There are few directors with filmographies that match Satoshi Kon's impressive career. The influential director regularly blends reality and fantasy while tackling themes that deal with dreams and social disillusionment. Produced by Madhouse, Paprika sits as Kon's visual masterpiece, one that uses an interesting plot to allow the author to explore surreal worlds. Paprika's story centers around a device that allows clients to delve into their psyche and explore their deepest desires or repressed memories. Developed by two psychologists, the "DC Mini" promises to greatly improve the mental health industry. Unfortunately, a mysterious terrorist decides to steal the device to infiltrate people's dreams and cause havoc. Paprika's storyline is engaging and well-paced, but the film's main appeal is the animation. Madhouse brought its A-game for Kon's creation, while the dreamlike setting allowed the director to work without any limits and imagine some truly insane worlds.

When it comes to plot devices that have been done to death, time travel surely sits at the very top. Among the most exciting directors in the business, Mamoru Hosoda united with Madhouse to rejuvenate this cliché with The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Set during her last year in high school, Makoto Konno is struggling to pick a lane for her future. On the one hand, she loves her current life and wants things to remain the same, but change is a natural part of being human. Out of nowhere, Makoto picks up the ability to travel through time, so she decides to use this power to maintain the status quo. Initially, her adventures seem inconsequential and amusing, but she quickly learns that every action has consequences. Admittedly, the premise is far from original, but Hosoda wisely opts to focus more on Makoto's character development than the sci-fi concept. In some ways, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is a coming-of-age story about a high school student desperately clinging to her innocence while on the cusp of maturity

Sticking with Madhouse, Redline is a tour-de-force of outrageous animation and heart-pounding action. Racing anime are not too common, especially when only considering movies, so this futuristic romp through space was a welcome extravagant adventure that pushed aside the plot and characters to deliver an experience that is pure insanity. Redline is a race that takes place every five years and is considered to be the absolute pinnacle of the business. Qualifying for the tournament requires a racer to win a smaller competition, but JP ends up missing the call after being double-crossed by his mechanic. Due to two racers pulling out, JP gets an invite to Redline and sets out to achieve his dream of becoming the universe's greatest racer. Redline boasts a genuinely unique animation style that perfectly conveys the adrenaline felt by its racers. There is no other anime that comes close to capturing that devil may care attitude possessed by characters with nothing to lose quite like Madhouse's rollercoaster of a movie.

Traveling back to the Sengoku period of Japan, Sword of the Stranger is a samurai action adventure film that centers around a young orphan called Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru, who are forced to go on the run when the Ming Dynasty orders assassins to take them out. On the verge of death, the pair cross paths with a wandering ronin named Nanashi who saves the duo from an attack and, after a bit of convincing, chooses to serve as their bodyguard until the end of their journey. Besides Bones' gorgeous animation and some fantastic fight scenes, Sword of the Stranger is a surprisingly tense anime that pivots on a mysterious prophecy that puts Kotarou and Tobimaru in the crosshairs of the Ming Dynasty. Like the clueless protagonists, the audience is left in the dark as to why they are being pursued, only learning more as the story progresses. This creative choice adds a level of intrigue and suspense that is absent in most action films. If nothing else, Stranger: Mukou Hadan presents an interesting look at an important period in history. Bolstered by likable characters and a traditional Japanese soundtrack, Bones' anime is a thrilling adventure flick set during the Sengoku period.

With two highly rated films released in close proximity to each other, 2016 marked a special year for anime. Based on Yoshitoki Ooima's highly rated manga, A Silent Voice tackles themes of bullying, guilt, peer pressure, and friendship. Developed by Kyoto Animation, this film does not shy away from showing the darker side of adolescence but allows the characters to actually learn from their experiences. An elementary school student with too much energy and a mean streak, Shouya Ishida sets his sights on a new exchange student that happens to be deaf. Sweet and optimistic, Shouko Nishimiya slowly becomes victimized by the entire class, forcing her mother to pull her out of school. When the teachers look for someone to blame, the rest of the students turn on Shouya and start to bully him. Overwhelmed by remorse, the boy grows into an isolated teenager who yearns to apologize to Shouko. Opting to show bullying in a realistic light that has far-reaching consequences, A Silent Voice can be a challenging sit; however, this only makes Shouya and Shouko's journey all the more rewarding. Rather than being a tale of revenge against a past bully, Kyoto Animation's film is about redemption!

The sacrifices made by a parent can be truly heartwarming and inspirational. Directed by Mamoru Hosoda and developed by Studio Chizu, Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki is a peculiar tale about a mother's attempt to protect her two werewolf children from the judgmental gaze of society. A motivated college student, Hana meets the love of her life when a mysterious man starts to attend one of her classes. While out on a date, the woman learns that her lover is actually the last werewolf in existence, but this fact proves to not be a deal breaker for Hana. In due time, the couple decides to start a family and Hana gives birth to Ame and Yuki, who inherited their father's animalistic tendencies. A sudden tragedy leaves Hana as a single mother, so she decides to exchange the busy city life for the countryside. Putting aside the somewhat uncomfortable bestial relationship between Hana and her lover, Wolf Children is a touching examination into the bonds that define a family. The pacing can be rather slow, but the focus is on the lengths Hana will go to provide the best life for her children. In terms of animation, Wolf Children benefits from some of the most gorgeous backgrounds ever put to film!

Well, we can hardly dedicate a list to the best anime movies without mentioning Hayao Miyazaki! Arguably the greatest director in the industry, merely attaching Miyazaki's name to a film is a near guarantee that the project is worth watching. In 1985, four influential filmmakers founded Studio Ghibli, a production company that has earned a reputation as a frontrunner in animation. Studio Ghibli is anime's equivalent to Pixar. Honestly, Miyazaki's entire filmography could feature on this list! If pressed to select one, Princess Mononoke would be that movie. Similarly to most of the director's work, this action epic comments on mankind's drive for industrialization at the expense of nature. After being infected by a demon, Ashitaka heads to the town of Tatara to try and find a cure; unfortunately, the protagonist unwittingly gets embroiled in a conflict between forest spirits and humans trying to destroy their home. Featuring phenomenal animation and a breathtaking soundtrack, Princess Mononoke has aged like a glass of fine wine and its themes remain relevant today. The kinetic action scenes capture a viewer's attention, while its more subtle touches ensure that Miyazaki's film is never forgotten.

Films are expected to stand on their own two feet, so any release based on a pre-existing franchise is going to face the task of trying to welcome uninitiated viewers while satisfying fans. Already one of the most complicated anime in history, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya took audiences on a wild emotional ride that featured some unbelievable highs, primarily the first season, and some shocking lows, like the Endless Eight arc. As the final entry in the storyline, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya makes the entire journey worth experiencing. Set on Christmas Day, Kyon heads over to school to celebrate the holiday with the SOS Brigade but learns that Haruhi Suzumiya has disappeared. Making matter even worse, nobody remembers that she or the SOS Brigade existed. As Kyon tries to decipher what exactly is going on, this triggers a series of events which, hopefully, might bring Suzumiya back to reality. Unlike the rest of the series, Kyon is actually a proactive protagonist rather than someone who merely reacts to the whims of Suzumiya. On the surface, this might seem like a small change, but The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya benefits from a sense of urgency and finality that is often absent in its prequels. While we recommend watching the series to better understand the characters, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is the perfect send-off!

Upon its release, Your Name. garnered universal critical acclaim, with many people labeling Makoto Shinkai's supernatural drama as the best anime film of all time. While CoMix Wave Films' project fell slightly short of that proclamation, there is no denying that Your Name. deserves every ounce of praise thrown its way! Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana are high school students who live in completely different parts of Japan. Stuck in the countryside, the former dreams of moving to the big city, while Taki attends a Tokyo school and hopes to work as an architect. Suddenly, the two end up trading bodies for seemingly random days, although their memories fade quite quickly after the fact. Despite never actually meeting face to face, this supernatural anomaly births an unlikely friendship that puts both students to the test. Halfway through the plot, Your Name. introduces a shocking twist that turns the story on its head. At first, the anime might come across as a typical body-switch comedy, but there is a lot more happening beneath the surface than meets the eye. Fueled by gorgeous animation and an endearing cast, Your Name. is a modern classic!

Certain films are hard to recommend, as they do not fulfill that basic requirement of being entertaining. That is not to say that every release must be funny or explosive, but fiction mainly exists to provide a distraction from reality. Hotaru no Haka is not fun, enjoyable, or suspenseful; no, Isao Takahata's anime is best described as traumatic and painful. Crafted by Studio Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies is a semi-autobiographical World War II drama set in the aftermath of the conflict. Reeling from American bombings, Japan's civilians stare in the face of death on a daily basis. The story follows a young boy named Seita and his sister Setsuko, who try to make it on their own without a mother, father, or a home. Grave of the Fireflies is the ultimate anti-war film and we are not just referring to anime. Rather than focus on a large scale battle or military generals seeking glory, the intimate storyline strips away any of the fluff to show the real victims of war. More importantly, Seita is not depicted as some perfect angel, as the boy repeatedly makes mistakes that endanger himself and his sister. This is what happens when children are forced to grow up.

Our first recommendation is the most recent movie of this list and a definite must-watch when it comes to coming-of-age stories. Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda, or Kokosake for short, tells the story of Jun, a girl who once was a happy child, but who had to change after a traumatic incident. Her emotions were sealed away by a mysterious egg fairy and with them her ability to speak disappeared. Now she is a quiet teenager who would rather just disappear altogether. But her life is about to change again, with the help of love, friends and most importantly, music. Kokosake was already well-known way before its release, mostly due to the fact that it’s from the makers of ultimate tearjerker Ano Hana. What could have disappointed lots of fans turned out to be a charming movie with a beautiful soundtrack and a refreshingly innocent story. Kokosake received a couple of awards and is thus one of the most recommended anime movies in recent years. Our first pick!

Let’s move on to an older movie that still deserves some love today: Tokyo Godfathers. One Christmas Eve, three people who couldn’t be more different from each other find an abandoned baby. On a quest to find its parents, a transvestite, a middle-aged alcoholic and a runaway girl find their way around the streets of Tokyo. This turns out to be harder than they had expected and soon enough the three strangers find themselves caught up in a series of mysterious events. Tokyo Godfathers is a heart-warming story that entertains with its combination of interesting storyline and great characters. On top of that, there are more than just a few funny scenes that will literally make you laugh out loud. Most importantly, an overall festive feeling surrounds the story and makes you think about the meaning of family and friendship. Tokyo Godfathers is a hit even outside the holiday season so why not give it a try tonight?

We are coming back to recent times with Bakemono no Ko, also known as The Boy and the Beast. This is a modern fairytale that takes place nowhere else than the streets of Tokyo. The boy mentioned in the title is Ren, a young boy who decides to run away from his terrible life. The beast is Kumatetsu, a fierce-looking monster who is fighting for his right to claim the throne of the Beast Kingdom. To do that, he needs to prove that he can take care of an apprentice and that’s where Ren comes in. The unlikely pair decides to team up and together they tackle their problems and try to make the best out of their situation. The premise of Bakemono no Ko is a rather unique and is definitely already reason enough to give it a chance. If you still aren’t sure of whether you should give this gem a try, let us just add that it was the second highest-grossing Japanese movie of 2015 and received international approval. Mamoru Hosoda succeeded at creating a lovely mixture of an emotion-filled storyline with unique yet interesting characters. A definite must-watch!

