Anime Movie Guide
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Movie Count: 49
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I’ve spent more time than I care to think about watching anime movies in my life thus far. I’ve seen both astoundingly spectacular and horrifically terrible anime movies. I’m giving you the full benefit of my anime experiences in the form of this list of mini-reviews. You’ll find the best anime movies in existence organized below according to studio/director.
To ease the navigation of this sizable guide, here are some anchor links to take you straight to the individual studios:
Studio Ghibli | Studio Madhouse | Katsuhiro Otomo | Production I.G. | Makoto Shinkai |
Shinji Aramaki | Fumihiko Sori | Tin House | Studio 4°C | Gainax | Gonzo | Anime Blacklist
Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki/Isao Takahata
Note: Ghibli is commonly known as the “Disney of Japan”. They are probably the biggest anime movie company in Japan. Most of their movies are great for both adults and kids, the ones that aren’t are noted within their respective reviews.
My Neighbor Totoro
Tonari no Totoro (???????)
Probably the best movie to ever come out of Ghibli, and arguably the best anime movie ever made. Following the exploits of two little girls, Satsuki and Mei, and how they learn to cope with their mother being constantly in the hospital through the loving help and guidance of mystical (and fuzzy!) forest spirits, the Totoro (the word Totoro usually just refers to the biggest, gray one). This quickly became the defining movie for Ghibli, making Totoro their mascot, and the “Mickey Mouse of Japan”.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Kaze no tani no Naushika (????????)
Ghibli’s first full-length movie has aged a lot better than most of the other animes from that time. The art, music, and story-line of this anime were all way ahead of its time. The story revolves around the princess Nausicaa (who is hugely different from Disney’s stereotypical princesses) and how she gives her absolute all to save those around her from both the aggressive foliage/fungi surrounding them, the neighbouring countries, and the impending threat of stampeding giant insects. One of the best sci-fi animes ever made, and certainly a must for any anime watcher. You’ll be able to see why this put Ghibli on the map.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Hauru no Ugoku Shiro(???????)
This movie gave some worried anime fans great assurance that Miyazaki was in no way past his prime and still able to bring an enchanted story (originally written by Diana Wynne Jones) to life. This magical anime follows the quest of a girl named Sophie to restore her youth that was stolen by the Witch of the Waste. She seeks out Howl and his moving castle not knowing what kind of troubles and strange adventures awaited her. The animation in this movie is gorgeous and it has, in my opinion, the single best soundtrack of almost any anime to date. Definitely worth watching more than once.
Spirited Away
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi(????????)
Spirited Away was the first of Miyazaki’s movies to win an Oscar, obviously for Best Animated Film. If Western audiences hadn’t heard of Studio Ghibli before, Spirited Away’s appearance at the Oscars certainly introduced them to it. The movie follows Chihiro as she and her family get caught in a bizarre spirit world, and how she tries to overcome fear and adversity to escape this strange land. Easily one of the weirder animes in existence, but still not challenging the weirdness of some of Satoshi Kon’s works that will be mentioned later on. This movie most definitely deserved its Oscar.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Tenk? no Shiro Rapyuta (????????)
The art direction is this movie is superb. It really brings the Castle in the Sky straight out of Gulliver’s Travels and onto the movie screen. The bittersweet robots that inhabit and protect the garden may even end up being some of your favourite anime characters ever. Not because they are amusing, really, but because of the care and dedication that they exude whenever you see them. Laputa revolves around a boy named Pazu and the girl that floats unceremoniously down from the sky into his life, Sheeta, and how they save Laputa and the world from corruption. An all-around solid anime movie with classic Ghibli humour and spirit, definitely recommended.
Ponyo
Gake no Ue no Ponyo (???????) (lit. “Ponyo on the Cliff”)
Miyazaki was challenged by someone to make another movie with the true poignancy and magic that was captured in Totoro. By most accounts he has done just that. While not my absolute favourite Ghibli movie, this is certainly one of the better ones. The story tends to be a bit slower even than most other Ghibli movies, but as a whole it certainly doesn’t plod or drag its proverbial heels, it just takes its time pleasantly. It follows a little goldfish-like girl thing called Ponyo and her sudden transformation into a human after tasting human blood accidentally while healing a cut on a little boy named Sosuke’s finger. The turning point in the story is Ponyo’s love of Sosuke and how that threatens to not only change her life permanently, but also the world at large. Ponyo’s mother and father are very interesting and different characters. There is much to be seen with this movie’s fantastic visual style, slightly different from previous Ghibli offerings with more pastels and simpler lines. Wholly recommended to everyone, this is one of the Ghibli movies that you have to see.
My Neighbors the Yamadas
H?hokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun (??????????????)
