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The Best Anime Movies You Need To Watch Right Now
If you are not aware about the world of Anime, then you are seriously missing out.
This traditional Japanese filmmaking style has been breaking the global movie world for quite a few decades now.
It can be wholeheartedly said that some of the best movies in recent times have come out from the Anime landscape.
Not Your Taste? Try Sis Loves Me
If you are still not sure about anime but curious enough to read this article we suggest taking a look at something rather interesting. It’s Sis Loves Me. And it’s controversial because the fantasy of step sisters fucking with brothers isn’t really a mainstream thing… yet! Debuted back in 2016 and it continues to operate with weekly new updates. Over 200 episodes and all of them free to watch. It’s truly a definition of taboo genre taking the mainstream audience by storm! And it’s not anime, which is good in your case, right?
What Is Anime?
For the uninitiated, Anime is a traditional Japanese animation style that pays more attention to creating visual settings and perspectives then its American counterpart.
The style takes roots in Manga, a traditional comic book format from the same country. Most Anime films are based on Manga stories although there are original Amines out there as well.
So, here’s a list of 5 Anime films that are a must watch for every cinephile.
Ghost In The Shell
The 1995 feature by Mamoru Oshii follows the story of a cyborg law keeper in a dystopian world. It is a grand tale of noir, visual beauty, and intense plot twists.
Ghost in The Shell would go on to become one of the landmarks of the Anime genre and its Manga counterpart is a heavyweight as well. This is not be mistaken with the Scarlet Johansson film which came out recently. While that was indeed a loose adaptation of this Anime, it was nowhere close to the grandeur of Mamoru’s creation.
There is also an equally amazing sequel that you can watch.
Akira
Keeping up with Anime masterpieces is hard since there are countless numbers of them available.
But Akira is perhaps a worthy mention alongside Ghost in The Shell.
This film dates back to 1988, but neither the Animation quality nor the storytelling falls anything short of timelessness.
Director Katsuhiro Otomo created something through Akira that many Anime filmmakers would try to recreate later on.
From cyberpunk visuals to nuclear era threats, this film holds it all.
Grave Of The Fireflies
The Studio Ghibli creations have become a strong sub-genre within the Anime world thanks to great directors such as Miyazaki and Takahata.
And while Miyazaki is often restricted by his otherworldly visions, Takahata creates a timeless World War 2 story through this movie.
The plot follows two siblings who try to find an identity in a world ravaged by the war.
With visuals that will stay with you a lifetime and ending that may perhaps be considered as one of the greatest of all time, Grave of The Fireflies is a must watch for your Anime list.
Princess Mononoke
Even though Miyazaki faces a lot of criticism within Anime circles, no such list would be complete without one of his creations.
Taking a step back from his child-friendly settings, Princess Mononoke explores a great fantast world mashed with Buddhist allegories that create perhaps one of the most stunning pieces of Anime film.
Spirituality, environment, and personality are the primary themes of this movie.
And while one may feel that the story does not deliver enough content, it is the visuals and the self-reflective plot that creates a cinematic masterpiece in this tale. One could even say that it has a much darker edge to it than the usual Studio Ghibli creations, especially for Miyazaki.
Ninja Scroll
The world of Anime is not simply one of beauty and grandeur. If you are tired with the over the top philosophy or the deep drenched melancholia, then take a step back and hit play on Ninja Scroll. This 1993 feature by Kawajiri and Kevin Seymour is the quintessential action anime that you need to watch.
Full of amazing battle sequences, Ninja ideology, and character driven plot; Ninja Scroll can almost be hailed as the holy grail of the action Anime genre. It has received a lot of criticism for certain scenes depicting hardcore violence and sex, but then again what did you start watching an action movie for in the first place?
While these 5 anime films should be watched by everyone, this is not even close to a near perfect list of the gems that the industry holds. Anime has a huge list of sub-genres that one needs to explore so these 5 films will serve as a guiding light in your search for the Anime genre that suits your taste. And a fair warning, you may never want to go back to watching the bland American animated features anymore!
Be sure to check out the great list of Anime TV series as well. There are quite a few gems there such as Cowboy Beebop and Fullmetal Alchemist which are considered up there with these Anime films. And if you really want to get on the ride, hit the bookstores and pick up the Manga on which they are based.