Next up on our list is a movie that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but belongs definitely to one of the most underrated anime movies out there. Memories is a collection of three different stories that have each been directed by different directors. Magnetic Rose tells a story of loving and losing, Stink Bomb is a humoristic view on the works of a chemical researcher and Cannon Fodder will make you reflect on what wars can do to the minds of people. What ties these stories together is the idea of memories and how much they define a person. Directing three different stories that are still combined into one final masterpiece is already astounding by itself. What makes Memories stand out, even more, is the fact that you get to see three completely different approaches to creating an animated movie. Of course, this also means that you might enjoy each story differently, but that is part of the charm of Memories. If you enjoy thoughtful movies then check it out.

Not all anime movies need to have breath-taking animations to be successful and Tekkon Kinkreet will show you why. White and Black are two orphan boys who are trying their best to survive on the streets of a China-inspired version of Japan. With only a handful of possessions, they still manage to make the best out of their situation and enjoy each day as if it was their last. What they didn’t realize though is that they need each other more than they would have thought and when fate starts ripping them apart, their peaceful life as they used to know it is coming to an end. The most prominent feature of Tekkon Kinkreet is its unique art style that some might describe as ugly. But what seems off-putting at first actually works well for the storyline. After all, Tekkon Kinkreet shows its viewers the dark and dirty sides of a modern city and what it means to be part of life on the streets. This movie shows the beautiful bond between two boys and is the sixth recommendation on this list.

After Memories and Tokyo Godfathers we have the third creation of director Satoshi Kon with Millennium Actress. In the midst of winter, young Chiyoko meets a mysterious stranger who she immediately falls in love with. To follow him on his journey inside and outside of Japan, the girl decides to become an actress who produces one hit movie after the other. Millennium Actress tells the life story of Chiyoko while also shedding some light on the most recent events in Japanese history. Millennium Actress is a true masterpiece that combines several different storylines, perspectives and time periods seemingly effortless. Satoshi Kon is known for combining reality with fantasy and this movie is definitely no exception. Like many other recommendations on this list, Millennium Actress is an international hit and thus a definite must-watch. Especially fans of bittersweet love stories should set an evening aside to watch Millennium Actress.

You didn’t really expect us to leave out one of the most successful Japanese movies in history, did you? Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro who, one day, stumbles into the spirit realm. To save her parents from a gruesome curse she has to go out and find her way around a world that scares and excites her at the same time. With beautiful visuals and unique characters Spirited Away shows the struggle of a girl to find her way home. In this movie everything just seems to come together perfectly: the story is interesting, each character is more unique than the previous one, the artwork is breathtaking and on top of all of that you also get a soundtrack that is beautiful in its simplicity. Spirited Away is the highest grossing movie in Japanese history and made Studio Ghibli as famous abroad as it is in Japan. If you haven’t watched Spirited Away yet, it is definitely time to do that.

We have reached our Top 3 and we want to start with a must-watch anime movie for all Sci-Fi fans: Akira. The story is set in a future that is not so distant anymore where modern Tokyo is suffering from the after-effects of World War III. Its streets are ruled by tough biker gangs and the government is being under constant attack. To top this chaos off, psychic powers start emerging and now everyone has to fight for their own right to live. Why should you watch a movie that is almost 30 years old, you may ask. The fact that Akira is one of the most successful anime movies of all time is already a good reason. This little gem has stood the test of time and is still as relevant today as it was in the late 80s. It is a masterwork when it comes to Sci-Fi stories and a must-watch for all self-proclaimed movie connoisseurs. If you haven’t watched it yet, what are you still waiting for?

You have asked for it and here it is: next up on our list is the romantic drama 5 Centimeters per Second. Similar to Memories, this movie doesn’t tell one, but several different stories in one film. The story starts with two childhood friends who fall in love only to be torn apart by fate and ends with a unique look on what it means to be in love and how fragile human bonds really are. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster that will make you think about the meaning of sakura petals falling to the ground. 5 Centimeters per Second convinces more with its unique atmosphere than it does with its storyline. With the help of more than outstanding visuals, you will get dragged into the story and start caring about each character as if their problems were your own. This movie is deeply emotional and shows a rare love for detail, so grab yourself a pack of tissues and watch it tonight.

We have reached the end of our list, but we cannot let you go before talking about our final recommendation which simply had to be the all-time classic Ghost in the Shell. It’s the year 2029 and humans have replaced nearly all of their body parts with robotic features. Mankind has reached a new high, but it needs to pay the prize for its advanced technology. What does it mean to be human? How much should we rely on technology? What is the worth of your free will? These are just some of the questions that you will be asking yourself while watching Ghost in the Shell. This movie revolutionized Japanese movie making and has opened new doors in the animated film industry. It is deep, entertaining, dark and most importantly still relevant today. Even Ghost in the Shell’s animation can still compete with today’s artwork, but if you are not a fan of older visuals you might want to check out its remake of 2015. Everyone else, definitely watch the original version as Ghost in the Shell is one of the most touching and thoughtful anime movies out there.

Kyoto Animation, or KyoAni, is a small studio in Kyoto, Japan. They mainly focus on slice of life anime with a moe art style, but ever since 2013, KyoAni stuck to creating dramas. This was the right call for KyoAni, as their recent dramas have received critical acclaim and multiple awards. This includes their most recent works, Violet Evergarden and A Silent Voice. KyoAni isn’t one to make original anime, so they usually adapt light novels. KyoAni used to make adaptations of visual novels with the Key trilogy of Air, Kanon, and Clannad, but ever since the huge success of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, KyoAni stuck with light novels. In fact, for over five years, KyoAni has hosted a light novel contest where the winner receives an anime adaptation. There has only been one winner, while the previous years only had honorable mentions. That winner was none other than Violet Evergarden.

When people think of the best anime studios, most will forget about Brain’s Base. Brain’s Base doesn’t like to advertise their name too much, but they have made quite a few of your favorite series. Odd thing is, they’ll usually make one season and then let another studio take care the sequel. Such is the case with Spice and Wolf, Durarara, Kyoukai no Rinne and My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU. They’re also the studio behind Baccano and Princess Jellyfish. Brain’s Base’s style seems to fall somewhere around the adventure, romance, and drama genres with series like Kiss Him, Not Me, Blood Lad, and Servamp. With each year, Brain’s Base creates less and less anime, with Anonymous Noise being the only anime they made in 2017. With the success of 2018’s Gakuen Babysitters, Brain’s Base will hopefully create more series.

Well what do you know, P.A. Works has been making anime for 10 years! Though founded in 2000, P.A. Works didn’t make their first series until 2008 with True Tears. P.A. Works stands out with their vivid art style in series like Another and Canaan. They’ve also garnered attention thanks to making the “working” genre popular with Hanasaku Iroha, Shirobako, and Sakura Quest. With KyoAni putting the Key visual novel adaptations to rest, P.A. Works decided to take the reins and adapt Angel Beats and Charlotte. Throughout their years, P.A. Works only made one sequel anime, being The Eccentric Family. Such a shame, as we would love to see sequels to series like Classroom of the Elite and Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea. However, Shirobako is getting a sequel film, so maybe P.A. Works will start making continuations to their other anime.

Just because Manglobe went bankrupt in 2015, doesn’t mean we can’t pay them the proper respects. Manglobe was a truly unique studio in only making seinen series. Not just any seinen anime, but unique ones at that. Michiko to Hatchin is the only anime to take place in Brazil, and Samurai Champloo had the Edo period meet hip hop. The World God Only Knows is probably Manglobe’s most successful anime with it getting three seasons. With each seinen anime comes a new genre, be it horror, action, sci-fi or even harem. Manglobe wasn’t one to follow the trend by making a shounen action series and rarely showed fanservice. Unfortunately, that bold choice was the cause of their demise, with Gangsta being the last anime they completed. The remaining members of Manglobe decided to form a new studio, which is now Studio Geno.

Love sports anime? Than Production I.G is the studio for you! Before they made the sports genre popular, Production I.G was in Madhouse’s shadow. They’ve always made similar series, but Madhouse was the more successful studio (more on them later). Production I.G discovered their true potential in Kuroko’s Basketball with it garnering 3 seasons and a movie. During season 2’s airing, Production I.G came out with Haikyuu, which became another smash hit. When adapting sports manga, Production I.G brings the series to life with intense matches that include detailed sakuga and bright colors. Six months after Haikyuu Season 3’s conclusion, Production I.G made Welcome to the Ballroom, dabbling in a less popular sport. This fall, the studio will continue their sports anime fad with Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru, a track and field series. But remember, Production I.G is not just a studio of sports. They’ve also made Psycho-Pass, Blue Spring Ride, B: The Beginning, Guilty Crown, Eden of the East and so much more.

Now here’s a studio you definitely recognize. A-1 Pictures pumps out at least 4 anime a season. Each series has beautiful art and animation, a fantastic soundtrack, and a must download opening theme. They tend to be a little shaky when making an adaptation, as they tend to rush through the source material to get to the currently released chapter. There are times where A-1 Pictures prefers not to adapt something, and take their time to create an original series. Such as the case with Darling in the FranXX, an original series with studio Trigger’s help on the mech scenes, as well as Anohana. A-1 Pictures is most well known for Sword Art Online, a series that even non-anime fans enjoy. Sword Art Online has 2 seasons, a movie, a spin off, and a season 3 forthcoming. A-1 Pictures usually makes shounen fantasies like The Seven Deadly Sins, The Asterisk War, and Fairy Tail. Every so often, A-1 Pictures will step out of the box and make series like Your Lie In April, Persona 5 The Animation, Black Butler and Erased. Basically, A-1 Pictures knows what the hot topics are, but sometimes they’ll shake things up and show you what they can really do.

If art and animation are things you love most about anime, then you’ll adore ufotable. Many people believe that ufotable has an unlimited budget with all the special effects, vivid colors, and sakuga they add into each of their series. This is actually false, ufotable just has a lot of skilled animators. Ufotable usually sticks to the same art style, with series like Kara no Kyoukai, the Fate franchise, and Touken Ranbu but bumps up the vivid colors for following series. Ufotable adores fantasy and continues to create other-worldly anime like Tales of Zestiria the X and God Eater. However, such gorgeous series take time to animate, so ufotable usually makes one series per year. We understand of course, but it would be amazing to see ufotable come out with at least three anime every year.

The strangest studio on this list by far, but with good reason. Trigger is made up of animators from Gainax, the studio that made Gurren Lagann, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, FLCL, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Gainax created wacky series with a deep message hidden inside, and that’s exactly what Trigger does. Trigger started off strong with the debut of Kill la Kill, an over-the-top ecchi action series where the true plot is not revealed until episode 17. Trigger toned down the craziness for Little Witch Academia, which was originally an ONA until it was funded by fans on kickstarter and turned into a series. Trigger tried something new and dabbled in the drama genre with Kiznaiver, but it, unfortunately, didn’t gain a lot of attention. While Kiznaiver aired, Trigger also released Space Patrol Luluco, which continued the bizarre comedy that the studio is known for. As for now, it seems that Trigger is taking the back seat and partnering up with other studios to make anime instead of creating their own. This is the case with Darling in the FranXX and the upcoming SSSS.Gridman.

