Only Yesterday
Takahata’s examination of the ways that our childhoods (good, bad, and average) are inseparable from our adult lives elevates the sometimes-simplistic narrative of Only Yesterday and makes it into something great, worthy of mention among the greats.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind succeeds as a film thanks to its resonant and well-communicated theming and its beautiful art style that is played out in its unique postapocalyptic setting.