As streaming services like HBO Max tried to scale and appeal to more fans, they entered the anime market and made classic anime movies easily available for fans to watch. HBO Max has dramatically expanded the amount of content available, so we can’t afford to miss out on this important audience.
It wasn’t that long ago that anime lovers had trouble finding their favorite shows and movies online, or that there was such a big stigma against anime content that it was taken seriously. Thankfully, that’s changed: HBO is a company that has been ahead of its time in many ways, providing anime fans with great movies.
Updated December 31, 2022 by Sage Ashford: HBO Max isn’t the service it once was, but it still has a huge amount of anime in its library. Those looking for great anime movies to check out can find tons of incredible content available there. .
My Neighbor Totoro is a gentle exploration of childhood magic
Director Hayao Miyazaki and production company Studio Ghibli have become synonymous with anime excellence. Their films are timeless classics, portraying realism in every facial expression, background detail, and food, while still possessing a sense of magic and wonder.
No movie better exemplifies the magic of Ghibli’s childhood My Neighbor Totoro, the story of two girls who befriend the spirits of an enchanted forest. It’s a movie that nourishes the soul.
Spirited Away explores the realm of the spirit
Another film that magnificently showcases the legacy and influence of Studio Ghibli is spirited away. like My Neighbor Totorothe main character of the film is a girl who meets a magical spirit.
In this case, Chihiro is trapped in the spirit world and encounters all sorts of gods in her efforts to save her parents, who have turned into pigs. The film feels like a love letter to the Shinto tradition, presenting nature and spirit on their own terms and asking important questions about human nature.
Animatrix adapts a classic series
after initial success matrix The film, Wachowski expanded the franchise to include two sequels, numerous video games, and an animated set matrix universe. This last one is very apt, as one of the reasons for the original film’s success was its ability to adapt its anime style and action sequences into live action.
Animatrix It consists of a series of short vignettes, each a separate story, matrixA larger epic story of the war between humans and machines and the events leading up to it matrix reloadedAll of the different stories have their own tone, both in writing and animation style, and each is meant to resonate with the audience in its own way.
Castle in the Sky is a classic steampunk movie.
Another excellent movie from Studio Ghibli, castle in the sky First released in 1986. In this alternate historical world, two young teenagers attempt to find Laputa, the legendary castle in the sky. But he has one problem. Sheeta is being hunted by the government for a special crystal amulet she carries. The government also wants to find a way to Laputa.
Studio Ghibli’s first film, castle in the sky Established a studio as a force in the anime industry. More than that, these days Steam is considered a classic among his punk creators and fans.
Promare gracefully covers social topics
This mecha anime is pure robot fighting fun, but it’s one of the most amazingly deep and moving movies released in 2019, once again raising the bar for the mecha genre. With a stunning psychedelic color palette and a blend of classic 2D animation and new digital 3D animation, the film is visually stunning. It is also emotionally resonant and politically relevant.
Set in the distant future, promare It follows Galo Thymos, an arrogant but idealistic young man who puts out the fires raging through the city while battling a group of arsonists called the Mad Burnish. After capturing Burnish leader Lio Fortia, he is forced to confront his own assumptions about everything he believes in. promare It does a great job of addressing everything from climate change to the helpless anger people feel about living in a broken world that doesn’t know how to change.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind focuses on humanity’s struggle to survive on a hostile Earth
In 1984, Hayao Miyazaki made a film that influenced the animation industry for generations. Based on his own cartoon Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth. After mankind destroyed the Earth with nuclear weapons, only a few humans remained, and those present in the environment became toxic to humans due to their own actions.
The main character is Nausicaä, a girl who lives in the peaceful valley of the wind. Her peaceful life is disrupted and the Kingdom of Torumekia appears, aiming to find a weapon capable of destroying the toxic jungle invading Earth. Decades later, it’s still considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time.
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a fun scene in life
For obvious reasons, witches have always been some of the most magical characters in all kinds of fiction, from ancient folktales to modern television dramas. Kiki’s Delivery Service follows a storied character named a witch who makes deliveries with a broom.
Accompanied by her adorable black cat Jiji, Kiki operates outside Koriko City, interacting with various residents, including an aviation-obsessed boy named Dragonfly. Sadness and vulnerability make her a truly relatable character as she travels not only through the city, but through adulthood.
Weathering With You is a beautiful romantic movie
Dear Makoto Shinkai, Weathering with you is a visually stunning animated film with a bittersweet romance that features elements of magic in an otherwise grounded world. The stage of the story is Hodaka Morishima, a first-year high school student, who goes to Tokyo to build her own life. While there, Hodaka meets Hina, a girl who has the power to make the sun shine when Tokyo is hit by heavy rain.