When White Fox makes an anime, you know that there’s an 80% chance it’ll become a smash hit, and a 90% chance that it’ll be the next modern classic. White Fox does not mess around, and gives it their all for every series they animate. Even better is that they can conquer any genre. Jormungand, Akame ga Kill, The Devil is a Part-Timer and Steins;Gate were a few of the series that helped the studio gain popularity. However, it’s the anime they make today that’s keeping them at the top. Steins;Gate 0, Girls’ Last Tour, and Re:Zero Life Starting In Another World are considered to be masterpieces in the eyes of many. We won’t be surprised if White Fox ends up taking the number one spot on this list one day, but for now, here’s the current number one.

You probably saw this coming, since Madhouse has made many classic anime, and continues to make memorable series. We’ll never forget the impact Death Note, Cardcaptor Sakura, Black Lagoon and Hellsing Ultimate has made on us and the world. Although Madhouse works with all genres and themes, the studio’s most successful anime seem to be dark psychological ones. We can’t fault them since Kaiji, Death Parade, Hunter x Hunter and One Outs are incredible, but we also love Ore Monogatari, No Game No Life, ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department, and A Place Further Than the Universe, which are not dark in the slightest. If we were to sit here and list all the ten out of ten anime they’ve made, we’d be here for the next week.

17-year-old Sagara Yoshiharu finds himself travelling back in time to Japan’s Sengoku Era, finding out that all the famous Samurai lords who populate the history books in the modern era are cute girls. He meets Oda Nobuna, Oda Nobunaga’s female counterpart, who then recruits him to be her substitute for her aide, Kinoshita Tokichiro, who was killed by a rival clan. Using his knowledge of history and some of the technological advantages of the modern era, Sagara assists Nobuna in her very well-documented mission to unify Japan under her banner. Without giving much away as to why he’s there, Oda Nobuna no Yabou follows Sagara into the reaches of the past, retelling a pivotal story in the history of Japan, with a few twists, of course. Being the history nerd that he is, Sagara takes to the Sengoku Era like a fish to water, or more like the protagonist of some sort of role-playing game. Steadfast in his duties so as to avoid changing the tides of history, Sagara assists Nobuna in her quest to take all of Japan.

Located far away from Japan’s mainland is the island of Urashima, a place where its inhabitants live carefree lives. However, 5 years prior to the events of the series, the three great families of the island fell into disrepute and it severed all connection to the Japanese archipelago, leading to its slow and steady decline. The only individuals capable of saving the island are the daughters of the three great families; however, they remain conflicted. Things become interesting with the sudden appearance of a man claiming to be a time-traveller; one capable of changing Urashima’s fate. Combining the time-travel plot device with an amnesia trope brings you Island, a somewhat politically-inclined permutation of the tried and tested time travel concept. The mysterious time-travelling stranger is Sanzenkai Setsuna, a man who washes ashore one day with no idea of who he is; however, his upbeat persona and one memory remain: he is a time-traveller tasked with saving the island of Urashima from an unsavoury end. But how will he do it with missing memories?

Takamiya Naho begins her first day as a sophomore in high school in a not-so-great fashion as she wakes up late. Dashing to school, she arrives at her desk, finding a strange letter addressed to her. The letter comes from none other than herself, 10 years in the future. Highly sceptical of the letter and its contents, Naho’s attitude changes when it accurately describes several events which happen that day, particularly the arrival of transfer student Naruse Kakeru. Future Naho expresses several regrets in her letter, hoping that her younger self can do better with a heads-up of what is to come, expressing vehemently the need to keep an eye on Kakeru. Using the letter as a guide, Naho uneasily navigates the territory her future-self failed to the first time around. Quite the emotional rollercoaster, Orange brings a refreshing element to the time-travel trope, making use of messages from the future as a means of altering the past, rather than the characters themselves time-leaping. The series brings together romantic elements in addition to some heart-wrenching moments which we are all too aware of when it comes to shows of this nature.

The short film follows the trials and tribulations of a young couple who are consistently in an on and off relationship with each other. One day, the two stumble upon a time machine which consequently takes them to various points in history, visiting particular junctures in their relationship. The slice of life animation is technically a Korean production and the animation style is evidently different from the general feel of anime. Break Ups are unusual in the time-travelling trope given the fact that the characters happen upon the object which allows them to go back in time and the machine itself really only takes them back to certain parts of their lives together as a couple. Available on Crunchyroll, the short film is an interesting change of pace within the time travel trope and contrary to its short runtime, it leaves a lasting impression.

As a result of his haplessness, Nobi Nobita’s descendants as far off as in the 22nd century find themselves in a state of poverty. In order to raise the Nobi family’s social status, their time-travelling robotic cat servant, Doraemon, takes it upon himself to go back in time to Nobita’s youth and undo the damage that plunges the family into poverty. However, Doraemon is quite dysfunctional himself and while he makes the child Nobita’s life infinitely more exciting, it still remains to be seen if he can truly do what he set out to do in his mission to the past. Doraemon’s influence is widespread and many are familiar with the blue time-travelling cat. In fact, he is quite celebrated as an anime character and even features as one of the ambassadors of the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, alongside Shounen legend, Son Goku. The anime itself first aired in the 1970s and was rebooted in 2005, running ever since. Unfortunately for the older series, it was poorly preserved, never released other than on television and nearly all the 1973 series’ footage was destroyed. Nonetheless, we can still enjoy Nobita’s adventures with his robotic feline friend.

Meet Kyon, a regular high school student who has no belief in any supernatural phenomena and would rather just live a normal life. He attends the same school as the highly eccentric and energetic Suzumiya Haruhi, a girl who is committed to breaking out of a dreary high school life by finding anything unusual: from aliens to ESPers, Haruhi and the new club she’s formed, the SOS Brigade, will find them all! Unfortunately for Kyon, Haruhi has taken an interest in him too, forcing him to join the club alongside the soft-spoken Asahina Mikuru, the stoic Nagato Yuuki and the somewhat popular Koizumi. To his surprise, all three of these club members are abnormal – a time-traveler, an ESPer and a cyborg have all taken up the role of guardian of Suzumiya, whom they have identified as the unknowing god of this realm. In order to avoid any calamities due to Haruhi’s emotions, the club members of the SOS Brigade humour her in any and all of her wacky activities in an attempt to maintain the current order of the world. While not an out-and-out time-travelling anime, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is an anime which garnered much attention for its application of the time-travel trope. The infamous Endless Eight arc of the series’ second season is eight episodes which were more or less the exact same thing animated over and over due to the series’ main characters being caught in an infinite time loop which repeated itself over 15000 times until Kyon found a way out. The arc is still talked about to this day by fans of the series. Aside from the aggravating time-loop which gave Haruhi much attention, the series features Asahina Mikuru, its very own time-traveller whose older self appears to Kyon at some point during the series.

Asai Kei is a high schooler who lives in the seaside city of Sakurada, where the inhabitants are born with special abilities. One day on the school rooftop, he meets Haruki Misora, a stoic girl with the ability to reset everything around her up to three days prior. Her ability renders everyone completely oblivious to the reset, including herself. However, Kei has his photographic memory and, choosing to join their powers, Kei and Misora decide to join their school’s Service Club in order to help people in their town. However, their club is soon employed by the Administration Bureau, an organisation fixated on managing the abilities of the town’s inhabitants for their own desires. Kei and Misora may soon find out that there is more to what happens in Sakurada than meets the eye. Sakurada Reset sets a limiter on the time travel trope it employs and to that end, there is a great potential for a lot of difficulty that the protagonists much endure in order to do the good that they desire to do. The series is incredibly interesting and the application of supernatural abilities central to the events of the series creates quite the worthy explanation for the manipulation of time which forms such an integral part of the series.

One night, high school shut-in Natsuki Subaru decides to head over to the nearby convenience store in order to buy a few things, but when he steps out, he finds himself in the market district of a town in an alternate world. Modelled on the fantasy worlds he’s familiar with in the games that he plays, Subaru quickly takes to the hero role he believes he is there to fulfil, but not much longer after his arrival, he is attacked by bandits and subsequently killed. To his surprise, Subaru finds himself back in that same market and he’s attacked by the same bandits, but this time around, he is saved by a white-haired beauty named Satella. Satella is travelling in search of the thief who stole her family insignia, and out of gratitude for her help, Subaru decides to join her in her search. When they finally find the individual responsible, Subaru and Satella are both brutally murdered. Subaru awakens to the same sight: the same market, the same bandits attack him again and yet again Satella comes to his aid as history inexplicably repeats itself. Re:Zero came in a year filled with stories of time travel; however, this particular rollercoaster came with plot-twists and emotions galore! Subaru’s Return By Death very closely mimicked the checkpoint save model which many games employ and in that capacity, his deaths often heralded a return to an earlier point in time. Subaru had no control whatsoever over which point in time to which he returns and much of the anime shows a frustrated Subaru coming to grips with his own death, as well as the deaths of many others on several occasions. This quickly wears away at him and to that end, Re:Zero will torture the viewer… and Subaru, of course.

Konno Makoto is a high school senior who isn’t quite coming to grips with the demands of her future. She ebbs between the pressure applied by her teachers for her to take charge of her own future, and the sunny days she spends with her friends. Makoto’s life changes when she accidentally finds out that she is capable of literally leaping through time. Her mundane life becomes complicated as Makoto quickly learns about the drawbacks of playing with time, as well as the consequences of her newfound ability. Quite the classic as far as the time travel trope is concerned, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a seemingly unassuming narrative which quickly becomes convoluted as the days Makoto relives begin to weigh heavily on her and her own decisions begin to have dire consequences. With the power to freely navigate the ever-flowing stream of time, Makoto is put through quite a lot emotionally as her power isn’t the only thing she deals with.

Okabe Rintarou is a self-proclaimed mad scientist who rents out a room in a building in Akihabara, where he and his friends (whom he dubs “lab members”) create “future gadgets” as a hobby. Alongside Shiina Mayuri, his childhood friend, and perverted hacker friend Daru, Okabe spends his time messing around with their most interesting invention yet: the Phone Microwave. The device has the strange ability to turn bananas into piles of green gel. While not very promising in terms of scientific breakthroughs, strange things begin happening after the Phone Microwave’s creation and soon enough, the contraption turns out to be able to send emails into the past which alter the flow of history. Soon realising the true gravity of their creation, Okabe must navigate the various consequences that come with the manipulation of time. With Steins;Gate: 0 freshly entering its second cour, it is of no surprise that the first anime gets a mention on this list. Intense on so many levels, Steins;Gate is an incredible story that brings together elements of comedy and suspense in a character-driven plot that will shake you to the core. With time travel as its core theme, Steins;Gate throws you into an intricately woven plot with many twists and turns and an exploration of the consequences of time travel like none other. The series is well-deserving of the top spot on this list – just don’t let CERN know that.

Although this anime may be about a group of students having supernatural adventures due to the main character’s unique ability to warp reality, it does have a unique take on time travel, even if it’s controversial. In what’s become known as the “Endless Eight arc” in the 2nd season, this anime does succeed in demonstrating the idea of time looping, or repeating the same events over and over. In this case, most of the 2nd season has the same few weeks looped for years and years as the characters experience the same events and do the same things repeatedly with no change whatsoever. If you’re a fan of Groundhog Day in terms of witnessing a character repeat the same day over and over again as well as the “slice of life” anime tone, this is the anime for you.

