American power businesses such a Disney, Marvel, Warner Brothers and Hollywood have created mange great movies but there is a fair share of cinematic masterpieces which are created in Japan that should not be missed by the movie lovers. If you would like to learn the Japanese language, watching a Japanese TV show can improve your listening skill set. Anime can also be a great choice, there are countless genres to choose from and many popular shows such as One Piece, Dragon Ball Series, Naruto and more are available in English versions.
It would take up a lot of time to watch an entire anime series. Therefore you should check out a movie instead. We are going to recommend you 20 fantastic animated movies below which you can choose from and watch it over the weekend. These movies have been selected for their popularity, awesome story lines and anime fan reviews.
I hope you are excited, the 20 movies below are available for you to watch in both Japanese and English subtitles that can be found easily over the internet.
Table of Contents
20. A Letter to Momo (2011)
Production I.G.
IMDb: 7.3
Director: Hiroyuki Okiyura
A little girl named Momo and her mother moved from the crowded town of Tokyo to the remote island of Shio after her fathers recent death. Momo is confused by an unfinished letter of her father while also trying to get used to the new living environment and making new friends in Shio. After some time in Momo’s house, some bizarre events occur including noises from the attic which sounded like whispers. Since Momo’s mother refuses to believe in such occurrences now Momo has to throw herself into an odd situation to discover the sources of the whispers from the attic which leads her to the trio of troublesome spirits and together Momo and the spirits figure out that her father’s unfinished letter is somehow connected to her moving to this island.
A lovely story of friendship is displayed in the movie. It also has some awesome visual effects and sounds. The movie has a slow pace in the start, some funny moments in the middle and heart touching scenes at the end that could make you shed some tears !! So keep a tissue handy.
19. The Cat Returns (2002)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 7.3
Director: Hiroyuki Morita
This movie is about an unfortunate girl in most aspects of her life named Haru. She find herself involuntarily engaged to a cat prince in a magical world where her only hope of freedom lies with a dapper cat statuette, which also comes to life in the movie. This all happens after he helps a cat that god stuck in a lorry
Like other movies from Ghibli this movie doesn’t have the depth and beauty like other, it’s still a entertaining film with lots of fun and an adventurous plot that all the children would love. This is a great family movie and especially for all the cat lovers.
18. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 7.4
Director: Goro Miyazaki
This film lacks sparkling fantasy though it still have the flawless visual effects. This movie has a story about Yokohama students looking to save their clubhouse in the school from the wrecking ball in preparation for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo
Some elderly people might have nostalgic feelings when watching this movie as it reflects the lives, during the year 1963-1965, of students in Japan as well as other residents.
17. Children Who Chase Voices From Deep Below (2011)
CoMix Wave Film
IMDb: 7.3
Director: Shinkai Makoto
This story involves young love and mysterious music emitting from a crystal radio left as a memento by a deceased father, that leads a young heroine deep into a hidden world.
The story is about the characters who have to deal with difficult issues (for instance, independence, life changing decision and loss of loved ones) makeing it interesting. This film is another product of the same producer of Five Centimeters Per Second‘, thus it’s quite understandable how they achieved the awesome beauty of the animation!
16. Steamboy (2004)
Sunrise
IMDb: 6.9
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Before the world’s first Expo in the middle of the 19th century, an invention called the “Steam Ball”, has been sent to a young inventor Rei, from his grandfather Roid in the US. Because of it, Rei then finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly conflict by an organization called Ohara Foundation. Meanwhile, Foundation has sent men to capture the Steam Ball to use its hidden power towards their own illicit ends.
15. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
CoMix Wave Film
IMDb: 7.3
Director: Makoto Shinkai
The story takes place where Japan is divided into the Soviet Union-controlled North and the US-controlled South, in an alternate postwar period. An enormously tall tower which could evem be seen from Tokyo was built on Hokkaido. Three middle school students make a promise in the summer of 1996 to cross the border and unravel the tower’s secret, but one girl Sayuri Sawatari became mysteriously ill and transferred to Tokyo which caused their project to be abandoned. On the brink of war many years later a boy named Hiroki Fujusawa comes to know that Sayuri is in comma since then and he asks his friend Takuya Shirakawa to aid him in a finding a way to wake her up from coma so the tri can fulfill their promise.
