1) Conan and Lana - **Future Boy Conan (1978)**, written and directed by Hayao Myazaki and produced by Nippon Animation.

One of Myazaki's earliest animated works, and one of the very best imo. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the anime tells the story of Conan, a young boy raised on a remote island who one day finds a girl stranded on his beach, immediately falls in love with her, and runs to her rescue when she gets kidnapped by some industrialist fascists that want to spill the secret of solar energy out of her to start a new age of military and colonial power. This series brings forth a beautiful critique of military ambitions, pollution, industrialisation, power and the consequences of a nuclear war, while also providing an entertaining and lighthearted story. A must watch.

2) Howl and Sophie - **Howl's Moving Castle (2004)**, written and directed by Hayao Myazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli.

My absolute favourite out of all of the Studio Ghibli productions. Howl is a wizard who refuses to fight in a war he doesn't believe in, and he randomly meets Sophie, a hatter who's been cursed by a witch who perceived her as a threat for Howl's affection. Their romance is beautifully complemented by the wartime situation the movie is set in, and is given the chance to progress by it. This movie perfectly encapsulates Myazaki's views on love, war and freedom of action. Beautiful on all fronts.

[Loved trope] "Here's a cute romance. Also, here's the most heartfelt and in-depth critique of a topic humanly possible."