Certainly the most stylized movie to ever come from Ghibli. It is also probably the best work from Isao Takahata, in my opinion (most people will claim his magnum opus is Grave of the Fireflies, which will be mentioned later). The style of animation changes drastically at random points in the film, but serves to emphasize the mood as opposed to being plainly distracting. The movie follows the day-to-day exploits of the Yamada family, and is basically split into a few episodes with haikus in between. Definitely one of the best family anime movies around, and heart-warming to watch at any time.
Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro
Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro (????? ????????)
A random anime-series film that just so happens to have been co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. As such, this movie contains far less crudeness and nudity than your average Lupin III fare. This movie also happens to be the general favourite out of the 5 Lupin III movies. This movie follows Lupin III, a famed thief descended from Arsène Lupin, and his sidekick Daisuke Jigen as they escape from a high-profile robbery of a national casino called Monaco. Discovering that their loot is counterfeit, they go in search of the source of these perfect “goat bills” which leads them to the Castle of Cagliostro featuring both a princess and a huge hidden secret. Good times to be had by all, and a more decent story than is usually found in most non-canonical anime movies.
Gauche the Cellist
Sero Hiki no Goushu (?????????)
A Pre-Ghibli film from Isao Takahata with a good measure more heart than most of Takahata’s actual Ghibli movies. A cute if somewhat sedate movie about Gauche who is a cellist with a local orchestra and how he learns different important cello lessons from random talking animals that visit him every night including a tanuki, a cuckoo, a cat, and a pair of mice to prepare him for an upcoming concert. It’s pretty cute and recommended for both adults and children. Good to watch on a rainy day.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Majo no Takky?bin (??????)
This is one of the more decorated of Ghibli’s movies. It has won at least 11 major anime and animation awards since it was released. The narrative follows Kiki and her witty cat Jiji as they set out for a town where Kiki can become the resident witch and earn some valuable experience in life. It’s really a coming-of-age story that follows the hardships and friends that they encounter while Kiki tries to develop her rather sad witch skills into something more useful for society. As with all Ghibli movies, this is not your typical anime fare, and definitely worth checking out.
The Cat Returns
Neko no Ongaeshi (?????)
The Cat Returns is probably the only Ghibli movie that I would liken to a Disney-style movie. While it still has charming Ghibli undertones, this movie plays out in a rather formulaic manner and seems to allude greatly to Alice in Wonderland. With that said, it is still an awesome movie, with cats sooo cute that you have to see them to believe them. The story follows Haru, a kinda half-clumsy misfit teenager, who can only dream of being with a guy she likes. The Cat, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, who was featured in Ghibli’s A Whisper of the Heart, returns to help Haru out. They then travel to the Cat World and have mystical adventures, etc. While this is probably the most innocuous and ordinary of Ghibli’s movies, it’s still very much worth the time to watch it.
Porco Rosso
Kurenai no Buta (???)
Miyazaki loves planes. That is pretty much why he made this movie. Overall, the movie has a playful nature and is good fun for all involved. The story follows Porco Rosso (a man who was inexplicably turned into a pig) (it never really is explained very well, so don’t bother trying to understand that part), and his tricked-out plane, The Crimson Pig, and how he uses it to patrol the skies and fight evil wherever it may be. The catch is where he got the plane from. ^_^
Tales from Earthsea
Gedo Senki (????)
Tales from Earthsea was not directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was directed by his son, Goro. Tales from Earthsea ended up being a pretty good movie, even if it was Goro’s first crack at directing. The story follows a boy named Arren who killed his father and stole his sword. Arren ends up getting caught in the crossfire of an age-old war that had been going on between a powerful wizard and a powerful witch. The story doesn’t really go anywhere throughout the movie, especially so compared to Hayao’s masterpieces. With that said, Tales from Earthsea is still worth the watch, if only to see Studio Ghibli’s beautiful art.
Pom Poko
Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko (?????????)
Pom Poko is a great movie. Good for kids as long as you don’t mind the males having cartoony testicles (which, believe it or not, contribute to the plot several times under the moniker of “raccoon sac” in the English version). The plot follows a clan of shape-shifting tanuki (kinda like Japanese raccoons) as they battle against man, as well as other tanuki. In addition to battles, the movie showcases their lives in times of peace, the mating season (nothing really suggestive or graphic ^_^), and what happens while their habitats are slowly being demolished by man to build more houses. Much, much more unusual than what Western society normally considers a basic cartoon movie, but brilliant all the same.
Whisper of the Heart
Mimi o Sumaseba (?????? )
A love story at it’s core, this is a really good movie. It has everything: a funky antique shop, a fat cat, and stringed instruments. Basically, this is a decidedly shojo (girly) movie, but I don’t think that that should deter anyone from watching. There’s no action, per se, but you can’t find animated movies of this depth and caliber anywhere outside of Japan.
