Isao Takahata (October 29, 1935 – April 5, 2018), co-founder of Studio Ghibli, was one of the most famous directors of Japanese animated films. Unlike most anime directors, he did not draw and never worked as an animator before becoming a director. For the first two decades of his career from the 1960s to the 1980s, Takahata worked primarily as director for anime television. In 1985 he and his long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki formed Studio Ghibli with Toshio Suzuki and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. From that point, his career transitioned into producing, directing, and writing films for Studio Ghibli. He is known for his five feature length anime films released under Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Only Yesterday (1991), Pom Poko (1994), My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013).
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Biography from TMDB.
- October 29, 1935
- April 5, 2018 (aged 82)
- Ujiyamada [now Ise], Mie, Japan
- Director, writer and producer, also actor
- 19 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Known for
What are Isao Takahata's films like?
Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 13
A split, not a type: Light 9 · Serious 1 · Dark 3
A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 6
Gentle 5 · Charged 6 · Intense 2
Steady 8 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1
Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1
Casual 5 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 0
A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 2
Resolved 10 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2
Moods and endings
- Happy6
- Bittersweet6
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous1
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Isao Takahata's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (7).
- The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) · director, writer
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) · music director
- Castle in the Sky (1986) · producer
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) · producer
- Only Yesterday (1991) · director, writer
- Pom Poko (1994) · director, writer
- My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) · director, writer
Subscription and free streaming for Isao Takahata's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
48 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 24 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The Red Turtle(2016)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Anne of Green Gables Digest Version (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Toy Story 3(2010)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Winter Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Birth of Studio Ghibli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Super TV: Frontline Information 15 Months of Exclusive Coverage! The Secret Behind "My Neighbors the Yamadas" (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
My Neighbors the Yamadas(1999)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Visiting Marco(1999)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Pom Poko(1994)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Heidi: Girl of the Alps: Heidi and Clara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Heidi: Girl of the Alps: Mt. Alm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Only Yesterday(1991)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Anne of Green Gables: Road to Green Gables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Kiki's Delivery Service(1989)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Grave of the Fireflies(1988)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all filmsAu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Castle in the Sky(1986)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Gauche the Cellist(1982)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Chie the Brat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Chie the Brat(1981)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother: The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Gegege no Kitaro: The All Seeing Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Conan, the Boy in Future(1979)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Taro the Dragon Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
The Story of Heidi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Anne of Green Gables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Future Boy Conan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Heidi in the City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
母をたずねて三千里 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Laura, the Prairie Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Heidi in the Mountains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Heidi, Girl of the Alps(1974)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
Panda! Go Panda!: Rainy Day Circus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Yuki's Sun(1972)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Panda! Go Panda! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
Panda! Go Panda! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
Lupin the Third Part 1(1971)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
Horus: Prince of the Sun(1968)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Spooky Kitaro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Wolf Boy Ken: Scared by a Ghost: The Greatest Operation in the Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)
Duel of the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
Story of Iron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
The Orphan Brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)
Career shape
A full career of 48 titles from 1961 to 2026.
Biggest box office
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
Highest rated
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Most popular right now
Lupin the Third Part 1 (1971)
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
Awards
Nominated for an Oscar in 2015, Best Animated Feature Film of the Year.
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Isao Takahata's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 93rd percentile, the median of all 17; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 93rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up16
- 50th to 74th2
- 25th to 49th1
Shape of the crowd
8 of their 19 titles are Universally Loved.
- Universally Loved8
- Crowd Pleaser8
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the atmosphere 80/100 and the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Isao Takahata's work okay for kids?
Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Isao Takahata work with?
People who share at least 2 of Isao Takahata's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hayao Miyazaki shares the most, 7.
Directors
- Hayao MiyazakiShared titles: Isao Takahata and His Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), Pom Poko (1994), Only Yesterday (1991), The Story of Yanagawa Waterways (1987), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Lupin the Third Part 1 (1971)See all 7 shared titles with Hayao Miyazaki
Actors
- Ichirô NagaiShared titles: Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Chie the Brat (1981)See all 3 shared titles with Ichirô Nagai
- Aki AsakuraShared titles: Isao Takahata and His Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Aki Asakura
- Takeo ChiiShared titles: Isao Takahata and His Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Takeo Chii
- Gannosuke AshiyaShared titles: Pom Poko (1994), Chie the Brat (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Gannosuke Ashiya
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Takeshi SeyamaShared titles: My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), Pom Poko (1994), Only Yesterday (1991), Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Castle in the Sky (1986), Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974)See all 6 shared titles with Takeshi Seyama
- Michio MamiyaShared titles: Grave of the Fireflies (1988), The Story of Yanagawa Waterways (1987), Gauche the Cellist (1982), Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968)See all 4 shared titles with Michio Mamiya
- Joe HisaishiShared titles: Isao Takahata and His Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)See all 4 shared titles with Joe Hisaishi
- Atsushi OkuiShared titles: My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), Pom Poko (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Atsushi Okui
Producers
- Yasuyoshi TokumaShared titles: My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), Pom Poko (1994), Only Yesterday (1991), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)See all 5 shared titles with Yasuyoshi Tokuma
- Tôru HaraShared titles: Only Yesterday (1991), Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968)See all 5 shared titles with Tôru Hara
- Hideo OgataShared titles: Pom Poko (1994), Only Yesterday (1991), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)See all 4 shared titles with Hideo Ogata
- Tatsumi YamashitaShared titles: Pom Poko (1994), Only Yesterday (1991), Castle in the Sky (1986), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)See all 4 shared titles with Tatsumi Yamashita
Mixed roles
- Yoshiaki NishimuraShared titles: Isao Takahata and His Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Yoshiaki Nishimura
