The 10 Best Anime Movies Not From Studio Ghibli, Ranked

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Studio Ghibli is the most famous Japanese animation studio, especially internationally, and it's easy to see why. It has established itself as a premium production house, financing and creating some of the finest and most influential Japanese films ever made, with consistent output. It also helps that the co-founder is Hayao Miyazaki, who directed many of their highest-profile and best-loved films.

However, Japan's animation industry is very large, and there are countless excellent animation films that Studio Ghibli did not set foot in. The following nine films are well worth watching for those familiar with Studio Ghibli and want to dive deeper into a wider variety of Japanese animated films. All for an exciting, imaginative and visually stunning viewing experience.

10 'Redline' (2009)

A sci-fi sports film about a series of interstellar races, Redline is possibly one of the best racing films ever made, even though there are no real cars and the events are entirely fictional.

This is an energetic and thrilling film that is entertaining from start to finish. This is apparently also 100% hand-drawn animation, which is astounding considering the detail And the smoothness of the animation that unfolds on the screen. Animation executed without the help of CGI is a dying art, and films as good as Redline show that while the process may be more painstaking, it can still look just as good. A futuristic bombastic film made with old-school animation techniques makes for a fascinatingly unique watch that is also a remarkable technical achievement.

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9 'Barefoot Gen' (1983)

Barefoot Gen is an emotional and disturbing film about life during and after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. It focuses on a young boy and what he must do to survive the harrowing, nightmarish situation he finds himself in. ^This film demonstrates how animated images can be just as shocking and powerful as live-action film. The Barefoot General is best known for describing the horrific scenes that took place when Hiroshima was bombed, and for the way it doesn't shy away from anything. Audiences expecting animation to be a barrier between them and the horrors of that day will be proven wrong as it features one of the most memorable scenes in any war movie, animation or otherwise. Ugly, but essential, showing the power that animation can have.

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Despite being in the same genre as the famous 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name, 2001's animated Metropolis is clearly its own thing. It does a good job of immersing viewers in an exciting futuristic setting, its plot about a crime, a strange girl that many want to find, and the idyllic city in which it takes place hiding its own dark secrets. idea.

8 'Metropolis' (2001)

If this all sounds very ambitious for a single film under two hours, maybe that's because it's a bit small, but it's still an interesting and visually pleasing watch. It's certainly an easy recommendation for any anime fan who's particularly keen on sci-fi settings and tropes.

A quirky and surreal romantic comedy that takes place over a night of alcohol-filled fantasy, with characters traveling through bars, parks, markets, and even some otherworldly locations. Its sheer inventiveness makes it one of the best Japanese films of the 2010s.

7 'Night Is Short, Walk on Girl' (2017)

Describing the plot is difficult and not entirely necessary. The nights are short, walking on girls aims In taking the audience on an unforgettable and unique journey over 90 minutes, it succeeds resoundingly. It's one of the funniest, most unpredictable romantic comedies ever made, cartoon or otherwise, and it's thrillingly different from many other comedies.

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It's probably not an exaggeration to call The Red Hot Peppers one of the most inventive films of all time, as well as one of the best sci-fi films of the 2000s. Director Toshi Kon tragically passed away in 2010 at the age of 46, and "Chili Peppers" would end up being his last film. It's incredible news that it's one of the best animated films ever made, cementing the late Totoshi Kon's status as one of the best animated directors of all time.

6 'Paprika' (2006)

As for the plot? It's complicated, but not always that important. It involves a machine that allows people to enter someone else's stolen dream state, and the trippy, visually stunning, surreal quest to get it back. This likely had an impact on Inception, which has a similar basic premise. Thanks to animation, Paprika can communicate wilder and more colorful content, A truly otherworldly dreamscape. It's hard to believe some of the visuals on display, and on top of that, it's fast-paced, emotional, and has a great soundtrack. It's everything you could want from an animated film.

Kon's first feature film may still be his most beloved and influential. If Alfred Hitchcock had lived to see it, he might have liked the kind of film - a mysterious psychological thriller with crime elements and recurring Hitchcockian themes , such as Paranoid and Double.

5 'Perfect Blue' (1997)

While it's far from being a Hitchcock clone, it brings a lot to the table and has its own uniquely stylish and sometimes disturbing visuals. In fact, it was so influential that some felt that Darren Aronofsky borrowed too many elements in his own films, such as Requiem for a Dream and "Black Swan".

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Evangelion is one of the most popular anime series, but also one of the most controversial. Of all the episodes in the original series, spinoffs/reedits, and most recently the Reconstruction quad, the end of Evangelion (arguably the second of three attempts at the series) was perhaps the most divisive Part of the franchise is hotly debated to this day.

4 'The End of Evangelion' (1997)

With a spectacular but baffling conclusion, a depressing and surreal apocalyptic film, and an intensely personal and dark portrayal of depression and hopelessness from series creator Hideaki Anno, the end of Evangelion is both difficult Fascinating again. Whether you love it or hate it, watching it guarantees one thing: you won't forget it anytime soon.

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Akira is one of the most famous Japanese animated films. It's a dynamic and fast-paced sci-fi film that weaves together psychics, biker gangs, superpowers and giant explosions in a semi-post-apocalyptic plot set in a futuristic "New Tokyo" .

3 'Akira' (1988)

It's a tense and overwhelming watch at times, but the visuals are stunning, and no other film looks or feels quite the same. Akira has earned fame and status in pop culture by demonstrating the unique worlds and visuals that a team of dedicated animators can create.

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"Your Name" is well known for its stunning visuals and gripping storyline, which has won the hearts of moviegoers around the world. Directed by Makoto Shinkai, the film tells The story of two Japanese teenagers named Mitsuha and Taki who live in different parts of the country but start swapping bodies at random. Despite the fact that they never actually met each other, the two eventually found themselves falling in love.

2 'Your Name' (2016)

Japan's lively towns and picturesque countryside are brought to life on screen through the film's beautiful animation. The film's mystical, dreamlike meditation on fate, love, and the distances that separate and bring people together perfectly complements this stunning setting. Your Name is an excellent movie that will inspire and inspire the viewer if they are in the mood for a touching love story.

Ghost in the Shell has had sequels, a TV series, and a live-action American remake, but the original 1995 film remains the best of the bunch. It's about a robot-enhanced police force hunting down a notorious hacker, set in the now-not-so-distant future of 2029.

1 'Ghost in the Shell' (1995)

So what it may lack in accurate predictions of the future, it makes up for in style, the world it creates, and the life it breathes into (on paper) an ordinary "cops vs criminals" storyline. its enduring legacy and facts Its becoming a franchise is a testament to the reliability of the original film, and at only 83 minutes, it's a must-see for anyone looking to get into Japanese animation.

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NEXT: The Greatest Anime Movies Worth Watching Twice