The anime medium is hardly limited to TV series, showcasing an abundant selection of cinematic masterpieces in all genres. Similarly, these movies aren’t exclusively appealing to anime fans, and any admirer of cinema could find an anime film they’d appreciate. In fact, feature-length anime titles are one of the easiest gateways into the medium, allowing newcomers to grasp anime’s appeal and potential without daunting time commitments.
Some of the most universally acclaimed anime projects, from Studio Ghibli’s awe-inspiring catalog to all-time classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, are movies beloved by anime fans and regular cinephiles alike. From niche cult classics to industry-defining hits, the best anime movies of all time should be on every movie buff’s watchlist, regardless of their anime knowledge.
10
Akira is a Groundbreaking Thriller Every Movie Buff Should Watch
As one of the most iconic anime movies of all time, Akira set the bar for Japanese cyberpunk way back in 1988 and continues to impress fans with its timelessly gorgeous visuals and gritty post-apocalyptic story. Set in the futuristic dystopia of Neo-Tokyo, Akira follows a leader of a biker gang, Kaneda, and his childhood friend, Tetsuo, who ends up developing psychic powers, leading to a tense conflict with the government.
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Akira’s mind-bending plot is just as intense as its kinetic animation, which still holds up as the industry’s golden standard. Back in the ‘80s, Akira was key to converting an entire generation of people outside of Japan to anime fans, and it still feels just as influential to watch decades later.
9
Belladonna of Sadness Pushes the Boundaries of Animation
A lesser-known yet no less important old-school anime classic, Belladonna of Sadness was released in 1973 and represents anime at its most artistically experimental and daring. A psychosexual drama, Belladonna of Sadness chronicles the shocking story of Jeanne, who, after being brutally assaulted and betrayed, turns to witchcraft for revenge.
Disturbing themes and events merge with gorgeously psychedelic imagery and surprisingly engrossing, if unconventional, storytelling in Belladonna of Sadness, resulting in a violently intoxicating audiovisual experience no fan of avant-garde cinema should overlook. Like many misunderstood masterpieces, Belladonna of Sadness was initially a commercial failure, only to leave its mark on history as one of the most iconic cult classics of the anime industry’s early days.
8
Grave of the Fireflies Remains One of the Greatest Studio Ghibli Films
Studio Ghibli is most well-known for its family-friendly fantasy adventures, many of which are familiar even to those completely disinterested in anime as a medium. However, Grave of the Fireflies is far less fantastical and optimistic than your typical Ghibli movie, telling a heartbreaking story of war and its grueling impact on the most vulnerable and innocent.
The protagonists of Grave of the Fireflies are siblings Seita and Setsuko, orphaned by war and forced to struggle for survival in the devastated Japanese countryside. Yet, the post-war world is hardly merciful to the pair, and the audience knows what kind of cruel fate awaits the characters from the very beginning. Grave of the Fireflies is a devastating film that, nonetheless, remains monumental in how it depicts war and its haunting consequences.
7
Your Name’s Success Broke Into the Mainstream
The anime movie arguably most familiar to mainstream audiences is Your Name, which had a major impact on attracting new fans to anime in the mid-2010s. Directed by Makoto Shinkai, a master of gorgeously detailed animation and bittersweet love stories, Your Name begins with a quirky premise of two teens, a girl from the rural countryside, Mitsuha, and a boy from busy Tokyo, Taki, magically switching bodies.
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Yet, the challenges of occasionally living as one another and the romance blooming between them in the meantime are just the prelude to a much more shocking revelation about the pair’s circumstances that the Your Name film has in store. Your Name is a breathtaking wonder of state-of-the-art animation that supports its visual splendor with an equally captivating plot. Moving, unpredictable, and satisfyingly wistful, Your Name fully deserves its widespread acclaim.
6
The Patlabor Movies Are One of the Greatest Real Robot Mecha Anime
The mecha genre is notoriously difficult to get into. However, being a uniquely grounded mecha franchise, even for the “real robot” subgenre, Patlabor makes the appeal of giant robot shows obvious. In the Patlabor universe, mech suits are less weapons of war and more utilitarian tools, used by everyday policemen and construction workers.
Focusing on the activities of the police as they tackle various crimes involving Labors, Patlabor has a distinct buddy cop movie feel to it, capable of being both comedic and surprisingly thought-provoking. The Patlabor movies follow their own continuity, separate from the TV shows. And, among them, 1993’s Patlabor 2: The Movie stands out as the most masterful thanks to its thematic depth and various parallels to real-life issues of military overreach, propaganda, and war ethics.