The movie pace is a reflection of romance, loneliness and bittersweet affection. The music and storytelling style made up everything even though the romance was not impressive. It is a fascinating dystopic look at the postwar era and is worth a watch.
14. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 7.7
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Arrietty, 14 year old, and the rest of the Clock family, four-inch creatures living secretly in a human house, live in peaceful anonymity as they make their own home from items they borrow from the house of human inhabitants. Life however changes forever for the clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.
13. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
Madhouse Production
IMDb: 7.9
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Are you wondering what could be so special about a girl who has the ability to travel time and tries to solve problems with this ability? Just watch this film, loosely based on Yasutaka Tsutsui ‘s novel, and you’ll know that Japan never fails to surprise you!
12. Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (2011)
Brain’s Base
IMDb: 7.9
Director: Midorikawa Yuki
A little girl named Hotaru returns to the countryside every summer for a summer trip. One day when she gets lost in a forest, she is rescued by a spirit called Gin. Though the spirit reveals that he will disappear if he is ever touched by a human being, the two become friends and this relationship develops as Hotaru finally reaches her teenage years.
This 40-minute film shows a significant part of Japanese culture in the forest, in its spiritual surroundings and the summer festivals. This film has a sad, romantic tale and after watching, if a bit sad, you’ll be freshened!
11. Colorful (2010)
Ascension/Sunrise
IMDb: 7.5
Director: Keiichi Hara
A sinful spirit has the opportunity to prove that it is worthy to be reborn by living in a student’s body who has killed himself. The spirit has a second chance to experience his past sins and find out what led the student to commit suicide, with a second chance to live with him. This movie was built upon Eto Mori ‘s own novel and has an awesome animation.
10. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 8.2
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Howl ‘s Moving Castle is a love tale between an old woman called Sophie, 18 years old, cursed by a witch and a wizard named Howl. Under the curse, Sophie is looking for a turnaround of her condition, which leads her to the weird moving castle of Howl. Sophie met the fire demon, Calcifer, in the castle. The devil does a deal with Sophie–if she breaks the contract which means that it is under howl, he lifts the curse and returns to her 18-year-old self.
It’s a good movie from music to plot in my opinion. The characters are beautiful and their features are significantly described. It’s a film that you can’t just miss!
9. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 7.7
Director: Miyazaki
The story of a five-year-old boy, Sosuke, on the Sea Cliff tells his relationship with Ponyo, the princess who longs to become a human after falling in love with him. Ponyo is a goldenfish princess.
This film reminds me of the Little Mermaid by Disney. The Miyazaki style is a romantic fantasy, and if you have children, you’re sure to also love it.
8. Wolf Children (2012)
Madhouse Production
IMDb: 8.2
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
An academic student named Hana loved a student who turned out to be a waswolf, and after the birth of his second child he died in an accident. Hana moved to the countryside to raise two children, half-wolves and half-human, with her husband. Hana ‘s daughter, Yuki, is longing to fit human beings and to leave behind her identity as a wolf while her son, Ame, wants to live like a wolf.
This film is totally enjoyable from start to finish. The story is emotional and touching, the animation is lovely and the music is so pleasant. It’s a delightful film about issues of identity.
7. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Toho
IMDb: 8.5
Director: Isao Takahata
Grave of the Fireflies is a tragic film that tells the story of a boy and the battle of his sister to survive in Japan, after her mother’s death, and the father’s unknown fate. They left their house and made their home in a abandoned refuge after quarreling with their aunt. In order to survive, both have to depend on one another.
This movie is a big lesson for those who want to wage a world war without seriously thinking about what happens to ordinary people and forgotten people. The japanese sweetheart Sakuma Drops loves the girl in the film, despite the sadness in the story, which gives us a distinct feel.
6. Asura (2012)
Toei Animation
IMDb: 6.7
Director: Keiichi Sato
A wild and enraged orphan named Asura, who is abandoned in the wild wasteland of Kyoto, does everything necessary to survive in the wild. When he crosses civilisations paths, he must learn to civilize the beast.
This is a well-reported story about human beings and their nature, despite the relatively low score from IMDb. It made me sad as he suffered, even if it was not his fault. Even if they did something horrendous, I am sorry for all the characters, since this is mainly because of the harsh situation of life which forces them to do so. You should watch this movie if you want to immerse yourself in deep feelings of the human nature.
