comment: >
  
  They are kids movies. After a kid sees one of those movies it usually becomes one of their favorite movies. I bought almost all of them for my nieces and nephews and they became obsessed with wanting to watch them. For real show em to a five year old and that’s that.
context: I can help you with the 'I dont get why they are liked' part.
  Spirited Away, Howl and Kiki are coming of age stories. They only work if you feel empathy towards the main characters. You may not like it, but japanese cinema is much more character focused, and less plot focused.
  Nausica, Laputa and Mononoke are naturalist movies trying to show you the beauty of nature.
  Totoro is mainly a childhood nostalgia slice of life.
  Maybe you will like Grave of Fireflies. Its an anti war movie similar to The Pianist. >
  
  Grave of Fireflies hits hard. >
  
  I cry every time I remember that movie.  😭 >
  
  You don't have a soul if that movie doesnt make you shed a tear. >
  
  I guess I am a ginger now >
  
  Im sorry for your loss >
  
  You're wrong, have the upvote. But, why do you hate fantasy? >
  
  Uhh bit of a jump there don't you think >
  
  No. >
  
  The quality of "balance"... is something they do very well >
  
  Well, this is an unpopular opinion if nothing else. >
  
  Yeah this is the right place for the wrong opinion lol >
  
  You're wrong, have an upvote. >
  
  Thanks! >
  
  Your right s to posting this here. I mean, you're wrong, but right sub. >
  
  I don't know, it might fall under hate speech according to Reddit laws. If not, it should. >
  
  So you hate fantasy movies, and you made a post specifically about fantasy movies, as if they were bad,but really you just don't even like the entire genre? What? Why would you watch fantasy movies just to complain about them online, knowing you hate them, by trying to pretend it's these other reasons you don't like them? >
  
  Doesn't like fantasy
  "Fantasy movies are overrated" >
  
  I said Ghibli movies are overrated, not the fantasy >
  
  Ghibli mostly makes fantasy movies. You said you don't like fantasy. Therefore you obviously wouldn't like ghibli movies. >
  
  that is pretty unfair considering most people hearing fantasy imagine LotR od Harry Potter, which are very different from ghibli movies. >
  
  It's not in your face or forced emotions - that's what makes them so pure and special. They're fantastical stories but maintain such a simple, human element.
  I mean, you believe whatever you want to believe. I definitely agree this is unpopular though.. so you've got my upvote. >
  
  Wow, this is definitely an unpopular opinion. There’s just something special about them. The animation is a big part of that. It’s just all very dreamy and aesthetically pleasing. >
  
  I’m not trying to convince you about changing your mind. But what makes these movies special is that you have to analyze what’s happening, they are not just a cartoon movie where everything is obvious, it’s about sub-context, interpretation and obviously enjoying the good animation and music! 
  You can actually read analysis in some websites dedicated to that and they are quite interesting! Just in case ;) >
  
  I don't doubt that they are well animated and have good soundtracks. I don't mind movies that are interpreted and/or analyzed in their sub-context. (In fact, I love Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange) the problem is when these films rely too much or completely on the analyze and/or interpret factor, (in fact I didn't even like the film The End of Evangelion for that reason) otherwise the film becomes too abstract and goes nowhere. Anyway thanks for your answer! I liked it >
  
  i can agree on the abrstractness of evangelio, but dude the story told by this movies are kind of easy and straightforward. there are subtext for sure,but they're not that hard to grasp. >
  
  
  I think they are films that try to force emotions with forced scenes without succeeding
  
  what media do you consider successful in portraying emotions? >
  
  a well-characterized character whose thoughts, actions, and characteristics you know well, with whom you can empathize as similar to yourself >
  
  You mean 'sympathize with' I think, not empathize with. Empathy requires the ability to take the perspective of another, usually without judgement. You want characters who only think and feel similiar to you. >
  
  that's exactly why I don't like it >
  
  "i don't like the main characters because they aren't me" >
  
  How do *you feel they compare to Disney movies? >
  
  I've never compared them to Disney movies, what post did you read? >
  
  No, I was asking for your thoughts on how they compare.  For more insight on what you don't like about Ghibli in particular. >
  