5
Tekkonkinkreet’s Dystopian Adventure Deserves More Love
While far from the most well-known anime movie, Tekkonkinkreet stands out as one of the most unique, both narratively and visually. Set in the vibrant and dangerous slums of the Takaramachi megapolis, the film follows a duo of orphaned delinquents, Black and White.
When their city’s existence is threatened by yakuza tycoons, the pair has no choice but to fight tooth and nail for its future. Everything about Tekkonkinkreet is boldly unconventional, from the film’s zany aesthetics to its multifaceted tonality. Capable of being shockingly violent, delightfully thrilling, and emotionally moving in its more heartfelt moments, Tekkonkinkreet is unafraid to be jarring, yet gets much of its charm from managing to weave these clashing elements together to tell an unforgettable story about the polarity of love, friendship, and devotion.
4
Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is a Whimsical Adventure Through Kyoto’s Nightlife
Another unconventional masterpiece for lovers of eccentric animation, Night Is Short, Walk On Girl was created by Masaaki Yuasa, a director notorious for his instantly recognizable fluid style. The film’s story is quite simple, chronicling a wild night of partying that a nameless college girl experiences in Kyoto, all while her timid upperclassman tries to find an opportunity to confess his love to the heroine.
Yet, just like the heroine never knows where the night will take her next, the audience also gets consistently surprised by the film’s direction. Night Is Short, Walk On Girl feels like a vibrant, colorful dream, filled to the brim with surreal hijinks and charming oddities that gradually intoxicates the audience with wonder. Most importantly, the movie’s distinct aesthetic, which is the signature of many of Yuasa’s works, adds to the film’s captivating ambiance.
3
Memories Delivers 3 Masterpieces in One Hidden Gem Film
A rare anime anthology movie, Memories is a peculiar collection of three sci-fi vignettes created as a result of some of the most notable auteurs in the medium coming together to craft something one-of-a-kind. Released in 1995, Memories consists of the short films Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb, and Cannon Fodder, each of them completely different in tone, themes, and aesthetics.
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Whereas Magnetic Rose, a film most consider Memories’ highlight, is a somber and eerie sci-fi horror tale, Stink Bomb is a dark satirical sketch, with Cannon Fodder venturing into soul-stirring war drama. Yet, as a whole, Memories offers a unique opportunity to sample a spectrum of outstanding works that embrace stylistic contrast, with every viewer undeniably finding a favorite among the lineup.
2
Angel’s Egg Is a Perfect Pick For Lovers of Experimental Cinema
Some of the best movies anime has to offer are not the big, spectacular hits, but much more intimate, unconventional passion projects that don’t chase after mass appeal. Mamoru Oshii’s science fantasy Angel’s Egg is one such anime that, while clearly not meant for everyone, can become a favorite for those appreciative of avant-garde art.
Angel’s Egg features minimal story and dialogue, being a mostly silent journey of two nameless characters through a haunting, bewildering post-apocalypse. The story tells itself through interpretive symbolism and gorgeous yet abstract imagery, prompting each viewer to draw their own conclusions regarding the film’s meaning. Angel’s Egg is a bizarre yet poetic piece of cinema that doesn’t strive to be understood. Instead, Angel’s Egg only asks to be experienced.
1
Perfect Blue’s Psychological Thrills Are a Must-Watch Masterpiece
As a legendary anime director, Satoshi Kon has no shortage of revered masterpieces, from the mind-bending Paprika to the hopeful Christmas movie Tokyo Godfathers. Yet, the director’s debut film, Perfect Blue, is still recognized by many as his magnum opus. A former idol seeking to become an actress, Mima Kirigoe isn’t taking well to the challenges of her new career. Paired with the fear of an obsessive fan stalking the heroine, Mima’s mind begins to deteriorate, making differentiating between reality and illusion impossible.
Perfect Blue is where Kon’s signature style of reality-bending first took shape, trapping those who watch alongside Mima in a world where fantasy distorts actuality in haunting, inescapable ways. Both thrilling and thought-provoking in its thematic substance, Perfect Blue is an example of anime’s cinematic artistry at its finest, and its brilliance can be appreciated by all fans of well-crafted cinema.
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