This anime may start off as something of a “slice of life” anime at first as we are introduced to the main cast of characters attending Uchihama Academy participating in school events and beginning to move to a new building due to increased numbers. However, a mystery slowly begins to unfold in the old building, and we eventually see the main character, Sō Akiyama, wrestle with premonitions of the future showing his friends in danger. As Sō struggles to attempt to rescues his friends, including his closest friend Kaori Sasaki, and resolve the mystery, the tension only continues to build until the final reveal. If you’re a fan of both time travel and mystery, this is certainly an anime worth checking out.

This anime is a great example of the time travel theme of returning back to the same spot in order to redo something over and over. After mysteriously arriving in a strange land only to get beat up by some thugs, Subaru Natsuki meets a beautiful girl only to get killed by a mysterious darkness alongside said girl. However, Subaru suddenly awakens to the same exact scenario of confronting the same thugs and meeting Satella. Re:ZERO is a great time travel anime not only because it does not have any plot holes as a result of time travel, but also keeping the viewer engaged as Subaru gets more and more desperate in his attempts to fix his mistakes and redo everything. If you enjoyed the movie Source Code for its similar take on time travel, this is definitely worth watching.

In the near future, a struggle is taking place between 2 different dimensions: the good guys, La'cryma, and the bad guys, Shangri-La. A group, known as Dragon Calvary, is dispatched throughout space and time to search for the Dragon’s Torque, seen as the only thing that can stop the invasion from Shangri-La. One of those members, Karasu, meets his past self and his friend 15 years in the past, which appears to be a promising lead… Noein’s time travel mechanics revolve around the idea of how different dimensions can result due to different actions that are taken. This is especially important, as the series takes a more “character driven” approach to what happens as opposed to a “plot-driven” approach. As a result, you have a beautifully crafted series that achieves what it set out to do. If you’re a fan of the time travel genre who would also like more of the quantum aspect involved, this would be the anime to check out first.

This anime may focus a fair amount on kids with magical powers who lose them when they become adults or overuse them, but one of the main characters, Shunsuke Otosaka, has the power to send his mind back in time to change the past, resulting in some key events unfolding. This is a unique take on travelling back in time, as most anime have the characters going back physically either through a time machine or some other unique way. To go back through the mind alone is a trend that may start to appear more and more as time goes on. If you were a fan of the time travel method used in X-Men: Days of Future Past, then this anime may be the one for you.

Again, another example of an anime that upon first glance you would not expect a complicated theme to be explored. Yet one of the “Magical Girls”, Homura Akemi, sets out to prevent the harm of another Magical Girl by going back in time. A big lesson regarding time travel is demonstrated here, though: sometimes the changes you set out to make are impossible to achieve, no matter how hard you try. If you’re a fan of the idea of how time travel doesn’t necessarily work out in the end as well as cuteness, Puella Magi Madoka Magica delivers in spades.

Yeah, this may be a shounen anime at heart, but considering you have one of its biggest arcs revolving around a time traveler from the future arriving to save Goku and his friends from androids as well as an android travelling back to the past to absorb the very androids themselves, it’s impossible to ignore this aspect. Not to mention Dragon Ball Super currently featuring one of the strongest characters in anime who can turn back time 3 minutes at will. Time travel may not be approached in this anime as the “main topic” so to speak, but if you want to watch an anime where time travel is still fun and interesting despite being a secondary focus, then look no further than DBZ.

This movie serves as the definitive example for what someone would probably do when realizing they can go back in time for the first time, making it that much more believable. Makoto Konno isn’t someone who has plans for going back in time. On the contrary, she tries to figure out what to do with her new ability as she goes along, only to learn the hard way what the consequences of her actions are. It is only by the sudden arrival of a character we wouldn’t expect that Makoto truly learns how to treat this new power. If you want to watch a believable experience in terms of what an average teen would do with time travel, then watch this movie.

The newest example of a time travel based anime, Erased focuses on Satoru Fujinuma using his special time travel ability to prevent bad things from happening to those he cares about. In this case, the focus of the time travel aspect is mainly on the mystery of how his ability suddenly jumps to going back years in the past as opposed to seconds. With the protagonist being a 29 year old male suddenly gifted with said ability as well as a new focus on the time travel element changing within the series, this anime is worth checking out if you’re curious as to a new take on the time travel genre.

No doubt which anime was going to be #1. Steins;Gate earns that spot for a reason: the setup of the time travel aspect, the combination of different takes on it, the different reactions of the characters to it as they slowly learn what it means, and the resolution at the end that ties back into the beginning without nay plot holes. As time passes, Steins;Gate will serve as the benchmark as to not only how to properly do a time travel related anime, but also serve as a basic framework in terms of how to properly tell a time-travel related story. If you have not seen this anime yet and are a lover of time travel, then wait no longer.

Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old Japanese orphan, has never known love and affection but has grown up being feared and ostracized. Because of her mistreatment, she’s quite willing to be sold at a slave auction if it means she will have a place to call home, but she doesn’t quite expect to be bought by a mage called Elias Ainsworth and to be unveiled as a rare type of mage called Sleigh Buggy. Elias makes Chise both his new apprentice and his future bride with a promise to help Chise truly grow. The Ancient Magus’ Bride places us in an alternate London, England and lets us absorb the world through the eyes of Chise as she learns to become a mage. It plays heavily into European folklore with the fantastic creatures that appear throughout the series; however, characters like Elias Ainsworth have a unique look that sets this world apart from being solely derivative of folktales. Although the world is very much a delight to explore, the big attraction with this anime is still the characters, particularly the development of Chise and her relationship with Elias.

Flesh-eating monstrous giants called Titan roam the earth and have driven humankind behind walls after nearly driving them to extinction. When humanity thought itself safe after a century without seeing a single Titan, a Colossal Titan appeared beyond the wall and broke the gate to push humanity once again to the brink of extinction. A boy named Eren Yeager suffers a tragic loss in the attack, so along with his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman, and his friend Armin Arlert, he joins the Survey Corps, a military unit that ventures beyond the walls and combats Titan, to fulfill his vow of killing all Titan. Attack on Titan flips the script on standard post-apocalyptic stories with the creepy and unique Titan they must fend off. To add to that, the vertical maneuvering equipment the humans use to fight the Titan makes for some incredible sequences, and once again, a one-of-a-kind worldbuilding element. Beyond this unique spin on post-apocalyptic worlds, Attack on Titan is simply a thrill, often leaving episodes on a cliffhanger with a life hanging on the line all the while allowing us to delve into the mystery behind the Titan themselves.

Those who find the One Piece, the world’s greatest treasure hidden by the former “Pirate King” will take his mantle and enjoy great wealth. Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who ate the Rubber Rubber fruit and became a man made of rubber, sets sail from home on a quest to find the legendary One Piece. On the way there, he’ll gather a ragtag group of misfits all with their own grand ambitions. One Piece has built an immense world over its near two-decades of runtime. Magical fruits that give one-of-a-kind powers like becoming a rubber man or a wax man is just one aspect of it, One Piece has fantasy races like Fishman, Long-legs and Giants, snails that work as phones, and a ton of wondrous cities. The best part of One Piece has to be the characters, it has an immense cast of eccentric well-designed characters with unique quirks like absurd laughs, and powers you aren’t likely to find anywhere else.

The Holy Grail War is a battle royal between seven magi and their familiars, and the winner is granted any wish they want. This is the fourth Holy Grail War, and none before have ended with a winner. One of the families participating in the Holy Grail War adopt the man known as the “Magus Killer” Kiritsugu Emiya into the family so he can win the Holy Grail War for them. With the familiar called Saber, Kiritsugu will fight against six other highly motivated individuals for the sake of his family. Fate/Zero’s story is instantly an interesting watch because of the inherent thrill in seeing who will win a battle royal. This show also plays on our knowledge of myths and legends, borrowing historical and mythical figures in the roles of servants and pitting them against each other. Of course, it wouldn’t be a great battle royal series without some awesome fights and Fate/Zero delivers that in spades.

After a demonic boar curses him with great strength and a future death, Prince Ashitaka of the Emishi Village must leave his home to find the source of the conflict that drove the boar insane. He will come across San, a woman raised by wolves, and Lady Eboshi, leader of the mining village Irontown. Embroiled in a deadly conflict due to the former’s desire to protect the forest and its spirit, and the latter to take the forest down for its resources, Ashitaka will have to step between both sides and put his life on the line to help them come to a resolution. Princess Mononoke doesn’t present a particularly complex fantasy world but plays heavily on Shinto concepts to give personality to both sides of the environment vs. technology conflict. Mononoke is an epic tale of war where there are no bad guys outside the war itself and its tragic effect on both those directly involved and those who have no part to play in it.

Hana falls in love with the last werewolf alive, a man called Ookami, and they have two children, Ame and Yuki. Tragedy befalls her family when Ookami dies and Hana is left to raise her two shapeshifting children on her own. As if the challenges of being a single parent weren’t enough, Hana must protect her children from a society that may not be so welcoming of them. To better protect their identity, she moves to the countryside but that comes with its own set of difficulties. Wolf Children is an example of fantasy that doesn’t need to have grand stakes and a heavily built world; it’s even more barebones than Princess Mononoke. This is a unique take on the werewolf genre and is more slice of life than grand adventure. In the case of Wolf Children, we see a very grounded take on maturing, raising children, and learning to fit in a society you don’t quite belong. This might be the purest use of fantasy in that its utilized to analyze and observe aspects of our society. This is without mentioning the wonderful work of director and writer Mamoru Hosoda in one of his finest films yet.

Among the many things Natsume has inherited from his deceased grandmother is the Book of Friends. The book is a highly prized item that contains the name of many spirits that his grandmother Reiko had bound over her lifetime, and as a result, many spirits want it in their possession. Natsume, with the help of a spirit called Madara aka Nyanko-sensei, will attempt to return all the names to their appropriate spirit, even if it’ll put him in fatal danger. Natsume’s Book of Friends is more slice-of-life than a grand plot with the world on the line and follows the episodic attempts of Natsume to return the names of spirits. With an interesting lore from the get-go, Natsume’s best trait is the heartwarming and tear-jerking tales it tells from episode to episode. Even though characters often appear for only one episode at a time, this series does an incredible job of making each of them feel nuanced and well-developed. As with Wolf Children above, it’s another low stake fantasy series that demonstrates why fantasy is such a limitless and all-encompassing genre.

The Abyss is a deep, seemingly bottomless hole where rare treasures and mysterious creatures can be found. A city was built around it and people called Divers, ranked by abilities, enter the Abyss to collect the relics there for the taking. Lyza the Annihilator, a White Whistle Diver which is the top rank of Divers, disappears on one of her dives. Her daughter Riko aspires to reach the ranks of White Whistle and find her mother. During one of her dives on the upper reaches, she discovers a robotic boy named Reg. Together, they’ll venture deeper into the Abyss than ever before to find her mother and recover Reg’s lost memories. You wouldn’t be able to tell at first glance from the cutesy character designs and the vibrant world but Made in Abyss hides a story that can get dark as highlighted by the very first episode where a boy is beaten to near death by one of the Abyss’s creatures. Without a doubt, the fantasy attraction of the Abyss calls to viewers immediately with the promise of mysteries to be uncovered as the kids that make up the main cast begin venturing deeper into it.

