The 49 Best Anime Movies of All Time (2023)

Anime movies are becoming a part of popular culture these days. With the arrival of various streaming services like Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Netflix, it has become even easier to watch these excellent anime movies from the comfort of one’s home.

Anime is a term that covers movies and series from various genres and styles. In many, inspiration is seen to be drawn from Japan’s history. For those looking to discover what anime offers, we present you with a list of the best anime movies collection of all time.

The anime industry has treated its fans with great movies like A Silent Voice, Dragon Ball Z, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and many more. A list of the 49 best anime movies of all time has been compiled here in this article.

49. Panda and the Magic Serpent (1958)

• Director: Taiji Yabushita, Kazuhiko Okabe
• Writer: Eiichi Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Osamu Tezuka
• Cast: Aiko Nagayama, Tatsuya Nakadai, Natsuka Yashiro and others
• IMDb Ratings: 6.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Panda and the Magic Serpent is based on- The Legend of the White Snake, a Chinese folktale. This was the first full-color anime and was the first to get the license in America. Unfortunately, the film didn’t perform well and had a very small theatre run.

Panda and the Magic Serpent was one of Hayao Miyazaki’s first, which inspired him to become an animator. The movie is about a Panda that experiences a series of adventures in a land that is home to a snake blessed with mystical powers.

48. Panda! Go, Panda! (1972)

• Director:  Isao Takahata
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
• Cast: Steve Kramer, Barbara Goodson, Melissa Fahn, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Those looking for their next watch after My Neighbour Toroto should focus on this movie. they made it in 1972, i.e., it was out before more than a decade before Studio Ghibli. Initially, it was a 33-minute-long movie, but a year later, they expanded it.

The movie has lovely characters, and it is one of the best-known works by the studio. The plot is based on a little girl Mimiko who becomes a surrogate mother to a giant panda and his son. This happens while Mimiko’s grandmother is away. Things start getting weird from here.

The movie is a cute children’s movie. There are great theme songs. The movie is simple yet fascinating and was an example of what Studio Ghibli would show in their later work.

47. Roujin Z (1991)

• Director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo
• Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo, Satoshi Kon, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Yasunori Honda and others
• Cast: Adam Henderson, Shinji Ogawa, Chisa Yokoyama, Rica Matsumoto, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 6.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%
• Streaming Platform: Gogoanime

Roujin Z is a strange mix of technology, politics, and emotions. The movie is set in Japan, where the technology has reached new levels, and a robotic hospital bed has also been set up there.

Kiyuro Takazawa is an 81-year-old man selected as the first patient of that hospital. Things seem to be going well until the patient’s thoughts begin to be transmitted by the bed.

The nurse enlists top hackers to stop that from happening. This, in turn, induces the bed to come to its actual state, and it flees in the streets of Tokyo city. The movie is fun to watch and worthy of being among the best anime movies of all time.

46. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Shinta Kanō
• Cast: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masato Hagiwara, Yūka Nanri and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

By watching one film by Makoto Shinkai, the audiences can guess what others will be like. His work tends to have a similar arrangement.

The Place Promised in Our Early Days is exemplary as it discovers all the significant themes an anime film can have. It is based in an alternate universe where Japan is divided into two parts and the US and Soviet Union occupied them.

The film is about three childhood friends- Hiroki, Sayuri, and Takuyi. They made a pact to fly to the secret tower built in the territory of Union and discover all the secrets hidden there. The film’s animation is excellent, and the director’s talents shine to point in this film.

45. Appleseed (2004)

• Director: Shinji Aramaki
• Writer: Shinji Aramaki, Haruka Handa, Masamune Shirow and others
• Cast: Takehito Koyasu, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Liam O’Brien, Carolyn Hennesy, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 25%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Appleseed is based on the manga series by Masamune Shirow that came out in 1985. It is a sci-fi action movie and narrates to the audiences the story of Deunan Knute, who is an ESWAT soldier. She and her lover has the duty of defending Olympus. The movie is about a post-apocalyptic world, and it is the debut of Shinji Aramaki.

The movie has great visuals, action scenes, a techno soundtrack, and a great plot. Appleseed was the movie that proved the ease of using CGI in anime production. It is quite an entertaining science fiction movie and is a must-watch.

44. Robot Carnival (1987)

• Director: Koji Morimoto, Takashi Nakamura, Yasuomi Umetsu
• Writer: Koji Morimoto, Takashi Nakamura, Yasuomi Umetsu, and others
• Cast: Barbara Goodson, Tom Wyner, Kumiko Takizawa and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
• Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Gogoanime

Robot Carnival is a collection of nine short movies produced by the most famous character designers and anime designers.

Some didn’t like Robot Carnival that much, but still, it is on our list of best anime movies of all time. We can’t deny the beauty of these nine short stories.

These nine segments are based on the theme of robots and Carl Macek produced them.

