So anyone who knows me a little bit around these parts know I am a pretty big manga/anime fan. I've read/watched/enjoy it for even longer than I have comics - quite longer in fact. I have - no exaggeration - read and seen hundreds of different series, regardless if they are mainstream or unknown. Comedy or Romance. Action or Mystery. Science fiction or Horror. And so on.
Given that manga is essentially just Japanese comics, the subjects often come up around here pretty often. And so I thought I'd go ahead and create this blog (possibly series of blogs if well received) detailing the best anime I've seen over the 10+ years of what is easily thousands of hours reading and watching manga and anime.
At first I just wanted to do a top 5 or 10 of my favorite anime...but dismissed the thought. I've simply seen and enjoyed too many series to ever properly rank them. And so I came up with the idea of separating them into categories by top five.
This time around? Anime films.
Disclaimer: Entertainment is subjective. Rather it be music, movies, television, comics, comedy or in this case anime. There is no right or wrong answer. I cannot tell you what you enjoy no more than you can tell me what I enjoy. No two people have the same exact tastes or opinions about anything. If you don't like one of the films I list here, so be it. These are just what I think are the best, so keep that in mind - especially when I inevitably use hyperbole and exaggerating terms like "You'd be crazy not to like this movie".
Furthermore, while I have no intentions of flooding this blog with spoilers or going super in depth with plot overviews, some inevitably will show up. I apologize in advance if you haven't seen them.
Also this list isn't in any numerical order. They are all wonderful films in my opinion and all five are worth seeing. So without further ado!
P.S. I only watch anime in Japanese dub with English subtitles. More often than not, meaning and subtitles in language are lost in translation or simply cannot be translated completely. English dub work is also very inconstant, with some being good and some being horrible. I recommend watching all of these films in Japanese as they are far superior in my opinion.
Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies. The best movie you will never, ever, ever, EVER, want to see again.
I wanted to start this list with this movie, because I feel like its possibly one of the least known ever and certainly the least on this list. Be warned if you have not seen this movie, is it utterly heart breaking. Unless you're in the mood for a good cry, its best to watch this some other time. And yes, even those of you with the highest testosterone levels WILL cry when you watch this movie.
This film pulls no punches, right from the get go. So be prepared.
Grave of the Fireflies features a story about a young boy and his little sister in the closing days of World War 2. Their mother is killed in one of the many air raids and their father is away at war, his whereabouts unknown. Although they initially find refuge with relatives at first, they are not cared for and viewed a burden and eventually leave of their own accord. They are then forced to fend for themselves, struggling to survive in the grim world around them.
It is a story about innocence lost and about the harsh realities of war and it is relentless in portraying that message. There is no happy ending here, just as there is no happy ending in war. War is Hell and makes causalities of us all.
And yet, even despite the sad and depressing nature of such a film, it poetic and still manages to be beautiful at the same time. The tragic tale at no point feels forced or over the top. And Seita and Setsuo are touching characters that you want to root for until the very end. It is probably one of the best anti-war films ever made in my opinion.
For those of you looking for a visual master piece...look elsewhere. Its not the film's strong suit. And while it is not distracting in any way, there are far better works of animation to be found - including more films on this list. The film definitely shows it age in this regard. Still what the images portray are beautiful and tragic and above all else, powerful. Scenes that are inherently simple, carry so much meaning.
All in all, while it will win no awards for visuals, the story and message this movie has to say is worth hearing at least once in your life.
Princess Mononoke
Yeah. You know it was going to come soon or later. No list of great anime films would be complete without a least one (or more) Miyazaki films. In fact I actually had trouble not flooding this blog with just his films - that's how awesome he is.
In yet another film Hayao delivers us a beautiful work of art with terrific visual concepts and fluid animation. And while the animation is certainly very good, the heart and soul of the movie in my opinion lies in its story telling.
Although complex and at times unfamiliar to anyone without a working knowledge base, Princess Mononoke still delivers one of the best stories every told by Miyazaki. The script is powerful and yet subtle at the same time. You can clearly see the concepts being told and yet not once does it ever feel forced, presented in a fantasy world.