Grave of the Fireflies
Hotaru no Haka (?????)
Grave of the Fireflies is the most serious and sullen of Ghibli’s movies. The movie even begins with Seita, the older boy explaining about the day that he died. The movie follows the last few weeks in the lives of Seita and Setsuko before their untimely deaths in WW2 Japan. This is definitely a tear-jerker. Probably the saddest anime movie that I have ever seen. Realistic, touching, and scary, this movie is for anime what Schindler’s List is to live action.
Only Yesterday
Omohide Poro Poro(????????)
This is an interesting one. Only Yesterday follows a woman named Taeko and how she comes to grips with reality through constant flashbacks to her past. Her past self even follows her around sometimes in a rather eerie manner. The movie’s tone overall is a lighthearted one, and again, this movie is rather shojo. It deals a lot with Taeko’s relationships and her life-long search for a loving husband. With this in mind, the anime is enjoyable and worth the time, but I’d suggest developing a bit of a taste for Ghibli movies before you take this one head on if you’re a bit wary.
I Can Hear the Sea / Ocean Waves
Umi ga Kikoeru (??????)
This movie felt very, very long when I watched it. Not necessarily in a bad way, but the plot eventually gets to the point of being stretched a good deal. Also, if you’re a guy, you’ll definitely hate the main girl, Rikako, in this shojo anime by the end. Augh, I hate her. In the end, you still want to see her relationship work out, though. This anime is worth the watch, but only after you’ve exhausted the Ghibli movies in this list (with the possible exception of Princess Mononoke).
Princess Mononoke
Mononoke Hime (?????)
The winner of 30 major awards for no good reason. Everyone seems to love this anime except for me. This is by far the most graphic of Ghibli’s movies, with gore and decapitation, among other gross things. Does it end up being an okay movie? Yes, it actually does. I commend Miyazaki for being able to craft such a solid and mystical story that one would swear was actual folklore, but I can’t say that this is one of my favourite animes. Chances are that you’ll love it
Studio Madhouse/Satoshi Kon/Mamoru Hosoda
Note: This section is much more about Satoshi Kon than Studio Madhouse. Satoshi Kon loved dealing with the abstract, surreal, and fantastic. All of his movies have at least brief nudity and violence, and are thus not recommended for children. The plots of his works also often become complex quite quickly and you may not have an entirely enjoyable experience with his movies if you don’t have a moderate intellect or the ability to suspend your disbelief and be absorbed into the universes that he creates. Satoshi Kon died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 46 on Aug. 24, 2010 before finishing his fifth anime movie that will now be released posthumously in 2011, Dream Machine.
Mamoru Hosoda’s biggest credits before The Girl Who Leapt Through Time are mostly Digimon movies, but also include the excellent One Piece Movie #6, “Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island”.
Satoshi Kon
Paprika
Papurika (????)
This is Kon’s newest anime, and also my favourite of the bunch. The animation is simply breath-taking. The plot is hard to explain, but regards a woman, Paprika, who has the power to enter other people’s dreams through the use of a device called a “DC Mini”. Essentially, she is charged with stopping someone who is ripping the barrier between reality and the world of dreams. This anime is enchanting and a definite recommendation to anyone old enough to see an anime rated R (in the US. It’s PG in Canada :D) (our ratings board sucks, by the way).
Millenium Actress
Sennen Joy? (????)
This was a good anime. Its main theme is unrequited love, but in a way that I wouldn’t really put the shojo label on it. Most of the movie is spent in the past as an old actress, Chiyoko, reminisces about her life to some journalists. They are all very literally transported into these memories and essentially experience her stories first-hand. The main theme carried throughout her memories is the love for a man that she only briefly met. It’s good, so watch it.
Perfect Blue
P?fekuto Bur? (??????????)
“Reality” is meaningless in this movie until its all sorted out in the end, so don’t put much faith in it. The plot follows pop-star Mima Kirigoe as she tries to leave her childish singing career behind her and get into the world of acting. The oddities come primarily from the devoted fan-base that she built while she was a singer. Certainly worth the watch and full of good plot-twists. Again, not for kids.
Tokyo Godfathers
T?ky? Goddof?z?zu (???????????)
This movie is more grounded in plausibility and what could be called reality than all of Kon’s other films, up until the very end. I wouldn’t suggest this as your first Satoshi Kon experience. The plot follows a hobo, Gin, a transvestite (okama) Hana, and a runaway girl, Miyuki as they try to figure out how to return a baby that they found to its rightful mother. The creepiness factor of the relationships between the main characters and others is enough to put this one on the back-burner until you’ve seen at least one of Kon’s other works. But, all in all, it is a good movie, with lots to give if you’re willing/prepared to reach out and take it.