43. Mirai (2018)

• Director: Mamoru Hosoda
• Writer: Mamoru Hosoda
• Cast: John Cho, Rebecca Hall, Crispin Freeman, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Mirai is Mamoru Hosoda’s seventh film, and like his previous projects, his personal experiences did not inspire this. Nevertheless, Mirai is a beautiful adventure and fantasy anime movie and is also among the best films by Mamoru Hosoda. Unfortunately, studio Ghibli did not produce this anime film.

Mirai is about a young boy Kun who feels ignored by his family after Mirai, her little sister, arrives. He ran away from his home and came across a time-traveling gate away. He comes across his mother, who is just a little girl.

42. Neo-Tokyo (1987)

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo, Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Writer: Rintaro
• Cast: Jôji Yanami, Banjō Ginga, Masane Tsukayama and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%
• Streaming Platform: Manga TV

Neo Tokyo or Manie- Manie was released in 1987, and it is a science fiction anthology film. Madhouse and Project Team Argos produce the movie. Short stories written by Taku Mayumura are adapted in this anthology film. Haruki Kadokawa executively produced it.

The plot revolves around Sachi (played by Hideko Yoshida/Cheryl Chase). It is about a girl and her cat locked in a game of hiding and seeks. Her quest leads her to an old longcase clock. This clock leads to a labyrinth world.

41. Patlabor: The Movie (1989)

• Director: Mamoru Oshii
• Writer: Mamoru Oshii, Kazunori Itō, Masami Yuki, and others
• Cast: Toshio Furukawa, Michihiro Ikemizu, Shigeru Chiba, Daisuke Gōri and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Mechs are a great anime fodder as they provide scope for great action scenes. And, as with Patlabor: The Movie, there are also specific Biblical references, political drama, and conspiracies.

The movie was set in 1999 in Tokyo and is about Labors who are giant mechs assigned the duty of protection and building. Unfortunately, pilots lose control of Labors, and a great catastrophe approaches, which gets the manufacturer of Labors under scrutiny.

Once the viewers are done watching this movie, they will jump into its great sequel, as good as this movie.

40. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988)

• Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino
• Writer: Yoshiyuki Tomino, Shūichi Ikeda, Tōru Furuya, and others
• Cast: Shūichi Ikeda, Tōru Furuya, Hirotaka Suzuoki and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Gundam movies have always been seen to take a stand on the horrors following the war and its effect on mankind. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack has the same core concept.

There are scenes of tense fights set in space and an excellent soundtrack from Shigeaki Saegusa. In addition, it has one of the best Gundam designs in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise.

The movie remains worth watching even after several decades of its release. However, it might be difficult for some to watch due to the series made on Gundam universe, which has several hundreds of episodes.

39. Pom Poko (1994)

• Director: Isao Takahata
• Writer: Isao Takahata
• Cast: Yuriko Ishida, Makoto Nonomura, John DiMaggio and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Pom Poko marked Isao Takahata’s first project based on a full fantasy world. It is about a clan of Japanese raccoon dogs, tanuki.

Pom Poko is about a secret society where their live shape-shifting racoon dogs. They try to save their city after humans come and get their land with development plans. These tanuki have to defend their home and learn to co-exist with humans. They retrain themselves for their ability of transformation that they lost long ago.

Studio Ghibli’s fans should watch the movie. The film is a children’s comedy movie, but people of all ages can enjoy it. Pom Poko is an excellent take on Japan’s history and mythology.

38. Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987)

• Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga
• Writer: Hiroyuki Yamaga, Hiroshi Ōnogi, and others
• Cast: Ellyn Stern, Jonathan Fahn, Dougray Grant, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Apple itunes

On the verge of a war, a republic and a kingdom fight off for better technology. However, political viewers and other humans have a different perspective when looking at technology. Political leaders see it as a way of potential in wars, and humans perceive it as a way and chance to explore space.

Royal Space Force didn’t have excellent box office records, but the movie’s title is new, and there are religious struggles and personal drama in the movie. Royal Space Force was among the first anime movies of Bandai and Gainax. This company has now become one of the most important companies in the industry of anime movies.

37. Belladonna of Sadness (1973)

• Director: Eiichi Yamamoto
• Writer: Eiichi Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Osamu Tezuka
• Cast: Aiko Nagayama, Tatsuya Nakadai, Natsuka Yashiro and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Belladonna of Sadness is inspired by Satanism and Witchcraft, a book written by Jules Michelet. This is the third installment and the final one in the Animerama trilogy by Osamu Tezuka. Unfortunately, the trilogy was so expensive that it was not doing well, bankrupting Mushi Pro.

The animated movie is about a peasant woman raped on her wedding night by the local lord. To take her revenge, she deals with the devil himself and transforms into a black-robed vision of desire and madness.

The movie is filled with horrifying rape, madness, nudity, and murder. This led to Belladonna of Sadness getting banned in several countries for many decades. Despite this, the movie is worth watching as nothing like this has been made before.

