Japanese folklore creatures

His films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are deeply rooted in Shinto beliefs and feature yokai, kami, and creatures from Japanese folklore as central narrative elements.

Grave of the Fireflies and Pom Poko showcase Japanese cultural traditions and folklore, with the latter featuring tanuki shapeshifters central to Japanese mythology.

His horror anthology Kwaidan directly adapts classic Japanese ghost stories and folklore into visually stunning explorations of supernatural creatures and spirits from traditional narratives.