If by chance you are one of those person who is reading this article “15 Best Anime Movies of all time that you would love to watch with your girlfriend”. Then surely you are a romantic person.
So remember to watch this below listed “15 Best Anime Movies of all time”, and surely you will thank me for the changes that I have brought to your life.
The biggest satisfaction I will get is if an intelligent kid has figured out this page and reading all this, then for sure he is going to enjoy a lot after watching all the below recommended “15 Greatest Anime Movies of all time”.
So fasten your seatbelt here comes the “15 Greatest and the Best Anime Movies of all time that you must watch before you die”. Cheers !
1. The Wind Rises (2013)
“Perhaps the greatest animated film ever made.” Well this is what world renowned Film critic David Ehrlich had to say after watching this film and even rated this film 9.7/10. The Wind Rises is a fictitious biopic which is based on the much acclaimed plane designer ‘Jiro Horikoshi’. This critically acclaimed film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Later Disney’s adult movie brand Touchstone Pictures took the distribution rights of the film.
Plot : Jiro Horikoshi wanted to be a pilot since childhood, but due to his myopic problem, could not become one. Jiro later designed two fighter aircrafts that were used in World War II by Japan, which made him unhappy. Jiro dreams of confessing to Caproni that he regrets his aircraft was used for war. The Wind Rises is a movie of love, compassion,empathy and most beautifully crafted visual projects. Watch it and you will love it. There never has been a movie made twice like that.
2. Akira (1988)
Akira (1988) is the movie which is credited with the opening the floodgates for Anime into the US and Europe. This Anime blew away the western audience and the film critics while breaking all box office records. Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira was the first potential manifestation of what potential visual graphics has for the future. This is undoubtedly one of the best and influential psychological thriller Anime movies of all time. I know that you must be desperate to watch the Anime masterpiece now.
3. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Whisper of the Heart is a Japanese romantic Anime directed by Yoshifumi Kondō. Unfortunately this was the only film directed by Kondō. He died three years later. Whisper of the Heart is a beautifully crafted love story about Shizuku Tsukishima and Seiji Amasawa.
Shizuku dreams of becoming a writer and checks out in her Libraries frequently. To her astonishment she finds that her books are always been checked out by a person called Seiji Amasawa. This is just the beginning of their love story, after many ups and downs later in the movie Seiji proposes her for marriage, which she happily accepts. Famous movie critic Michael Toole high praised the Anime saying “beautiful and evocative; a fine tale of adolescent yearning and aspiration.”
4. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
This epic Anime by Akiyuki Nosaka, is based on the story of two siblings , Seita and Setsuko. The story is set in the background of World War II, set in the city of Kobe Japan. Shortly after the war Seita dies of starvation in the Kobe train station. When a janitor throws a candy tin which belonged to Seita, his younger sister Setsuko , springs from the tin and is joined by Seita’s spirit, and a cloud of fireflies. It is one of the most frightful stories about the aftermath of war.
Studio Ghibli has one again produced a masterpiece. Grave of the Fireflies will bring tears in your eyes. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times rated it to be one of the best and most powerful war films ever made.
5. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) is a Anime Film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. This is a story of a bed ridden mother who is admitted to the hospital. Her two daughter had to shift their house nearer to the hospital because of this. When they arrived at their new place they suddenly discovered that there is a giant-bunny like spirited creature named Totoro. Time out published a list of the greatest animated films and Totoro ranked 1. Empire’s 50 Best Animated Film Characters list Totoro was ranked 18th. The visual graphics of this film is mesmerizing and is just a treat to your eyes. This is a must watch movie from Studio Ghibli and ranked 5th in our list.
6. Castle in the Sky (1986)
Castle in the Sky produced by Studio Ghibli is an Anime adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The story features a young boy and a girl who are being chased upon by the pirates and the foreign agents. Sheeta has a magic crystal pendant which she must protect. This Anime is infact one of the first Japanese masterpiece that can actually compete with the best of the best cinematographic movies. I bet that you will be in a different world altogether when you have watched the entire movie. This beautifully crafted Anime comes 6th in my list.
This Anime movie has been credited for introducing Anime to the western world. Studio Ghibli launched themselves in the world arena after this Anime.
7. Code Geass : Lelouch of the Rebellion
If you like playing mind games then undoubtedly this Anime is for you. The plot of the Anime is surely going to keep you on the edge of your seat. To get yourself engrossed with the plot you have to watch both R1 & R2. The master craftsman Gorō Taniguchi had directed the Anime. Leouch Vi Britannia will turn out to be your hero for the rest of your life after watching this film. The story revolves around Lelouch vi Britannia the exiled prince, who gets the “power of absolute obedience” from a bewildering woman named C.C. Lelouch is empowered by the supernatural power, known as Geass. He rebels against the Holy Britannian Empire. A series of enthralling mecha battles captures all your imagination, and you are left with no option but only your sheer admiration for the Anime.
8. Clannad & Clannad After Story:
Clannad starts with a depressing tone from the main cast Tomoya Okazaki that ‘I hate this town’. But later his mind would be filled up with too many memories that the main protagonist will rather forget. But he meets a girl called Tomoya Okazaki and the meeting changes his entire life. The relationship between them, and clannad and its sequel reveals the true eternal meaning of life. It just leaves you so engrossed with virtual emptiness that you will want to watch it again and again.