Mamoru Hosoda
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Toki o Kakeru Sh?jo (??????)
This is seriously a good one. Very well-developed characters, awesome animation, and a solid story based upon a book by the same name. It’s quite shojo, as can be gathered from the title. It deals primarily with the relationships between the characters and how the main character, Kazuko Yoshiyama tries to helpfully manipulate them through the use of her seemingly randomly acquired ability to jump through time. There’s no epic travelling to the dark ages or anything, just hopping back and forth between a couple of days, but it’s very interesting and a great non-Digimon movie from Hosoda.
Summer Wars
Sam? W?zu (???????)
(Remember to click on the images to enlarge them!)
The second original full-length anime to come from the mind of Mamoru Hosoda. This film really does solidify Hosodasan as a huge contender in the anime movie genre if The Girl Who Leapt Through Time was not enough to convince some people. Presented in two very distinct styles (as pictured above), the story revolves around Kenji Koiso who is conscripted into “working” for one of the older girls at his school by accompanying her to the 90th birthday party of her grandmother out in the country. Taking place in a mildly fictionalized version of 2010 Japan, most everything is the same, except some mutant facebook/Farmville/Animal Crossing/Second Life social network connects almost everyone (and everything) in Japan. The movie avoids dystopia by portraying this social network much like facebook is today, enhancing people’s lives and businesses instead of consuming them. Anyways, trouble happens both at the grandma’s birthday and in the online world and Hosodasan is able to shape it into a wonderful portrayal of Japanese culture and the deep family/clan bonds that still largely remain from feudal times, while mixing in a very large helping of pleasant strangeness that can only come from anime. Perhaps Hosodasan will be able to fill the large shoes left by Satoshi Kon after his recent passing, and become the premiere director of surreal (but not too surreal) anime. Touching, genuine, and enthralling from start to finish, you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you didn’t watch this gem of contemporary anime. Recommended for anyone with a heart who wants to see a great story about the power of family.
Note: Katsuhiro Otomo doesn’t have a studio tied to his name. He has done many movies for/with many studios, so he has a section to himself. Otomo’s work varies from good for family to barely good for public consumption. Of course, only his best works will be listed here. Otomo is a ridiculously experienced anime director and the quality of his work is almost always quite evident.
Steamboy
Such?mub?i (???????)
No, it’s not a hentai, it’s about the power of steam. The premise of this movie is that steam is a ridiculously powerful source of energy (which it kind of actually is when you think about it) and that in Manchester, England a boy named James Ray Steam ends up receiving a metal ball filled with ridiculously concentrated steam from his grandfather, Lloyd Steam. He can’t let it fall into the wrong hands or its immense power could be used to take over the world (or something of that sort). This movie features top-notch animation, great voice-acting (especially in the English version, surprisingly), and a story that is easily accepted by Western audiences. While Otomo does have surreal works that even rival some of Satoshi Kon’s, this is most certainly not one of them. I think that this is the best movie from Otomo (perhaps tied with Metropolis), but a lot of anime-watchers will insist that Akira was his greatest work (I bet it’s the same people who like Princess Mononoke >_>).
Metropolis
Metoroporisu (??????)
This is just an amazing anime. This is the movie that made me love and appreciate the work of Katsuhiro Otomo. Placed firmly in the genre of “action-sci-fi-tragedy”, the movie explores how fine the line is between human and machine in a fictional future. The animation style for this movie is most aptly described as a “super-slick Astro Boy” (primarily because it’s based on a manga from Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astro Boy), and the the widely varied environments within the movie are all presented superbly. Definitely a must-see for anime fans, and a good introduction to both anime and Katsuhiro Otomo for anyone else.
Memories
Memori (???)
These are a bit weird. I wouldn’t suggest them to anyone new to anime, but anyone reasonably well-acquainted with anime’s propensity for the odd will love these. The first in the series of three is a space sci-fi called “Magnetic Rose”. This is my favourite of the three. It has an awesome storyline, beautiful animation, and enough weird to kill a yak. The second in the series is called “Stink Bomb”. This is a funny story with an emphasis on smell jokes as opposed to art direction. It’s still quite good. Lastly, we have “Cannon Fodder”. This is a funky one set in a war-torn city akin to something from a George Orwell book. It follows a boy who idolizes his dad who is one of hundreds of people who operate a large cannon that is used to fire into seemingly empty space. This one is very, very stylized and does not cut from the scene once. The camera just kind of moves from scene to scene instead. Overall, these three anime movies are a great package, and can be enjoyed by pretty much everyone (note: Satoshi Kon worked closely with Katsuhiro Otomo to make this movie happen).
