Lists
14 Best Anime Movies of All Time, From Spirited Away to Your Name
The anime films worth watching even if you've never watched anime: Studio Ghibli classics, Makoto Shinkai favourites and modern blockbusters.
DailyMovieHub TeamEditorial team4 min read
Anime films are a great way into Japanese animation, because you don't need to commit to hundreds of episodes. Each film here tells a full story in about two hours.
We mixed gentle family films, emotional romances and a few darker classics for adults. Look for the notes on who each one is for.
1. Spirited Away (2001)
★ 8.52h 5mAnimation · Family · FantasyJapanese
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · Starring Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino
A girl stumbles into a world of spirits and has to work in a bathhouse for gods to save her parents. Hayao Miyazaki's film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and is still the best starting point for anime.
For: everyone, ages 8 and up.
2. Your Name. (2016)
★ 8.51h 46mAnimation · Romance · DramaJapanese
Directed by Makoto Shinkai · Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi
A city boy and a country girl start waking up in each other's bodies, and then the switching suddenly stops. Makoto Shinkai's romance turns into something much bigger, and the visuals are breathtaking.
For: teens and adults who like romance with a twist.
3. Princess Mononoke (1997)
★ 8.32h 14mAdventure · Fantasy · AnimationJapanese
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · Starring Yoji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida
A young prince cursed by a demon travels west and finds himself in a war between a mining town and the gods of the forest. Miyazaki's most epic film, with no simple heroes or villains.
For: older kids and adults. It has some violence.
4. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
★ 8.51h 29mAnimation · Drama · WarJapanese
Directed by Isao Takahata · Starring Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi
Two siblings try to survive on their own in Japan at the end of World War II. Isao Takahata's film is beautiful and devastating, and many people say they love it but can never watch it again.
For: adults. Keep tissues nearby.
5. A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)
★ 8.42h 9mAnimation · Drama · RomanceJapanese
Directed by Naoko Yamada · Starring Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami
A former school bully tries to make amends with the deaf girl he tormented years earlier. A careful, moving film about guilt, loneliness and second chances from Kyoto Animation.
6. Akira (1988)
★ 7.92h 4mAnimation · Science Fiction · ActionJapanese
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo · Starring Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki
In a rebuilt Tokyo, a biker gang member gains terrifying psychic powers after an accident. Katsuhiro Otomo's film changed how the world saw animation, and its influence is everywhere in sci-fi today.
For: adults. Very violent.
7. Perfect Blue (1998)
★ 8.31h 21mAnimation · ThrillerJapanese
Directed by Satoshi Kon · Starring Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto
A pop idol becomes an actress and starts to lose track of what is real as a stalker closes in. Satoshi Kon's psychological thriller is still one of the most unsettling animated films ever made.
For: adults who like thrillers.
8. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
★ 8.41h 59mFantasy · Animation · AdventureJapanese
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · Starring Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura
A young hat-maker is cursed into an old woman's body and finds refuge in the walking castle of a vain wizard. Romantic, funny and full of wonderful creatures.
For: the whole family.
9. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
★ 8.11h 26mFantasy · Animation · FamilyJapanese
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · Starring Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto
Two sisters move to the countryside and meet friendly forest spirits, including the big, fluffy Totoro. There is no villain at all, just warmth.
For: young children, and adults who need a gentle film.
10. Wolf Children (2012)
★ 8.21h 57mAnimation · Family · DramaJapanese
Directed by Mamoru Hosoda · Starring Aoi Miyazaki, Takao Osawa
A young mother raises two children who can turn into wolves, and has to let them choose who they want to be. Mamoru Hosoda's film is one of the best films about parenting, animated or not.
11. Suzume (2022)
★ 7.92h 2mAnimation · Drama · AdventureJapanese
Directed by Makoto Shinkai · Starring Nanoka Hara, Hokuto Matsumura
A teenage girl travels across Japan closing mysterious doors that unleash disasters, with a talking three-legged chair at her side. Shinkai again: big emotions and gorgeous skies.
12. The Boy and the Heron (2023)
★ 7.42h 4mAnimation · Fantasy · DramaJapanese
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · Starring Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda
A boy grieving his mother follows a talking heron into a strange world. Miyazaki's most personal film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
For: older kids and adults. Dreamlike and not always easy to follow, in a good way.
13. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020)
★ 8.21h 57mAnimation · Action · FantasyJapanese
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki · Starring Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kito
Tanjiro and his friends board a train where people keep disappearing. The film continues the hit TV series and became the highest-grossing film in Japanese box office history.
Watch season one of the series first.
14. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
★ 7.91h 23mAction · Animation · Science FictionJapanese
Directed by Mamoru Oshii · Starring Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Otsuka
A cyborg police officer hunts a mysterious hacker and starts questioning what makes her human. A major influence on The Matrix and many other sci-fi films.
For: adults who like big ideas.
How we picked
We chose films that are complete stories on their own, that most viewers rate highly, and that show the range of anime, from Studio Ghibli family films to adult thrillers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best anime movie for beginners? Spirited Away, then Your Name.
Are Studio Ghibli films suitable for kids? Most are. My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle are great for young children; Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke are better for older viewers.
Should I watch anime dubbed or subtitled? Both are fine. Ghibli's English dubs are especially well made.
Ratings, runtimes and streaming availability come from TMDB and JustWatch and update automatically. Availability differs by country.