36. The Animatrix (2003)

• Director: Shinichirō Watanabe, Peter Chung, Takeshi Koike, and others
• Writer: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, Shinichirō Watanabe and others
• Cast: Carrie-Anne Moss, Kevin Michael Richardson, Tom Kenny, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
• Streaming Platform: HBO Max

The Animatrix is one of the best things from the Matrix franchise. It is an anthology of nine short films present in the Matrix universe. The Wachowskis recruited the seven most predominant anime directors to make this anthology series.

The backstory of the Matrix universe focuses on the original war between machines and man.

35. Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984)

• Director: Mamoru Oshii
• Writer: Rumiko Takahashi
• Cast: Toshio Furukawa, Akira Kamiya, Fumi Hirano and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
• Streaming Platform: Prime Video

Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer is adapted from the manga series Urusei Yatsura by Rumiko Takahashi. The series first film was Only You, which was a romance movie. However, beautiful Dreamer was quite experimental, and it was the one that led to Oshii’s popularity as the director that we know today.

The plot of Beautiful Dreamer is based on Ataru Moroboshi, who is in high school, and his fiancée Lum. They prepare for the festivities of their high school annual function. However, they come across something strange, and that was that each day was repeating itself. Along with their friends, they both have to find the reason behind this loop.

34. Weathering With You (2019)

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Makoto Shinkai
• Cast: Alison Brie, Kotaro Daigo, Brandon Engman, Lee Pace, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Hodaka is a 16-year-old young boy who ran away from his home to Tokyo in a rainy summer. He becomes friends with an orphan girl who can manipulate the weather. The movie falls under fantasy and romance anime film.

A novel with the same name was published a day earlier from the release of Weathering With You. The manga adaptation of this was released in 2019. The movie was a great success, and it won numerous awards. It was released in the US in 2020.

The movie sheds light on personal and social issues but is also fun to watch. Weathering with You is quite a famous movie and has a large fan base. It earned a lot of love from viewers all across the globe.

33. Summer Wars (2009)

• Director: Mamoru Hosoda
• Writer: Satoko Okudera
• Cast: J. Michael Tatum, Christopher Sabat, John Swasey, Ryûnosuke Kamiki and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
• Streaming Platform: Funimation

After The Girl Who Leaped Through Time, Mamoru Hosoda came up with this charming movie. The story in Summer Wars is of a young boy who agrees to be the fake boyfriend of her crush while she is on a trip to see her family.

The matter worsens when a military AI threatens to destroy the reunion festivities and break the world. The movie is beautiful, and the characters are lovely. The story of Summer Wars is witty and prophetic.

32. Only Yesterday (1991) 

• Director: Isao Takahata
• Writer: Isao Takahata
• Cast: Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Tara Strong, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Only Yesterday is a life story of a woman’s childhood spent as an adult in the countryside. Miyazaki’s movies often focus on the fantastical world, and Takahata focuses on human form animes. It is yet another great anime from Studio Ghibli and was a rare piece released back in 1991.

Only Yesterday became Japan’s highest-grossing anime film, and Takahata was also praised a lot. The movie is about a 27-year-old woman Taeko Okajima who wants to continue learning and growing even after becoming an adult.

31. Memories (1995)

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo, Koji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura
• Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Cast: Yū Hayashi, Tsutomu Isobe, Hideyuki Hori, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Streaming Platform: Tubi

After completing Akira, Katsuhiro Otomo made this anthology of short films and named it Memories. There are three stories in Memories, and each has been directed by prominent directors of that time.

The first segment of this collection is Magnetic Rose, and it is the best part of this anthology. The other two installments of this anthology are Stink Bomb and Cannon Fodder.

Whatever genre of anime movies one would like, this sure must not be missed.

30. The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, Haruya Yamazaki, Maurice Leblanc, Tadashi Yamazaki
• Cast: David Hayter, Yasuo Yamada, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

The Castle of Cagliostro is adapted from Lupin the Third and a thief. Lupin III (played by Yasuo Yamada) is a master thief, and he discovers that the money he robbed from a casino is a counterfeit. Upon knowing that, he visits the source of this forgery- Cagliostro.

The thief comes across Clarisse (Sumi Shimamoto), a beautiful princess forced to marry. To rescue Clarisse, Lupin teams up with Inspector Zenigata and Fujiko Mine.

29. Tekkonkinkreet (2006)

• Director: Michael Arias
• Writer: Anthony Weintraub
• Cast: Yû Aoi, Kazunari Ninomiya, Yusuke Iseya, Min Tanaka, Rokurō Naya, Mugihito and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Tekkonkinkreet is a unique movie as it was the result of an international collaboration between Studio 4C of Japan and Michael Arris (who produced The Animatrix in the past). The movie is adapted from the manga of the same name.

In Treasure Town, the story unfolds. There live Black and White Street urchins who work as complementary and opposite forces. They fight against the yakuza threat, and it is a perfect tale of good vs. evil. The visuals are beautiful, and the storyline is compelling.

