Studio Ghibli’s Overlooked Fantasy Makes a Comeback in Theaters After Two Decades
Studio Ghibli has remarkably few genuine critical flops in its four-decade journey. Renowned for its anime masterpieces, labeling a Studio Ghibli film as “bad” feels almost contradictory. While there are a few “lesser” entries in its lineup, such as Earwig and the Witch and Ocean Waves (which I think is underrated), none have been more consistently regarded as the studio’s weakest than Tales from Earthsea, which is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary next month with a theatrical re-release in North America.
This film marks the feature directorial debut of Goro Miyazaki, the son of co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, and adapts Ursula K. Le Guin’s cherished Earthsea novels into a grand fantasy adventure, pulling elements from multiple books rather than focusing on a single story. This was a tall order for any filmmaker, especially for someone making his first feature, a role he took on after initially serving as a consultant.
The upcoming re-release coincides with the film’s original 2006 launch, giving audiences a chance to revisit one of the most polarizing films in Studio Ghibli’s history. While Tales from Earthsea has never reached the acclaim of classics like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or Howl’s Moving Castle, its return invites a fresh look at a film whose legacy has grown more complex over the years.
Two decades ago, critics pointed out the film’s uneven pacing, disjointed storytelling, and challenges in merging ideas from various Earthsea novels into a cohesive narrative. Fans hoping for another instant Ghibli classic found a story that seemed torn between honoring Le Guin’s rich fantasy world and establishing its own identity. For instance, the film incorporates the central journey from The Farthest Shore while intertwining significant characters and themes from Tehanu, compressing narratives that were never intended to coexist. This led to a story that often rushed character development and struggled to give its philosophical themes the space they needed.
Hayao Miyazaki reportedly had reservations about his son directing the project but ultimately stepped back to let him take the reins. This father-son dynamic inevitably became part of the discussion surrounding Tales from Earthsea, sometimes overshadowing the film itself.
In rankings of Studio Ghibli’s films, Tales from Earthsea typically lands at or near the bottom. For a studio with one of the most impressive filmographies in animation, being labeled the “worst Ghibli movie” isn’t the harshest criticism, but it’s a tag the film has found hard to shake over the past two decades, even with the release of more mediocre films like From Up on Poppy Hill and the aforementioned Earwig, both directed by Goro.
However, time has been kinder to Earthsea than its initial reception suggested. Even viewers who still see it as one of Ghibli’s lesser works recognize the stunning craftsmanship on display. The painted backgrounds are breathtaking, showcasing the strong visual style that initially earned Goro Miyazaki the directing role through his storyboards. Joe Hisaishi’s score adds emotional depth, enhancing scenes with sweeping orchestral strings, gentle piano melodies, and warm brass fanfares. Several moments capture the quiet melancholy that has long characterized the studio’s best fantasy films. Its themes of mortality, identity, and humanity’s connection to nature resonate alongside the broader ideas explored in Ghibli’s oeuvre, even if the narrative itself never fully coalesces.
A younger generation of anime fans has also discovered the film through streaming platforms, where expectations differ from those in 2006. Detached from the overwhelming pressure of following Howl’s Moving Castle and living up to the Ghibli legacy in real time, Tales from Earthsea is increasingly seen as an ambitious, albeit flawed, fantasy from one of the greatest animation studios in history.
This doesn’t mean it’s a hidden gem. The criticisms from two decades ago still hold true, and it remains one of Studio Ghibli’s least successful features. Yet anniversaries are not just for celebrating perfection; they also provide a chance to revisit works that showcase a studio’s growing pains and creative risks, something Goro Miyazaki knows intimately. His later film, Earwig and the Witch, boldly utilized 3D animation for the first time in Ghibli’s history, but it’s often considered even less successful than Tales from Earthsea.
Despite its limited appeal, Hayao Miyazaki himself still regards it with admiration. In a blog post from July 3, 2006, Goro shared a heartfelt message from his father during the film’s launch party, stating, “It was made honestly, so it was good.” Goro admitted that his father’s words brought him to tears. For all its shortcomings, Tales from Earthsea still embodies that spark of honesty, offering an ambitious experience that is just as wondrously fantastical as Ghibli’s other works.
For long-time Ghibli fans, the theatrical return is a chance to see one of the studio’s most debated films on the big screen. For newcomers, it serves as a reminder that even the most celebrated animation creators can stumble. Two decades later, Tales from Earthsea illustrates that when a studio’s weakest film is still visually captivating and passionately discussed, it signifies a remarkable legacy in animation.
Tales from Earthsea will be re-released in theaters on August 8 and 10 and is available for streaming.
