I know, I know. This is a retro video game blog, and I’ve not written about anime or even films before. I decided to do list the top 10 best anime movies today because there’s undoubtedly a lot of cross-over between anime fans and retro video game collectors.
A long time ago I was a really big fan of anime. I was heavily invested in series that were hundreds of episodes long apiece, and watched every new movie that came my way. That was when I was a younger man, and I’ve since grown out of the format. That doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy animated films out of Japan, but I don’t usually seek them out. I went from watching anime every single day to maybe catching one or two movies a year. With that said, I do still have some favorite anime films from back when I watched it regularly. These are the ones that hold up despite the fact that I’m no longer a fan of the medium. Think of this as a top 10 list for non-fans. It’s time to start my list of the top 10 best anime films. Here we go!
#10. – Vampire Hunter D
I really struggled when deciding whether or not Vampire Hunter D belongs on a top 10 anime film list. The animation is dated, and the story isn’t particularly deep. I gave it another viewing and decided that, despite these issues, I still enjoyed the movie.
Vampire Hunter D takes place in a fantastical version of Earth wherein vampires roam the planet. A young woman is bitten by a particularly nasty night walker called Count Magnus Lee. Desperate to save her soul she hires a vampire hunter named D who is half human and half vampire himself. The adventure highlights lots of action sequences and a wonderful watercolor world. It doesn’t do a lot in regards to story, but this it’s impossible to deny that this one is a landmark anime film.
#9. – Steamboy
Many are going to have issue with this one being included here. I’ve heard many arguments that Steamboy is more flash than substance, but I couldn’t disagree more. It’s not that I’m a huge fan of Steampunk, nor does this film do it particularly well, but the style was much more delightful than I remember it being.
Steamboy tells the story of an alternate reality in which steam power is the driving force in technology in the mid 1800s. A scientist named Lloyd Steam creates a device allowing for limitless use of steam power to be harnessed. He disappears, but leaves his creation to his son Ray Steam who resides in England. His world is twist turned upside down one day when a group of men come looking for it, and it’s up to him to protect it as per his father’s instructions. The more realistic setting might be a turn off for some fans, but it’s hard to deny Steamboy being one of the best anime films ever made.
#8. – Lupin the 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro
Let me start off by saying that Lupin the 3rd has always been a favorite of mine. The original anime series always made me laugh, and I absolutely loved the characters, setting, and style. So what happens when Hayao Miyazaki (known for his work at Studio Ghibli) takes the helm for a movie based on everyone in Japan’s favorite thief? Pure magic, that’s what.
Lupin and friends, always on the hunt for a great heist, one day find themselves duped into stealing counterfeit bills instead of the real thing. They decide to seek out the source of the fakes which leads them to Cagliostro where things aren’t as they seem and danger is around every corner. The film has a lot more epic qualities than your typical Lupin the 3rd storyline what with the medieval scenery and overarching villain, but it still retains the humor the franchise is known for. This time it’s turned up to 11. Oh, and the movie features some absolutely beautiful animation. Clearly this one deserves a spot on every best anime film list.
#7. – Metropolis
This is one that took me by surprise originally. The art on the cover doesn’t really give any indication as to what it’s about, and my roommate introduced me to it. I fell in love with Metropolis immediately. The neon aesthetic paired with the grungy art style make for an incredibly memorable design. The story is also great to boot. Metropolis
Metropolis tells of a world wherein robots have replaced man as the primary workforce on Earth. Humans are relegated to living in poverty now that machines do the jobs they were once paid to do. A cyborg is created by the evil ruler of Metropolis, and it’s modeled after his daughter as a control mechanism for a secret weapon that’s being developed. This robot, Tima, is thought to be destroyed by an opposing force but she is found and saved in the rubble by a young boy named Kenichi. Neither of the two children are aware they are a robot, and they form a bond of friendship instantly. This is a very heartbreaking story, but the real highlight is the beautiful art and style. This one is often overlooked in best anime lists, and it’s a real shame.
#6. – Perfect Blue
I’ve always been a huge fan of horror movies. When I heard of Perfect Blue (at the height of my interest in anime) it seemed like the perfect film for me. I was right; it’s one wild and amazing ride and I’ve always thought it to be one of the best anime films ever created.
Perfect Blue takes on issues that we don’t often hear about; pop-stars trying to stay pertinent after leaving the music industry. The story centers around one a singer in Japan from a group called Cham. Her world begins to unravel as she announces her departure from the trio in hopes of kickstarting a career in acting. She soon discovers a fake website put up with fake diary entries detailing her personal life. Furthermore, she’s being stalked by a creepy older fan as well. Things only become worse when she is traumatized during a very explicit scene in the movie she’s filming. Perfect Blue is a deceptively creepy film that has an almost ‘Hitchcock’ atmosphere to it. It’s clearly different than everything else on this list, but still one of the best anime films you’ll find.