Ginko is a Mushishi, he spends his time researching the mysterious beings – if they can be called that – called Mushi. The Mushi are hard to describe, they’re entities can take on any number of shapes from a swamp to a microbe. Ginko travels Japan examining circumstances where Mushi have affected their world, and often finding ways to resolve the problems that may have arisen from these occurrences while gaining knowledge on their existence. Mushishi is an episodic narrative that is at once a slice-of-life and a sort of procedural. Each episode sees Ginko heading into a new area and dealing with a new problem related to the Mushi, providing us with a great narrative as well as more insight into the unique existence of the Mushi. The world of Mushishi is vibrant and natural, it’s not a giant leap away from our own but the Mushi allows it to take a step into the fantastic, and that makes for subtle but interesting differences.

To revive their recently deceased mother, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric performed human transmutation. They failed and as a result, Edward lost two limbs and Alphonse lost his whole body, having his soul trapped in a metal armor thanks to the desperate resourcefulness of Edward. The two brothers now use Edward’s resources as a state alchemist to find the fabled philosopher’s stone, so they can return Alphonse to his original body. Set in a time roughly inspired by 20th century Europe, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s world isn’t that far from our own until you bring about the alchemy magic system. Alchemists in this world can transmute one object to another with the right knowledge and skills. It’s the rough similarity to our world that helps a lot of the conflicts and questions asked by this series hit close to home. You really won’t have to leap far to see the real-world analog to the tragedies spread across this series. The unique time setting for a fantasy narrative certainly helps set it apart from the other fantasy stories based off European history. At the end of the day, it’s Edward and Alphonse having to mature and overcome tragedy that makes this one of the greatest anime, let alone the best fantasy anime.

Youji Itami is an otaku, a self-proclaimed one at that. So when an inter-dimensional force of dragons and trolls invade his world during the time of a convention, he is quick to throw himself in the fray, putting all his RPG knowledge to the test. He proves himself so useful during this initial battle that he receives a lot of honors and is later tasked with leading a special recon team into the fantastical world that lies beyond the gate. Gate does an impressive job immersing the viewer wholly into the fantasy world that stands opposite modern day society. It does this in a number of ways. One it efficiently and effectively develops each of the main characters, who represent various ideologies, and thus gives insights into different cultures. Secondly, it shows the inner workings (the government, religious factions, and military) of the kingdoms that Japan is trying to defeat/negotiate with. By doing this, we receive a much a grander picture of how this entire world runs and functions. It’s very akin to a cultural exchange program, at least by the time diplomatic solutions start being suggested.

Kazuma is young, lonely, and a shut in. One day, upon forcing himself out his room, he dies in an extremely awkward manner. Due to his relative youth, the goddess Aqua gives him the option to continue life in an alternate universe. He can even bring an ultimate item of his choosing to make sure things work at. Well, she happens to present on this information while completely humiliating Kazuma, and in an act of spite Kazuma declares that he wants her to accompany. To the higher ups of godhood, this request is valid and so Konosuba begins. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, aka Konosuba, presents a glorious fantasy world that’s brimming with life and then throws us into the outskirts. Basically, we realize quite quickly that neither Kazuma nor Aqua is quite suited for adventure. Thus, they end up working rather ordinary jobs and living in less than quality standards (a stable). Bringing some light into the world are the two companions that join this unlucky duo. However, they prove themselves to be equally as useless. Overall, Konosuba presents a fantastical world that gets flipped on its head as four inept adventurers try to make a living.

In a time long ago, the destructive powers of the great dragon Bahamut threatened the realms of the humans, demons, and gods. In a massive battle that invoked a combined effort from each race, Bahamut was successfully locked away. The key to Bahamut’s imprisonment was then split between the god’s realm and the demon’s realm. Our story begins when the key in the god’s realm has suddenly been stolen. Mappa’s 2014 Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis takes viewers down a visual masterpiece. We’re thrown into a medieval fantasy that has every type of mystical being you could hope for. There’s magic, swashbuckling, historical and mythological figures, as well as massive amounts of deception. Consistently, we are being brought face to face with some incredible setting or monster and the fight scene that ensues is always one of longevity and delight. It truly is an ode to fantasy lovers. It’s one drawback is that it provides such a massive world that it can only give a slight glimpse into the lives of some of the more imposing characters within its 12-episode run.

Have you ever wondered how Hell is ran? Obviously there is quite a bit of traffic going down in the underworld and for people to find their correct place in the afterlife, things cannot be left to anarchy. That’s why there’s Hoozuki, chief deputy to Lord Enma. Hoozuki no Reitetsu follows the management styles of this chief deputy as he makes sure that hell is a well-oiled, smooth-running bureaucracy. One of the best things about this show and what it does extraordinarily well is intermix Japanese mythology into its storyline. It’s not the only show to throw around beings from legends and folklore, but it clearly took the time to nail down the characters. Rather than simply invoking the name of a hero or god to appease mythology lovers, Hoozuki no Reitetsu revolves around these characters and utilizes its supernatural setting to its upmost. The only thing you might find strange is how similar hell is to your office space.

Not ten thousand, but thirty thousand gamers are suddenly trapped inside a popular MMORPG known as Elder Tale. They are not able to log out and they must learn how to survive in this dangerous fantasy world that has up to that point been only a virtual ‘escape’. Think Sword Art Online, but better. We won’t have to deal with an extremely overpowered protagonist here and there’s less focus on a single guy wooing every girl he has one-on-one time with. What Log Horizon does exceptionally well is propel us into a universe that is vast and requires a collaborative effort among characters. In doing so, characters take on relatively niche roles that are both standard and comforting. However, the particular role of puppet master, the behind the scenes mastermind, is actually played by our hero, Shiroe. This actually allows the other characters more time to shine as they excel at their relative skills, which are put to perfect use by Shiroe.

We’re all probably familiar with Berserk and this is the one series that gets to break the rule of beginning in the last five years. Its implementation of CG, separate story arc, and overall time gap from its 1997 predecessor gave way to an exception. Considering the massive amount of monsters, hectic swordfights, and epic story; it’s hard not to put Berserk on any type of fantasy list. Berserk, more than any anime on this list, captures the idea of a dark fantasy. Rather than act as an escape from mundane reality, Berserk presents landscapes that are dreary and haunting and characters who are highly damaged and complex. In this world, everything feels like it’s cast in some shadow, as it becomes increasingly difficult to decide what’s right and what’s wrong. All you can do is hold on as Guts heaves his hunk of iron into countless ghouls, and perhaps save a few innocents if he feels like it. The only issue you might find with it, is that CG isn’t your cup of tea.

No Game No Life follows the adventures of the siblings Sora and Shiro as they find themselves thrown into a completely different world, a world where everything is decided by games. Luckily, Sora and Shiro are actually god-like gamers with incredible reflexes, inexhaustible strategies, and impressive teamwork. In other words, they have really just been taken to heaven and are ready to ascend to an entire new status. Surreal on a completely different level than anything else on this list, No Game No Life invites its viewers to experience a visual feast. Few shows have the ability to completely consume the audience simply through the setting and animation styling, but that is exactly what No Game No Life accomplishes. It astounds you, and gives you an entire world that seems like a playground for your imagination to run wild with. Not only that, but each game that is played is executed with grace as strategies clash and mental capacities are tested.

Set in world that is modeled after the European Middle Ages, Nanatsu no Taizai follows Elizabeth, the third princess of the Kingdom of Liones, as she searches for the subset of Holy Knights that had been deemed The Seven Deadly Sins for their betrayal against the kingdom. Why is the princess looking for them? Well, after The Seven Deadly Sins had been suppressed, the rest of the Holy Knights had a little coup of their own. Maybe in a year or two Nanatsu no Taizai will be able to claim the top spot on a fantasy list. It has all the components for a traditional shounen in a fantasy world and it does them exceptionally well. It’s a case of presentation and pace beating out everything else. It has a diverse cast of powerful and interesting characters, who each offer a certain charisma that will attract its own following. The world is vast with plenty of visual appeal. No surprise their as A-1 Pictures steers the project. The story might be a little traditional in its search for the ultimate crew, but more than makes up for it with certain twists and its well developed characters. The only thing this show is truly missing is a second season to further explore the nuances of the world it has set up.

Re:Zero follows Subaru Natsku as he gets thrown into a crazy fantasy world. This world says hello by having him beaten to a pulp by a group of thugs. Thankfully, a mysterious girl by the name of Satella comes to the rescue. To repay her kindness, Subaru says he will help her find her ‘insignia,’ which she explains was stolen. Well, they find it, they find themselves in over their heads, and they both die. Then Subaru reawakens to the group of thugs once more. This anime is one of the few to have made an actual impact on the anime community. There are several reasons for this. One, the character designs are stellar and its simply enjoyable to watch people interact even in a relatively plain-looking setting. Two, there is a good amount of action from the get go to keep the people on their feet and excited to see what happens next. Three, the story does not dig itself into a hero who can save everything plotline. The third reason in particular sets the show apart. Usually, you would expect the ability to revive as a power that leads to happy endings. However, in this series, this power forcibly deconstructs Subaru into an entirely different character and creates massive struggles for himself and the people he comes into contact with.

Scattered about the world are deadly labyrinths, known as Dungeons, which hold magical treasures beyond the imagination. These Dungeons are ruled over by supernatural Djinns, who will give their power to anyone who conquers the impossible maze. This granting of power acts as the Djinn’s vote of confidence for the victor to be king. As a result, many people with grand dreams dare the labyrinths in hopes of achieving riches and power. One lucky big dreamer, Alibaba, happens to achieve such a feat while befriending Aladdin, a young magician who might be one of the legendary Magi, magicians who lead kings to their empires. Magi tops this list due to the world it has been able to flesh out over two seasons. Yes, it basically doubles the length of most other entries, but that’s no reason to not celebrate the vibrant and magical world that Magi creates. It seamlessly blends adventure, action, magic, and humor into one incredibly interesting story. Each character we are introduced to has a story and the creators do a great job giving life to everyone. Even characters of minor importance have personal quirks and are developed quite thoroughly. As a result, every battle, whether one of fists or ideologies, has a certain undeniable attraction.

Princess Princess follows Tooru Kouno's trials and tribulations at the start of his time at an elite all-boys school. Transferring to a school without girls is difficult enough, but his stunning image unwillingly draws attention. Things begin to look brighter when he runs into a lovely pink-haired girl on campus. His classmate Yuujirou Shihoudani gives him the tour and shows him to his door. He soon meets Mikoto Yutaka, a student who looks strangely similar to the girl he just saw. Shockingly, Tooru realizes Mikoto is the girl, and Yuujirou reveals that he and Mikoto cross-dress as part of a school tradition in which attractive first years are hand-picked as idols called "Princesses" to boost the morale of the students. Tooru realizes he is a recruit. Not exactly an image of what we would typically perceive as a princess, but an interesting one! Tooru was shocked by this concept but later grows excited about the opportunity because the Princesses get all the swag. Tragedy and hardship struck Tooru early in his life and uses being a Princess as a distraction as well as having a familial bond with his peers. No one said a princess has to be a girl and we see that here in this anime.

