Disney vs. Pixar. Yes they partnered up, but the battle rages on with the animation fans on who’s the best. Has Pixar’s 2 decades of excellence started to usurp Disney’s decades of success? Let’s find o…..
WAIT!!!!! This animation conversation is missing a key contender. Studio Ghibli has two decades plus worth of animation excellence to consider. Pixar clearly owes lots of their success to the work Hayao Mizazaki and the Japanese animators were doing. Where do they fit into this conversation? Look’s like we’ve got ourselves a…TRIPLE THREAT MATCH!!
There’s no right or wrong method, but here’s the one I’m using: I made top 10’s for each of the 3 studios and the best of the rest. From those lists, we’re comparing the 10th best film for each studio, then the 9th, etc etc. and we tally up the wins to see who the victor is.
Match 1: The Honorable Mentions
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Honorable Mentions | Fantasia (1940) Aladdin (1992) Sleeping Beauty (1959) Mulan (1998) Moana (2016) | Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) Ponyo (2009) Pom Poko (1994) The Wind Rises (2013) From Up On Poppy Hill (2013) | Coco (2017) A Bug’s Life (1998) Toy Story 4 (2019) Cars (2006) Onward (2020) |
| Why they should win the matchup | The studio that’s been around the longest, unsurprisingly, has the deepest bench. You can imagine how formidable Disney is going to be here if the Genie, Maleficent, Lin Manuel Miranda, “Make a Man out of You” and MICKEY EFFIN MOUSE DON’T make the top 10. | A wide array of choices in type of movie to watch is the big selling point. Pom Poko will be loved by kids, From Up On Poppy Hill by the tweeners, and Howl’s by the Cinematic fan. The fact that these five come close to Disney is a testament to how great Ghibli has been in a short time. | This is the zag vote. You pick Pixar if you are afraid to draw the ire of certain fans of some of these choices, like the Mexican populous (Coco), or 8 year old boys (Cars). |
Winner: Disney.
This one was an unfair fight from the start. What you can learn from it is Ghibli’s bench is maybe deeper than you think it is, and Pixars….is not. I almost wanted to give Ghibli half a point for being even close there, but being around since the 1930s gives you a chance to build a deep roster of quality flicks
Disney -1 , Ghibli – 0, Pixar – 0
Now onto the Top 10!
Match 2: #10, How Daring!
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | The Little Mermaid (1989) | Grave of the Fireflies (1988) | Ratatouille (2007) |
| Why they should win the matchup | Historically, this movie ushered in the 2nd golden age for Disney Animation. It’s got a great adventure story, terrific songs, and a solid villain. Little girls everywhere wish they could be part of this world! | This movie showcases the biggest differentiator between Ghibli and Disney/Pixar. The animation sucks you in thinking you’re watching something cute, and then hammers you with a heartbreaking story about kids trying to survive on the streets of Japan after WWII ended. It’s a daring move to make something so bleak, but the animation helps soften the many blows the story inflicts on your soul. | Of the 3 films, this one has probably the best scene, where the food critic has his flashback that, like Up, brings you to the verge of tears in a few minutes. The story is also a lot of fun, if not super deep. |
Winner: Grave of the Fireflies
Were I a 6 year old girl in 1989, I might have a different answer. But the daring of the Ghibli Team wins the day here, making a nearly unwatchable series of heartbreaks somehow work because of the magic of their animation.
Disney -1 , Ghibli – 1, Pixar – 0
Will Pixar get on the board next? Let’s see:
Match 3: #9, Perspective Matters
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) | The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) | Toy Story 2 (1999) |
| Why they should win the matchup | The movie that started it all. The first animated feature film ever released. Disney created all sorts of templates for future films: magic, great songs, interesting villains, and the princess fairy tale concept. | The world of the Borrowers has been told many times. Studio Ghibli’s take is a fun little fantasy with really beautiful animation and charming storytelling. | Sara McLachlan’s achingly beautiful “When Somebody Loved Me” elevates a great adventure tale into something pretty special, wordlessly bringing the audience to tears in a matter of minutes. |
Winner: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Though some of its gender politics are dated, there’s no denying the power of being the first movie to do something, and all films on this list owe a debt to Snow White.
Disney – 2, Ghibli – 1, Pixar – 0
What Disney movie is one spot higher than Snow White?