28. Paprika (2006)

• Director: Satoshi Kon
• Writer: Satoshi Kon, Seishi Minakami
• Cast: Satoshi Kon, Debora Caprioglio, Paul St. Peter, Yuri Lowenthal, Megumi Hayashibara and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
• Streaming Platform: iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu

Paprika is a Sci-Fi thriller that deals with the theme of what happens when technology can penetrate the deepest regions of the human mind. This was the last feature film by Satoshi Kon before his death.

It is about a device that allows the psychologists to enter the patient’s dreams. However, when the device gets stolen, its therapeutic intention changes to mind control. Doctor Atsuko Chiba is the main character, and he takes the responsibility to find the device and the thief. This science fiction is an excellent watch for lovers of this genre.

27. Vampire Hunter D (1985)

• Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Toyoo Ashida
• Writer: Hideyuki Kikuchi
• Cast: Seizō Katō, Edie Mirman, Kaneto Shiozawa, Michael McConnohie, Kerrigan Mahan, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
• Streaming Platform: Prime Video

Vampire Hunter D is a vintage classic set in the future time after a nuclear event. Supernatural creatures control the world, and Doris Lang gets bitten by a very old vampire.

So that she doesn’t transform into a vampire, she hires Vampire hunter D. This hunter himself is part vampire. The movie Vampire Hunter D is fun to watch and a must-watch for those who like supernatural anime movies.

26. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

• Director: Mamoru Hosoda
• Writer: Satoko Okudera
• Cast: Riisa Naka, Takuya Ishida, Yasutaka Tsutsui, Andrew Francis and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

The theme of this movie, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, is the spontaneity of life and free will. The movie is enjoyable to watch and look at. Makoto Konno discovers that she can jump through time.

She is just a 17-year-old girl and is just an average teen with everyday goals like getting good grades, getting out of embarrassing situations, and fixing her life. However, when she understands that because of her abilities, she is ruining the lives of others, she changes her track so that now she can leap through time for good.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a great anime movie and can be watched by all audiences, including the older audiences.

25. Steamboy (2004)

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Cast:
• IMDb Ratings: 6.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
• Streaming Platform:

Steamboy by Katsuhiro Otomo is a great movie, and there are many reasons behind that. First, the anime movie is set in 1866 in England. It is about Ray, who is a young inventor. He is just like his father and her grandfather.

After his grandfather, Lloyd Steam sends him a mysterious ball, and he finds his world completely changed. The ball’s power is wanted by many, but not everyone can use that power with good intentions.

Steamboy is a visually impressive movie and technical achievement in modern animation. It was inspired by Cannon Folder and the novels written by Harry Enton and Edward Ellis.

31. Princess Mononoke (1997)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
• Cast: John DiMaggio, John DeMita, Keith David, Billy Crudup, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

It is yet another masterpiece brought to the audiences by Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is darker than other Studio Ghibli films. The movie is a historical fantasy in which Ashitaka is a prince who is cursed.

He leaves his home and travels to find the cure but is soon caught in a war. The war is between the human mining colony and the gods of the forest. Princess Mononoke’s movie touches on morality and environmentalism and is excellent fantasy fiction.

30. The Garden Of Words

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Makoto Shinkai
• Cast: Shelley Calene-Black, Mike Yager, Maggie Flecknoe, Allison Sumrall and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

The Garden of Words, which is positioned a good distance between Your Name and Five Centimeters Per Second in Shinkai’s filmography, is an intriguing halfway. His latter, more optimistic work, which includes everything following Your Name, and his earlier work, which includes Five Centimeters Per Second and its predecessors, are frequently compared by longtime lovers of his writing.

Because it is much shorter and lacks the lofty goals of much larger works like Your Name, The Garden of Words doesn’t cleanly fit into either of these categories. In any case, the animation and artwork are exquisite in the director’s signature style and reflect a time of change in his or her career.

29. 5 Centimeters Per Second

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Makoto Shinkai
• Cast: Yoshimi Kondou Kenji Mizuhashi Julie Ann Taylor Rei Kondo and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
• Streaming Platform: Manga Tv, Prime Video or Apple TV

Before the release of Your Name, 5 Centimeters Per Second was by far Shinkai’s most well-liked work, and it deserves that distinction. Many of Shinkai’s distinctive aesthetic traits are evident in this work, including a strong desire motivated by the immeasurable distance between lovers and lovely backdrop work.

Nevertheless, despite their similarities, Your Name and 5 Centimeters Per Second wind up feeling quite antagonistic to one another. In contrast to the latter, which is upbeat and motivating, 5 Centimeters Per Second is far more solemn and downright depressing.

Nevertheless, despite having different themes, these works interact in fascinating ways, and 5 Centimeters Per Second continues to be one of Shinkai’s most powerful and well-realized pieces.

