Best Anime Movies (Updated: October 2025)

The best anime movies have inspired creators and influenced hundreds of productions. Odds are, you’ll recognize some of the famous scenes from the films below from how often they’ve been adapted and referenced in other works. These are much-watch movies, not only for anime fans but for anyone who loves cinema.

Best anime movies as of 2025

There are a ton of anime movies, but only a select few have been elevated to national treasures. These films went on to transcend their Japanese origin. They became known worldwide for their high-quality animation and poignant stories. Movies like Akira and Ghost in the Shell were key in anime gaining a foothold in the West and directly contributed to its popularity today. Others, like Your Name, became global sensations, bringing in attention and profits comparable to a Hollywood blockbuster.

Akira

Released in 1988, Akira is set in a dystopian 2019 Neo-Tokyo, a city still recovering 31 years after the government dropped an atomic bomb following failed experiments on children. The film was made during a time when the anti-hero was the character to follow, so there’s plenty of ambiguity throughout. Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang, sets out to rescue his friend from a secret government project. But soon, he discovers that his own latent psychic powers are emerging. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, the film features plenty of nuclear devastation, dangerous genetic experiments, and an epic battle that exposes the government’s secrets.

Beyond being an incredible film on its own, Akira played a huge role in introducing anime to Western audiences. It’s almost impossible to watch it without being blown away by the animation. The detailed drawings, the lighting, the movement, everything is exceptional. Pair that with heavy adult themes, and it’s easy to see why Akira has influenced countless filmmakers and animators ever since.

Ghost in the Shell

Easily one of the best anime movies, Ghost in the Shell can be tough to follow at first. No shade if it takes you a second to get into. But stay along for the ride, because it’s worth it. 

Released in 1995 by animation studio Production I.G., Ghost in the Shell was directed by Mamoru Oshii, with a screenplay by Kazunori Ito based on Masamune Shirow’s 1989 manga. Set in a futuristic, fictional New Port City circa 2029, cybernetic enhancements and AI have advanced enough to blur the line between humans and machines. The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetic government agent whose brain is human but body completely artificial, as she hunts a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master.

Ghost in the Shell has had a massive influence on both anime and global pop culture. Its style and themes dig deep into the intersections of technology, reality, politics, and consciousness — think Dark City and The Matrix. Even decades later, it’s still a mind-bending classic. Personal take, but skip the 2017 adaptation.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Here’s undoubtedly the most heartwarming movie on our list, but maybe one of the most feel-good movies ever. And no, it’s not just for kids. Hayao Miyazaki is a legend for a reason.

Kiki is a thirteen-year-old witch who sets out to spend a year alone, as is tradition for her witch training. Along with her familiar, a black cat named Jiji, she takes her mother’s old broomstick and finds her way to a seaside village. There, she ends up working at a bakery. Once she’s got a knack for flying her broomstick, she starts delivering bread for the bakery. Kiki works incredibly hard and soon faces the monster that hits all of us — sadness. Or is it burnout? Who can tell the difference, really, but the girl loses her powers. The story then follows her journey to rediscover the source of her magic.

Released in 1989, Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of those feel-good coming-of-age stories about self-discovery and perseverance. Decades later, this anime film remains a classic. It’s this writer’s go-to Halloween film when I’m looking for an animated movie that won’t creep me out like Coraline.

Grave of the Fireflies

Taking a turn to the darker side of Studio Ghibli, it’s impossible to talk about Japanese culture without acknowledging the atomic bombings in WWII and the lasting impact they’ve had. Grave of the Fireflies, released in 1988, is heartbreaking to watch. It goes far, far beyond any safety usually found in animated films.

Not only is Grave of the Fireflies one of the best anime films ever made, but it is also one of the most powerful war films featuring children as the primary characters, ranking alongside The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Really, I have no difficulty comparing this to Schindler’s List, and I wouldn’t be the first to do so. The film shows that anime isn’t limited to sci-fi and fantasy, but can take on painful, universally essential stories too. Even Robert Ebert said this film is “an emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation.” He goes on to say that while some animated films inspire tears, directly referencing Bambi and The Lion King, they don’t inspire grief. Grave of the Fireflies, however, is very different. 

Directed by Isao Takahata, Grave of the Fireflies follows a brother and sister, two young war orphans, as they struggle to survive in the final days of World War II in 1945.

Your Name

Your Name is a romantic fantasy anime movie from CoMix Wave Studio that tells the story of two teenagers who mysteriously swap bodies. At first, the body-swap trope plays out with plenty of comedy, which checks out when two teens suddenly have to navigate each other’s lives. But it’s not all freaky-Friday. However, this strangeness quickly becomes something deeper as the cosmic connection grows. Soon, Mitshua and Taki find out that their bond isn’t just random, but tied to a catastrophic event. What starts as a lighthearted body-swap premise turns into a time-bending, reality-warping journey about love and destiny.

Visually, the film is breathtaking, with Makoto Shinkai’s signature detail-rich animation providing a contrasting duality between bustling Tokyo and the quiet countryside. Both are beautiful, but feel incredibly different. When you watch it, you’ll know why Shinkai has become one of the most important names in modern animation. Your Name struck such a chord worldwide that it became the second-highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, surpassing even Spirited Away in international box office numbers.

How we chose the best anime movies

We tried our best to pick movies that are fan and critic favorites, while covering multiple genres, so there’s something here for everyone. We also pulled in work from different studios and directors you should know, because half the fun of getting into anime movies is learning who made them and seeing their style show up again and again. But again, this is only five of too many to count. There’s so much more!