For nearly 40 years, Studio Ghibli has graced audiences with some of the greatest animated films in history, as well as some of the most unforgettable villains in recent memory. Ghibli is known for bringing to life breathtaking worlds with rich storytelling, emotional depth, and unforgettably colorful characters. Unlike conventional villains, Ghibli is known to feature a range of different villains, many of which defy traditional black-and-white morality.
Whether these villains are silly—like the goofy, yet likable Donald Curtis ofPorco Rossoor haunting, like the chilling Lord Cob ofTales From Earthsea—Studio Ghibli has featured an extensive range of antagonists. From tyrannical sorcerers to misguided aristocrats and monstrous spirits,Studio Ghibli’s villains remain some of the most unforgettable in film history.
10The Parakeet King
‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023)
Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film tells the story of young Mahito, a boy who relocates to the countryside after his mother tragically dies in a hospital fire. When Mahito’s father swiftly remarries his late wife’s sister, Natsuko, he struggles to adjust to his new stepmother and life in the countryside. A mysterious heron beckons Mahito to follow him, promising to take him to his mother. Mahito resists, but when Natsuko suddenly disappears into the forest outside their home,Mahito proceeds to search for her and finds himself in a fantastical world.
The Parakeet King is the anthropomorphic ruler of the Parakeet kingdom and the main antagonist ofThe Boy and the Heron,one of thebest anime films in recent history. In the film, he kidnaps Himi to deliver her to Mahito’s great-uncle in hopes of preserving his world and, by extension, his position as the king of the parakeet kingdom. When the Parakeet King discovers that his world is ruled by a set of magical blocks, he makes the rash decision of attempting to reorder them in a desperate attempt to preserve it. This error leads to its destabilization and dissolution.The Parakeet King can be seen as a metaphor for unbridled ambition and unrestrained control—ironically, his obsessive desire to preserve his world and status ultimately leads to their destruction.
The Boy and the Heron
9The Cat King
‘The Cat Returns’ (2005)
In this spin-off toWhisper of the Hearta teenage girl named Haru is whisked away to a fantasy world inhabited and ruled by cats after saving their prince, Lune. Lune’s father, The Cat King, is thankful for this and decides to show his gratitude by kidnapping Haru and forcing her to marry his son. This sets the stage for a struggle between the Cat King and his forces, and The Baron who goes on a mission to rescue Haru from her forced marriage.
The Cat King is one of the best villains of the Studio Ghibli franchise because of his unique blend of comedy and threat. His zany mannerisms, over-the-top personality, and larger-than-life physical appearance make him one of the most memorable characters.With his outrageous personality and appearance, the Cat King steals every scene he’s in. His duel with the Baron at the end of the film is also one of the most exciting sequences in any Ghibli film. His inclusion as the central antagonist of the film is just one of the few reasons whyThe Cat Returnsremains one of themost underrated Studio Ghibli films.
The Cat Returns
‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)
In Muromachi-era Japan, Prince Ashitaka slays a demon while defending his village. During the battle, he’s injured and infected with the creature’s curse. Inside the slain beast lies a clue to its origin—a small iron ball. With his last breath, the beast warns the villagers that they will soon know the rage and suffering he feels. In pursuit of answers and a cure to his curse, Ashitaka travels West to Irontown, where he discovers a community producing the weaponry responsible for the demon’s anguish and finds himself embroiled in a battle between the people and the gods of the forest.
Okkoto is the prideful blind leader of the boar clan. Preferring death on the battlefield instead of the slow deterioration of his clan, he leads his brood on a siege against Irontown that ends in the annihilation of his clan. Okkoto remains one of the most memorable villains of the Studio Ghibli franchise due to hisferocious warrior spirit and his profound sense of pride. There’s something incredibly powerful and deeply tragic about the way Okkoto fights until his very last breath inPrincess Mononoke, only to be granted a peaceful death by the Forest God.