28. The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya

• Director: Tatsuya Ishihara (Chief), Yasuhiro Takemoto
• Writer: Fumihiko Shimo
• Cast: Aya Hirano, Tomokazu Sugita, Minori Chihara, Yūko Gotō, Daisuke Ono
• IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
• Streaming Platform: Funimation

The mysterious story of the SOS Brigade, a club with a close-knit group of pals who are very familiar with one another, is told in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Kyon initially seems to be the only one who notices when their members start to vanish, but then she finds that no one seems to remember the club or their friendships.

The suspenseful drama film seamlessly combines mystery and thriller themes, and each fresh turn ensures that there is never a dull time. The mystery will enthrall viewers and keep them there to its outrageous finish.

27. Magnetic Rose

• Director: Kōji Morimoto
• Writer: Satoshi Kon
• Cast: Nobuo Tanaka, Chief Shell Handler, Swiveler
• IMDb Ratings: 8.2/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Streaming Platform: Prime Video

In Magnetic Rose, three astronauts are on a mission in a region littered with space junk. In the suspenseful movie, they come upon an artificial satellite that resembles a rose and is drawn to it by an unexplainable force. But unfortunately, they discover the true power of what they’ve unearthed far too late.

Audiences were riveted in addition to the intriguing premise by the effective use of music and visual details. Satoshi Kon wrote the screenplay, while Kôji Morimoto, the director, emphasized the anime from a poetic standpoint.

26. My Neighbor Totoro

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
• Cast: Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning Frank Welker, Noriko Hidaka
• IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

One of the best animated Japanese movies, My Neighbor Totoro, has a well-balanced plot and stunning visuals. Each animated character is brought to life by the minute details, which give them a realistic appearance and convincing facial expressions.

The movie was so popular that Totoro was adopted as Studio Ghibli’s emblem. The figure has become one of the most well-known in Japan, and the film offers uplifting themes of love, friendship, and family.

25. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Shinta Kanō
• Cast: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masato Hagiwara, Yūka Nanri and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

By watching one film by Makoto Shinkai, the audiences can guess what others will be like. His work tends to have a similar arrangement.

The Place Promised in Our Early Days is exemplary as it discovers all the significant themes an anime film can have. It is based in an alternate universe where Japan is divided into two parts, and the US and Soviet Union occupy them.

The film is about three childhood friends- Hiroki, Sayuri, and Takuyi. They made a pact to fly to the secret tower built in the territory of the Union and discover all the secrets hidden there. The film’s animation is excellent, and the director’s talents shine to the point in this film.

24. Interstella 5555 (2003)

• Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi
• Writer: Leiji Matsumoto, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Thomas Bangalter, Cédric Hervet
• Cast: Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Romanthony, Daft Punk, Todd Edwards, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86% 
• Streaming Platform: The Roku Channel on Roku Device

The movie Interstella 555 is about four alien musicians who a record producer kidnaps. He hides them as humans. A space pilot Shep is in love with Stella, a bass player. So, she follows them to the Earth.

They reprogrammed them to forget their identity and were newly named The Crescendolls. During a concert, Shep was able to rescue all the musicians. Unfortunately, he failed to save Stella. The band regains their lost identity and searches for Stella.

Interstella 5555 costs $4 million to produce, and it is a kind of collaboration that music and anime fans will like.

23. Dragon Ball Z Movie (2018)

• Director: Tatsuya Nagamine
• Writer: Akira Toriyama
• Cast: Christopher Sabat, Sean Schemmel, Vic Mignogna and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Dragon Ball Z’s movie released in 2018, titled- Dragon Ball Super: Broly, is the latest Dragon Ball film. In this, the prominent villain comes across Goku and Vegeta. So, Paragus instructs Broly to kill Saiyan Prince to get his revenge.

This leads to several battles, and these battle scenes are mesmerizing. Frieza, Gogeta, and a story for Broly all make this movie a fun and fascinating experience. It is a treat for anime fans. Now, nine seasons of Dragon Ball Z have been released. It is an action anime film and series.

In Dragon Ball Z, the adventures of Goku can be seen, who fights along with other warriors to protect the Earth from Evil. Every anime lover knows the name of this anime movie and series, reflecting how popular it has become.

22. Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984)

• Director: Shoji Kawamori, Noboru Ishiguro
• Writer: Sukehiro Tomita
• Cast: Mari Iijima, Arihiro Hase, Mika Doi and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Macross, or as it is known as Robotech in the US, had its first movie, Do You Remember Love? Released in 1984.

Like the show, the movie is about a giant space fortress, Macross, fighting the alien race Zentradi. The other focus of this anime movie is a love triangle between Hikaru Ichijyo, Lynn Minmay, and Misa Hayase. The cast of characters in both the movie and the show is the same.

This installment lets fans enjoy unique mecha designs, great storytelling, and a love triangle. The movie broke box office records in Japan and was a massive hit.

21. The Wind Rises (2013)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
• Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Want to watch movies other than Studio Ghibli? Then, go for Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises. The movie is quite tender and consists of everything this filmmaker is fond of.