Roujin Z
Roujin Z (??Z)
This anime showcases the lighter side of Katsuhiro Otomo quite well. It has decent amounts of both charm and humour as well as some of the fancy robots that Katsuhiro likes so much. The story follows an old man and the college student who was his care-worker as he is conscripted into a government-run beta test of a new machine designed to automatically tend to needy old people. The machine doesn’t work like it’s supposed to, though. Overall good times, worth the watch, but not as much as some of Otomo’s other masterpieces.
Akira
Akira (???)
One of the most critically acclaimed anime movies ever created. Adored by both critics and anime buffs alike. Except me. While I recognize that Otomo went way beyond any of the anime of the time, in both story and animation complexity, I just don’t think that it really deserves the reverence that it often heralds. It can seem like it is very, very long. Mostly due to the fact that it is 124 minutes long, but also because the story line spends itself after the first hour. Otomo then departs into the realm of the surreal and doesn’t come out again for the rest of the movie. The animation is starting to look dated in this anime, so if you’re picky about such things, then it would be good to see it as soon as possible. I think that you should save this movie until you already have a good appreciation for Otomo’s work, because then you’ll know a little more about what to expect from this movie. Anime that plays out like a bad dream can be a good thing, but this is one movie that leaves me wanting to wake up long before it’s over.
Production I.G/Mamoru Oshii/Hiroyuki Okiura/Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Note: Pretty much all of the movies that I’ll talk about from Production I.G are for teens to adults. Kids wouldn’t get much from these movies even if they did watch them, really. Despite that fact, they are all also some of the most beautiful and well-written anime movies ever made. (Yes, Okiurasan and Kitakubosan have the same first name *gasp*).
Ghost in the Shell
K?kaku Kid?tai (?????)
Both of Oshii’s GitS movies are extremely stylish and enjoyable. A LOT of really uncalled for nudity in this one, though. The GitS movies revolve around the concept that there are very human-like robots and cyborgs that inhabit the earth and that they have souls, called Ghosts, that inhabit their outer robot shells. These Ghosts can not only communicate with each other, but switch shells, go on the equivalent of the internet, and be hacked, thus changing the reality that they experience. This movie follows a team of the once-organic female Kusanagi and the male Batou cyborg/robots as they track down a Ghost hacker called the “Puppet Master”. Good times are had by all, the visuals have aged very well and still look better than a lot of what’s out there. A must-see for anime movie fans.
Ghost in the Shell 2.0
G?suto In Za Sheru/K?kaku Kid?tai 2.0 (GHOST IN THE SHELL?????? 2.0)
Not the second Ghost in the Shell movie, but rather a complete remake of the original 1995 one with 2008 sensibilities, music, and graphics. Just as great as the original, but some people may have issues with the incorporation of CG animation for a couple scenes which contrasts with the rest of the film’s hand-drawn style. Maintains scene-for-scene everything in the original movie, but just makes it all look and sound better. Is is not suggested to watch this one before watching the original, as it will cheapen it, but it remains a very welcome revisiting of a classic anime story in modern styles. I strongly suggest getting the Blu-ray version of this movie so as to enhance the effect even more. Again, watch out for female anatomy everywhere, but suggested for anyone deemed old enough to view such things.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Inosensu (?????)
This time it’s Batou’s turn to be the main protagonist. His job in this excellent movie is to uncover the Truth behind a bot-making corporation called LOCUS SOLUS whose sexbots have been going crazy. Much less nudity than the first, incidentally. BEAUTIFUL animation, and haunting music combine with the intriguing story to make this a superb anime experience. Try and catch the Blu-ray version if you can, you’ll be floored! I cannot recommend this movie enough.
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. – The Laughing Man
Kôkaku kidôtai: Stand alone complex – The laughing man (?????)
This OVA serves as a “quick” 3-hour summary of the occurrences in the first season of GiTS S.A.C.. I never had the opportunity to watch the whole series, so this movie served a very useful purpose in catching me up relatively quickly. It follows Section 9 as they try to track down a Super-Class-A hacker that can almost bend reality to his will by hacking others’ eyes and cyber-minds. The story was interesting, the dialogue, while plentiful, was intriguing, and both the fights and the visuals were great. When you can find the time to be immersed even more deeply into the GiTS world, I would certainly recommend that you pick this one up. For every other anime, I usually try to get a picture that shows off the animation quality a bit, but I think that this logo is much more apt in this situation, and you’ll probably agree with me once you’ve seen this movie.
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. – Individual Eleven
Kôkaku kidôtai: S.A.C. 2nd GIG – Individual eleven (?????)