Dog Days follows Cinque Izumi, a typical middle school student from Earth who gets sucked into a magical portal, taking him into a parallel universe. In the world of Flonyard, an alternate Earth, its inhabitants are beings that resemble humans possessing specific characteristics of animals, e.g., ears and tails. In this world, war is treated as a sporting event where no one is harmed in the process, the winner is awarded riches, and the whole ordeal is a celebratory occasion. As Cinque agrees to become a representative of Biscotti and the dog-people, he defends the Republic from the feline Galette Leo Knights. With no idea how to return home, Cinque must remain and fight as scientists research his worrisome predicament. Dog Days takes place in an attractive fantasy setting. A funny and enjoyable anime, Dog Days also offers a touch of fan service. Dog Days has cute and playful characters and also a dark and serious side. In particular, as our characters deal with a lot of drama, bouts of emotional outbursts are likely to follow. No matter her position, the Princess isn’t afraid to ask for help when she desperately needs it. Combined with having to deal with massive circumstances, some events that occur produce the imagery of the world being an unkind and dangerous place.

Pacifica Casull, also known as the Scrapped Princess, is acknowledged by many as the deadly threat that will destroy the world. The followers of the God Mauser are on the hunt for Pacifica and her siblings, Shannon and Racquel, as they flee the village of Manhurin. On their journey to escape this terrible fate, enemies are always one step behind them. Will they be able to prevent the disaster that history prophesied on her 16th birthday? The Casull family adopted the Scrapped Princess Pacifica after she survived being tossed over a cliff when she was an infant. She is remarkably beautiful, kind, and inquisitive, leaving viewers to wonder, “why would this sweet girl bring destruction into the world?” She blames herself for all the travesty that exists and eager to prove that the future is not written in stone.

Aldnoah.Zero follows the story of space conquest, a time where humans and technology are continually fought over. Before the conflict, the discovery of a hypergate on the moon allowed humans to settle there, eventually revealing advanced technology called Aldnoah. Once established, this discovery led to the founding of the Vers Empire of Mars and a declaration of war against the "Terrans," those who stayed behind on Earth. The battle of “Heaven’s Fall” destroyed the hypergate and the moon, leading Earth and Mars to call a ceasefire. Fifteen years later, in attempts to repair relations, Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia was assassinated, thus ending the truce. War is declared once again between the Terrans and Martians. Aldnoah. Zero depicts the long-waged war from both sides. The Princess of the Vers Empire, Asseylum Vers Allusia, believes that no one group of people is better than the other, treating Terrans and Martians as equals. As a Princess, she feels that ending the war is her obligation. She is hopeful and optimistic that one day, the two sides can stop fighting one another and cooperate with each other.

High school student Seiya Kanie believes he’s hit the jackpot when class beauty Isuzu Sento invites him on a date to Amagi Brilliant Park, an amusement park. However, his date becomes slightly peculiar when they approach the run-down facility and he is recruited by Isuzu and Princess Latifa Fleuranza, the owner of the theme park to become the park’s new manager. The two have become desperate as Amagi has less than three months to become a happening place or else the park will be closed for good. Seiya agrees because he becomes aware that Amagi is no ordinary amusement park, employing magical beings that are nourished by the energy created by people having fun. Good vibes ya’ll! Princess Latifa is a cheerful, caring and passionate person who takes pride in the health and well being of her employees and establishment. She doesn’t want to lose the park to greedy land developers. Thus, it is crucial that Amagi stays open to spread peace, love, and happiness around in a world that seems to forget to do so. Even though Princess Latifa has magical powers, she puts in the necessary work and influence to make this place enjoyable to all.

Princess Principal takes place in the early 20th century, where the discovery of Cavorite helped advance military technology, leading the country towards war and conflict. The Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Albion now face a challenging threat against which espionage is the only weapon that can destabilize the enemy. Students by day and spies by night, a group of talented young girls from Queen’s Mayfaire School serve the Commonwealth. With their unique skills, Dorothy, Ange le Carré, Chise, and Beatrice tread through the dark unraveling mystery, conspiracy, and corruption. Princess Charlotte is the main driving force in Princess Principal because she is extremely interesting. She is a public figure that can freely move about without concealing who she is. Princess Charlotte isn’t as trained as the other girls, but her cleverness and wit are her unique abilities. Princess Charlotte is an asset to the group, even though she is, personality-wise, quite strange.

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii takes place in the Sun Kingdom, where sunshine is part of the norm, and such things as rain and snow are climates the citizens have never experienced. However, in another kingdom called the Rain Dukedom, the weather is the opposite, rain is commonplace, and everyone can create rain with their voices. Livius Ifrikia is the current monarch and is making tremendous strides since he was crowned king. He has conquered and expanded the Sun Kingdom and has recently discovered the power to create rain. Livius decides to marry one of the princesses of the Rain Dukedom, Nike Remercier. However, opposers outside of the Sun Kingdom have spread vicious rumors about Livius, making Nike nervous about their union. As such, Nike comes to learn that he is not cruel like others have said, but an entirely different person. The World is Still Beautiful shares the timeless tale of two kingdoms coming together by way of romance. This fantasy romance shares a deep and meaningful story without too many complexities. It provides obstacles and triumphs faced in many relationships, showing viewers Livius’ and Nike’s growth within themselves and with each other. Princess Nike is simple and humble but speaks her mind and is up for any challenge when the occasion calls for it. The couple’s tenacity makes their combined kingdoms a beautiful place.

Ahiru Arima is a magical duck who was transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl. With her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu--a beautiful, magnificent, and talented ballerina whose routines offer relief and comfort to her viewers' hearts. Additionally, Ahiru is challenged with the task of collecting the lost shards of Prince Myuuto's heart. Long ago, Prince Myuuto was forced to sacrifice his heart in order to seal away an evil foe. Princess Tutu shares the story of overcoming obstacles by challenging beliefs, emotions, and actions to reach a magical ending. The "ultimate sacrifice" can mean different things when faced with adversity. Princess Tutu learns what this means when she risks everything in order to see Prince Myuuto smile. She is selfless and optimistic despite this colossal task placed before her. "Whatever it takes" is Princess Tutu's motto, and words that we should also live by.

Taking place in the distant future, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind captures the story of a civilization continuing to suffer from the aftershock of a nuclear catastrophe. Although they are a resilient society, the result of the “Seven Days of Fire” remains threatening to their world because the ecosystem has drastically transformed the region into a destructive force bent on consuming the rest of humanity. At the edge of this dangerous jungle rests a peaceful farming kingdom known as the "Valley of the Wind." Kind and captivating, Princess Nausicaä is hard at work trying to keep hostiles at bay, in all forms, for her Valley to remain undisturbed and tranquil. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a stunning animation expressing real-world conflicts hidden beneath a palette of light and airy colors. Taking place post-apocalypse, or very close to it, Princess Nausicaä’s world is emerging from instability, demonstrating that positivity, strength, and willpower are a few qualities to help citizens gain their sense of virtue. She is a well-rounded Princess, the embodiment of a real leader that will save her country and lead them into a new era.

Princess Mononoke is a fantastic film about a young prince named Ashitaka who defends his people after a ferocious demon boar attacks his village. With his last breath, the demon boar curses Ashitaka’s arm, casting demonic powers that will slowly kill him. The village elders then decide that Ashitaka should leave to seek help. After arriving at Iron Town, he finds a bold and proud woman, Lady Eboshi, industrializing the area. With the divine spirits of the forest and Princess San opposing this change, Ashitaka serves as a mediator. Alongside battling his demon, Ashitaka must aid the opponents toward a proper solution, balancing and distributing power where it rightfully belongs. Princess Mononoke brings to the foreground the impacting issue of a changing world and how humanity has influenced its evolution. Hayao Miyazaki utilizes demons both figuratively and literally in this film as a spotlight on humankind’s tumultuous relationship with nature. Miyazaki displays how people have forgotten the need to worship and care for the land, expressing this powerful sentiment through Princess San. The princess is bold and fearless, firm in her belief and will let nothing stand in her way. We are so shaken by this film that we rated it number one on our list!

Who says that cuteness can’t came from unexpected places? Sometimes royal kindness knows no limit of sizes or shapes, so opening our recommendations we introduce Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess. In this heartwarming short movie from Ghibli Studio, our main protagonist Princess Egg is a captive of the powerful and frightening witch Baba Yaga. Even when she is practically her slave, Princess Egg shows us that no matter the darkness of the circumstances a little bit of kindness will always be rewarded in the most unexpected ways! Princess Egg is literally an egg. Despite this fact, Princess Egg is one cute heroine that gives Ghibli studio a deserved fame in their characters design. She never even utters a single word! Yet, her kindness is shown in tender expressions that will simply steal your hearts, making your anime fan mind scream Kawaii! when you see her story.

We bring you another princess story by Studio Ghibli, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. By director Isao Takahata, we introduce one of the fairy tales that is an icon of the Japanese folklore. The anime version tell us the story of a very humble elder couple Ouna and Okina, who once deep in the mountains in the middle of a bamboo forest, found a tiny little baby girl when chopping down a glowing bamboo. They decide to raise her as their own naming her Kaguya. With a classic setting of a moral story, the Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a warm movie that depicts in all its beauty a time period were princesses wore the most gorgeous kimono Princess Kaguya shows us that being a princess takes a lot of effort, work and dedication. Being a Princess is quite a solitary life. Without escaping a nostalgic and sad feeling, Princess Kaguya is a gentle and brave heroine that makes us reflect that when it comes to princesses, purity of heart will always beat any sparkling tiara.

We call upon Magic Knight Rayearth, an anime that have one of the most beautiful princess in all anime: Princess Emeraude. With literally the weight of an entire world over her shoulders, Princess Emeraude prays to keep the world of Cephiro always green, sunny, and stable as its pillar. The knight Zagato fell in love with Emeraude and thus, he starts to try to bring down the pillar system. Emeraude calls upon her last resource summoning 3 warriors from other world so they can bring back Cephiro its peaceful days. In a story that is meant to be an adventure anime, there are touches of comedy and magic. Magic Knight Rayearth, as all the CLAMP works, is more than meets the eye. It bring us a profound drama in which Princess Emeraude always shines because of her ethereal beauty, her unlimited kindness and her unwavering will to sacrifice everything so others can live happy and in peace. A true Princess whose world literally revolves around her!

In a kingdom with mecha warriors as the background for an intense drama, this anime featuring characters designed by CLAMP revolves around the Holy Empire of Britannia and district 11, formally known as Japan. The plot centers around the revenge of the exiled prince Lelouch Lamperouge. Lelouch is searching for a way to avenge her mother’s death and bring justice to his broken sick sister Princess Nunnally. Amidst all the characters that stand out in Code Geass, Princesses are the ones that take the spotlight in the development of the story. Princess Nunnally is the image of fragility. On the opposite side, Princess Cornelia is like a Valkyrie warrior as the General of the Imperial Army. Finally Princess Euphemia with her cheerfulness and pacific ways brings light to the beaten hearts of Suzaku Kururugi and Lelouch, becoming the voice of reason amidst a kingdom where intrigue and betrayal have taken their toll on all the others. These are a trio of true royal princesses that made of this story a great drama to enjoy.

Going deep in the Mecha battles, we highlight Mobile Suit Gundam Wing as our 6th recommendation. In a distant future where the humans living in the earth and the ones that colonize space are at war, the Mobile Suit Gundams are the ultimate weapons that will decide the weight of war for one side or the other. Piloted by very young and talented warriors Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner and Wufei Chang, Gundams became a symbol of freedom confronting powerful enemies like the mysterious Zechs Marquise. Like a light in the darkness Princess Relena Peacecraft is one of the charismatic characters that will stand through this series as the incarnation of diplomacy. By getting in the heart of one of the best Gundam pilots Heero Yuy, this princess stands proud and fearless confronting the violence with an unyielding call to conciliation. She appeals to the leaders of opposite sides to abandon hostilities so all human beings can get to live in peace. Because of her naivety and the unbreakable strength of her beliefs, Relena Peacecraft is a witty and refreshing Princess that helps to shape the entire story of Gundam Wing. A true Iron will heroine!

