A SEASON of anime films from Japan's Studio Ghibli will be the focus of the Vintage Sundays slot at City Screen, York, from March 4.

First up from the animation film studio in Koganei, Tokyo, will be 1988's Grave Of The Fireflies (12A), shown at noon in the original language with English subtitles.

Further midday screenings will be 1998's My Neighbour Totoro (U) on March 11; 1989's Kiki’s Delivery Service (U), March 18; 1997's Princess Mononoke (PG), March 25; 2001's Spirited Away (PG), April 1, and 2004's Howl's Moving Castle (U), April 8.

"After a hiatus at the start of the year, Vintage Sundays – our weekly celebration of classic films – returns this spring with a bountiful Bento box of Studio Ghibli delights," says marketing manager Dave Taylor. "From March 4, we pay tribute to the visionary Japanese animation house with six of its very best movies. Dance with fireflies, walk with kodama spirits, play with giant mystical Totoros, and enter the madcap, beautiful world of Ghibli.

"Grave Of The Fireflies, which kicks off the season, is the only title in the selection not directed by studio co-founder and master storyteller Hayao Miyazaki. Fellow co-founder Isao Takahata offers a more grown-up tale that’ll move even the most hard-nosed filmgoer to tears. This devastating and tender masterpiece depicts orphaned siblings struggling to survive in Japan during the Second World War."

My Neighbour Totoro is a beloved family film sure to make you beam with joy, says Taylor. "It’s an innocent, otherworldly and cuddly tale for children and adults alike," he adds.

"Then, if giant furry things aren’t your bag, join young witch Kiki as she strikes out on her own, with her black cat in tow, in the delightful Kiki’s Delivery Service..

"Princess Mononoke has the soul of a romantic epic and would make David Lean or Akira Kurosawa proud. The swashbuckling action adventure also offers a deeper look at Miyazaki’s fascination with nature."

Spirited Away, an enthralling, dreamlike opus by Miyazaki, rightfully ranks among the greatest animated films of all time, reckons Taylor. "It’s a story of fantasy and childhood that’s sure to captivate generations for aeons," he says.

"The last word will go to Miyazaki: the only fitting way to end the Studio Ghibli season is with his favourite of all his films, the enchanting fairy tale Howl’s Moving Castle."

Tickets can be booked on 0871 902 5726 or at picturehouses.com/cinema/York_Picturehouse.