Match 4: #8, The World is a Big Place
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Frozen (2013) | Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) | Up (2009) |
| Why they should win the matchup | A phenomenon for many reasons. Arguably the best Disney musical in the last 10 years. Anna and Elsa make for a great story about how many forms true love can take, and how badass and amazing women can be when stories let them take charge of their own story. | One of the most fun adventures Ghibli ever crafted for kids. A flying witch delivering packages makes for a fun time soaring through the air from place to place, using that Ghibli magic to make a decent enough story about finding your place in the world. | One of the greatest movie openings ever made, doing that Pixar thing of bringing you to tears wordlessly. The rest of the movie is fun too, also soaring high in the clouds, but with a balloon house instead of a witch’s broom. |
Winner: Frozen
Up almost put Pixar on the board. Almost. But the sheer force of Anna and Elsa, and the quality story beginning to end freeze out the competition. Zing!
Disney – 3, Ghibli – 1, Pixar – 0
Is this as close as Pixar is going to get? Maybe lucky 7 is their time!
Match 5: #7, Things Kids Love
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Wreck-It-Ralph (2012) | Whisper of the Heart (1995) | Monsters, Inc (2001) |
| Why they should win the matchup | Movies about video games have been pretty bad. This is the giant exception, taking the basic story of finding out who you are and turning into a Sugar Rush worth of rip roaring fun and adventure for everyone to enjoy. | The adultish film sandwiched between 2 kids stories. Ghibli shows that not all animated stories have to be adventures externally, they can be just as exciting internally, like watching a young artist figure out if her talents are good enough to pursue for her whole life. Heavy, but rewarding stuff. | Why do monsters scare at night? That concept is taken to stunning creation by Pete Docter and the creative team, who turn Monster world into a door factory of interesting creatures coupled with a sweet love story and Billy Crystal stand up! |
Winner: Wreck-It-Ralph
Few films are more rewatchable than this adventure, with a terrifically interesting world and two great main characters in Ralph and Vanellope.
Disney – 4, Ghibli – 1, Pixar – 0
Looks like Disney’s gonna run away with this thi…
Match 6: #6, Strange Creatures
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Beauty and the Beast (1991) | My Neighbor Totoro (1988) | Finding Nemo (2003) |
| Why they should win the matchup | A rare Best Picture nominee for an animated film. Well deserved too: boasting a wonderful leading lady, a terrific magical story, and wonderful music, one of the crowning achievements of the 2nd Disney golden age. | What Studio Ghibli does better than most is help us see the world through the eyes of a child. This 1988 masterpiece is one of their best examples of that, a plotless endeavor revolving around 2 sisters exploring their new home. Hayao Miyazaki’s grasp of showcasing a child’s mind makes this mundane situation an eye opening magical experience. | The sea never looked so appealing thanks to this gorgeous underwater adventure about a clown fish trying to find his son across the ocean. We get amazing creatures and yes, a story that brings tears to the eyes. |
Winner: My Neighbor Totoro
Between shark vegetarians, barking footstools, and cat buses, I choose cat bus every time.
Disney – 4, Ghibli – 2, Pixar – 0
If you thought that first half was excellent, wait until you see how special these next 15 films are.
Match 7: #5, It’s Time to Grow Up
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Bambi (1942) | Castle in the Sky (1986) | Inside Out (2014) |
| Why they should win the matchup | Traumatizing children everywhere, Bambi tells the tale of a deer, from childhood to adulthood, and the ever present excitement and dangers throughout nature, including the terrifying power of mankind. | Now is when the Ghibli films start merging amazing adventure with wells of themes. Starting with an amazing aerial kidnapping attempt, this film takes us on a 2 hour thrill ride all over, with complex characters and hope for Ghibli’s future, as this is their first release. | An animated film that might be meant for PhD students more than children. Set inside the head of an 11 year old girl, we are taken to an amazing world of how the mind works, and how emotions like fear, anger, and depression come about. |
Winner: Bambi
The simple, powerful tale has become a rite of passage for every kid, navigating tough topics like love and death with a clever hand.
Disney – 5, Ghibli – 2, Pixar – 0
Can Ghibli run the table and catch Disney? Will Pixar ever win a triple threat match?
Match 8: #4, Leading Ladies
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Cinderella (1950) | Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) | The Incredibles (2004) |
| Why they should win the matchup | The Princess fairy tale brought to stunning life for little girls everywhere. The songs are fun, the stepmother is a scary villain, and gave us things like fairy godmothers, bippity boppity boo, and glass slippers. | A Pre-Studio Ghibli release is one of the best. Anchored by an amazing heroine, Nausicaa, who navigates a treacherous evil world with grace, empathy and brilliance, finding harmony amongst the chaos of an amazing, harrowing adventure of amazing creatures and worlds. | A great premise: a family with superpowers, doesn’t disappoint. This is a rollicking fun time with each family member bringing something awesome to the table. Plus there’s a great plot involving what makes someone a superhero/special. Now, where’s my super suit! |
Winner: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
In 3 movies with wonderful leading ladies (Cinderella, Nausicaa, Elastigirl), Nausicaa stands tallest, leading a rollicking adventure anchored by a wonderful message of harmony and understanding; it’s soo good it blows glass slippers and fairy godmothers out of the water.