Cursed by a demon after defending his village from attack Ashitaka goes on a journey to find a cure for himself, namely by seeking out various Gods featured in the film. During his journey he find himself caught in a war between the beings of the Forest and a mining colony of men and women. He meets and falls in love (don't worry its not over the top) with Mononoke - a girl who had been raised at birth by the wolves.
Like many of his films, Miyazaki explores the theme of man vs nature quiet heavily. The film's conflict between a human settlement who is destroying the environment around them to suit their industrial-like purposes and the Gods of the Forest who seek to persevere their way of life is a dilemma we still face today. The lines of just and unjust are anything but clear in the conflict.
The characters themselves reflect this and are very well rounded. The Forest Gods want their homes left alone and feel as if the humans mining are nothing short of intruders. At the same time the humans depend on the very world around them for survival and must continue harvesting in order to survive. The main character features a mediator between the two sides, trying his best to get them to exist peacefully with one another before they destroy each other.
The movie is definitely powerful in this regard. Its concepts will hit hard and are ever lasting, enough that any adult will enjoy the message being told, but still presented in a fantasy fairy tale that young children can enjoy too. And as such Princess Mononoke is one of the highest grossing anime films in all time - grossing over 150 million dollars when it was released in 1997.
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki is the godfather of anime. You're probably tired of hearing of it at this point, but trust me, if you know who he is and has seen what's he's done you know he deserves the praise. Spirited Away is another master piece and one of the most beloved anime films of all time. It is not only the highest grossing film in Japanese history, but also honored with an Academy Award for best animation.
If I had to describe this movie in one word it would be: magical. Every time I watch it, regardless how old I am, or how long its been since previously viewed, I am instantly transported back into my 10 year old self seeing it for the first time. Such is the beauty of the film.
I really don't want to go into details about the plot of the film. Chances are, you've seen this movie (its that great). And if you haven't, I would not want to be the one to rob of you of the experience of watching this movie. Suffice to say the movie is about a young child named Chihiro. She, along with her parents get lost in the process of moving. They stumble upon the Bathhouse of the gods and while her parents get turned into pigs, Chihiro must work in the bathhouse among all the other magical and mystical beings, bother customer and worker alike.
The movie does an unbelievable job taking you on a ride through an epic fairy tale land. And at times, it is nothing short of intoxicating.
Moreover, the music in the film is quite possibly one of the best sound tracks ever made and fits so perfectly with the movie. And I cannot stress enough how much this film needs to be viewed in the original Japanese audio. Just trust me on this one and suck it up if you don't like reading.
This may seem like a short summary that doesn't do the movie justice. And it is, but no summary can. Just take my word for it, or any fan's word for it. This movie is worth seeing. If you do not feel like a child again while watching this movie...I don't know what to tell you. Just sit down, buckle up and prepare to be Spirited Away! (yeah its cliche and I'm lame, screw you!)
Akira
If you're even a little bit of an anime fan (and maybe even if you aren't) you know the name. Quite simply one of they most iconic anime films (and manga series) of all time.
Akira is set in a post-apocalyptic (and dystopian) version of Tokyo set in the year 2019 after World War 3. The world as we know it is a scientific wonder and yet political agendas are as corrupt as ever and the people are a torn as they've ever been.
The plot focuses on teenage biker gang members Tetsuo and Kaneda. Things quickly go to hell when Tetsuo is captured, experimented on and starts developing powerful psionic abilities. He quickly is driven insane by his new found power and becomes obsessed with the entity known as Akira, turning the city upside down to find him. Kaneda, the leader of the gang, chases him around said city trying to stop his friend from destroying everyone and everything.
Sound's fun doesn't it? It is. Although the film is very much a cut down version of the Manga (which is over 2000 pages long) its still a good story. At times, especially if you're not a fan of anime or even the cyberpunk genre, it can be hard to follow - or even watch in one setting at times. So why it is a must see?
Simply put, Akira is one of the best anime films ever made in terms of the animation. It is a widely recognized as one of the best pieces of animated work of all time and is as a landmark in Japanese animation.
