Movies you've been watching...

[Xaios]

Nausicaa and especially Princess Mononoke are far more mature and darker than any you’ve watched, I’d try those before writing them off. Preferably without the awful English dubs.

For the record, it's the general tone isn't something I had any issue with. My Neighbor Totoro was arguably one of the ones I enjoyed more, despite the meandering plot. It felt like a warm hug in movie form.

 

[BlackMastodon]

Nausicaa and especially Princess Mononoke are far more mature and darker than any you’ve watched, I’d try those before writing them off. Preferably without the awful English dubs.

Will agree with this, but not with the comment about the English dubs. I am always an advocate for watching movies/shows in the original language, but I will watch Studio Ghibli stuff dubbed because they go out of their way to find very talented actors to do the voices. I thought the dubbed voice acting in Princess Mononoke was totally fine, the one performance that stood out and seemed a bit off was ironically from Billy Bob Thornton.