In the middle of our countdown comes an action comedy OVA that plays with exchange of personalities: Murder Princess. In this adventure, a wild, bloodthirsty bounty hunter called Falis and a royal Princess Alita Forland get to exchange bodies. This change brings hilarious situations where the kingdom of Forland gets to see its beloved princess convert from a meek docile girl into a frightening ruler that loves bloodshed and battle. Murder Princess breaks stereotypes as how everyone expects a princess must be. Murder Princess delivers a story where Falis and her wildness help Princess Alita to gain her freedom. With this freedom, it allows Princess Alita to mature and discover herself. Facing together the problems of the kingdom, this wild princess that create between the both of them will make you think, “Kakkoii!”

Being a princess is not always pink colored, we recommend you an anime that highlights the relentlessness of a great heroine: Scrapped Princess. In a kingdom where a prophecy made a girl the embodiment of all evils and announce the end of the world by her 16th birthday, Princess Pacifica Casull grows to be a cheerful girl that enjoys the small pleasures in life, despite being “The Scrapped Princess”. Being always protected by her adoptive family: Shannon and her sister Raquel Casull, this siblings get to live on the run escaping the followers of the God Mauser and sharing their adventures. Scrapped Princess is an anime that, with its mix of classic epic adventure and mecha fights, catches our attention. With its wonderful well designed characters, it traps our hearts. As a princess story, we share the growth of Princess Pacifica from a cheerful and almost pampered child, into a strong girl that defies her destiny fighting beside Shannon, Raquel, and Leopold Scorpse. Now she must discover the truth behind the omniums prophecy and bring freedom to her world. She is a strong Dojikko princess to admire!

We bring to you: Yona of the Down. This anime series is the center of a classic adventure where Princess Yona and her childhood friend and knight, Hak Son defy all odds against them by starting a quest to reunite the long lost dragons from legend. With their strength, they will recover the kingdom from the hands of Soo-won.. This anime depicts the growth of Princess Yona, from the sheltered only princess of the kingdom of Kouka, to a strong young woman. Yona learns to empathize with her subjects’ suffering. When her childhood crush and fiancée Soo-won murders her father and steals the throne, Yona awakes to reality. During the journey with Hak to avenge the king, Princess Yona matures into a great-hearted person, who strives to get stronger so she can protect her companions and her kingdom from a tyrant. Yona is an amazing and compassionate Princess!

Almost reaching the end of our countdown, we go under the moonlight to a series that is an icon in the shoujo anime: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal. In this version of the popular adaptation of Naoko Takeuchi’s manga, both the storyline and characters designs gets closer to the original work than its 90’s version, where the story was softened to fit the audience at the time. This version named Crystal, surprises us with the psychological deepness of the drama where even the bad guys have a background story to support its actions, and the good guys have their moments of weakness to overcome. Sailor Moon Crystal depicts the growth of their characters, who besides to be Sailor Scouts, are the Princesses of their respective planet kingdoms. This detail is usually ignored because the Sailor Scouts were all reincarnated as normal girls on earth to be beside Usagui Tsukino, better known as Sailor Moon. It doesn’t change the fact that this Warrior Princesses bring the main attraction to this iconic anime series. Even when Chibi Usa is still a kid that is wrongly depicted as supporting character, she is in her own right a full-fledged sailor scout and the Heiress Princess of both the Moon and Earth kingdoms.

Crowning our number one comes a multidimensional adventure that revolves around one ever changing and charismatic princess, the anime series Tsubasa Chronicles. This epic adventure is full of comedy, romance, magic and fascinating worlds. It takes us on a quest where destiny reunites Princess Sakura of the Clow Kingdom, her best friend Syaoran, the swordsman Kurogane and the wizard Fai D. Fluorite, to locate through different worlds the magical feathers that enclose Princess Sakura's memories. Princess Sakura is cheerful, kind, and brave. She has extraordinary good luck that borders on divine, making her one of the most lovable princesses in the anime. In Tsubasa Chronicles, even when all the characters start their quest, after knowing the life threatening situation of Princess Sakura’s lost memories, all decide to support the search so she can be saved. For all the fans of CLAMP works, Tsubasa Chronicles is an anime filled with endless fanservice that you should not miss!

Mankind is no longer rulers of Earth and the planet has been ravaged by powerful monsters. One of these monsters is Godzilla has been laying waste on both the humans and monsters, and mankind was forced to leave the planet in search of a new world. 20 years have passed, the emigrant ship “Aratrum” is running low on food and resources, and the planet they’ve discovered isn’t fit for human life. One of the surviving crew is Haruo and after analyzing every recorded footage of Godzilla, he has found a potential weakness to the invulnerable monster. Convinced of Haruo’s findings and, frankly, they’ll die if they keep searching for new worlds, the crew of the Aratrum went back to Earth via hyperspace jump and reclaim the planet from Godzilla. Will Haruo and the remaining humans succeed or will they slowly die of starvation in space? Was Godzilla 2014 hard to see even at max TV brightness? Or was Shin Godzilla too focused on government red tape and boring humans? Will Godzilla fare better in animated form (no, not that western cartoon series from the 90s)? Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is not the answer, but it has the potential to be one. You see, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is part 1 of a 3-part movie series, and part 1 covered all the introductions and established the main setting of kicking Godzilla’s ass. After all, we’ll get to see Godzilla’s iconic nemesis Mecha-Godzilla in action soon! Graphics-wise, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters uses cell-shaded 3D animation you find in other anime shows like Ajin and Knights of Sidonia. It’s not the best-looking 3D/CGI film out there, but it’s good enough for the movie to stand out from the rest. You don’t need to make every film realistic as humanly possible. And besides, the character designs in Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters are certainly better than looking at live-action characters in suits arguing over evacuation plans, taking 80% of the movie!

Steamboy tells the story of James Ray Steam, a young inventor living in the steamy and bustling city of British Victorian Era London. James’ life as a young boy turned upside down as he is caught in a web of chaos that involves a device called the Steam Ball that was given to him by his grandfather, also an inventor, from the United States. The Steam Ball is a breakthrough device that can produce a limitless amount of steam power, and evil forces are out to steal this powerful invention. Unless Steamboy is all hand-drawn, then by golly it’d be one of the most meticulously drawn anime in the universe! Now, back to Earth, Steamboy is part 2D and part 3D—the characters are hand-drawn, but the steampunk world of London, especially the machinery, are all computer-generated. The moving gears, the belching of hot steam, the sound of the pistons running made everything around London feel like it’s one moving machine with people keeping it in tip-top shape. This level of detail cannot be attained through hand-drawn animation, and Steamboy is a good example of how to make good use of 3D graphics.

A death merchant is out to spread his deadly biological merchandise to New York City, and it’s up to veteran BSAA operative Chris Redfield, Government Agent Leon S. Kennedy and researcher Rebecca Chambers with her newly-developed vaccine to put an end to this viral terror that has infested the world for many years. The third and perhaps the last of the Resident Evil CG film series, RE: Vendetta takes place within video game canon, so everything that has happened in these 3 films are tied together unlike the alternate universe of Milla Jovovich’s Resident Evil. In the end, though, these CG films are all about Leon S. Kennedy looking good at everything he does because, apparently, a lot of fans really love this babyface zombie slayer. The art style for Vendetta are more anime-like compared to the previous 2 films and the flexibility of the CGI was put to good use with heart-stopping action like the John Wick-inspired gunplay, and Gun Kata--martial arts mixed with guns. Oh, and your waifu since Resident Evil 1 Rebecca Chambers is now one hot special operative! Well, she was and still is, but… uhh… you get the point!

Renegade captain and pirate Harlock travels across the universe with his dark matter-powered ship the Arcadia planting detonators on planets. After 100 years of traveling the universe, Harlock and his ragtag crew sets their sights on humanity’s homeworld Earth, and plant the final detonator there. Harlock’s motives are unclear and are a danger to planet Earth, so the Gaia Sanction has sent a spy posing as Harlock’s crew to gather information. What are Harlock’s goals and how did he manage to stay alive for more than 100 years? Undercover agent Yama will soon find out as he travels the galaxy along with the most wanted man on the universe. Captain Harlock is a standalone movie with no relation to the original TV series. Frankly speaking, the story in the movie is nothing to write home about mainly because the movie is too short—even at 2 hours—to cover a ton of characters and lots of background info. You’re better off watching the TV series… but with that said, the 3D visuals of the Captain Harlock movie is second to none with detailed character designs and a world that could rival CGI Final Fantasy films. Captain Harlock looks bad-ass while retaining his iconic look, his pirate ship the Arcadia is as intimidating as ever, the character designs look modern while keeping design cues from the original, and the space battles are very intense and flashy.

98% of the human population has fled to a massive space station called DEVA, and digitized themselves after Earth was ravaged by a disaster. These digitized humans are living a seemingly immortal life free from disease, hunger, and strife, but until one day a rogue hacker originating from Earth has disrupted the peace of the inhabitants of DEVA and showed them that he has created a spacecraft capable of leaving the Solar System in search for habitable worlds for humans to settle. The higher-ups at DEVA has assigned law enforcement officer Angela Balzac to travel to Earth, establish contact with the remaining human population still living on Earth, and bring the rogue hacker—only known as Frontier Setter—to justice. 3D visuals of Expelled from Paradise is cell-shaded and more anime-like than any film on this list, and if you want a future for 3D anime that doesn’t involve photorealism, this film is one of the finer examples of 2D art style rendered in 3D. Angela, her Earth contact Dingo, and the denizens of Earth all look exceptionally good on 3D, so there are a lot of moments that Expelled from Paradise that genuinely looks like a 2D anime.

It’s fair to sum up Kingsglaive as a long cutscene for the Final Fantasy XV video game, but it does help further establish the background story behind the conflict and politics between Lucis and Niflheim, and how things unfolded prior to progressing through the game as now the grown-up Noctis. The story focuses on the war between Lucis and the Niflheim empire. Lucis is one of the remaining nations left that isn’t under control of the technologically advanced Niflheim, all thanks to the power of the Crystal, blocking all invasion attempts. King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII assembled the Kingsglaive, a task force of elite soldiers that uses the power of the Crystal to protect his kingdom of Lucis. The visuals in Kingsglaive is the best in the industry that, if you take a glance, it’s hard to tell the characters are live-action actors or were digitally crafted. From the detailed worlds to every strand of hair, to every pore of the skin, down to the wear and tear of damaged armor—Everything is so photorealistic. Unfortunately, the visuals are so realistic, it went so far as doing the same mistake other movie does to their action scenes: a shaky camera. The battles are visually impressive and it’s great to see iconic monsters in action, but you don’t get to see much of the set pieces because of thanks to the shaky camera and tons of motion blur. Go and try to make out of what’s going on during the confrontation of the Glaives and Ultros, to, say, Cloud against Bahamut in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Kingsglaive is indeed visually stunning and puts every movie on this list to shame, but it went too far on the realism.

