It must be said, either you love anime... or you hate it. I haven't met many people who don't fit into either category (Studio Ghibli movies don't count, they're all classics). It's usually associated with words like weeaboo and fujoshi, but recently anime creator shave been making strides toward new and amazing stories and works of art. Regardless of your preference, whether it be plot or characters or animation, here are 15 movies that will knock your Totoro patterned socks off. Each of these movies is on the list for a different reason, but all of them are on here because of their art style. I'm not really the type of anime fan that's all for the ships, I love movies that take liberties with their art style, whether that be an animation choice or an experimental style altogether.
Kimi No Na Wa. – Your Name
The story of a boy and girl who wake up I each other's bodies occasionally which, naturally, causes chaos and an interesting and magical love story. Also, the animation is beautiful and it's one of the top movies in Japan right now.
Koe No Katachi - A Silent Voice
A heartbreaking story about a boy attempting to make up for bullying a deaf girl in grade school by learning sign language. Trigger warning for suicide and anxiety on this one.
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi - Spirited Away
Do I even need to explain?
Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki - Wolf Children
A college student marries a wolf/man? And has two kids who are also wolf children? And I cried? Really amazing animation style.
Boku no Hero Academia the Movie: Futari no Hero - My Hero Academia the Movie: The Two Heroes
A story that goes along with the My Hero Academia franchise wherein people live with superhuman abilities called a Quirk but one Quirkless boy has power given to him instead of being born with it and sets out to become the best superhero there ever was.
Howl no Ugoku Shiro - Howl's Moving Castle
A man with an attitude problem takes in a girl in the body of an old woman and they live inside his magical, metal, moving castle.
Classmates – Doukyuusei
An honors student and a delinquent fall in love and try to balance their relationship. The art style on this one is also really cool and has a manga-esque vibe.
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo - The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
A girl realizes she has the ability to turn back time as she pleases and thinks it's just all fun and games but eventually comes to realize she's a part of something much bigger than that.
Hotarubi no Mori e - Into The Forest Of Fireflies' Light
A story of a forest nymph who falls in love with a girl that comes to visit him every summer. The catch? If she touches him, he will disappear.
Perfect Blue
An idol falls into psychological demise after she's stalked, and the producers of her show get murdered. The art in this one is really creepy and oh so cool. Trigger warning for blood, murder, and mentions of rape.
Kotonoha no Niwa - Garden of Words
ART! SO! PRETTY! This one is on the list because it's just so cinematically beautiful. I mean, just look at that cover art! It's about a student infatuated with a woman that he meets under a pavilion every time it rains. He's an aspiring shoemaker and hopes to one day make her the perfect pair of shoes. They fall in love, etc., etc.
Omoide no Marnie - When Marnie Was There
A mansion, a mystery, a friendship, and a ghost?
Tonari no Totoro - My Neighbor Totoro
Some sisters find a giant animal names Totoro living in their backwoods. They befriend him and his buddies.
Mononoke Hime - Princess Mononoke
A demon is attacking a village. It's a boar god. Someone is cursed. There are wolves and one badass warrior girl.
Byousoku 5 Centimeter – 5 Centimeters Per Second
This is last because the animation is beautiful, but the ending is not happy so sorry y'all. It's a love story within a love story within a love story and it doesn't end well for one of the characters.
The descriptions may be brief and biased since I'm the one that wrote them, but trust me, all the movies on this list are worth checking out whether you are an anime pro or just a beginner. Enjoy your ventures into the wonder of alternative and genius animation.