Jiro Horikoshi dreamt of designing an aircraft when he was young. But instead, he becomes a famous engineer when he grows up because of his intelligence and passion.

As wartime approaches, Jiro has to cast aside his dream of creating a beautiful aircraft, as now they will use it for destruction and mass killings.

20. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

• Director: Satoshi Kon
• Writer: Satoshi Kon, Keiko Nobumoto
• Cast: Aya Okamoto, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Tōru Emori, Victoria Grace, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

If you want to see a heartwarming anime, then Tokyo Godfathers is perfect. The movie will make the viewers laugh and cry at the same time. It was made by Satoshi Kon, who also made Perfect Blue.

The anime’s plot follows three homeless people- a runaway, a drunk, and a drag queen. First, they find an abandoned newborn on Christmas Eve and reunite the child with the mother. Then, they travel on the streets of Tokyo and learn about the child’s lineage and the dark truth associated with it.

19. Millennium Actress (2001)

• Director: Satoshi Kon
• Writer: Satoshi Kon, Sadayuki Murai
• Cast: Miyoko Shoji, Fumiko Orikasa, Mami Koyama and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• Streaming Platform: Tubi, Pluto

This was the second film by Satoshi Kon and is like an extension of the world he created in Perfect Blue. The movie is inspired by the lives of two of Japan’s early stars- Setsuko Hara and Hideko Takamine.

The animated movie shows Genya Tachibana, a filmmaker beginning a documentary based on Chiyoko Fujiwara, a famous Japanese actress. Now, Chiyoko is old, and she wants to avoid publicity. But eventually, she welcomes Tachibana’s ideas.

Millennium Actress is an example of Satoshi Kon’s love for cinema, and the movie is a must-watch. Still, after many years pass, you will cherish the movie.

18. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)

• Director: Shinichirō Watanabe
• Writer: Keiko Nobumoto, Marc Handler
• Cast: Beau Billingslea, Steve Blum, Melissa Fahn, Wendee Lee and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

The movie Cowboy Bebop is based on an anime show of the same name. The plot is set in 2071 when a man releases a lethal pathogen in the capital city of Mars. A considerable bounty is put to find the terrorist.

The movie is true to the series, with many conspiracies, twists, and turns. Although set between episodes 22 and 23 of the series, the movie can be standalone.

17. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki 
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, Haruko Kato, Hiroko Seki and others
• Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Debbie Reynolds, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
• Streaming Platform: HBO Max

Kiki’s Delivery Service is based on the famous young adult novel by Eiko Kadono in 1985. It is the story of adolescence and growing up. This was the fourth film by Hayao Miyazaki under Studio Ghibli.

Kiki is a 13-year-old witch who comes out into the world from the comfortable life of her old town. She had to leave her hometown to start her training as an adult. Kiki’s Delivery Service is about everyday struggles that an adult has to face, and this story has magical elements.

Kiki’s Delivery Service was crucial for Studio Ghibli as it was the highest-grossing anime film in 1989 in Japan.

16. Ninja Scroll (1993)

• Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Writer: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Cast: Andrew Philpot, Kōichi Yamadera, Toshihiko Seki and others
• IMDb Ratings: 7.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
• Streaming Platform: Hulu

Ninja Scroll introduced many to the world of anime movies. The movie was released in 1995 in the UK, and later, in 2004, the uncensored version of Ninja Scroll was released.

The movie Ninja Scroll is very violent and is a classic action-adventure anime. Only mature audiences should watch this as there are hyper-violent scenes.

Kibagami Jubei is a swordsman in Edo-era Japna. He is given the task of stopping the Shogin of The Dark. This task involves taking over the Eight Devils of Kimon. This is a ninja unit, and they have supernatural powers. Kibagami Jubei has the assistance of Kagero and Dakuan.

15. Castle in the Sky (1986)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, John Semper
• Cast: Mark Hamill, Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Mayumi Tanaka, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Another movie by Hayao Miyazaki has been added to our list of best anime movies. This is yet another Studio Ghibli movie, and the movie is also known as Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

The movie’s plot is about a young orphan Sheeta and Col. Muska, her kidnapper. They are flying to a military prison when attacked by a group of air pirates. Unfortunately, they hardly escape from a mid-air collision.

The movie is not as popular as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke but is an essential film from Studio Ghibli. The movie is a two-hour-long action-packed movie in which the viewers can see government agents, pirates, and the military.

14. Barefoot Gen (1983)

• Director: Mori Masaki
• Writer: Keiji Nakazawa
• Cast: Masaki Kôda, Mori Masaki, Issei Miyazaki and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
• Streaming Platform: Prime Video

The most significant event in Japan’s history is the nuclear bombardment of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The movie is based on manga series written by Keiji Nakazawa in 1973.

Barefoot Gen is about this event where a young boy struggles to survive the aftermath of this bombing. This incident killed his friends and family. The scenes in the movie are heart-wrenching and breathtaking.

You cannot reduce barefoot Gen to this incident, as it tells us much more. It is about hope and human emotions.

13. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)

• Director: Isao Takahata
• Writer: Isao Takahata, Mike Jones, Riko Sakaguchi
• Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Lucy Liu, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Not all movies show a bamboo cutter finding a girl hidden in a bamboo shoot. However, things have calmed down after this bizarre incident. Princess Kaguya struggles to decide between country life and the life a big city offers. This is a tale of a status family and is a sweet tale that everyone can watch.

Things in the movie change when Kaguya gets accepted as a princess. Her father always wanted that for her, but she ran away because she wanted to live a country life instead of a big city. This scene speaks to many things.

12. Perfect Blue (1999)

• Director: Satoshi Kon
• Writer: Yoshikazu Takeuchi
• Cast: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shiho Niiyama, Masaaki Okura, Shinpachi Tsuji, Emiko Furukawa
• IMDb Ratings: 8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller brought by Satoshi Kon. It is a perfect mix of obsession and reality. Mima Kirigoe is a member of the CHAM! group and perfectly blends with the onstage role of Lolita required from her.

She, later on, decided to leave the pop group and shed her fake image created in front of the fans. Unfortunately, they didn’t go well, as the fanbase couldn’t accept her changes. The fans questioned her sanity, and she struggled to find the reality of life. This is a compelling watch for all anime movie lovers.

11. Akira (1988)

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo, Izou Hashimoto, Izo Hashimoto
• Cast: Simon Prescott, Bob Buchholz, Michael Lindsay, Jamieson Price, Sandy Fox, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
• Streaming Platform: Hulu

The soundtrack, art style, and narration of Akira are amazing. Tetsuo Shima and Shōtarō Kaneda are members of a biker gang in the post-nuclear apocalypse of Neo Tokyo.

Akira solely doesn’t follow the manga source and diverts slightly from it. Tetsuo gains telekinetic abilities and comes to Colonel Shikishima and the secret organization. Akira is a great watch and is a famous movie in anime. It definitely should get a spot on the list of must-watch movies.

10. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, David Schmoeller, Kazunori Itō
• Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Stewart, Alison Lohman, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the movie that led to the existence of Studio Ghibli. After the release of Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki was asked by Toshio Suzuki to make a manga.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) is a fantasy and adventure anime and falls under one of the best anime movies of all time. The plot of this anime film is set in the future, where an apocalyptic conflict destroyed most of the world’s ecosystem. As a result, few left humans lived in semi-hospitable areas, which later became toxic jungles.

Young Nausicaä can talk with giant insects living in the Valley of the Wind. Under Lord Yupa, Nausicaä can restore peace in the world.

9. Wolf Children (2012)

• Director: Mamoru Hosoda
• Writer: Mamoru Hosoda, Satoko Okudera
• Cast: Colleen Clinkenbeard, Lara Woodhull, Micah Solusod, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

It is known that raising kids is a hard job, but what happens when they are wolves? After Hana’s love- a werewolf, passes away, she guides her wolf children. The children are Yuki and Ame, and it is time that they understand themselves.

There are fantastical elements, and the audience will relate much to this movie. However, the best part of Wolf Children is when Yuki transforms into a wolf to show her dearest friend Sōhei. This was a moment of pride for her in this sweet movie Wolf Children.

8. Ghost In The Shell (1997)

• Director: Mamoru Oshii
• Writer: Masamune Shirow
• Cast: Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ôtsuka, Kôichi Yamadera and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Ghost In The Shell was released in 1997 and is a sci-fi anime. It is yet another famous anime that made the list of best anime movies. The movie is set in New Port City in 2029 and exemplifies sheer creativity.

The universe of Ghost In The Shell has been expanded by releasing the sequel Ghost In The Shell: Innocence, a TV series and a Hollywood adaptation in which Scarlett Johansson starred. The movie’s universe has grown, but the original one that came back in 1997 remains the best.

Ghost In The Shell is about Major Motoko Kusanagi, who is a police agent, and she is hunting Puppet Master. He is responsible for taking over the minds of powerful and influential people. You will never forget this sci-fi anime movie in anime history, and the reasons behind that are uncountable.

7. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, Diana Wynne Jones, Toshio Suzuki, Chieko Baisho, Christian Bale, and others
• Cast: Christian Bale, Takuya Kimura, Chieko Baisho, Emily Mortimer and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.2/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Howl’s Moving Castle was released in November 2004 in Japan and is adapted from Howl’s Moving Castle 1.

Sophie is the anime’s main character, and she has a boring life at her father’s hat shop. However, things change when she becomes friends with Howl. Howl lives in a magical castle that flies. Unfortunately, witch of Waste doesn’t take their relationship well and casts a spell on Sophie, which she ages prematurely.

The Howl now needs to use all his magical powers to fight against the Witch of Waste and bring back Sophie’s youth and beauty.

