The Studio Ghibli Timeline EXPLAINED

All film footage has been sourced from the officially licensed GKIDS press releases, with the exception of five still frames whose inclusion was necessary for commentary purposes. The inclusion of these still frames is legal under the commentary section of the Fair Use doctrine.

In order of appearance:

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya: © 2013 HATAKE JIMUSHO - STUDIO GHIBLI - NDHDMTK
Princess Mononoke: © 1997 Studio Ghibli - ND
Castle in the Sky: © 1986 Studio Ghibli
The Wind Rises: © 2013 Studio Ghibli - NDHDMTK
The Boy and the Heron: © 2023 Studio Ghibli
Grave of the Fireflies: © 1988 Akiyuki Nosaka /Shinchosha
My Neighbor Totoro: © 1988 Studio Ghibli
From Up on Poppy Hill: © 2011 Chizuru Takahashi - Tetsuro Sayama - Studio Ghibli - NDHDMT
Pom Poko: © 1994 Hatake Jimusho - Studio Ghibli - NH
Only Yesterday: © 1991 Hotaru Okamoto - Yuko Tone - Studio Ghibli - NH
Ocean Waves: © 1993 SAEKO HIMORU - STUDIO GHIBLI - N
Porco Rosso: © 1992 Studio Ghibli – NN
Whisper of the Heart: © 1995 Aoi Hiiragi / Shueisha - Studio Ghibli - NH
Spirited Away: © 2001 Studio Ghibli - NDDTM
Ponyo: © 2008 Studio Ghibli - NDHDMT
The Secret World of Arrietty: © 2010 Studio Ghibli - NDHDMTW
When Marnie Was There: © 2014 STUDIO GHIBLI - NDHDMTK
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: © 1984 Studio Ghibli - H


I was inspired by Mark Russel’s article on ap2hyc, and referenced it for several dates and details. Much thanks!
https://ap2hyc.com/2021/01/are-the-st...

Big thanks also to the numerous Ghibli Fandom communities who compiled many disparate pieces of information, and especially that kind Redditor who helped me out with placing Ponyo on the timeline.

Totoro Timeline Inconsistencies: https://ghibli.jpn.org/trivia/totoro-...

Exceptions:

Kiki’s Delivery service takes place in a world where WWII never occured, so it is incompatible with many films on the timeline.

Porco Rosso is incompatible with Ocean Waves existing on the timeline.

The Cat Returns, it has been stated by the original author of Whisper of the Heart, is a book written by Shizuku Tsukishima.

My Neighbors the Yamadas is so unique and yet mundane, I don’t think its inclusion or lack thereof would make much of a difference.

Howl’s Moving Castle. While the original book takes place in another dimension of our world, there are no concrete clues in the film to indicate any connection to our world.

Tales From Earthsea takes place in its own completely detached world, originally created by Ursula K. Le Guin in her book series.

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter and Earwig and the Witch are so stylistically different from the other works that it felt wrong to attempt placing them. It might be possible, though.

Thank you for watching!