Movies - TV
55 Best Anime Movies Ever
By MARGARET DAVID
5 Centimeters Per...
"5 Centimeters Per Second" leaves fantasy behind in favor of a painfully real look at love, reminding viewers that a happy ending is not guaranteed and that it is easy to overlook the beauty in one's life while fixating on unattainable desires. Despite its harsh message, the film is visually stunning and encourages viewers to appreciate what they have.
A Silent Voice
"A Silent Voice" follows Shoya Ishida — a former bully who tormented his deaf schoolmate, Shoko — and his struggle to deal with the consequences of his actions. The film may be painful and all too real for some viewers due to its subject matter, but it also offers a beautiful reminder that what one does matters, and so do the actions that follow.
Akira
"Akira," the biggest blockade-buster animation to ever hit Western shores, compresses Katsuhiro Otomo's sprawling manga into a densely plotted and detailed two-hour feature. Blending the psychedelia of "2001" with David Cronenberg-esque body horror and social commentary, this film is a must-watch anime classic.
Angel's Egg
Mostly unvoiced, "Angel's Egg" puts its unnamed characters in a strange, apocalyptic wasteland and features layered visual themes open to interpretation. The titular egg possibly serves as a metaphor for the broken hope that God left behind in a world that is slowly flooding, where Noah's Ark no longer sustains life.
Barefoot Gen
Set against the backdrop of the Hiroshima bombing, "Barefoot Gen" shows the effect of the radioactive explosion on children's bodies through powerful animation. The film also focuses on the inability of Japanese culture to cope with the tragedy and scale of human needs in the wake of the bombing, making it a classic on the scale of "Threads."