  That's interesting.  I find that Disney tends to be too expressive or oversaturated.  But I would consider that to be a matter of taste:  Real people don't tend to be even as expressive as they are portrayed even in live movies; just like in animation movements or actions are much more exaggerated, or drawings can have varying levels of realism and still be appealing.  Characters emotions can be portrayed in varying degrees of vibrance. >
  
  I mean, you're wrong. But that's the point of this sub.
  Most of the movies don't take much analyzing to get to their core. If anything I consider them to be pretty obvious in there presentation, which then allows me to enjoy them in other aspects. I'll admit, that as much as I love Howl's Moving Castle it's also a bit of an incomplete story that waters down the source material (it's a wonderful easy book by Diana Wynn Jones). >
  
  Generally speak I'm not the biggest Ghibli fan, though I do like some of their stuff. I still maintain that Grave Of The Fireflies is one of the best animated films of all time though, and would recommend it even to people that aren't Ghibli fans. >
  
  ok this is unpopular - well deserved upvote.
  its art my friend - look at the drawing style and technique when pausing at any time. 
  not liking fantasy is also not understandable for me but i guess its also not understandable why i dont really enjoy a movie without fantasy elements for you. >
  
  well if you hate fantasy there really isn't any convincing you of a different opinion...but i would say ghibli is overrated by it's fans but yet underrated by everyone else. like...they make really good shit and more people should be exposed to it. but it's not the fucking paradise ghibli fans make it out to be >
  
  "I hate fantasy." Then stop watching fantasy! Baka. >
  
  that's what I already do, I just want to understand what people find so interesting about it >
  
  It's hard to describe. I don't have the time, nor words to elaborate. Sorry I'll let someone else do that. >
  
  Tell me you're a heartless monster without telling me you're a heartless monster. >
  
  Ironically, “boring” is a really boring and weak critique in a lot of ways. >
  
  Overrated =/= I don’t like it >
  
  if you think i'm a person who goes against the taste of the mass just to look cool just know that i like quentin tarantino and stanley kubrick >
  
  I don’t care what else you like >
  
  Seriously >
  
  They are the top of their genre.
  If you hate fantasy, you can't be surprised. Your opinion would be much more valuable if you had at least a neutral relationship with the genre. >
  
  Everyone can’t appreciate culture >
  
  What types of movies do you love? >
  
  I generally appreciate the filmography of Quentin Tarantino and Stanley Kubrick. But as genres I like action films (done well though since I hate Michael Bay), Thrillers, detective films, horror and westerns >
  
  Sounds like you lean toward intense movies... 
  Ghibli is very much about wonder and childhood nostaglia.
  The dreamy story lines are alot like how kids brains works. I guess you had to have alot of memories playing by alone with your imagination. Its that fantasy that ghibli captures really really well >
  
  What's your opinion on The Dark Crystal and The Labyrinth? Or perhaps Pan's Labyrinth? >
  
  when I say I don't like fantasy I mean ALL fantasy, even if it's dark it doesn't change me much (in fact I don't even like Dark Souls) >
  
  Okay but if you can't stand any kind of fantasy, even other well acclaimed works, then is it really that studio ghibli is overrated or you just don't like it? >
  
  I would say it can be both >
  
  Fair but which came first? Because perhaps your dislike would make you bias about determining if it overrated or not. Like do you consider all fantasy overrated because you dislike it? >
  
  You decide >
  
  Can't really decide that for you, chief. >
  
  I probably should have written the post better, I didn't want to write that I didn't like it, only that I found all the fame that studio has exaggerated >
  
  Wow, now that's certainly unpopular.
  But from reading the comments, sounds like you're into heavier, more intense stuff. A lot of Ghibli is intentionally more chill, and warm and fuzzy and slow; for me they're movies for when I'm in a certain, specific mood.
  Miyazaki also directed The Castle of Cagliostro, though (before his Ghibli days I think, but I'm not 100% sure), which is a more straight forward and action paced action/adventure/comedy movie, maybe you could check that out. Just throwing it out there since I just remembered it. >
  
