YA Comics and Graphic Novels for Fans of Studio Ghibli

If there’s one thing Miyazaki is known for in his Studio Ghibli films, it’s his love of flying. So a graphic novel about magicians traveling by airship fits in perfectly with his oeuvre. Between that and the deep bond between the two sisters at the heart of this story, as they help their ailing father run his lightbulb shop, Studio Ghibli fans are sure to find a lot to love in this story.

As Sophie tells Howl in Howl’s Moving Castle: “A heart is a heavy burden.” It’s especially true for residents of the island of Envecor, where everyone is cursed with immortality until they find their soulmate. But not everyone wants their soulmate to be found when it means giving up eternal life. That’s where Heart Hunters like Psyche come in, hunting down their clients’ soulmates before they can ever cross paths. The way friendship opens Psyche’s broken heart back up to the world reminds me so much of Howl’s own transformation after meeting Sophie. I think fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will particularly enjoy The Heart Hunter, even though romance is less centered in this story.

Courtly politics and romance aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think Studio Ghibli, but hear me out. This graphic novel about a princess leaving behind her home to marry the queen of a secretive country across the sea is full of heart—something Ghibli movies always have in spades. It’s also full of magic because when Princess Amelia lands on Iliad’s shores, she discovers the shroud of mystery around this place hides the magic its Queen is determined to protect. Sounds like a perfect mix for fans of Ghibli films like Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Though most Studio Ghibli films tend toward fantasy, a rare few—like Grave of the Fireflies and From Up on Poppy Hill—have tackled more serious, historical stories. So this graphic novel that combines magic with the history of segregation, racism, and residential schools—along with flying—is a great fit for Ghibli fans. Join Meet Billie Mae and her fellow Night Storms as they break records and barriers during illicit nighttime broom races.

A young girl taking over the duties of her hedge witch grandmother strikes me as so Kiki’s Delivery Service that I just had to include Mamo in this list of comics for Studio Ghibli fans. Not to mention, it’s all about community and soothing disquieted spirits. All of that and the lush, atmospheric artwork—similar to what Studio Ghibli is known for—make Mamo a lovely read.

A young girl with dreams of becoming a legendary samurai like her father teams up with her hero, who turns out to be a quick-tempered drunk, in this graphic novel about demon hunting, working together, and following your dreams. The Worst Ronin blends together the old world with the new and features a story about female empowerment Ghibli fans will enjoy.

Aiza dreams of becoming a knight of the Bayt-Sajji Empire. As a member of the subjugated Ornu people, knighthood is her only path to citizenship. With Bayt-Sajji on the brink of war, Aiza finally gets her chance to enlist and train to become a knight. But the squire training isn’t what she imagined. She must keep her Ornu identity secret and chafes against the discriminatory politics of the knights—especially as she begins to see what they’re really fighting for. The anti-colonial, anti-war messages underlying Squire mirror the anti-war themes in many Studio Ghibli films. And the artwork is just stunning.

All I can think about when looking at the gorgeous art in this graphic novel are those gentle giant robots in The Castle in the Sky. The story is wordless, told entirely through illustrations of a girl and her robot guardian traveling together through the wastelands. Described as perfect for fans of Princess Mononoke, Step by Bloody Step is a fantasy epic like no other.

This lush graphic novel based on Korean folklore is full of spirits and fox demons that fans of Spirited Away are sure to fall for. In sixteenth-century Korea, Kai dreams of becoming a warrior like her father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But that’s not a path open to a girl, even one trained in martial arts like Kai. Even so, she’s determined. When she discovers the truth about her mother’s past, though, she realizes forging her own path will be more complicated than she ever imagined.

Step on up fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service. This graphic novel about a young girl with dreams of becoming a witch is for you! People are either born with magic, or they’re not. Coco was not. As much as she wants to be a witch, she’s almost ready to give up on her dream when she meets a traveling magician who soon has her rethinking everything she thought she knew about magic.