It's never been a more exciting time to be an anime fan when there are hundreds of new series released each year. Anime series have an excellent capacity to connect with audiences because they can run for many years and hundreds of episodes. Many of the most popular anime series celebrate their success with feature films that present a greater level of spectacle.
There are several different strategies that anime movies adopt, whether they're meant to be frivolous stories that don't connect to the larger canon of the franchise or compilation films that repackage the events of the anime series in a condensed form. However, there are also anime movies that actively contribute to the anime's story and are essential to the experience.
10 Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Presents The Heroes With Their Greatest Challenge Yet
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is the breakout shonen anime of the past few years and the series' lovable characters, stunning animation, and exciting battle choreography have helped it gain a huge following. Mugen Train is a movie that presents a concise story where Tanjiro and his Demon Slayer friends take on a formidable demon while confined to a train.
Mugen Train is one of the most successful anime feature films of all time. The movie certainly doesn't feel lacking, yet it's a surprise that the first seven episodes of Demon Slayer's second season are spent adapting the events of Mugen Train. It makes the powerful movie feel extraneous.
9 The End Of Evangelion Throws The World Into Chaos & Celebrates The Birth Of Destruction
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a challenging mecha series that grapples with depression, identity, grief, and some truly abnormal monsters that threaten the planet's future. Evangelion grows more obtuse and existential as it goes on and its final episodes, while deeply ambitious, left audiences bitter and without satisfying closure.
The follow-up film, The End of Evangelion, functions as the series' coda and brings this trippy anime to a close. For years The End of Evangelion was considered the definitive ending to the series, but the quadrilogy of Rebuild of Evangelion films create a new continuity that can also be viewed as Evangelion's true, canonical ending.
8 Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door Is A No Frills Suspense Story
A common problem that many popular anime series face is that they wrap up a conclusive note, like with the death of a major character, which makes continuing the story practically impossible. Cowboy Bebop produces 26 episodes of pure magic that entertain many contrasting genres and sensibilities.
The prospect of a Cowboy Bebop greatly excited audiences and Knockin' on Heaven's Door works its way into the series' canon by taking place before the anime's last episode. Knockin' on Heaven’s Door focuses on a dangerous biological terrorist with Mars as its backdrop. It's the perfect extra dose of this enthralling universe.
7 Dragon Ball Super: Broly Brings A Fan-Favorite Juggernaut Into The Canon
Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball has established a prolific legacy over the course of multiple decades and the series has celebrated dozens of movies since the start of its run. Curiously, the majority of Dragon Ball Z's movies exist outside of canon or are intentionally ambiguous with their chronology.
The series' latest saga, Dragon Ball Super, rectifies this situation with its first film, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which directly continues the anime series' story. Fans have been eager for non-canonical movie villains to properly make their way into Dragon Ball. Broly, as well as the upcoming Super Hero, have finally made this a reality.
6 Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion Questions If Peace Is Ever Possible
The magical girl genre is plentiful in anime but there are subversive programs like Puella Magi Madoka Magica that use the cheerful and friendly trappings of the genre as a bold way to deconstruct dark themes. Madoka Magica equates the transformation into a magical girl with a death sentence.
The first two Madoka Magica movies recap the events of the series, but the third film, Rebellion, functions as a proper conclusion. Rebellion leaves Homura and the other magical girls in a frayed reality where happiness might still be possible. Rebellion is a strong finish, but a 10th-anniversary film, Walpurgisnacht: Rising, is set to definitively end the series.
5 Gintama: The Very Final Brings The Odd Jobs Crew To A Close
Gintama recently wrapped up its run of more than 350 episodes and it's one of the absolute best shonen series when it comes to hilarious absurdist humor and emotional, moving melodrama. The difficulty of how to properly end Gintama becomes a bit of a running joke in the series.
Gintama's first movie recaps an arc from the series and the second movie tells an original story, but one that's more standalone in nature. Alternatively, Gintama: The Very Final is designed to finally end the series as Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura take on the immortal Utsuro to bring stability back to the universe.
4 Made In Abyss: Dawn Of The Deep Soul Descends Further Into The Belly Of The Beast
The tragic events in Made in Abyss hit even harder since the adventure begins with such optimism and bright aesthetics. Riko, a young orphan girl, is determined to be a master Cave Raider. She befriends a boy robot named Reg and the two descend deeper into unknown territory.
There are two Made in Abyss movies that cover the events of the anime's 13 episodes, but the third film, Dawn of the Deep Soul, functions as a proper extension of the story. Dawn of the Deep Soul focuses on the toxic relationship between Nanachi and the sadistic Bondrewd, which is some of the series' most moving content.
3 Osomatsu-San: The Movie Pushes The Slacker Sextuplets Towards Their Futures
There are an abundance of gag anime series out there but few are as fearless and surreal as Osomatsu-San. The adult update of the Osomatsu-Kun anime from the 1960s and '80s is a hilarious examination of lethargy that gleefully lampoons other anime series and pop culture staples.
There are three seasons of the anime and its first movie, Osomatsu-San: The Movie, specifically examines whether the Matsuno sextuplets will ever mature into productive members of society. At least two more Osomatsu-San movies are on the way and cinematic endeavors might be the anime's future.
2 Trigun: Badlands Rumble Salutes The Series' Action
Trigun is an iconic '90s action anime that establishes a mythic gunslinger and then properly strips down the legend to show the real man that's behind these heightened theatrics. Trigun: Badlands Rumble was released more than a decade after Trigun's conclusion and it's a film that turns back the clock on the anime's chaotic universe.
Badlands Rumble tells a simplistic story that pits a group of deadly bounty hunters against each other while they all fight for the same target. The movie's plot takes place between episodes 10 and 12 of Trigun, which means that the story is somewhat disposable but still a proper part of the canon.
1 Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Draws Eerie Parallels To Yuji Itadori & His Jujutsu Crew
Jujutsu Kaisen's blend of the action and horror genres has created a deeply engaging story as Yuji Itadori attempts to refine his burgeoning jujutsu sorcery skills in a world that's filled with terrifying Curses.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 functions as a prequel, but the film's focus on Yuta and the Curse that accompanies him expands the series' world in enlightening ways. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a satisfying addition to the anime. It also looks as if the characters from the film will show up later in the anime, making the movie an even more vital piece of canon.