#‘s 26-30: Makoto Shinkai is a director of anime who has very recently been getting wide notice not just in Japan, but America as well and with good reason.It will also make you think of Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You” in a new way forevermore. It is an emotionally powerful film that must be seen. He either made abortions or masterpieces (more of the former unfortunately). It is directed by Rintaro who is a notoriously love or hate anime creator. #25: Metropolis: Although not a Katsuhiro Otomo project outright (he only wrote the screenplay) he is the one usually brought up first when referring to this adaptation of the God of Anime/Manga’s (aka Osamu Tezuka) original manga of the same name.Now that is all he will be giving us, so unless he shows that he can make a decent live-action film he might be better off returning to his animated endeavors. If there is one thing that I think can be said with certainty, it is that live-action is not Oshii’s medium and every time he visited it, he fell on his face. Stick only with his animated films and completely ignore his live-action films. Also worth mentioning is that it is the film that directly inspired The Wachowskis to create The Matrix (to the point that they screened this film for potential studios saying they wanted to make something a live action equivalent of Ghost in the Shell). To go off on Ghost in the Shell for a minute it was the next big hit in America after Akira dominated American culture.
Anyway, Oshii is a firm believer of the “show not tell” philosophy of filmmaking, the end result of this being some of the most visually sumptuous and thought-provoking anime films ever made. I say was, because in recent years he has completely sworn off anime and has retreated purely to live-action. #‘s 17-24: Once upon a time, Mamoru Oshii was one of the most visually innovative creators in the anime industry.One of the few undeniable masterpieces of anime and a must-see by anyone who appreciates film beyond the notion of it being simple entertainment. This kicked off the first true generation of anime fandom in North America. It also introduced the world to the name of Katsuhiro Otomo who is still a beast to some extent in the industry. #16: Akira: If ever there were an anime film that kicked off the idea that anime weren’t stupid cartoons as most Americans are likely to believe, this is it.These films were made under the talents of Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and more. The following are explanations as to why these works made the list. Here are some explanations and context as to why the entries are there.
I hope you all find this list useful happy viewing!
Full disclosure: some of these choices are on here for historical purposes, because, like with any thoughtful analysis of a given medium, it is important to call attention to markers in the history of Japanese animation for the purposes of comparing stages in the development of a medium. That said, you should still see them regardless because you might be depriving yourself of having an enriching experience. With each film, your mileage may vary, and you might or might not like some or any of these films. With few exceptions, films from an anime franchise will, for the most part, be omitted. The anime films on this list are ones that have been chosen because of how universal the themes in them are and how easy it is to get sucked into them.
Anime is a medium, much like how paintings, live-action film, or photography are other mediums of art. Many make the sin of calling it a genre, which is false in every conceivable way. Most people either have a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what anime is.