Princess Mononoke
7Donald Curtis
‘Porco Rosso’ (1992)
Porco Rossofollows the life of one ofStudio Ghibli’s greatestprotagonists: former World War I pilot, Marco Pagot, who goes by the name of Porco Rosso after a curse turns him into an anthropomorphic pig. Porco works as a freelance bounty hunter in the Adriatic Sea, dividing his time between chasing pirates and hanging out at his friend Gina’s Hotel. Porco’s life is upended by his rival, Donald Curtis, who shoots his plane down, forcing him to seek out his mechanic. Things get worse for him as the Fascist Secret Police also attempt to track him down.
Curtis is one of the best villains of Studio Ghibli because of how outrageously ridiculous he is. This is a man who quite literally proposes to every attractive woman he meets and (for obvious reasons) is rejected in every instance. Despite his constant rebuffs, Curtis never loses his confidence. His cheerful disposition and pie-in-the-sky fantasies about being famous in one way or another, make him the source of constant comic relief. At the end of the film, Porco and Curtis team up in one of the most heartwarming endings of any Ghibli film, giving audiences one more reason to love Donald Curtis.
Porco Rosso
‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ (1984)
One thousand years have passed since the Seven Days of Fire. What’s left is but a husk of the Earth’s former ecosystem—a “Toxic Jungle” where poisonous trees and monstrous insects thrive. Only a few, scattered semi-hospitable areas remain where the last surviving humans are forced to take refuge. Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind communicates with the creatures of the forest in hopes of forging a bond with them that can lead to coexistence between humans and them. Nausicaä’s hopes are obstructed when Princess Kushana of Tolmekia and her army invade the valley with the intent of using an ancient biological weapon—“The Giant Warrior.“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Windis perhapsmore relevant than ever given environmentalist themes.
Kushana is a memorable villain due to her ruthless, cunning nature, and her military prowess.Kushana, like Lady Eboshi, is a military strategist, and a good one at that. She manages to murder Nausicaä’s father and also takes the princess hostage. Her implacable desire to activate the Giant Warrior nearly comes to fruition due to this relentless determination. Despite her ruthless actions, Kushana is not an entirely evil character. She acknowledges Nausicaä as a formidable enemy and shows respect for her bravery and combat skills, even withdrawing from her plans when she realizes that Nausicaä was able to stop an Ohm stampede—something no warrior could do.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
‘Tales from Earthsea’ (2006)
Gorō Miyazaki’s debut film is based on the works ofUrsula K. Le Guin’sEarthseaseriesand Hayao Miyazaki’s graphic novel,Shuna’s Journey. In the kingdom of Enlad, Prince Arren flees his castle after murdering his father under mysterious circumstances. Arren travels the land and finds it is plagued by the sudden appearance of dragons, failing crops, and an all-consuming fear that burdens the people. When the powerful wizard, Ged, takes Arren and the two discover the source of this imbalance, a powerful Warlock named Lord Cob attempts to open the door between life and death in a quest for immortal life.
While most of the “villains” in Studio Ghibli films are morally complex characters with redeeming qualities,Lord Cob is pure evil. His intentions—in stark contrast to other villains—are absolutely diabolical, as he shows no regard for the land or its people as he goes on an insane quest for eternal life. Unlike other Studio Ghibli villains,Cob is beyond redemption and downright horrifying. Despite stunning imagery,Tales From Earthsearemains one of the least successful or memorable films from the Ghibli franchise. However, Cob remains a unique villain in the franchise’s history due to his icy disposition and manipulative tactics. These qualities make him a standout in the history of Studio Ghibli villains.
Tales from Earthsea
4Colonel Muska
‘Castle in the Sky’ (1986)
After a robbery by a group of sky pirates goes wrong, an imprisoned girl named Sheeta nearly falls to her death before being saved by a mysterious amulet that affords her a gentle landing in a coal mining town. A young boy named Pazu discovers Sheeta and realizes that her amulet may be a clue to Laputa, a floating castle in the sky. The two children embark on a journey to Laputa while being pursued by the nefarious Colonel Muska, as well as the sky pirates.