Hodaka and Hina form a connection, but Hodaka encourages her to use her powers and become the “Sun Girl”. .
The story of Princess Kaguya is based on a folktale
The story of Princess Kaguya Based on a Japanese folktale Taketori story, The story begins when a man cutting bamboo in the forest finds a baby girl hidden in the bamboo and adopts it. It has a classic fairy tale feel, enhanced by the animation’s unique artistic style, reminiscent of brush-painted Japanese paintings with watercolor effects.
As a girl grows into a woman, she is driven by deep pain and longing, driven by moral convictions. Interestingly, this is the most expensive Japanese film ever made.
Howl’s Moving Castle explores the horrors of war
Many of the classic tropes of great Ghibli films howl’s moving castleThe young female protagonist befriends a mysterious boy. In this case, there is a magical spirit that is an animated scarecrow called Turnip Head. A world of magic and old traditions collides with modern mechanization and sensibility.
Despite this common DNA, howl’s moving castle is unique and in many ways stands apart from Hayao Miyazaki’s earlier work. His focus shifts from nature and spirituality to themes of war and pacifism. His one of the biggest reasons this film was made was Miyazaki’s opposition to the Iraq War. Specifically, it was to reach American audiences and make them reflect with displeasure on the nature of war.
Whipser Of The Heart centers around teens striving for goals
whisper of the heart It’s not as talked about as some of Miyazaki’s other films, but it’s a shame because it’s a great movie. The film focuses on Shizuku Tsukishima, a young writer still in middle school. After noticing people checking out her book, she meets a boy named Seiji Amasawa.
From there, whisper of the heart It focuses on the passion of the two main characters. Shizuku wants to be a writer, while Seiji wants to be a master at violin making. whisper of the heart It shows the sacrifice that comes with truly devoting yourself to something.
Bringing the early 20th century to life as the wind rises
Based on the life of Japanese engineer Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the fighter planes used in World War II. the wind rises A story of hope and failure. Beautifully animated visuals that bring the early 20th century to life, his storytelling masterpiece.
A retired Hayao Miyazaki was born to make this movie. It’s about how Horikoshi’s desire to build airplanes as beautiful machines was distorted by forces beyond his control. Director Miyazaki often draws flying machines in his movies. the wind rises It recontextualizes airborne vehicles within a historical framework where the magic and tropes of airborne vehicles are subverted by ugly realities.
Batman Ninja shows DC still knows how to have fun with its characters
Batman has always been kind of a ninja, so this movie makes more sense than it seems at first glance.In 2018, DC released Batman Ninja. Directed by Junpei Mizusaki and animated by Studio Kamikaze Douga. In the film, the fight against Gorilla Grodd takes many of Gotham’s most dangerous villains and greatest heroes to the distant past of feudal Japan.
Once there, Batman discovers that the Joker is trying to take over feudal Japan and has already built an entire clan of warriors around his name. Batman will battle not only the Joker, but some of Arkham’s most dangerous villains in hopes of returning to the present.
Princess Mononoke is Miyazaki’s masterpiece
Princess Mononoke It was ahead of its time. It has been called Hayao Miyazaki’s best film, which is no small feat considering that almost all of the director’s incredible works are considered masterpieces. The story is about the conflict between human communities destroying the natural world to gather the resources they need for survival and expansion, and nature’s violent resistance.
Princess Mononoke It’s not a children’s movie. It has the violence and potency to show the cruelty of human industrialization and the relentless power of nature. There are no villains. There are different sides with different needs and different people with unique perspectives. Princess Mononoke It’s a movie about facing inevitable real-world conflicts through magic and metaphor. nevertheless, Mononoke It manages to fit into a moving forbidden romance tale.
Countless animated movies inspired by Seven Samurai
seven samurai is not an anime movie, but most anime fans will certainly love this classic.Masterpiece of Akira Kurosawa seven samurai It is the source of inspiration for literally hundreds (if not thousands) of anime.
Its influence cannot be overemphasized. seven samurai I have. Its influence can be seen directly or indirectly in almost every samurai anime ever made. From his team of seven warriors united for a cause to many famous battle scenes, everything has been recreated time and time again by Japanese studios and Hollywood. The fight scenes have stood the test of time, and the story even more so.those who haven’t seen it should watch it seven samurai Soon, and anyone who sees it will definitely want to watch it again.
