In Studio Ghibli’s When Marnie Was There, the mysterious girl Anna meets is named Marnie.
Anna Sasaki encounters Marnie near an old marsh house while staying in the countryside. Marnie appears during a series of dreamlike meetings, and the two girls form an intense friendship despite the uncertainty surrounding Marnie’s identity and existence.
The film is based on Joan G. Robinson’s 1967 British children’s novel of the same name. Its story combines mystery, memory, family history, and emotional healing. Viewers sometimes assume Marnie is simply a ghost, but the film’s revelations connect her appearances to Anna’s family history and to the way Anna processes loneliness and belonging.