When Marnie Was There (2014)

The film portrays a deeply intimate and emotionally resonant bond between two girls, Anna and Marnie, which many viewers interpret as having strong sapphic undertones. While this relationship is depicted with dignity and is central to Anna's emotional development, the narrative ultimately reveals a familial connection, recontextualizing the bond. Consequently, the film neither explicitly affirms nor denigrates LGBTQ+ themes, resulting in a neutral overall portrayal.

The film adapts a British novel where the main characters, Anna and Marnie, are implicitly or explicitly white. In the Studio Ghibli adaptation, these characters are depicted as Japanese, constituting a race swap.