9. A silent voice (Koe no Katachi)
This breath taking story revolves around the lead Shoya Ishida. During his school days Shoko Nishimiya used to bully his deaf classmate named Shoko Nishimiya. But later when they are grown up, Shoya Ishida realizes that he was wrong and he tries to help Shoko Nishimiya. This is a movie about finding the courage to make changes and amendments in one’s life by seeking redemption. If you like to see powerful anti bullying message then “A silent voice” is the must watch movie for you. This Anime is internationally acclaimed and “A Silent Voice” was nominated for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia award in the 2016.
It is one of the best Anime made so far which will make you cry, so make sure to have tissue papers and handkerchiefs handy with you, before you had made up your mind to watch it.
10. Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April written by Naoshi Arakawa, is a beautifully Anime love story based around a piano playing prodigy named Kōsei Arima. He wants to make sure that no one ever falls in love with him. When he was in school the light in his eyes has been taken away because of his mother’s death. His mothers dream was to raise him into a world class pianist. But Kōsei is having hard time in fulfilling her dreams. He finally meets a beautiful girl named Kaori who finally changes his outlook towards life. Kaori challenges Kōsei to cope with the past and play music again. The situation portrayed in this Anime are emotional roller coasters , which motivates you to achieve anything in life, if you set and dedicate your mind to it.
11. Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow is an Anime where the story revolves around Koyuki Kazahana, a princess from the island called the Land of Snow. Doto Kazahana the villain wickedly plans to get the treasure hidden by his brother Sosetsu (whom he had murdered) from Koyuki. Naruto and the Ninjas will fight against the all evil forces to save Koyuki Kazahana from Doto Kazahana and return her to the throne which once belongs to her father.
This film is a must watch if you want to watch good Anime movies.
12. Kimi no Na wa (Your name)
Kimi no Na wa is a Hollywood style kind of fairytale movie . The story is based on two school students and boy (Taki Tachibana ) from Tokyo and a girl (Mitsuha Miyamizu ) from a Japanese village , who swap their bodies. In a mysterious events of coincidence both live each other’s lives. This stupendous imaginary movie will hold you to the edge of your seat, thrilled with the witnessing act of the unexpected. This Anime is surely going to blow away your imagination for sure. Heaps of praise for director Makoto Shinkai, animation director Masashi Ando. Both of them have produced a classic.
13. Only Yesterday 1991
Taeko Okajima an unmarried ,a Tokyo resident travels to her relatives house in the rural countryside. She is haunted by memories of herself as a schoolgirl in 1966. She finds herself increasingly nostalgic and attracted towards her childhood self. At the end Taeko chooses to stay in the countryside instead of returning to Tokyo. The thing I like most about this movie is that even if I’m not female or Japanese, I can fully relate to the memories, to the frustration, the fear and the basics emotions steadily growing in Taeko’s childhood. Everyone around the world experiences the same thing at one time or another. Very few films come up with such a powerful empathy. A quiet and slow masterpiece that speaks an universal language. Director Isao Takahata is a true master in portraying those fine aspects of life .
14. From Up on Poppy Hill
Again one more masterpiece from Studio Ghibli , This anime From Up on Poppy Hill
is set in 1963 Yokohama Japan after the Second World War, when Umi Matsuzaki a school girl meets Shun Kazama a member of school’s newspaper club. Later in course of action it was revealed that they are siblings, but both wants to be compassionate against each other. This is a coming of age story which revolves around Umi Matsuzaki and Shun Kazama, who both wants to figure out their purpose of life. In the backdrop of the Korean war this Anime is a theatrical masterpiece by director Gorō Miyazaki, and scripted by Hayao Miyazaki. This Anime has been highly acclaimed and praised by the movie critics and is a must watch in our list if you love Anime.
15. Spirited Away- Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (2001)
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi or Spirited away is a story of a girl who named Chihiro Ogino goes for a vacation with her parents. While driving his father decides to take a short cut route through the jungle when they come in front of an abandoned amusement park. Further Chichiro meets a boy named Haku who warns her to return across the riverbed before sunset. She finds her parents had turned into pigs . She could not cross the river bed. The story evolves and after all the twists and tales finally Chihiro gets back to her parents again at the end with the help of Haku. World Disney studios tied up with Studio Ghibli to feature this film worldwide in English. Spirited Away one of the most highly acclaimed anime movies of all time even after nineteen years.
Conclusion : “15 Greatest and the Best Anime Movies of all time that you must watch before you die”was never going to be a easy list. Not in any stretch of imagination.
So have I missed out on any names ? Have I gone wrong ? Certainly I did ! The history Anime is very rich which dates back to the early 20th century. The first Anime was claimed to be made in 1906. So with such a rich defining history and a plethora of acclaimed Anime directors, and thousands of movies to choose from, it is bewildering or rather mind baffling for me to select the top fifteen Anime. I guess it is a good sign for Anime’s heritage that so many masterpiece works are still missing from my list. But nevertheless I have made an honest attempt. I am sure that some of you would be upset that your favorite movie is not listed in this list. Please don’t be. If so, hit the comments button below and let it all out. Any suggestions are always welcome to modify this list.