5. 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)
CoMix Wave Film
IMDb: 7.9
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Since elementary school, Takaki and Akari are classmates and close friends. When Akari moves to another town due to the work of her parents, their relationship is tested. They both strive to maintain their friendship by letters and time and distance are slowly separating them. When Takaki realizes he’s still moving further, he decides to visit Akari one last time.
There is only one word to summarize this film with stunning animation and visual effects, beautiful emotional pieces for the piano and a slow-paced storytelling style: perfect! If you fancy a romantic story, watch this.
4. Millennium Actress (2001)
Madhouse Production
IMDb: 7.9
Director: Satoshi Kon
TV interviewer and cameraman meet a former actress and travel through her memories and career, where she was first an actress to look at a man in love with. The drama of his personal life and the color of his working life are distorting the connection between fiction and reality.
Slow- moving, simple and flowing, the Millennium actress is full of memoirs with a charming storyline and an unfortunate and sad ending.
3. Princess Mononoke (1997)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 8.4
Director: Miyazaki Hayao
Princess Mononoke is set in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Ashitaka the last Emishi Prince sets out on a journey to find the cure for a curse that has inflicted and will eventually kill him, finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony, where he meets up with a human girl named San: Mononoke “Hime”, or princess.
Between the forces of gods of the nature and the humans, peace is the only way. This is another moral lesson for humans about appreciation and living peacefully with nature. This film reflects the effect of human development on nature.
2. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Madhouse Production
IMDb: 7.9
Director: Satoshi Kon
On Christmas Eve, three homeless people, one young girl, a transvestites and an old aged alcoholic, who live in the streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo found a newborn baby between the trash and went to find his parents with numerous adventures along the movie.
1. Spirited Away (2001)
Studio Ghibli
IMDb: 8.6
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
10-year-old girl Chihiro and her parents accidentally stumble upon a magical land in their car during her family moving to the suburbs
The girls parents are transformed into pigs, leaving her to wander the world ruled by gods, spirits, and witches, where humans are transformed into beasts.
A mysterious boy named Haku finds her and promises to help her. He finds her a job to work in a bathhouse for the thousands of Japan’s spirits and gods. Even though the work is quite hard and the people are very strange, she does as well as she can. However, her parents, are still waiting in the hotel’s stockyard, and the girl must find a way to lift the spell on them before they end up as the main course of some guest’s dinner.
This movie won an Oscar along with 51 other award wins and 22 nominations. It is one of the most popular animated movies of all time. You have to experience it yourself to see why!
So, This was a list of 20 great anime movies from Japan which are a must see. There are many more, and it is only fair to say that Japanese anime has been recognized worldwide over the decades and continues to be a significant channel of cultural expression in Japan. But do you know what is the significance of Japanese anime, and why it has gained so much attention worldwide?
Anime Significance Within Japan
Anime has been popular for decades in Japan. During & after the Second World War it really started to gain a mainstream following in Japan, at that time it was used to encourage a sense of national pride and unity at a difficult time of struggle. Early anime movies showed brave Japanese soldiers being strong and victorious over their arch enemies.
From that time, it has now become a mainstream form of entertainment and culture. Many of Anime fans will invest in a series’ o a movie, play its games, buy its merchandise, and follow anime franchises. Anime has become a channel for reflecting Japanese ideas, communicating meaningful messages, societal issues and political issues.
Global Significance of Anime
Currently anime has a global following, and this seems to have steadily increased over the decades and it keeps increasing. From its appearance on the international stage from the 1970’s onwards, Japanese anime attracted a relatively small but extremely loyal followers. It also influenced western animation too.
When you talk to Japanese anime lovers about why they like anime so much, the reasons are countless. These can range from the hard work and effort put into good animation with beautiful scenes and characters, The ability to personally relate anime characters, the difficult issues faced with anime movies and the sense of creativity and imagination embedded in several anime films are well- known.
Maybe the escape from the reality that anime can offer is also there. In their landscapes many of the films listed above are rather surreal, dealing with real ideas and themes, but presenting them in a metaphorical and different world.
With these 20 fantastic animated movies list, you will surely be spoilt for choice when next time you plan to watch a Japanese film. Whether you study the language or just want to get lost in a completely new story, these films will give you what you need. Rent one or several of these great films and bring some friends, get some pizzas and drinks and take advantage of the animated magical offer of these great films.
