Let’s not waste any more frames and hop on to the list of top 5 anime movies to watch this weekend.
1. Spirited Away
A breathtaking hand-drawn anime movie written by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by none other than Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away is a masterpiece that can never be repeated. Released in July 2001 (in Japan), the movie revolves around a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro Ogino who stumbles into the spirit world and then continues her journey of adventure mixed with surreal creatures to save her parents and return to the real world. A beautiful combination of personal inspiration and Japanese folklore, Spirited Away is an ageless movie blending fantasy and traditional culture. The English adaptation of the movie was done under John Lasseter of Pixar Animation and along with the crown of being the longest, highest-grossing anime film of all time. Winning 35 awards out of 39 nominations, Spirited Away is the only non-English language animated film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Jeweled as the 4th Best Film of the 21st Century by the BBC, this movie will lift your spirits!
2. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
The box office blockbuster movie based on the arc of the Shonen series ‘Demon Slayer’ will make you jump from your seats ready to fight alongside humanity. Globally famed for its astonishing animation by Ufotable studios, this movie is a continuation from the end of the first season of the show. You may think that this will make you feel alienated from the characters but it’s the opposite and you will relate to every emotion and dialogue of this new generation sensation. The story of Tanjiro Kamado alongside his sister Nezuko and Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku boarding the Mugen Train and then fighting off an Upper Moon Demon spells bounds the audience with sheer screen presence and soul-stirring script. The movie can surely bring tears of joy to everyone’s face and that’s why it is factually the Highest Grossing Anime or Japanese Film of all time upsetting Spirited Away from its throne captured since 2001.
3. Your Name
Written and directed by ‘the new Miyazaki’ Makoto Shinkai, Your Name is the third-highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time and it’s not that hard to find out why. Set up with the serene landscapes of Japan and the eye-gazing skyscrapers of Tokyo, the movie revolves around Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu and their entangled fate through love, friendship, and time. About the red thread of fate, the movie surely binds us to it and the mesmerizing soundtracks are the assets that lure us. Adding real-life locations to the movie creates a special connection with the viewers and natives of Japan. While we might be connected to it through our screens, it makes no difference to the experience brought to us by Shinkai’s vision of love.
4. A Silent Voice
It is considered one of the most underrated anime movies of all time, due to its fascinating beauty, enthralling concept, and just pure emotions. Released in 2016 (the same year as ‘Your Name’) and written by Reiko Yoshida, the movie touches the youth to a point where we could relate to every single word spoken on the screen. Being released in 2016, it got a little shadowed by Shinkai’s masterpiece but even Makoto Shinkai called the movie ‘A fantastic piece of work which even he is unable to replicate. The protagonist Shoya Ishida is ready to take up his own life but is stopped by his life’s flashbacks including Shoko Nishimiya. Eager to make amends for his past mistakes, Shoya faces his fears. While the movie translates the concepts of bullying, trauma, and social anxiety aesthetically into a script, the scenes touch the soul of every viewer. Grossing over $31.6 million worldwide, this movie is definitely noise-worthy.
5. Princess Mononoke
One of the earliest feathers in Hayao Miyazaki’s cap, Princess Mononoke shattered records, genres, and screens in 1997. A Studio Ghibli’s gem, this classic tale set up in 14th century Muromachi Japan relives the concepts of human greed and its effect on nature. The plot follows Prince Ashitaka and his quest to find a cure for a curse converted to a war between humans and nature alongside a woman raised by wolves, San. Running straight as Movie of the Year in 1997, Princess Mononoke is still the 4th Highest Grossing Japanese movie of all time. The movie symbolizes environmentalism and the never-ending effect of humans on nature. The Avatar director James Camaron stated once that he was influenced by Princess Mononoke for the creation of ‘Pandora’ in Avatar. This makes it a must-watch on the list of action, adventure, or just pure anime lovers! That concludes our list of Top 5 Anime movies to watch this weekend but this is just a drop of the ocean. While this will keep you entertained and remembered as having great movie taste, the world of anime is producing wonders every second, waiting to be appreciated!
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