Upon reaching the age of 16, Kido Saori was saved from an attack by 4 young men donning magical armor. They are called Saints and they come to Saori’s aid because she’s the reincarnation of the Goddess Athena, protector of love and peace of Earth. The forces that attacked Saori are also Saints from the magical land of Sanctuary because Saori blasphemously claimed to be the goddess. To understand what’s going on, Saori and her 4 protectors travel to Sanctuary and confront the pope for answers. When making a CGI film, you need to give the 3D art purpose and make use of it. If a CGI movie is all dialogue with nothing going on, then you just wasted the potential of 3D animation, and the movie is better off in live action instead. Take Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, for example. For its time it was a technical achievement of bringing realistic CGI characters to life, but if you take a closer look, that’s all the movie is about. The movie didn’t take full advantage of the potential of 3D animation like impossible to do stunts, camera angles, and action scenes. Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary is the exact opposite and the director took full advantage of 3D animation by creating energetic and sometimes exaggerated character movements, expressions making each scene and battles feel more alive and fun to watch. And it should be fun because Saint Seiya is an action movie featuring powerful warriors protecting their princess from the bad guys! It’s an old-school concept and old-fashioned fun!

Katou Masaru is your average teenage boy waiting for the train to arrive. A disaster happened when a madman appeared at the station and stabbed someone. Being the good Samaritan, Masaru runs to help the injured man, only to get attacked by the madman and died of stab wounds. Masaru suddenly woke up, alive, along with other people who claimed they also died and resurrected. In front of them is a giant black sphere known as Gantz and they are forced to fight for their lives against demons that are attacking the cities of Japan. If they win, they get to live another day, and if they gather enough points, they are given the chance to return to their normal lives. Gantz:O is one of the most realistic 3D/CGI anime film, rivaling that of Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. The tone of Gantz:O is darker and gloomier than Kingsglaive that you’re like watching a survival horror game unfolding with intense—sometimes hard-to-follow—action scenes, blood and gore everywhere, a metric ton of bare boob shots (it’s not as enticing at it sounds, FYI!) and there are moments that’ll make your heart. Oh and there’s one major advantage Gantz:O has over any Final Fantasy Film ever—the jiggle physics!

Advent Children takes place two years after the RPG Final Fantasy VII, and it focuses on Cloud Strife who distanced himself from his comrades and the rest of the world after the defeat of Sephiroth. After saving their world Gaia, a plague called the Geostigma spread across the planet and infected the people, including Cloud himself. What is Geostigma and why did it appear after defeating Sephiroth? And who are these silver-haired soldiers that have appeared before Cloud? It’s hard to point who or what to blame for the trend of shaky camera action scenes, and movies like Kingsglaive and Gantz: O suffered leading to confusing action set pieces filled with shaky camera and tons of motion blur. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was made before the shaky camera trend and in a lot of ways, the overall presentation is cleaner, the battles are way more exciting and easy to figure out. From the chaotic bike chase across the highways of Midgar, Cloud and the gang taking out Bahamut, and to the final battle between Cloud and Sephiroth, each set pieces are beautifully crafted and easy to follow. Plus, Final Fantasy VII has more iconic and memorable characters than Final Fantasy XV, so as time passes, fans of the franchise will fondly remember Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children as one of the best 3D/CGI films ever made. Everyone will still remember the part where Cloud descends from the ruined Shi-Ra tower as he tries to stop massive falling debris from hitting him… WHILE avoiding getting his ass kicked by Sephiroth.

Nobi Nobita isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer and his life as a kid is nothing short of pathetic. He sucks at everything, bigger kids take advantage of him, and with nothing to look forward to, Nobita’s future is going to suck. That’s not until Nobita’s descendant from the future paid him a visit and offers his help the troubled youth to improve his life and change the future. In order to do that, the Nobita’s great, great grandson sent in Doraemon, a caretaker robot, to help Nobita improve. Can Doraemon fix Nobita’s future using the countless gadgets stored away in his 4th-dimensional pocket, or is Nobita really fated to grow up as a pathetic person? Like Mario successfully jumping from 2D to 3D with Super Mario 64, Doraemon made the transition from 2D to 3D intact in the film Stand by Me, Doraemon. Not only the high production values kept the original art style, and the overall film looks visually impressive, the film has kept the charm of Doraemon. For most of the time, CGI films, especially the most expensive ones, are more style than substance, ending up with films that are very good-looking, but lacks the story and characters. Doraemon, on the other hand, didn’t neglect the story nor its characters, and the result is a film that has the heart and soul of the original, but now in 3D. Yes, we all agree Nobita is an idiot, a complete coward, and relies on Doraemon a lot, but that’s Nobita and that’s what Doraemon is and was.

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Aired: June 2014 Let’s start this list with one of the most recent movies, shall we? Saori Kido has to learn a shocking truth: she is the reincarnation of goddess Athena and responsible for bringing love and peace to earth. Her job would already be difficult enough, if it wasn’t also for the fact that there are some people out to get her. Can Seiya, a Saint of Athena, protect her life before it’s too late? Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary divides the audience; some seem to love it, others hate it. Of course, it’s a big step to turn the original artwork into 3D animation and at first, it might not feel like an original Saint Seiya. But soon enough, you will notice that the character design is solid and the action scenes are more than just nice to look at. This movie caters to all fans of the original series, so if you are looking for more Saint Seiya then check out this addition to the franchise.

Moving on, next up is a franchise most of you should be familiar with: Resident Evil. In this action thriller, special agent Leon infiltrates a European country to find out the truth behind the actions of the local government. On the search for illegally used biological weapons, Leon doesn’t back away from danger to fulfill his duties. So far, so good, but how does modern animation support this action-filled storyline? Let’s just say that a lot of viewers were positively surprised at how much the art has improved from predecessor Resident Evil:Degeneration. And they are right! The movements are fluid, the setting looks nice and the characters are actually presentable. Thumbs up for Resident Evil: Damnation!

There was no way we would talk about Resident Evil without also mentioning Final Fantasy. It’s time for Advent Children! Sephiroth has been defeated and the world is trying to recover. In a newly built city, the remaining survivors are moving on and working hard to forget the past. Cloud and Tifa, too, are hoping for a quiet life, but their hopes are being destroyed when new enemies are trying to resurrect Sephiroth. Another fight is about to begin. This is the first movie that we have already mentioned in our original list, but our opinion hasn’t changed: Final Fantasy belongs to Japan as much as sushi and sumo and this movie doesn’t disappoint fans of the well-known series. The story is engaging and, more importantly, the animation works perfectly with the Final Fantasy franchise. It looks good without trying to be too realistic and sucks you right into the action. A must-watch!

What would be the most suitable genre to combine with CGI? Science Fiction of course! It’s the near future and mankind has decided to leave its bodies behind to relocate to virtual reality. Life would be easy if it wasn’t for the imminent threat of a hacker who wants to take control over the system. Time for law enforcement forces to step into action and take justice into their own hands. Expelled from Paradise looks great without slapping you in your face with their CGI. You get quick-paced action followed by stunning sceneries and then some battle scenes again. This diversity not only keeps the story interesting, but also gives you some time to appreciate all the aspects of this movie’s animation. Expelled from Paradise’s story might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you should at least give it a try for its 3D animation.

Did you know that Japan has produced their own version of Alice in Wonderland? No? Then listen up as we tell you about Oblivion Island. Where do your childhood treasures go after you’ve grown up and forgotten about them? With the help of a mythical fox called Teo, girl Haruka finds her way into the world of forgotten things that looks like it has just jumped out of a fairytale. On Oblivion Island, Haruka is about to go on a great adventure that takes her back to her own childhood. This movie is so charming, you cannot help but simply enjoy it. True, it might not be the best choice if you are looking for an action-filled adventure, but it is perfect for a quiet evening in. Its 3D animation is one of the best you can find when it comes to Japanese movies and perfectly depicts the magical world of Oblivion Island. Check it out if you haven’t already!

An infamous story and one of the best known 3D anime movies - next up is Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. Based on a chapter of the original manga, this movie takes place in the Ghost in the Shell universe. A serious of mysterious deaths involving “sexaroids”, androids designed for sexual pleasure, is troubling the local law enforcement. Police officer Batou and his partner Togusa are up and about to solve the mystery. First of all, we need to clarify something: Ghost in the Shell 2 doesn’t use 3D exclusively. Rather, traditional 2D animation builds the foundation while 3D is used to enhance the viewing experience with well-chosen details. This unique approach is the reason we had to include Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence on this list. Rather than trying to completely venture into unknown territory, the producers have used CGI in reasonable doses that do not distract from the main ideas of the movie.

Sci-Fi? Check. Pirates? Check. 3D animation? Triple check. Mankind has succeeded at moving into space, but resources are limited. The people left on earth now have to protect their home from the threat of other humans trying to reclaim the land. Coming to their rescue is Captain Harlock and the crew of his spaceship Arcadia. He is ready to risk anything to win this fight, but can he succeed? Watch Captain Harlock to find out! With a CGI-animated space setting, action-filled fights and a theme song performed by famous rock band One Ok Rock, it becomes obvious that this movie only tries to be one thing: epic. And it succeeds! What might sound like a run-of-the-mill space adventure turns out to be actually interesting. Even if you are not a fan of Sci-Fi, you ought to watch Captain Harlock for its great animation that really brings outer space to life.

We are moving into our Top 3 and first up is Vexille. Once again, we find ourselves in the future - the year 2077 to be exact - in the midst of an ongoing battle between mankind and technology. Japan has established itself as the main manufacturer of new technology, but it has done so at a big price. To continue futuristic research programs it had to distance itself from the rest of the world and go back into seclusion. A series of mysterious events involving banned technologies might force the country to re-emerge. If you are a fan of attention for details, cyberpunk elements or simply engaging visuals, then we can definitely recommend Vexille to you. It is a solid Sci-Fi story that combines an interesting idea with good animation and music. As with the previous recommendations, CGI is used to support the action and create a certain atmosphere that fits the overall style of the story. If you like Ghost in the Shell, chances are high you will also enjoy Vexille.

Our next recommendation comes from the mind of mangaka Masamune Shirow, internationally known as the creator of Ghost in the Shell. It’s time for AppleSeed! After a long and gruesome war, humanity is looking for peace in a futuristic city called Olympus. Here, humans and bioroids - genetically created clones - live side by side. Former soldier Deunan Knute doesn’t believe in the seemingly perfect world everyone thinks they live in, so she sets out on a quest to find out more about the fate of bioroids. We are the first ones to admit that AppleSeed might look a little bit old-school at times, but keep in mind that it is already more than 10 years old. Still, while the fashion choices of the characters might be questionable, the overall animation definitely stood the test of time. The backgrounds and futuristic design of the city are great to look at and make for a fun viewing experience.

You’ve been waiting patiently, and now it’s finally time to reveal our top pick for CGI/3D anime movies. A round of applause for Short Peace! For this movie, four different directors have come together to create short stories that will drag you right into the action. “Possessions,” tells the meeting of a mysterious traveler with strange spirits. “Combustible” is a tale of love written by the creator of Akira. “Gambo” introduces you to a white bear of the special kind and, lastly, “A Farewell to Weapons” brings you right back to an apocalyptic version of Tokyo. The concept of Short Peace is unique in the way that it tries to combine completely different stories that have all been created with the theme of Japan in mind. Each short film differs greatly from the other ones - and not all of them use 3D animation - but the end result is still astonishing. Not only do these stories look great, but they are so rich in details and thoughtful storytelling that you cannot help but fall in love with them. Short Peace is our final recommendation!