Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki has won his first Golden Globe Award for his latest feature film The Boy and the Heron. At the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Miyazaki beat contenders such as Disney’s Wish and Elemental and MCU’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to take home the trophy, at age 83.

The director of the cult Japanese animation studio Ghibli, Miyazaki came out of his retirement last year to direct the war-centric film The Boy and the Heron, and hung up his boots one more time. Here are five Studio Ghibli films directed by Miyazaki that you can watch on Netflix.

Spirited Away

Spirited Away, which won Miyazaki an Oscar in the Best Animated Feature category in 2003, tells the story of a teenage girl named Chihiro who arrives at a deserted town with her parents. While her parents decide to eat at a large open banquet though no one is around, Chihiro goes on to explore the town by herself. She meets Haku, a dragon in human disguise, who warns her about the town and asks her to return home. A baffled Chihiro then gets back to the banquet only to find that her parents have turned into pigs in a world infested by notorious spirits.

Unlike Miyazaki’s other films, Spirited Away revolves around a teenager who is quite like us — bored, apprehensive and oftentimes rebellious. What sets it apart is its message of independence and self-acceptance for teenagers who often find themselves irritated and scared in challenging situations, leading to disillusionment and detachment from loved ones.

Princess Mononoke

Released in 1997, Princess Mononoke explores themes of environmentalism, the tussle between nature and urbanisation and the complexities of the human mind. The story follows Ashitaka, a young prince who embarks on a journey to find a cure after he gets cursed by a boar demon. On the way, he gets involved in a war between a mining colony named Tatara and a group of forest spirits led by the enigmatic Princess Mononoke.

As Ashitaka looks forward to ending the conflict peacefully, he discovers how both the industrial and mystical worlds are intertwined. This is another Miyazaki film that sheds light on the dark side of technology and war through strong female characters.

Howl’s Moving Castle

This 2004 film shows Miyazaki’s masterful fusion of fantasy and realism through the story of young milliner Sophie, who is cursed by a wicked witch and transformed into an elderly woman. Looking for an antidote for the curse, Sophie stumbles upon an eccentric wizard, Howl, who lives in a moving castle with the fire demon Calcifer and his apprentice Markl.

Sophie becomes a resident at Howl’s castle and learns about its secrets but things take a turn when she gets into a political tangle with a neighbouring kingdom whose prince has gone missing. With intrigue and whimsy, Howl’s Moving Castle explores themes of love, self-discovery, acceptance and the consequences of war. It is Studio Ghibli’s second-highest grossing anime film of all time, perfect for both young and old audiences alike.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

A coming-of-age story with a fair bit of magic and witches, Kiki’s Delivery Service revolves around Kiki, who embarks on a year-long journey to live independently only to find out how harsh the real world is. Being a witch-in-training, Kiki grapples with self-doubt and deals with the loss of her magical powers at some point. Accompanied by her cat Jiji, Kiki settles in a coastal town and helps out a kind baker to deliver her items using her flying broomstick.

Kiki’s Delivery Service beautifully captures the essence of teenage life even though it is set in a completely fantastical world, and shows how one can be resilient in the face of difficulties.

My Neighbour Totoro

Almost all of Miyazaki’s films explore themes of family, friendship, love and the enchantment of nature. My Neighbour Totoro, in particular, radiates a cosy, nostalgic charm that captures childlike innocence and wonder.

The story follows two young sisters, Satsuke and Mei, who move to the countryside with their father and discover a magical forest creature, Totoro. The girls befriend Totoro and other whimsical forest spirits on magical adventures. The film belongs to a genre called Iyashikei, which literally means ‘soothing or therapeutic anime’, and My Neighbour Totoro lives up to the label with its indolent pace and simplicity.