Studio Ghibli is a leading Japanese animation studio that has produced many works beloved around the world.
The characters who appear in its various films sometimes deliver messages—like courage and hope—that give us strength to live.
In this article, we’ll introduce short, memorable quotes from Studio Ghibli works!
These words, rich with deeper meaning, may well bring you comfort.
Find the words that will become your strength!
Short quotes from Studio Ghibli works: deep words that give us strength (1–10)
You have to make your own decisions.Lettie 'Howl’s Moving Castle'
From Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle: Lettie — “You have to make your own decisions!” #shorts
Released in 2004, Howl’s Moving Castle vividly portrays a wondrous magical world centered on the titular moving castle.
This is a line spoken by Lettie, Sophie’s sister and one of the film’s main characters, conveying the importance of making your own decisions.
It cautions against simply being swayed by consideration for others or by changing circumstances, and prompts us to realize the need to choose our own path.
How seriously you take these words may reveal whether you truly have the strength to decide for yourself.
This line, spoken by Sheeta from the film Castle in the Sky, which depicts the mysterious flying island known as the Kingdom of Laputa, appears in the song of the Valley of Gondoa in the story and is said to express the feelings of those who once lived in Laputa.
Although various developments have made our world convenient, it reminds us that, in the end, we are sustained by the power of nature and that living beings cannot survive without it.
Let’s take this opportunity to once again appreciate the blessings of nature through these words.
A pig that doesn’t fly is just a pig.Porco Rosso: 'The Crimson Pig'
A pig that doesn’t fly is just a pig.
Porco Rosso, which portrays the exploits of men like air pirates and bounty hunters flying seaplanes, is a work beloved even for its rugged, masculine world.
These are the words of its protagonist, Porco Rosso, who simply explains why he flies, including what he thinks of his own appearance.
In those simple words, you can feel his desire not to be just a pig, and his wish to keep flying forever.
It’s a statement that conveys a powerful fixation—almost like an obsession or a curse—one that at times leads to achievements, and at other times to suffering.
There are dangers you don’t need to challenge.Pod “Arrietty the Borrower”
From Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty: Pod [There are dangers you don’t have to challenge.] #shorts
The Secret World of Arrietty, which depicts tiny people living by borrowing things from a human household, creates a mysterious world from the simple premise of a difference in size.
Here’s a line by Pod, Arrietty’s father, that focuses on preventing danger.
Because so many beings are larger than they are, constant vigilance is necessary in daily life; it tells us that avoiding danger—not just confronting it—is crucial for self-preservation.
It leaves the impression of a lesson: we shouldn’t try to face everything head-on; at times, we should also focus on protecting ourselves.
I’ve run away enough. I’ve finally found something I have to protect.Howl “Howl’s Moving Castle”
From Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle — Sophie/Howl [Sophie: “Let’s run away. Don’t fight!” Howl: “Why? I’ve run away enough already.”] #shorts
These words were spoken by Howl in Howl’s Moving Castle, which was created based on the British novel Howl’s Moving Castle (originally titled Howl’s Moving Castle) by Diana Wynne Jones.
It’s a wonderfully romantic line about how he stopped running away because he had something to protect.
When we’re on our own, it’s not uncommon to try to avoid trouble by fleeing, but once we have someone we want to protect, the desire to fight and shield that person can suddenly outweigh the urge to run.
It might even be a good phrase to use as part of a marriage proposal.
Endure it even if it’s tough, and wait for your chance.Haku “Spirited Away”
From Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away: Haku — “Even if it’s tough, endure it and wait for your chance.” #shorts
These are the words Haku says to Chihiro in Spirited Away, a film that remained Japan’s highest-grossing movie for nearly 20 years.
He tells her this with the hope that she will endure the difficult time she’s facing so she can turn her parents back to normal and return to her world.
Both adults and children go through periods when they must endure something hard.
Even when the light is hard to see, these words teach us that sometimes it’s necessary to quietly take care of what’s in front of us and keep holding on until the right moment comes, in order to make it through.