This OVA serves as a digest version for the second season of GiTS S.A.C., 2nd GiG. It essentially does as good of a job as the first OVA to condense an entire season into an acceptable movie length. This one follows Section 9 as they try to stop both a radical revolutionaries and members of their own government from slaughtering millions of refugees. It delivers quite well in the sound, visual, and plot department, although I found it to have a good measure more suspense than action as compared to the other entries in the GiTS series. Still a very good, but involved, time. If you ever have a spare six hours in a day, it’s not a bad time at all to watch both of the OVAs consecutively.
Blood: The Last Vampire
Rasuto buraddo (??? ????) (lit. “Last Blood”)
Kitakubo’s anime written by the same writer (Kenji Kamiyama) as Ghost in the Shell is a short one at only 48 minutes. What’s exceptional about this anime movie is that it is able to establish a story and a lore that spawned a spin-off series Blood+ in that short amount of time. The story follows Saya, the last “proper” vampire, that hunts big batty dudes called Chiroptera for an organization called the “Red Shield”. The animation is quite good throughout, and the story is interesting and leaves you wanting more (hence the aforementioned series). Kind of gory and not for children, like most Production I.G. works, but a great, if short, escape for the rest of us.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Jinr? (??)
This is a tear-jerker from Okiura. This accomplished anime follows a man in the “army” who watches a terrorist girl blow herself up, and then has to go through mental reconditioning and re-training to get himself ready to go back into battle. Of course, all sorts of things get in the way of this. This movie as a very 80’s feel (even though it was made in 1999) in both the animation and the music, not that that’s a bad thing. It’s an overall good movie, probably better to watch with someone else instead of by yourself, so that you don’t feel silly for sniffling. 😉
Note: Shinkai’s films, while usually breathtakingly beautiful, are all intensely depressing and sad. He has been dubbed “the new Miyazaki” by many in the anime biz, but he considers that to be an exaggeration, as do I. His films are very deep, beautiful and well done, but none have yet really captured the magical and fantastic quality that Miyazaki continuously pumps out. They are also all fine for family viewing, if your family likes watching depressing and long anime.
Voices of a Distant Star
Hoshi no Koe (?????)
Yeah, I said Jin-Roh was sad, but this is even more sad. Covering a theme of the separation of lovers, with about as large of a distance as one can fathom, plus some mecha overtones, this anime is pretty close to a masterpiece. The animation is unique and fantastic. It’s the kind of anime I only really want to watch once, though, because it left me feeling pretty depressed afterward. ^_^ Still great, though, and recommended to anyone.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Kumo no Muk?, Yakusoku no Basho (???????????) (lit. “Beyond the Clouds, the Promised Place”)
Shinkaisan must have a very depressing love life, because this movie once again portrays a love so deep that it transcends multiple literal dimensions. At only an hour and a half, this movie does feel long, unfortunately, but the superb animation and a love portrayed that quite literally knows no bounds, this film is pretty much guaranteed to not only be worth the ride, but touch you in a non-suggestive way that only such a profound story can. My cheeks are still stained with my tears that most certainly flowed freely during the last few minutes of the movie. Positively beautiful and recommended most for watching with a significant other.
5 Centimeters Per Second
By?soku Go Senchim?toru (??????????)
Another in the line of Shinkai’s depressing masterpieces. This one is split into three unequally sized sections that depict the rather sordid love between a boy and a girl and how the distance and time between them affects their relationship. Don’t expect a happy, happy fairy movie here at all. The first part made me cry a bit, but the entire piece taken as a whole is even more depressing. Very much worth the emotional ride for not only the superb animation, but also the very deep kind of love that only Shinkai seems to be able to depict on screen. The sorrow portrayed through this work is palpable and made very real for the viewers. Not a movie for depressed people, but a stunning piece for the anime buff and romance enthusiast alike.
Note: Aramaki is primarily known for his work in directing the two Appleseed movies which are quite unique in how they are completely CG as opposed to traditionally animated. If considering family viewing, you can treat them both as your average action movies in terms of questionable content. Otherwise, enjoy.
Appleseed
Appurush?do (???????)
Perhaps the single best-looking CG anime ever, with the possible exception of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, if you consider it an anime. This beautiful, beautiful anime takes place in a post-apocalyptic world which is mostly at war except for a few last vestiges of utopian civilization. The main utopia, and apparently the largest in the world, is called Olympus (there are Greek mythology references throughout). Olympus is also known for its manufacturing of genetically modified humans called Bioroids, supposedly without the capacity for hate or malice, as well as lacking the ability to reproduce. The narrative follows a woman police officer/mercenary named Deunan and her part in saving the world, etc. Olympus isn’t as utopian as it may seem, and those Bioroids may have ulterior motives… Suggested to anyone with eyes who wants to see something awesome.