Keep in mind when watching this film...it was created in 1988. I'm sure half of you reading this blog weren't even born yet. And yet even today - especially if you can get a Blu-Ray copy - the animation of the film will blow you away. The level of detail in the back ground scenery is breathtaking to say the least. And in my personal opinion very few anime, even 25 years later can match the fluidity of the animation itself. It is natural and effortless and is absolutely beautiful to anyone who knows animation. It influences can be seen in hundreds if not thousands of anime that have since followed.
And not just visually. Akira was the one of the first anime to included pre-recorded voice overs. This means the characters lips and facial expressions could be matched to the dialogue after the fact.
Akira success is also credited with propelling the anime genre into its mainstream popularity that is has today, particularity in the western world (namely the US). Prior to Akira most of the world weren't familiar with anime at all. And yet in a single blow the movie introduced the genre to the whole world and proved it was a genre to be taken seriously (something which is still struggling today to a certain degree). Akira's visual prowess, adult themes and post-apocalyptic tones introduced the genre to audiences whose previous experience with the genre probably extended to nothing more than children's shows such as Speed Racer, if even that. Anime's popularity has never been the same since.
I could literally keep going if you wanted. But you get the point by now. Akira is one of the most important films not just in anime history, not just in animated film history but in all of film history - ever. Period. Exclamation point.
The story may not be for every one, featuring dark and political themes with cyberpunk tones - as well as a plethora of cussing and violence - but the legacy this film leaves on the world is more than any other anime to date.
Ghost in the Shell
And finally we have my favorite movie on this list. I am a huge cyberpunk fan and Ghost in the Shell has long been the front runner of the genre.
This movie in my opinion is the epitome of excellence when it comes to anime. It sets the standard for which I judge all other anime in terms of story telling, art, animation, audio and so on. In my opinion, no anime before or since compares to Ghost in the Shell.
Ghost in the Shell is set in the near future. Technology reigns supreme. The main character is Mokoto Kusanagi, a cyborg working under a division known as Section 9, an elite police force.
The movie centers around Mokoto and other members of Section 9, hunting down an elite hacker known as a "The Puppet Master", who we later learn is actually a self-aware artificial intelligence.
Not necessarily an original concept by any means - if you're a fan of the Terminator franchise it probably sounds familiar. Ghost in the Shell however examines this phenomenon in more detail than perhaps any science fiction before it. It attempts to question one's understanding of reality, the nature of life and death and what, if such a thing exists, is a soul. The dialogue is intelligent and heavy. Every time I watch the movie I learn a little bit more and enjoy it even more.
Combined one of the most complex and intriguing stories is in my opinion, the most beautiful art and animation ever done in a single piece of anime. The level of detail in this movie can be described as nothing short of "awe". Some of the best scenes in the movie are when the camera is merely panning around the futuristic Hong Kong without anyone speaking or the plot advancing even slightly. People are walking around the streets or working their at their jobs and cars are driving around busily. And despite the technological advancements, the city feels ruin due to its dark and almost run-down appearance. But more-so than anything...it feels alive.
Beyond the beautiful attention to detail is some of the best animation you'll ever witness. It is every bit the animated excellence that fellow film on this list Akira is, and then some, having the benefit of following Akira and seven more years of technology. Ghost in the Shell is simply a visual marvel.
If there is one complaint to make about the movie ...its that is too short. Running under ninety minutes total you just wish there was a little more time to witness the beauty. The plot is also not easy to understand in one viewing and could have benefited from another thirty minutes of exploration. Still, wanting more is not necessarily a bad thing - especially as the franchise has spawned two other movies and two television series.
Ghost in the Shell is simply a movie everyone should see. Its animation is legendary. Its plot and dialogue are deep, complex and as intelligent as you'll ever find. More than just an anime, Ghost in the Shell is simply one of the best movies of all time, period.
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If you liked this blog let me know and I can and will make more of them with another genres of manga/anime. Feel free to even suggest one.
Thanks! And let me know what you think!
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