#5. – Tokyo Godfathers
This entry in the list is again going to be something quite different from the others. My roommate (the same one whom I mentioned earlier) was absolutely obsessed with this one. The story and animation didn’t appeal to me, but I appeased him by sitting in on it. I was blown away. Tokyo Godfathers is one of the best non-Studio Ghibli anime films around.
Tokyo Godfathers centers around the lives of three homeless people living in the big city. It’s wintertime and they take solace in each other. One day their lives are changed when they encounter an abandoned baby. Rather than turning her in to the authorities the three hobos decide to track down the mother themselves to make her answer to her crimes. Where Tokyo Godfathers strikes gold is in its sense of humor. This one had me reeling the first time I watched it, and it still cracks me up. The story is also a very beautiful one.
#4. – My Neighbor Totoro
While most people think that anime is just for kids this is actually the only film on this top ten best anime films list that is appropriate for children. My Neighbor Totoro is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most famous works, and the titular character even became Studio Ghibli’s logo. Totoro is a cultural phenomenon and with good reason; there are few who don’t unanimously agree that it isn’t one of the singular best anime films ever created.
My Neighbor Totoro tells of a small family dealing with some major changes in their lives. The Kusakabe family moves out to the country to get a fresh start. Satsuki and Mei are the two young daughters of Tatsuo Kusakabe who is a professor at the nearby university. The girl’s mother is sick in the hospital. The two children explore the environment around their new dwelling and a chance encounter leads them to meet the forest spirit Totoro. This huge squirrel like creature shows up continually throughout the story, and helps the two girls cope with the difficulties they’re facing in life. My Neighbor Totoro is a fantastical and light hearted film that’s sure to touch even the coldest heart. This is another one that’s hilarious and has some of the best jokes in any movie.
#3. – Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke was the first anime film for a number of people. As far as I could tell it was the first that was heavily pushed toward the mainstream. It even aired on premium cable channels. It also helps that it was one of the first to have an all-star cast of Hollywood voice actors on the dub. I’m a huge fan, and many put this as the best anime film ever created, but I won’t go quite that far. It’s certainly in the top 3 however.
This film focuses around a youth named Ashitaka. He belongs to a village of hunters hidden deep within the woods. One day his town is attacked by a demon. He manages to slay it, but the evil energy that was powering the beast curses his arm. While it gives him super human strength he also loses control of himself, and it threatens to one day overtake his body. Ashitaka sets out to cure him of this ailment, and ends up being ensnared in a skirmish between the spirit animals of the forest and a large and environmentally un-friendly city called Irontown. Think Avatar, but many years before that was a thing.
#2. – Akira
Akira has long been considered THE landmark anime film, and for good reason. It was one of the first big hits to make its way overseas, and showed people that cartoons weren’t just for kids. Akira was one of the first anime films I watched, and it’s still a favorite to this day. Even if I’m not into anime like I used to be Akira is still in my collection.
This one takes place in the future. Tokyo was destroyed in the year 1988 by an atomic bomb, but since then the people of Japan have rebuilt. Unfortunately things aren’t going as well as they had hoped. The city has been overtaken by crime syndicates and gangs. The story follows two teens named Tetsuo and Kaneda. The former has had psychic powers awakened in him following an accident with an esper, and the latter has to try and save him before the newfound power overtakes his soul and endangers the city. It would be impossible to exclude Akira from a list such as this because most fans of the medium will agree; Akira is without a doubt one of the best anime films (if not THE best) of all time.
#1. – Grave of the Fireflies
For the bottom of this list we’re going to get very realistic. Grave of the Fireflies is not a typical Studio Ghibli film. There are few anime films that have brought me to tears. This one has the dubious honor of doing so far more than any other. It’s an absolutely amazing film that just about everyone who has seen it will agree; Grave of the Fireflies is the best anime movie ever made.
It takes place in Japan when it was ravaged during World War II. The plot centers around a brother and sister, Seita and Setsuko respectively. These innocent children live with their mother in Kobe in Japan. Their father is in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Life is good until their home and entire town is destroyed by incendiary bombs dropped by the United States. Their mother is injured and succumbs to her wounds. Seita takes Setsuko under his wing and they travel to their aunt’s house. Here things do not go well. The children are starving because they’re forced to live off of just broth. Times are tough. From here they decide to live on their own, and from here Seita has to watch Setsuko slowly starve to death. It’s a devastating film, but easily the best anime movie ever created.
Agree? Disagree? Please let me know what you think are the top ten best anime films in the comment section below!
