Anime fans, rejoice! Studio Ghibli Fest tickets are almost available! For those new to the world of anime, Studio Ghibli is one of the biggest animation studios. This year, the studio is holding a special viewing fest twice a month for fans of anime. I’ll include the lineup below, but if your local theater is involved with Fathom Events, it’s highly likely that you’ll be able to experience these wonderful films on the big screen.Tickets go on sale next Friday, but those who have a GKids account can order tickets 48 hours early.

Here’s the lineup and dates.

NOTE: I’ll include the versions of each film playing next to their dates. For those who like English-speaking characters, DUBBED anime is for you. If you would like the traditional versions, SUBBED anime is right up your alley.

My Neighbor Totoro – June 25th (dubbed) and June 26th (subbed)

Official Synopsis: This superbly animated children’s tale is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, one of Japan’s most beloved animators. The story follows Satsuke and Mei, two young girls who find that their new country home is in a mystical forest inhabited by a menagerie of mystical creatures called Totoros. They befriend O Totoro, the biggest and eldest Totoro, who is also the king of the forest. As their girls’ mother lies sick in the hospital, O Totoro brings the sisters on a magical adventure but also helps them to understand the realities of life.

Kiki’s Delivery Service – July 23rd (dubbed) and July 24th (subbed)

Official Synopsis: At her mother’s behest, 13-year-old Kiki sets out on a year-long apprenticeship with her black cat in tow. With a shaky command of her broom, she ends up in a charming little coastal town that looks like a cross between the French provincial and San Francisco. Unfortunately, the local hotels have a strict “no witches” policy and the police have taken a dim view of her recent aerial mischief-making. She’s saved from the street by a kindly baker’s wife, who offers her room and board in exchange for her delivering by broom the baker’s wares. Soon she befriends a college-aged artist, an old women who fusses over her, and a boy her same age who is nursing a massive crush. All is well until she wakes up one day and realizes that she can’t make her broom levitate nor can she talk to her cat.

Castle in the Sky – August 27th (dubbed) and August 28th (subbed)

Official Synopsis: Castle in the Sky begins with a chase scene through a flying ship, where all the passengers are after a young girl, Sheeta. Going overboard to avoid capture, Sheeta is rescued by her powerful crystal necklace which floats her down to safety. She’s recovered by Pazu, a young resourceful boy who works in a small mining town. Sharing a common desire to see Laputa, the castle in the sky, Pazu and Sheeta team up to outrun the pirates and the military. Led by hard-bitten matriarch Dola, the pirates are a rowdy yet dimwitted group of brothers who are after Laputa’s treasure. Led by the greedy yet civilized Muska, the military is after Laputa’s secret powers. Everyone races to get to the abandoned castle of Laputa, which has been overgrown with vines and plant life. Its only inhabitants are the animals and robots who protect a magical garden. As the different parties fight over who gets to control Laputa, it’s up to Sheeta to use her ancient knowledge to save it from ultimate destruction.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – September 24th (dubbed) and September 25th (subbed)

Official Synopsis: Centuries after war has devastated the earth, Princess Nausicaä leads the people of the Valley of the Wind. Feuding clans fight with planes and tanks as well as swords in a world that is both primitive and futuristic. In addition to her people’s conflicts with other factions, Nausicaä must also contend with the insects of the jungle including the Ohmu, a race of giant, intelligent bugs that poisons the surrounding atmosphere – and is spreading rapidly. Nausicaä is more concerned with harmony and communication than with conquest and revenge. Sympathetic to the Ohmu, she learns she must approach them with understanding to achieve peace and restore the dying world.

Spirited Away – October 29th (dubbed) and October 30th (subbed)

Official Synopsis: The film opens with ten-year-old Chihiro riding along during a family outing as her father races through remote country roads. When they come upon a blocked tunnel, her parents decide to have a look around — even though Chihiro finds the place very creepy. When they pass through the tunnel, they discover an abandoned amusement park. As Chihiro’s bad vibes continue, her parents discover an empty eatery that smells of fresh food. After her mother and father help themselves to some tasty purloined morsels, they turn into giant pigs. Chihiro understandably freaks out and flees. She learns that this very weird place, where all sorts of bizarre gods and monsters reside, is a holiday resort for the supernatural after their exhausting tour of duty in the human world. Soon after befriending a boy named Haku, Chihiro learns the rules of the land: one, she must work , as laziness of any kind is not tolerated; and two, she must take on the new moniker of Sen. If she forgets her real name, Haku tells her, then she will never be permitted to leave.

Howl’s Moving Castle – November 26th (dubbed) and November 27th (subbed)

Sophie is an 18-year-old girl who toils in the hat shop opened years ago by her late father. Often harassed by local boys, one day Sophie is unexpectedly befriended by Howl, a strange but flamboyant wizard whose large home can travel under its own power. However, the Witch of the Waste is displeased with Sophie and Howl’s budding friendship, and turns the pretty young woman into an ugly and aged hag. Sophie takes shelter in Howl’s castle, and attempts to find a way to reverse the witch’s spell with the help of Calcifer, a subdued but powerful demon who exists in the form of fire, and Markl, who protects the four-way door which can instantly take visitors to other lands and dimensions.