Castle in the Sky’s Colonel Muska is as cold as they come. His unforgettable appearance includes a carefully pressed suit and a set of tinted glasses that barely conceal his sadistic eyes. From the moment viewers are introduced to Colonel Muska, it’s apparent that he is the personification of greed and evil. Muska’s a villain through and through, devoid of any redeeming qualities—something that’s rarely found in Miyazaki’s films. His entitled belief that Laputa is his birthright coupled with his cold disregard for his own men makes him one of the coldest antagonists in the history of Studio Ghibli.
Castle in the Sky
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
While driving to their new neighborhood, Chihiro and her parents take a shortcut and stumble upon what seems to be an amusement park. While her parents indulge in food left out at a seemingly empty restaurant, Chihiro decides to explore the rest of the park. But as the sun goes down and the park comes alive with spirits, Chihiro comes back to find her parents have been transformed into pigs. To reverse the transformation, she works a job at a bathhouse for the witch who cursed her parents in one of the most popular Studio Ghibli films of all time,Spirited Away.
No-Face is one of the most iconic charactersin the history of Studio Ghibli. His appearance as a semi-transparent spirit with a white mask and dark eyes is almost universally recognizable, and he plays a major role in one of Miyazaki’s greatest films. While No-Face starts out as a kind and giving spirit who follows Chihiro around, he quickly adopts the personality and traits of the workers and guests of the bathhouse after eating the workers and becomes a gluttonous abomination. No-Face’s transformation illustrates the caustic influence that one’s environment can have on their development and behavior.
Spirited Away
Spirited Awayremains anessential Studio Ghibli filmdue to the profound artistry with which its characters are rendered. Yubaba exemplifies this through her unique appearance and multi-faceted characterization. Yubaba is first introduced to the audience when Lin takes Chihiro to meet her so that she can get a job. She’s introduced as the runner of the bathhouse as well as Haku’s master and the witch responsible for the curse inflicted on Chihiro’s parents, making her the main antagonist. Though she initially scares Chihiro away, she eventually gives her a work contract and paves the way for her to eventually lift the curse off her parents.
Yubaba’s flamboyant appearance consists of her enormous head, multiple rings, and an extravagant flowing dress. By appearance alone, she’s one of the most iconic characters in all of Studio Ghibli.Her fearsome demeanor and manipulative tactics make her a perfect boss for the bathhouse she runs, where she tricks workers into exploitative contracts—in this way, audiences might view Yubaba as a metaphor for capitalism. On the most basic level, Yubaba’s primary concern seems to be that of her business. But beneath her cold exterior is a character that’s slightly more nuanced. Yubaba shows she deeply cares for her son, even offering to make Chihiro a deal in exchange for him––showing that, despite her ruthless nature she’s a woman of her word.
1Lady Eboshi
Princess Mononokeremains one of the most beautifully crafted films in the entire Studio Ghibli catalog. Each character is imbued with incredibly human qualities, and animated with the utmost expressiveness. Among these characters, Lady Eboshi stands out as the most fascinating. Audiences are first introduced to her as she leads a group of men on an attack against Moro, San, and a pack of wolves. When some of the men presumably fall to their deaths, she coldly shrugs it off. Later, when she meets Ashitaka it’s revealed that she’s the leader of Irontown where she directs the villagers to create the weapons used to attack the Forest Gods.
While Lady Eboshi first appears cold and uncaring, it’s revealed that her town provides work and shelter for sex workers and lepers. Lady Eboshi’s determination to protect her village and its people is what drives her to create the very weapons used to destroy the surrounding forest and its Gods,making her one of the most tragic—yet understandable—villains in all of Studio Ghibli. Unlike other villains, Lady Eboshi’s motivation is deeply fleshed out and true to life. Everything she does, despite how ruthless and misguided it may be, is to preserve the lifestyle and safety of her people. This humanizes her in a profoundly unique way, and makes her the greatest villain in all of Studio Ghibli.