Appleseed Ex Machina
Ekusumakina (??????)
Okay, I know that I thought that Appleseed looked about as good as an anime could. I was wrong. Ex Machina looks way better. An achievement of both animation and humanity. ^_^ Seriously, though, it’s awesome. The word that came to mind whilst I was watching it was “bitching”. Bigger, badder, and with higher stakes than the first one, Ex Machina outdoes its predecessor in pretty much every way. I want to tell you what it’s about, but that would spoil a lot of awesome surprises. I’ll tell you that it involves zombies, cloning, countries aside from Olympus, and awesomeness. I greatly enjoyed this movie, and I think that you would too. It’s also available on Bluray and HD-DVD — which is sweet. HD makes this movie even more awesome than it is already.
Note: Vexille is currently the only anime directed by Fumihiko Sori, who was the producer of the first Appleseed movie. His previous best-known directing work was for the live action movie Ping Pong based on a manga of the same name.
Vexille
Bekushiru 2077 Nihon sakoku (???? 2077????) (lit. “Vexille: 2077 Japanese Isolation”)
Vexille is a movie that looks on the outside to be very much similar to Appleseed, that is what originally interested me. But, when you look deeper and watch the movie, you realize that it’s really… a lot like Appleseed. The visuals in this movie are really a mixed bag ranging from Resident Evil Degeneration-like (read, bad) all the way to stunningly stylized and near-photorealistic. The story, that I won’t spoil for you because there’s actually a good twist in it, very generally involves a future where Japan has entirely cut itself off from the world to the point of erecting a futuristic dome that jams satellites over the entire country. They do this so that they can conduct some kind of huge bio-robotic experiments that are banned internationally. Vexille and crew are sent in from America to see what’s going down, and going down something definitely is. With the story kind of stretched thin at points, for the most part this isn’t a huge action flick, but the story as a whole is definitely worth checking out and this movie is recommended for regular people and film/anime buffs alike.
Note: This company has only animated one feature-length anime movie. They are also the only company on this list that isn’t Japanese. They happen to be Korean, but there was naturally much Japanese involvement in the production and distribution of this movie.
Wonderful Days/Sky Blue
Wondeopul Deijeu (??? ???)
I’ll admit that I was a little wary of this anime at first due to its Korean origins. It’s nothing against the Koreans, but I was used to Japanese anime, and not keen to change things up at all. The first time I tried to watch this anime, I even stopped watching because the art style was so different than that to which I was accustomed. Both of these impressions were very much in error. Having watched the movie in its entirety several times now, I can definitely say that this movie is not inferior in any way to its Japanese counterparts. The art style is wonderful, the voices are good, in all technical aspects, this movie is notably above the average anime movie. Story-wise the movie is certainly solid, with a post-apocalyptic society struggling with a significantly polluted world and dissension between the classes of society. It also deals with love that transcends these class boundaries and the complications there-in. A definite good time, not suggested for younger children, though, as there is a good deal of violence that may not agree with younger viewers. A shining example of how truly good anime doesn’t have to be produced in Japan.
Note: Michael Arias isn’t a very Japanese name, is it? That would be because, genetically, Arias is American. He’s been living in Japan for years, though, and is pretty much as Japanese as an American can be. His movies aren’t overly family friendly, but also not super-disturbing. His works are essentially middle of the road in relation to appropriateness.
Tekkon Kinkreet
Tekkon Kinkur?to (????????)
This is not a pretty-looking anime. Take a nice long look at the screen above, which is directly from the anime. If you feel a bit queasy, you might not last the anime; even then, I suggest that you give it a chance. A good many people find beauty in the unique ugliness of the art-style, though, and I suppose that I am one of them. The real gem here is the unique and sordid story of the two street urchins Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White). The story, while often departing from what one would normally refer to as reality, is truly a “tour de force” and is both touching and not to be missed. Whether or not you appreciate the artistic direction, I highly recommend this anime (unless you’re a child, in which case wait until you’re older).
Gainax/Hiroyuki Yamaga/Hideaki Anno
Note: Gainax is primarily known for their anime TV series, such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, and making movies for both their own and other studios’ series. Luckily, there was a pleasant exception to this made in 1987, where the studio ended up producing a really good movie out of the blue. The anime movies based on their series are also usually quite good, essentially none of which are suggested for children.
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
?ritsu Uch?gun: Oneamisu no Tsubasa (????? ???????)
