Nature birthed us. How we interact with it is has been a hot topic of discussion for ages. In Japan, which still maintains close ties with naturalism despite being one of the (if not the) most technological societies on Earth, being harmonic with nature is given high precedence.

Art follows nature. How we depict it through the filter of our brains and the medium of our senses has mesmerized creators and critics alike since modern humans discovered the cave paintings of Lascaux in France.

This nature-art spiral is infinite. There will always be more give and take between the two, via us - humans. Perhaps other species will contribute to it in the vast, indeterminate future that awaits the universe patiently.

Species other than humans, both real but mostly imagined, make up the bulk of 'characters' in the output of one of the most vaunted contributors to the depiction of nature through cinematic magic: Studio Ghibli.

Its impact on pop-culture continues unabated, including the recent Billie Eilish video about her "future":

There are already lists of Studio Ghibli movies, ranked from worst to best:

Every Studio Ghibli film, ranked from worst to best

All but one of Studio Ghibli's 22 films are now on Netflix. To help prioritise your animation binge, we've ranked every single one from worst to best

wired.co.uk

...and best to worst:

All the Films of Studio Ghibli, Ranked

As HBO’s new streaming service makes an influential animation studio’s films newly easy to find, we look back at the entire catalog.

nytimes.com

These lists were probably curated by critics far more capable than yours truly, so I will not reinvent the wheel or muck around with ranks & lists.

Instead, I would like to give you some advice on which ones to watch depending on the type of movies you prefer.

You see, Studio Ghibli is not your usual anime production house. Its chief creator is Hayao Miyazaki, no doubt, but his partners, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki and Yasuyoshi Tokuma also brought a lot of their own style and spirit to their sprawling table.

1. The bulk of their output is shockingly surreal and supremely supernatural. This group of movies is also the most awarded, and hence better known, all over the world, not just in anime circles.

2. Some of their movies are a mix of the two realms of fantasy and fact. They might be steampunk, or slightly askew from reality, but not outright otherworldly. Their early movies fell more into this category.

3. And then there are the least-known, most realistic slice-of-life films that are real in the sense that most live-action films are: depictions of Japanese life as it happens IRL, as the kids say.

So which type of moviegoer are you? Let me break down their portfolio category-wise in the next post, so that you can choose your entry point into the Ghibli-verse (or decide where you want to float to next, if you've already entered that portal and decided you like the trip).

Read on: Studio Ghibli Films, Classified for the Curious Movie Fanatic