Anime is a genre about which people tend to have strong opinions. If someone likes anime, they actually love anime; on the flip side, if they don’t care for it or feel indifferent about it, don’t even think about turning it on. So for those who are true anime fans, here is a definitive list of the best anime moves.
Princess Mononoke has received from high praise from die-hard anime fans. Released in 1999, the plot revolves around finding balance. Nature and industry clash against one another, and the themes of good and evil are ever-present. The story line is pretty complex and is said to have lost some elements in the translation from Japanese to English, but it still ranks highly among anime fans.
Spirited Away was released in 2001 and was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also directed Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away received a whole slew of awards, including an Oscar and an Academy Award. The movie plays out like a flight of fancy, and lacks the requisite moral American animation strives to convey. Perhaps the moral could be to be strong in the face of fear and adversity, but it’s a bit of a stretch and probably much too deep and profound for a film that’s meant to be enjoyed for all its superficial wonderment.
Ghost in the Shell was given a lot of attention for having such a unique plot line. This flick from 1995 portrays a division of the police intent upon fighting crimes relating to technology. The main focus is on Motoko Kusanagi, a member of the division who is the equivalent of a superhero due to her highly specialized body.
Akira is the oldest of the bunch, having been released in 1988, but it has proven that it can withstand the test of time. It is a futuristic film that explores mental capabilities. Characters are capable of mentally attacking and hijacking one another. The military further exacerbates the situation by trying to harvest mental powers. Overall, it paints a bleak, gory picture of what the world could look like.
Lastly, Ninja Scroll ranks high on the basis of the action scenes. It’s bloody, it’s sexual, it’s unquestionably designed for mature audiences – this is not for the kiddies. So go in expecting gripping fight scenes and nudity.
When all is said and done, anime fans are looking to be impressed. There has to be a quality that can’t be found in any other anime movies. Sometimes that quality is unsurpassed beauty, or a really unique and coherent plot line. At times, it could just be raw action. But regardless of what the special quality is, anything that could be deemed conservative or conventional doesn’t have a place in the anime world.