The only original anime movie ever to come out of Gainax, directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga, is still a gem in any anime collection. Not only have the animation and sound held out fairly well over time (particularly when compared to other anime movies that came out more than 20 years ago), but the story is still as relevant and enthralling as it has ever been. The story dramatically follows a guy named Shirotsugh Lhadatt who eventually decides that he’ll be the first man in space to give his country, which in on the verge of war, something to look up to and dream about. Of course, Lhadatt runs into many issues in his training, social, and spiritual lives leading up to his dream, and that’s where the meat of the movie comes from. A very good watch and particularly great for people who appreciate cinematic allegory. Recommended for all older anime watchers, as this movie is not really appropriate or exciting enough for chill’uns.
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
Evangerion Shin Gekij?ban: Jo (????????????: ?) (lit. “Evangelion New Theatrical Edition: Prelude”)
I saw Evangelion 1.0 in its limited North American theatrical release and was absolutely blown away. Not only was this anime graphically amazing, but I was struck by the sound most of all. The theatre rocked with explosions and you almost felt ill seeing and hearing the often quite bloody deaths of the “angels” attacking Tokyo-3. I had had no previous experience with the story of Neon Genesis Evangelion, so I was also struck by all of the characters and their personable qualities. The English dub was the best that I have ever seen in an anime and is easily interchangeable with watching it with subtitles, and probably actually better for native English speakers. Whether or not you have experienced Neon Genesis Evangelion before, this movie cannot be recommended enough. Evangelion veterans will find that their favourite series has been very lovingly touched-up and newcomers will be astounded at the quality of this remake of the first 6 episodes in the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. This movie can be watched in an even more touched-up version called “Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone” on Blu-ray (highly recommended) or DVD. Watch this right now!
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Evangerion Shin Gekij?ban: Ha (????????????: ?) (lit. “Evangelion New Theatrical Edition: Break”)
Once again I was privileged to catch Evangelion 2.0 on its very limited North American theatrical release and once again I was blown away. The version I saw was subtitled, which normally is recommended, but in lieu of the fantastic dub of Evangelion 1.0, I was a little disappointed that it hadn’t been given the same treatment for theaters. The animation revitalization continues to be absolutely top notch in the second entry of the series, every single part of the anime looked great. While still host to the fan service and occasional humour that the Evangelion series became known for, this is a much darker and shocking movie than the first. New characters introduced in this movie very quickly become “part of the family” and you’ll be just as enthralled with them as the returning cast. An anime delight, definitely suggested watching, but only if you’re an adult that has seen the first movie as it is definitely much more gory and fan-service heavy than the series’ first entry (who would have thought that was even possible). Do yourself a favour and get into this series of remake movies even if you were a fan of the original anime show in 1995, it’s one hell of a ride that will make you very impatient to see the next entry in 2012.
Note: Gonzo is primarily known for their quite good anime TV series like Full Metal Panic!, Last Exile, Gantz, Samurai 7, and Afro Samurai. They have, incidentally, made a couple of anime movies that are quite good as well, but it is certainly not a specialty of theirs.
Origin: Spirits of the Past
Gin-iro no Kami no Agito (????????) (lit. Agito the Silver-Haired)
Sugiyama’s only anime movie direction credit is certainly no slouch in the graphics department. Both the visual and aural aspects of the movie are truly top notch providing a good time for your primary anime-watching senses. Unfortunately, the story following Agito and his struggles both against and for an anthropomorphic “Nature” and his companion Toola (who was frozen in a kind of cryo-sleep for 300 years) who is struggling with a “Brave New (post-apocalyptic) World” becomes meandering after a bit and holds less weight than the stories of many of the other anime movies in this guide. Overall, though, it is definitely worth a watch and not a bad time at all. Recommended for everyone even mildly interested in anime.
List of Movies Purposely Excluded from this Guide
Note: There are some truly great anime movies out there, as outlined in the above guide, but there are also horrible crimes against humanity in anime movie form as well. The following list of anime movies, coupled with a small statement about their horribleness, is meant to give you a handy source of anime movies that you should never watch, ever. With so much good anime out there, you wouldn’t want to waste your time watching crappy anime movies. Additonally, these might make you physically ill as well. So, just stay away from these guys:
– Most animes by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (marked YK)
– Ninja Scroll (YK) (absolutely horrid, should be classified as hentai)
– Wicked City (YK) (very little plot, mostly gross hentai-ness)
– Neo Tokyo: Running Man (YK) (gross, weird, pointless)
– Harmagedon (super-ugly animation, dumb story and characters)
– Cat Soup (like a bad acid trip, but much more disturbing, gross and boring)
– Resident Evil: Degeneration (the absolute worst lip-sync in any animation project yet conceived, Godzilla-dub bad, coupled with animation right at the very bottom of the Uncanny Valley)
– Sky Crawlers (very, very, very, very, very boring)
All anime names, images, and characters are copyright their respectively named studios and publishers where applicable.