MIYAZAKI Hayao

Sophie Hatter, the eldest of three, is apprenticed to make hats for the people of Ingary, a place where spells, magic cloaks, and seven-league boots exist. She and all the young girls are warned to stay inside or be taken by Howl, the evil wizard whose black castle can be seen moving through the hills. After an encounter with a witch and with a spell cast on her to make her an…

Kiki is thirteen years old, right at the age when a young witch in training is supposed to travel to another city and strike out for herself. It is a real test of responsibility and independence, and if Kiki can handle it for a year, she will be ready to undergo the rest of her education. So, with only a little money, her pet cat/confidante Jiji, and her mother's broom, Kiki…

From Viz: After a escaping the unwanted attentions of some bored soldiers with the help of a handsome stranger, Sophie returns home only to be accosted by the infamous Witch of the Waste! The Witch lays a curse on her, turning Sophie into a creaky old woman. Sophie knows she has to leave town, and soon finds herself taking shelter in the moving castle of the dread wizard Howl…

From Viz: Marked with the curse of a rampaging boar god, young Ashitaka sets off on a journey to cure his mysterious affliction. Little does he know that the fate of the entire world is now resting on his shoulders.

From Viz: Winner of the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated feature, Spirited Away tells the story of 10-year-old Chihiro, a girl in the midst of a move to the suburbs who wanders into a strange town and finds a world of spirits ruled over by the mysterious Yubaba.

From First Second Books: Shuna, the prince of a poor land, watches in despair as his people work themselves to death harvesting the little grain that grows there. And so, when a traveler presents him with a sample of seeds from a mysterious western land, he sets out to find the source of the golden grain, dreaming of a better life for his subjects. It is not long before he…

From Viz: Nausicaä, a young princess, has an empathic bond with the giant Ohmu insects and animals of every creed. She fights to create tolerance, understanding and patience among empires that are fighting over the world's remaining precious natural resources. Note: Won Japan Cartoonist Association Award for Grand Award in 1994 and the 26th Seiun Award for Best Comic in 1995.

The Age of the Flying Boat is a 15-page all watercolor manga, originally released in 3 parts, which the animated film Porco Rosso is based on. It's the 1920s over the Adriatic Sea. Air pirates with their floatplanes plague the sea, attacking ships, robbing money, and kidnapping girls. Enter a bounty hunter, Porco Rosso. Flying his red floatplane, he is the best in the business…