Anime movies have long been a mainstay in the media market. Whether it's films building upon pre-existing worlds or completely original creations, these works are pervasive and engaging. Unlike the typical animated films associations with children-focused media, anime films cater to a wide array of audiences, from the old to the young. Some anime even become popular enough to warrant full live-action reboots and recreations, though the success of these endeavors has been mixed.
Across the past ten years, lots of anime films have come out, varying widely in their subject matter and target viewers, with some being definite masterpieces that entwine beautiful animation with complex themes and ideas. Here we've narrowed it down to the best ten anime movies of the past decade, ranked according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 The Secret World Of Arrietty (95%)
This Studio Ghibli film is a family-friendly feature that follows the lives of Arrietty and her parents, a tiny family that lives in the narrow spaces of a human garden. This small group borrows supplies from humans to eke out a living, going undiscovered till the arrival of young Shou, who strikes up a friendship with Arrietty.
This movie takes a slow pace, luxuriating in shots that explore the rich world and nuances of how Arrietty and her family traverse the large human house around them. Like other Ghibli films, art and music are excellently done, creating a beautiful film that everyone can enjoy.
9 Promare (96%)
Promare is an action-packed film from Studio Trigger, who are the creators of other hectically paced works like Kill la Kill and Inferno Cop. In this movie, the city of Promepolis, with the aid of a team of firefighters, must continuously fight off the randomly-appearing flame mutants that plague their world.
Our main character, Galo Thymos is a recent recruit into the firefighting squad who sets out on a quest to find out the true cause behind the mutants. The aesthetic of the film is simultaneously simple and intricately detailed, enabling a fluid animation style and fast pace which carries viewers through its world. All in all, it's an awesome ride from start to finish.
8 In This Corner Of The World (97%)
This historical drama captures the feel and essence of living in Japan during World War II. The main character Suzu Urano is a young girl that loves to draw and who initially lives on the outskirts of the city of Hiroshima before marrying a man in the port town of Kure.
This story covers the time before the war, slowly progressing over the years and following our protagonist's life as the conflict inches ever closer to her homeland. As a film, it offers a unique and heart-wrenching perspective on one of the world's biggest wars and is one that shouldn't be missed.
7 Your Name (98%)
Your Name is a fresh take on the body-swapping genre of films that mixes in romance and fate. It's two leads, Mitsuha Miyamizu, the girl in the countryside, and Taki Tachibana, the city boy, find themselves swapping bodies on a periodic basis.
The film follows the pair as they attempt to solve the riddle behind this occurrence and as they search for one another in real life. The tragic idea of a hopeless and distant love along with visually lush scenery makes for an enthralling tale that might extract a tear from even the most stoic of filmgoers.
6 Weathering With You (98%)
This film is another creation from the mind of talented director Makoto Shinkai, known for works like 5 Centimeters Per Second and the aforementioned Your Name. In this movie, Tokyo is plagued with a series of disruptive rain showers.
When the two leads, Hodaka Morishima and Hina Amano meet it is revealed that Hina can summon the sun when she prays for it, which gradually leads into a plot that is at times fantastical and at other times surprisingly grounded. The story here is rooted in the characters, their interactions and how they develop throughout the film - and it all works to excellent effect.
5 Penguin Highway (100%)
A surreal mystery is at the core of this film. One that the fourth-grader Aoyama finds himself pulled into when a flock of penguins suddenly appears in his hometown. Applying the scientific method, he begins to research the penguins and finds that they are coming from a woman at his dentist's office, but this is only the start of his journey.
This coming-of-age tale follows Aoyama and his friends as they research this phenomenon, with a sense of eccentric wholesomeness and philosophical depth that makes for an engaging and thoughtful watch.
4 Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (100%)
Kirito and his friends return for Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale. In this adventure, they are pulled into the world of the popular game Ordinal Scale, available on a new augmented reality platform called the Augma. Like other entries in this series, things are not as they initially appear, with a hidden villain that is introduced as the plot progresses.
Naturally, Kirito and gang are pulled in, resulting in the over the top action scenes and high octane fights that Sword Art Online is known for. Overall, this film is a definite treat for fans of the series.
3 My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (100%)
This is another movie that builds off a pre-existing franchise, this time acting as an expansion on the world of My Hero Academia. In My Hero Academia: Two Heroes Izuku Midoriya accompanies his teacher All Might to a superhero convention on I-Island, an area dedicated to researching quirks and heroes.
Things take a step towards calamity when a group of villains attacks and chaos ensues as heroes step up to stop them. This movie, like the show, centers around its action setpieces and they don't disappoint. Viewers are also given insight into the life of All Might, giving the film a sprinkling of character development that rounds it all out.
2 Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms (100%)
Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms is a dramatic fantasy adventure that follows Maquia, an ageless being who longs to see the outside world but is instead sequestered within her clan's home. Destruction is next on the list, as the kingdom of Mezarte invades their homeland in a bid to gain her race's immortality.
Eventually, Maquia is left alone with nothing but a human baby who she decides to raise. The movie explores this mother-son bond in-depth, dealing with heavy themes of family, self-actualization, and suicide. It's a piece mired in enough drama and emotion to possibly touch the hearts of even the most cynical viewers and is a film that should not be missed.
1 The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (100%)
The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya is another Studio Ghibli film that makes the list. It follows a bamboo cutter, his wife and the mysterious baby they find within the forest. This baby comes to be known as Kaguya and the story follows her from the small village of her youth to the mansion within the capital she and her family come to inhabit as they attempt to turn Kaguya into the princess they believe she is destined to become.
This visually beautiful film boasts a surprising depth to its plot and takes unexpected story turns that make it a unique gem that can be appreciated by all.