This means the movie does what so many other anime films based on shows fails to do - that being continuing to develop our favorite characters.Ĭowboy Bebop has had a lasting impact on not only anime but on film in general, so this film reserves a special place on this list of ones you should watch. The movie expands on some of the themes from the show, and lends deeper insight into some of the main characters. You really don’t have to have seen Cowboy Bebop to enjoy the feature, however, as it takes place during the show as opposed to sometime after it. Like Samurai X, this movie is also based off of a hit anime show. Usually movies made out of anime shows aren’t always so great. However, for the final part, Reflections, is probably best appreciated for those who have watched the entire animated series. You do not necessarily have to be a fan of Kenshin and have already seen the show in order to appreciate the OVA collection that comprises Samurai X. Although an older Anime (it came out early 2000s) the artwork is incredible, the action believable, and the writing impactful. Samurai X is split into several parts that tell the story of how Kenshin became the legendary man slayer. I’m talking about Rourouni Kenshin, of course. The show is pretty good, but the movies are even better. It’s a quiet movie with incredible depth, and one worth watching for any anime connoisseur. Only, a massive difference here is the overwhelming emotion that is eventually released at the climax. Reminiscent of great storytellers like Hemingway, Garden utilizes iceberg theory to give us only a glimpse of what is going on in the hearts and minds of the two central characters. What Shinkai creates in this story, however, is even more powerful than his better known films to come. Indeed, it marks the pre-blockbuster success of director Shinkai’s career (he would go on to create massive hits like Your Name). The themes in this feature are surprisingly adult. Maybe a little bit short to technically be considered a “movie”, Garden packs a powerful, emotional punch. Princess MononokeĪ frolicking adventure, Mononoke is the favorite anime film of many, and features a vast landscape, gripping action, and fantastic artwork. machine, and the untenable nature of technological advancement. More akin to Cowboy Bebop in its portrayal of a strange, dystopian universe, Ghost in the Shell primarily deals with themes of man vs. One of the first movies to help elevate anime to the mostly well regarded medium it is today was Ghost in the Shell.īasically 2021 A Space Oddsey, Age of Ultron, and Spy Espionage all rolled into one, Ghost in the Shell did a lot to help establish anime as a serious art form when it came out way back in 1996. More than just entertainment, several of these films have elevated anime to more than the status of Saturday morning cartoons, into the realms of art. Lastly, the legacy the film has left also is important when considering what are the top ten anime films you should watch. But to the newly initated, the difference between starting their anime journey with a good film versus a bad one could mean the difference between giving the medium a chance, or not at all. This matters much less if at all to seasoned anime watchers. How good is it? What are its technical achievements? Does it have that X-Factor that makes it just work?īut because anime is a foreign medium, there’s another aspect almost as important: how approachable is the movie for audiences unfamiliar with the tropes of anime? What makes an anime film one you should watch?