3 By Miyazaki - Castle in the Sky, The Wind Rises, and Castle of Cagliostro

The Castle in the Sky
Plot: A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.

This was a fun, “boys own adventure” although the hero is a girl. The plot is a little muddled and some characters are bizarrely drawn, but it’s full of imagination and action. The so-called "Castles" are actually extremely large Zeppelins. The story and characters are not complex. Its best for those under 14 or the “young at heart.” I rank it 5th on my list Miyazaki films.

The Wind Rises
Plot: An animated biopic of Aviation Engineer Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Japanese Zero. We observe his life from child to adulthood as he makes his dream plane and, in the process, falls in love with Naoko.

This really isn’t a “kids Film” but a fairly serious examination of Horikoshi’s life, with a strong emphasis on his romance with Naoko. It easily could have been a live action film with real actors, although there are a few dream/fantasy sequences. Beautifully animated and with good Japanese voice acting, it kept me interested and it had some inspiring scenes. I give it a high rating, but would rank it 4th of Miyazaki films since it lacks their imagination.  Note: Some reviewers were upset that the hero designed a plane that fought against us in WW2. However, fighter planes can be used for defense or offense, and Horikoshi can’t be held responsible for their misuse.

Castle of Cagliostro
Plot: A flamboyant thief struggles to free a princess from an evil count's clutches and learn the hidden secret to a fabulous treasure.

Usually ranked as one of Miyazaki lesser films, the character animation is much broader and more obviously cartoon-like that matches the very light tone. It’s a simple spy adventure story and doesn't try to add any complexities. It also has an exaggerated feel, like James Bond to the extreme. This isn’t a world where the hero is held in check by physics or reality, he can drive his car up the side of a mountain and has gadget for every occasion. But it’s very fun, very inventive, and doesn’t have a dull moment. But I’d rate it well below “Castle in the Sky” in 6th place. .