Disney – 5, Ghibli – 3, Pixar – 0
We’re in the 10 best animated films of all time territory now. Let’s see what those are:
Match 9: #3, Studio Flexes
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Zootopia (2016) | When Marnie Was There (2014) | Toy Story (1995) |
| Why they should win the matchup | The best of the recent Disney releases is a near perfect film. Set in a world where predators and prey live together, the movie is simultaneously a detective story, a wild CGI adventure, a wonderful character study, and an allegory about racial identity, an amazing feat of filmmaking. | One of the last Studio Ghibli films is a swing, and shows the power of great writing the studio possesses. They somehow take an unwatchable movie about a sullen, self-loathing teen girl and turn it into an ephemeral ghost story that’s equally pensive and emotionally complex. | Computer animation became a thing because of how successful Pixar’s first film is. The concept of what toys do when people are gone is a stroke of genius leading to an exciting buddy film about two now legendary characters Woody and Buzz. |
Winner: Zootopia
Yes, you heard me right. Zootopia will probably be the best thing Disney makes in this most recent renaissance, topping the Woody/Buzz dynamic duo.
Disney – 6, Ghibli – 3, Pixar – 0
So that’s it, Disney is the winner, which shouldn’t be a surprise, since they’ve been around longest. The last remaining question now is: are Pixar’s best as good as the best of Disney and Studio Ghibli?
Match 10: #2, The Runner-Ups
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | The Lion King (1994) | Spirited Away (2001) | Wall-E (2008) |
| Why they should win the matchup | Disney’s take on Hamlet. From the majestic opening sequence, we’re transported to the African plains to witness an amazing story about a pride of lions, overcoming one’s past, and the quest for power and responsibility. | A dazzling dreamscape of a film. Ghibli’s only Oscar Winner deserves that crown for the amazing story, brilliant, complex character design, and subtle effective messaging. A great intro to Ghibli for a teenager. | The first hour of this film is perfect, showing us a day in the life of the last living thing on a wasteland planet Earth. The move to outer space is also dazzling, and drives home the movie’s message of the consequences of a life of waste and laziness. |
Winner: Wall-E
The little robot that could gives Pixar its first win! I’m serious about that first hour too: it’s the best thing Pixar has ever done.
Disney – 6, Ghibli – 3, Pixar – 1
So, which studio has the best of the best? One more to go…
Match 11: #1, The Animated All Timers
| Studio | Disney | Studio Ghibli | Pixar |
| The Candidate | Pinocchio (1940) | Princess Mononoke (1999) | Toy Story 3 (2010) |
| Why they should win the matchup | A perfect kids tale. The premise is clever, the songs are catchy, the morality digestible for kids, and the storytelling dares to get really dark at times, driving home the consequences of living the right and wrong way. What an adventure! | The fact that this film is by far away the best of the Ghibli films is saying something. From the terrifying opening battle sequence, Hayao Miyazaki takes us on a dangerous, fascinating adventure with at least 10-15 complex characters, beautiful creature design/animation, and well executed messaging driving the story forward. | This movie is so many things at once. It’s a really fun prison break movie. It’s a tale of what happens to toys when kids grow up. But most importantly, it is as emotionally rich and complex a story you will be taken on in your life. The feelings you’ll feel by the end of Toy Story 3 are a complicated mix, a testament to the brilliance of what Pixar pulled off here. |
Before I get to a winner, I just want to say that all of these 3 films are VERY high on my all time list. They’re pretty much perfect, and couldn’t recommend them more highly if you’re interested in getting into animation. But if there has to be a winner, it is…
Winner: Toy Story 3
There’s a reason it’s #3 on my all time list. Movies like Toy Story 3 especially are once in a generation films, and I’m so glad I got a chance to see it.
Final Tally: Disney – 6, Ghibli – 3, Pixar – 2
So what do we learn here? To no one’s surprise, Disney is the best of the studios, simply because they’ve been around longest. However, Pixar’s light shines brightest, and bright days remain ahead of them if they remain creative. What I hope you learn most though, is that if you strip away reputation, Studio Ghibli deserves recognition alongside Disney and Pixar for the work they’ve done, and the brilliant stories they tell. I hope this encourages you to seek out some of these gems, and realize that Animated films are more than just for kids. They can wow everyone!