6. Demon Slayer (2020)

• Director: Haruo Sotozaki
• Writer: Koyoharu Gotouge
• Cast: Yuki Kaji, Bryce Papenbrook, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Eguchi Takuya, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

It is hard to miss Demon Slayer in the list of best anime movies. Released in October 2020 in Japan and directed by Haruo Sotozaki, the movie is a great watch. It has been adapted from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

The plot of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train is the extension of season 1 of the anime series and follows the story of a boy who wears a boar head and is raised by boars.

He boards the Infinity Train for a new mission and the other slayers. He reveals his true powers when he is asleep. The slayers are assigned to kill a demon who has been killing the train passengers.

5. Princess Mononoke (1997)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
• Cast: John DiMaggio, John DeMita, Keith David, Billy Crudup, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

It is yet another masterpiece brought to the audiences by Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is darker than other Studio Ghibli films. The movie is a historical fantasy in which Ashitaka is a cursed prince.

He leaves his home and travels to find the cure but is soon caught in a war. The war is between the human mining colony and the forest gods. Princess Mononoke’s movie touches on morality and environmentalism and is excellent fantasy fiction.

4. Your Name (2016)

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Makoto Shinkai
• Cast: Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Kana Hanazawa, Masami Nagasawa and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Playstation, YouTube

Your Name is the highest-grossing anime film, and the movie is simply irresistible. There is romantic melodrama and great characters. The plot is about a Tokyo boy, Taki, and Mitsuha.

They are high school students who often swap bodies and eventually face the difficulties of living like someone else. The Radwimps soundtrack also takes the viewers on an emotional path. After this movie, fans should watch Weathering With You.

This anime movie is not about a secret world but a real world where the main characters are seen exchanging bodies and living each other’s lives. The main characters, Taki and Mitsuha, are confused when it happens to them for the first time.

But, gradually, they realize what is going on and adjust accordingly. Both these main characters later are also seen communicating with each other to inform what the body owner missed. This anime is an excellent watch with a lovely main character.

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) 

• Director: Hideaki Anno
• Writer: Hideaki Anno
• Cast: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

This movie is a mandatory entry for the list of best anime movies and is one of the most popular anime worldwide.

In this movie, a teenage boy finds that his father recruits him into a team of pilots. Shinji Ikari is a student and is recruited to pilot a giant robot made with the motive to fight Angels, a mysterious alien entity.

The violence in the movie is quite frightening. There are many brutal scenes as well. So, this movie is recommended for adults only due to the bloody and visceral scenes.

2. Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)

• Director: Isao Takahata
• Writer: Isao Takahata
• Cast: Ayano Shiraishi, Tsutomu Tatsumi, Rhoda Chrosite, Crispin Freeman, J. Robert Spencer, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Apple iTunes, Vudu

Studio Ghibli’s Grave Of The Fireflies, set during World War II, is directed by Isao Takahata and is a heartbreaking story about two siblings. Seita and Satsuko get separated from their parents after the American bombing during World War II.

Seita is a teenager who has to take care of his younger sister Setsuko. Their story of survival, set during World War II, is very emotional. These siblings are seen relying on each other and struggle to survive and stay alive against all odds.

1. Spirited Away (2001)

• Director: Hayao Miyazaki
• Writer: Hayao Miyazaki, Kirk Wise, Toshio Suzuki, Joe Hisaishi, Mari Natsuki, Yo Oizumi, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Bunta Sugawara
• Cast: Rumi Hiiragi, Daveigh Chase, Miyu Irino, and others
• IMDb Ratings: 8.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Spirited Away is hard to miss when discussing the best anime movies. It charmed audiences all around the world. Studio Ghibli films introduced this to western audiences.

Chihiro is a young girl who leaped into a supernatural boathouse where various creatures and spirits live. The various adventures of this young girl are seen throughout the anime movie. Ghibli’s signature of creation and remarkable execution remained the same even in this movie.

More About Anime Movies

Anime films and movies continue to gain immense popularity, but it will be difficult to define the term anime as it has gone through a long time of invention and evolution.

This attempt to list the top 49 anime films brings the most famous, record-breaking, historical, and technical films together. The evolution of the anime industry has been connected to technology. Whether it be battling scenes, mecha anime films, or any other genre, today’s animation scene is breathtaking.

There are various anime series also that are exceptionally great. Beginners in the world of anime should start with anime films first.

After watching these anime movies, viewers can switch to anime series and tv series. In addition, various anime movies and series are adapted from the original manga and serve as a source. So, the world of anime becomes even more exciting.

Many other great anime movies might not be here, but we made sure that the best ones are on the list.

So, this was the compilation of the best anime films, and we hope the viewers get to pick and choose from where they’ll start now. Those looking for their next watch also don’t need to search for too long now, as the list of best anime films is in a compilation.

Some Frequently Asked Questions Related to the Topic of Anime Movies Mentioned Above:

What is the Top Anime Movie?

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is one of the best anime movies. It also was a hit and earned a lot after its release. An anime series on Demon Slayer is available on Netflix and other streaming services.