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Rotten Tomatoes lists and reviews the best anime movies from various genres, eras, and studios. Find out which films made the top 100 and how critics rated them.
- Your Name (Kimi no Na wa.) (2016) Director: Makoto Shinkai | Studio: CoMix Wave Films. MAL Score: 9.39, Ranked: #1. It may be very new, but the fact that Kimi no Na wa is already the #1 rated anime of all time shows what a phenomenon this new movie has been.
- A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi) (2016) Director: Naoko Yamada | Studio: Kyoto Animation. MAL Score: 9.07, Ranked: #12. It's not just Kimi no Na wa that has been making waves in Japan.
- Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) (2001) Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Studio: Studio Ghibli. MAL Score: 8.93, Ranked: #15. Might as well get the obvious one out of the way first.
- Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) (1988) Director: Isao Takahata | Studio: Studio Ghibli. MAL Score: 8.58, Ranked: #71. Although I have my rule of only one movie per director, that doesn't mean I can't pick another Studio Ghibli movie.
- 49 'Pom Poko'
- 48 'When Marnie Was There'
- 47 'Ride Your Wave'
- 46 'Suzume'
- 45 'Kiki’S Delivery Service'
- 44 'Memories'
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Directed by Isao Takahata
On the surface, you might not expect Pom Poko to be a particularly sad Studio Ghibli movie, because it’s about shape-shifting raccoons waging war on the human race due to how the latter decimates the land the former lives on. It gets pretty strange and goofy at times, but it also unpacks environmental themes seriously, and doesn’t shy away from highlighting the environmental devastation the main characters deal with. At two hours long, and with some strangely paced moments, it’s not the most...
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
When Marnie Was There begins a little like The Secret World of Arrietty, with an unwell young character going to live in a new place and meeting someone unexpected, kicking off something of a fantastical adventure. But with When Marnie Was There, there are no tiny people, with the person here instead – the titular Marnie – being someone mysterious who may be real, or could just be a figment of the protagonist’s imagination. It's up there as one of the best anime films of the past couple of de...
Directed by Masaaki Yuasa
Showing that Studio Ghibli isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to anime movies, the Science Saru-produced Ride Your Wave is creative and visually distinct, not to mention novel when it comes to the story it tells. In fact, describing that story feels like doing the movie a disservice. It’s something of an animated romantic dramedy, and does contain some interesting fantasy elements, though describing them would force one to wade into spoiler territory. It's very good in the end, and su...
Directed by Makoto Shinkai
Suzume was an immensely successful anime film from 2022, and deservedly so, clearly having a massive amount of appeal owing to its striking visuals, moving thematic content unpacking grief and loss, and entertaining narrative. Said narrative involves a teenage girl getting involved in saving Japan from a large worm that causes earthquakes. Also, her would-be companion is turned into a chair that can walk, staying that way for most of the movie. It has some unusual elements and can be funny an...
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
An excellent fantasy movie by Hayao Miyazaki, Kiki’s Delivery Servicemight not get quite as much love as other films by the legendary Japanese filmmaker, but it’s still worthy of its classic status. It’s about a young woman dealing with life on her own for the first time… and she’s also a witch, which makes her stand out and adds further to the feelings of isolation she has. Kiki’s Delivery Service, despite its fantastical elements, also works as a surprisingly grounded narrative about coming...
Directed by Koji Morimoto, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Tensai Okamura
There are a total of three stories featured throughout Memories, a unique and rather underrated anthology film from 1995. The first leans toward horror/mystery, the second is a darkly funny science fiction story, and then the third also feels like sci-fi with a satirical spin, only in a bleaker and more unnerving way. No one could fault Memories for being derivative or predictable, and even though each of its three segments can be defined as belonging to the sci-fi genre, each part offers som...
A list of the greatest anime movies from Japan, featuring classics from Studio Ghibli and other studios. Find out which films made the cut and why, from The Secret World of Arrietty to Suzume.
- Jeremy Urquhart
- 50
- 2 min
- Spirited Away (2001) Film. Animation. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland shot through with revealing economic anxieties, Hayao Miyazaki’s smash hit—the most commercially successful movie (animated or otherwise) in Japanese history—is dense enough to fuel a dozen dissertations.
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Film. Animation. Released in the U.S. in 1993, this instant animation classic about two sisters and their adventures with a goofy-looking forest spirit is the most kid-friendly Studio Ghibli film, as well as one of the most beautiful.
- Akira (1988) Film. Animation. In terms of influence, there may be no more important film in anime history than writer-director Katsuhiro Otomo’s adaptation of his own manga – it might even be the most significant non-Disney animated film of the ’80s.
- Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Film. Animation. One of the best-known Ghibli films, this somber drama examines the aftermath of WWII, following the plight of two orphaned kids seeking their family and a meal.
Find out which anime movies are worth watching from this curated list by IMDbBestMovies. Browse by genre, rating, director, and more to discover your next favorite anime film.
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Find the most popular and highly rated anime movies on MyAnimeList.net. Browse the list of 50 top movies by score, release date, genre, and more.
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Feb 12, 2024 · A list of the best anime movies ever made, from classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell to recent hits like The First Slam Dunk and Persona 3. Find out why these films are considered anime masterpieces and how they influenced the medium and Western cinema.
