The 2010s brought about a wave of anime content the likes of which have never been seen before. It rarely disappointed when it came to change and innovation within the likes of animation, storytelling, and character, showcasing why the medium and the Japanese sensibility for it compares to no one else.
It's decades like this that makes it even more tantalizing for what the next ten years might hold, and there is plenty to suggest that it will be a good one. Prior to this decade's closing, several players within the anime scene have only given audiences a taste of what's to come.
Some are new players who have made an impact in recent years and are more than ready to hit the ground running in the new decade. Others are old ones who have great projects in the works. And, of course, there has been the arrival of new studios whose staff and creative direction show incredible promise. Here are just 10 of the most enticing studios and directors to look out for within the 2020s.
10 Hayao Miyazaki
Starting off this list is someone whose work all otaku should be well familiar with. Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have helped define the ideal and most ambitious animation experience for their audiences, and their longevity shows that they only have more to give.
Despite teasing retirement every so often, quite a while back, Miyazaki was greenlit a project that he's always wanted to do, with production, as he puts it, that will take as long as it needs to. A feature based on the book of the same name, How Do You Live?, will hopefully enter the ranks of Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away as a beloved Miyazaki work.
9 Studio Ponoc
One of the more direct examples on this list of moving away from studios and traditions of old, Studio Ponoc is the new kid on the block comprised of ex-Ghibli alum looking to make a name on their own.
They've already made waves among the anime community with their breakout feature film, Mary and the Witch's Flower, a majestic film whose clean animation and sense of character truly brought out nostalgic tones of seeing a Miyazaki world for the first time. They've only tested out waters with short films within recent years but are looking to create more ambitious works in the future.
8 Makoto Shinkai
While a growing player within the industry for several years, it was only within the last decade that Makoto Shinkai really made his mark among the community. Shorter features like The Garden of Words and 5 Centimeters Per Second did a great job of condensing the director's deep sense of melancholy and beauty, but it wasn't until his first major feature hit that the world truly learned the name Makoto Shinkai.
Your Name was a breakout hit in every sense of the word, not only showcasing the director's talents at his fullest and most ambitious but also presenting a unique and distinct talent for storytelling, personality, and high production value the likes of which have never been seen since...well...Miyazaki. Shinkai's latest film, Weathering with You, is certainly doing well critically and at the box office. The decade ahead can only be filled with more of this man's sincere voice.
7 Masaaki Yuasa
Veering away from the clean, realism of Makoto Shinkai, Masaaki Yuasa is the other breakout director of the 2010s whose works are anime gems of a different color.
With high caliber works likes Devilman Crybaby, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, and Lu Over the Wall all appearing in quick succession, Yuasa is showing the public that he not only has a distinct talent for unique and expressive animation but that he's also a director who doesn't mind working quite a bit. Riding Your Wave is his latest work to close out the decade, leaving one to wonder what new visual styles Yuasa may bring in the near future.
6 Yuzuru Tachikawa
Moving on to quieter, more refreshing breed to see in the coming decade, Yuzuru Tachikawa is very much a new talent within the industry. While he has several staff roles under his belt, Tachikawa only has a few directorial projects to call his own, although each one is quite a doozy.
While getting to direct the 22nd Detective Conan movie is quite an achievement within its own right, Tachikawa will probably be more remembered for his seminal work with Death Billiards and Death Parade, as well as the stellar animation juggernauts of the last couple years, Mob Psycho 100 and Mob Psycho 100 II.
5 Orange
One of the freshest anime studios of the last decade, Orange has certainly been working to leave its mark within recent years, especially in regards to producing 3DCG projects.
Black Bullet and Dimension W were incredible showings for the studio's action and sci-fi sensibilities, while the likes of Land of the Lustrous and 2019's sleeper hit Beastars demonstrating the studio's talent for unique voices and visual styles. Orange is certainly a studio not to be confused with anyone else, allowing each project it makes to leave fans wanting more.
4 Hiroyasu Ishida
Probably the most "breakout" breakout star on this list, Hiroyasu Ishida has only one feature-length film as of this writing, but it is has made a huge impact among the animation and otaku community.
A film to not only launch Ishida's career but give acclaim to his once (and hopefully no longer) obscure company, Studio Colorido, Penguin Highway stuck with fans and critics alike, delighting with high octane animation and winning the coveted Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation. With one major project under his belt receiving so much love, Ishida has an entire decade to live up to his new reputation.
3 Studio 3Hz
Much like Studio Ponoc, Studio 3Hz is a new anime studio founded by animators defecting from their previous company (in this case, Kinema Citrus). Showing that there's plenty of life to be found in new anime studios, Studio 3Hz has produced quiet hits like Princess Principal and Flip Flappers, as well as helped co-produce Dimension W alongside Orange.
2019 showed that the company is still looking to grow, as the studio released its first feature-length film, Black Fox, a sci-fi/superhero-esque movie seemingly teasing an entire saga of upcoming films. This and many more anime like it are something to look forward to in the company's upcoming works.
2 Naoko Yamada
While Makoto Shinkai and Masaaki Yuasa have been the big names in anime film within recent years and may probably be again in years to come (possibly alongside Miyazaki), there has been one other major director whose works may not only rival theirs but whose influence and prestige may be very much needed given recent events within his home company, Kyoto Animation.
Naoko Yamada is a directing and visual talent whose few projects are filled with impact. This includes beloved, quirky series like Tamako Market or K-On!!, as well as animated, critical darlings Liz and the Blue Bird and A Silent Voice.
1 Studio Durian
Last but not least, Studio Durian is the quietest entry on this list yet it carries the most potential. With only one work yet to come, Studio Durian is the very definition of wait-and-see, yet there is so much promise within the "see." Founded by Kiyotaka Oshiyama, whose line of animation experience includes Gurren Lagann, Flip Flappers, Space Dandy, and the FLCL sequels, Studio Durian is a studio promising early on to support innovation and new ideas within the industry.
The company even goes as far as to offer a professional "correction" service for developing artists. While it has yet to be seen whether these lofty ambitions and ideals will bear any fruit, it's better to stay optimistic for any and all new developments to come within the wonderful and changing world of anime.