sex tourist rise, Japanese government considering outlawing paying for prostitution
Winnie the Pooh cosplays as Yuzuru Hanyu for new plushie collaboration
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Nagoya’s famous Shinkansen platform noodle shop has other, better branches nearby
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japanese fans rank the top 10 most beautiful female characters from Studio Ghibli anime movies
The top five Ghibli sequels that Japanese moviegoers would like to see
11 Miyazaki films in 9 minutes – Fan’s incredible compilation is a love letter to Ghibli【Video】
Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki reveals the name of his next feature film
10 best Studio Ghibli anime, as picked by Japanese fans– Different ages have different answers
See Studio Ghibli film characters recreated in 3-D perfection at special exhibit in Seoul
Create meals like an anime character from a Studio Ghibli film with new cookware from Japan
Studio Ghibli’s new Laputa: Castle in the Sky timer is as dramatic as the anime movie
There are now zero Japanese live-action films in the country’s top 10 highest earning movies, but why?
Ghibli casts its 1st film with 2 female leads & all-English theme song
Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki’s films now available in DVD and Blu-ray sets with extras
The animated meals in Ghibli’s movies have our mouths watering
We make anime food from Studio Ghibli movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky
From cameos to creepy-crawlies: 15 little-known facts about Studio Ghibli movies
Japanese netizens rank the top 10 iconic characters that represent Japan
Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki has ideas for a new film after The Boy and the Heron