Without exaggeration, Paprika is among the most distinctive and engrossing animated films you will ever see. A psychological suspense thriller that pits a "dream terrorist" against a "dream detective," it leaves you feeling as though you are in the best possible fever dream.
Perception, fame, obsession, and identity performance. With his directing debut, Perfect Blue, Kon established himself as one of the most inventive minds in anime and film history. Don't read too many reviews of this movie. Simply watch it.
Although there are many excellent animated short films, Memories is made up of three shorter films, therefore it may be considered cheating to have it on this list. Nevertheless, we believe that the three's cohesiveness justifies their inclusion. To put it plainly, very few animated films, regardless of their origins or traditions, can match the spectacle of these three.
A fitting movie conclusion to a cherished anime television series that honoured the preferences of its viewers? Or a wholly deceptive, rebellious, and possibly mocking depiction of the very anime culture that preceded and subsequently influenced the show? Hard to say. But in any case, a masterwork.
We mean it when we say that the movie is a gut-punch—in the greatest manner conceivable. This film has been included on several lists, such as the greatest war films, and because of its rich cinematic history, it is considered to be among the greatest films ever made, not just anime.
One of Miyazaki's most artistically striking films, it's a masterful fusion of science fiction, fantasy, and environmentalism, but it has plenty of competition for that distinction.
Perhaps Miyazaki's most politically charged film to date, Princess Mononoke is an environmentalist epic that shows a brutal battle between people inflicting harm on the ecosystem and the forest gods.
Numerous themes from Miyazaki's career are captured in his most well-known work, Spirited Away, including the gap between childhood and adulthood, the cost of consumerism and greed, and the loneliness of time. It is a counterpoint to the conflict-based structure of western storytelling as well as an escape game unto itself.
There might not be a more significant science fiction film in the annals of cinema history. Perhaps the first movie to truly address AI as a historical need rather than just a villainous story device is Ghost in the Shell. The film is recognised by the Wachowski siblings for influencing the fundamental ideas and plot points of The Matrix, a sci-fi movie that revolutionised the genre.
Akira earns the top spot not just for its historical impact and exceptional animation, but for its profound exploration of nuclear anxiety and prescient warnings about technology. It remains unmatched in its significance and quality.