Part of what makes anime such a beloved medium is its sheer variety. There are hundreds of new anime series that debut each year, which makes the presence of anime feature films a bit more of a special occasion. Anime movies aren’t always of a higher quality than television series, but the stories that they explore can often hit harder due to their shorter runtimes.
An increasingly popular format of storytelling is the anthology, whether it’s on television or through feature films. Anime has been experimenting with anthology movies for decades, and there are some incredible titles that need to be seen.
10 The Animatrix Beautifully Expands Upon The Wachowskis’ World In Inspired Ways
The Matrix was ahead of the curve in many ways, and it helped set a new standard for both science fiction storytelling and special effects. The Animatrix, an anthology collection of nine anime shorts that further explore different corners of The Matrix universe, was also groundbreaking for its time. It’s the type of medium-defying project that’s much more common now. The Wachowskis have been inspired by anime in a lot of their work, so it feels fitting for the medium to provide its own unique slant on the science fiction behemoth.
9 Memories Is A Methodical Collection Of Somber Stories By Anime Masters
Memories presents a trio of contrasting science fiction stories, and the 1995 film is still considered one of the very best anime anthology movies, headlined by Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator of Akira. Otomo is responsible for writing two of the segments and directing one of them, but Satoshi Kon of Perfect Blue fame also writes the script for the striking "Magnetic Rose" segment. All of the segments present some fascinating tech-based ideas and even "Stink Bomb," the weakest of the three stories, presents some compelling ideas and strong animation.
8 Robot Carnival Celebrates Mankind’s Mechanical Companions
Robot Carnival is an especially impressive anime anthology film from the late 1980s that pulls together nine eclectic stories. Robots are an extremely versatile subject matter and the different shorts cover a wide array of genres and genuinely have their own voices.
Some of the entries in Robot Carnival feel more forgettable than others, but they all look gorgeous and are noteworthy since many of the talented indivudiuals who worked on the anthology movie were still in the infancy of their careers at the time.
7 Genius Party Pushes The Limits Of Animation And Will Open The Mind
Genius Party is as good as it gets when it comes to anime anthology movies, and it's a true visual spectacle. Genius Party doesn't restrict itself to a thematic link between its seven stories, and it instead just allows some incredible talent to do whatever they want. Some of this decade’s most impressive anime talent like Masaaki Yuasa, Shinichiro Watanabe, and Mahiro Maeda contribute to some of Genius Party's best segments. Genius Party Beyond features another five compelling feats of animation and the subject matter varies between coming of age milestones, zombie attacks, meditations on steampunk, and so much more.
6 Neo Tokyo Presents Three Radical Looks At The World To Come
Neo Tokyo is a 1987 anthology film that's on the shorter side at only 50 minutes, but it accomplishes a lot in that brief time and doesn't overstay its welcome. The three segments, one of which Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo is responsible for, present cautionary tales about versions of the future. The unique animation style makes all of Neo Tokyo's material pop, whether it's the fast-paced racing in "Running Man," the trippy and introspective journey of "Labyrinth Labyrinthos," or the Black Mirror-esque "Construction Cancellation Order" that condemns humanity for their reliance on technology.
5 Batman: Gotham Knight Deconstructs The DC Hero Through An Anime Filter
One angle that can be effective for anthology storytelling is to band the narratives around a beloved pop culture figure. DC's Batman certainly qualifies, and he’s been able to transcend his roots and become a universal icon.
Batman: Gotham Knight tells six Batman stories that focus on the Dark Knight and don't get lost in an extraneous cast of villains or supporting characters. Batman: Gotham Knight could easily turn out to be a soulless cash grab, but the film turns to prolific animation studios like Studio 4°C, Production I.G., and Madhouse to reinterpret Batman in satisfying ways.
4 Short Peace Goes Down Four Different Rabbit Holes On Magic And Humanity
Short Peace is an ambitious project that involves four short films that explore times of conflict across different worlds, some real and some imaginary. These four stories don't accumulate to much longer than an hour, but none of them waste their time, and they elegantly juggle slice-of-life drama with fantastical ideas. The final segment, "A Farewell to Weapons," is the culmination of this and depicts robotic tank warfare in a dystopian future Tokyo. There’s even a video game that’s linked to all of this for those who are hungry for more of Short Peace’s worlds.
3 Twilight Q Operates Like An Eerie Anime Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is arguably the biggest and best anthology series of all time when it comes to television content, so it's only natural to see its supernatural formula get replicated. Twilight Q is essentially an anime makeover of the Rod Serling classic, and it presents two creepy tales, "Time Knot: Reflection" and "Mystery Article File 538." Both stories are compelling enough mysteries that involve a cryptic camera and a series of disappearing airplanes. The only problem is that Twilight Q only has two stories, and it didn't get a chance to live as long as the Twilight Zone.
2 Ai Monogatari: 9 Love Stories Is A Passionate Reminder Of What It’s Like To Love
Ai Monogatari: 9 Love Stories is a celebratory ode to romance in its many forms. Famous songs are used as the themes for each of Ai Monogatari's installments, but they explore universal subject matter and does a good job at looking at every stage of love and the unexpected turns that romance can take people. It looks at new couples, those who mourn the past, those in the midst of planning a break-up, scandalous breakups and reconciliations, and everything in between. It’s a successful expression of love’s unpredictable nature.
1 The Cockpit Takes To The Skies With Three War Stories
The Cockpit is a three-story anthology that's focused on the more niche subject matter of planes and pilots during moments of war. "Slipstream," “Sonic Boom Squadron," and "Knight of the Iron Dragon" all explore diverse perspectives that narrow in on the horrors and camaraderie that’s present on the battlefield. Most anthology anime movies turn to fantastical territory, so it's a welcome change of pace for The Cockpit to be steeped in actual history. It's the perfect series for aviation-obsessed Hayao Miyazaki to work on, and it's a shame that it didn't happen.