  Thanks for the advice, When I was little I liked Lupine the Third, I really think I might like it as a movie >
  
  Then you should enjoy it! It was actually my first proper exposure to him (I'd only heard about the series/franchise before) and I had a blast with it >
  
  So I upvote because I agree this is an unpopular opinion? >
  
  “There’s no plot”
  The movie literally has to have a plot or there’s no movie 😂 
  And I just read that you hate fantasy?? Dog act. That’s the only reason you don’t like these films let’s be honest here. >
  
  yet there is none, my Neighbor Totoro talks of nothing but little girls playing with a monster, THE END. 
  Frankly, I've got better things to look at >
  
  It’s becoming more and more clear to me that this is a media literacy issue on your part, rather than anything to do with studio ghibli.
  My Neighbor Totoro is a movie about two children who moved to a new home and were close to losing their mother to an illness they didn’t understand. They were too young to comprehend what was happening in their lives, why they had to do certain things, why their mother wasn’t coming home, so they created a make believe forest spirit to escape to for comfort. The youngest running away entirely because she was so emotionally affected by the possibility of her mother never coming back. The movie is full of depth and plot, shown in a way that is appropriate for kids to watch but also enjoyable for older people as well with its charm.
  If you watched My Neighbor Totoro and all you took away was “kids play with monster the end”, then I’m afraid you just don’t understand how films work >
  
  films that focus too much on the interpretation of events end up being too abstract and therefore lose their meaning. And appear what you wrote there is nothing more to say about the film >
  
  Too abstract?? That was LITERALLY what the movie was about, it requires minimal thought to realise that. What are you talking about >
  
  I usually say everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you sir do not deserve an opinion on this topic. Get tf outta here & never return. Your not welcomed. >
  
  If I can't speak my mind here where the hell can I speak? On r/anime and getting lynched? >
  
  You got an upvote just from the title, because god damn, that's an unpopular opinion.
  I would say per your edit, you kind of explained your own dislike there-- of course you wouldn't like the stories if you don't like fantasy. Naturally I think this post is a whole lot of wrong, but you're entitled to your opinion, obviously. >
  
  Spirited away is in my opinion their best film. Howls moving castle then Kiki's delivery service are next in line for me. >
  
  Only watched Howl's Moving Castle but planning to watch a few more, I get what you mean but I think what made them stand out was that they were just so far ahead in animation and art quality for the time. Even now Howl's Moving Castle the industrial moving parts in the film are still amazing to look at whereas now something like that would be dodgy CGI. >
  
  Some movies frome Ghibli are overrated, but its better than watching Disney trash >
  
  I love Studio Ghibli but I only really like a few of the films. Spiritrd Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Totoro and Ponyo. >
  
  Same here. But other anime film I do enjoy them such as Your Name, I Want To Eat Your Pancreas, A Silent Voice, Weathering With You. >
  
  forgive me but i'm not even one for romantic movies, and even in movies that aren't romantic love affairs annoy me >
  
  I think, the "problem" of Ghibli you're describing, is kinda the ol joke of "the blue curtains".
  Ghiblis worlds are concept stories. They become special, because you can see something in them. Kiki's delivery service, for example is not just about a little witch girl -it's about moving out for the first time. When you move out as a young adult, you are stuck in this weird...inbetween. You have to be self-sufficient, you have to earn money and often you move into places far away from everything familiar. 
  Kiki is about the passive feelings. The feeling of Kiki when she sees the other girls able to enjoy their free time, while she needs to work. The awkwardness of being in a complete new place and somehow introducing yourself. About the rude awakening; when Kiki delivers the fish cake the old lady baked with love, only to get the door slammed in her face. Not only alienating her again from peers her own age, but also shows her how little her work is actually valued by many people. As kids, you have a bit of a rose-tinted view of the world and Kiki learns the actual harsh, neutral reality of things (which is why she gets depressed).
  I think you might dislike them because they are not direct enough. Honestly that's pretty okay. Ghibli can sometimes quickly fall into an "artsy" trap. Aka you don't really watch it to be told a story -you watch it for the feelings. But that can be boring, if you're not the type. >
  
  You got the point in the last sentence