Anime has truly become something quite extraordinary over the years and has developed into some really memorable and high-quality movies and tv series. It goes beyond childish fantasies and can portray some remarkably thought-provoking and engaging storylines while providing beautifully stunning imagery and animation.
However, as impressive as modern-day anime is, you can never really beat the classics. There are some great examples of vintage anime which helped pave the way for modern-day adaptions, inspirations, and successors. The imagination involved is varied and unique while the storylines take on both challenging concepts and whimsical fantasies. The list of vintage animes that manage to stand the test of time is vast and it’s easy to pick out some high-class examples that provide something for every generation.
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15 Spirited Away (2001)
Toho
Spirited Away is considered one of the most popular Ghibli movies ever made and has won many awards to back this up. This movie is littered with some of Ghibli’s most imaginative characters and features the beautiful and unique animation to be expected of its maker. It’s the completely surreal yet intriguing storyline of Spirited Away that makes it a brilliant introductory movie into the world of anime.
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The movie follows the adventure of Chihiro Ogino and her parents as they unintentionally stumble into the spirit world. The trio finds themselves in what seems like an abandoned theme park, however, later on, Chihiro discovers that it’s actually thriving with spirits. Her parents are turned into pigs and Chihiro finds herself in a race against time to save both herself and her parents from the clutches of the evil witch Yubaba.
14 My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
My Neighbor Totoro from Studio Ghibli
The character of Totoro in My Neighbour Totoro is probably the most famous and iconic of Ghibli’s imagined creatures and now stands as the studio’s trusty mascot.
Set in 1950s Japan, two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, move to the countryside with their father in order to live closer to their hospital-bound mother. Their new home however seems to be full of magic and unusual spirits, including Totoro. Totoro, together with the sisters, goes on a series of adventures that so beautifully portrays the simplistic nature of childhood. The storyline is humbly unpretentious and makes for an easy watch however still manages to effortlessly create all sorts of emotions for the viewer.
13 Akira (1988)
Warner Bros.
Akira takes you straight into a dystopian version of Japan, and while the movie deviates a fair bit from the source material, it still stands as a brilliant example of vintage anime. Viewers are treated to some truly impressive narrative throughout the movie which they can enjoy alongside the equally impressive artistic styling of animation and much-loved soundtrack.
The film follows two teenage gang members, Tetsuo and Shōtarō. Their world is turned sideways when Tetsuo acquires psychic abilities after a motorcycle accident, which draws the attention of the wrong crowd. In a city already overrun with terrorism, gang violence, and corruption, the two are thrown into more chaos than they could have ever anticipated and led on a journey bound to engage any viewer’s interest.
12 Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Grave of the Fireflies is an animated war drama ranked as one of the best anime films of all time with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. Misaligned to the usual easy viewing you’d expect from Studio Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies sure packs a punch as you follow the hardships of two brothers, Seita and Satsuko. After their mother dies in a bombing raid, which also destroys their home, the two brothers are thrown into a life of desperation and struggle.
The movie follows their journey across Japan as they try to make it on their own while living in a country still recovering from the tragedies the war brought with it and slowly picking up the pieces to rebuild. What really elevates this movie, however, is the unwaning optimism of the two brothers, even in the face of everything that stands against them. This movie strongly stands as not just one of the best anime movies ever made, but also one of the best war movies. Telling a story as beautiful as it is sad.
11 Princess Mononoke (1997)
Princess Mononoke is a dark, and somewhat violent, historical fantasy with a strong emphasis on mortality and environmentalism. Ashitaka is a prince who unfortunately finds himself burdened with a deadly curse. In order to save his life, he leaves home in search of a cure. However, along the way, he falls into a war between the gods of the forest and a human mining colony who are depleting the natural resources. The Mononoke of the story are the beings of the forest that cause disease, suffering, and death to the people they possess. This movie is an epic anime with intense depth of storytelling and some truly stunning animation that make it easily stand the test of time as a must-watch anime.
10 Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Toei Company
Kiki’s Delivery Service tells the story of a young witch in training, Kiki, as she moves to the seaside with her talking cat, Jiji. The rules of her village dictate that she must live a year alone if she is ever to become a full witch and ditch her training wheels. Once finally able to control her broomstick, Kiki sets up a delivery service and the humorous exploits begin.
The movie is a wholesome coming-of-age tale that holds childish innocence as Kiki navigates her way through various challenges in her new life by the sea. This anime is truly a film for the whole family and anyone will find its charming storyline a joy to watch and its message well received.
9 Porco Rosso (1992)
Porco Rosso takes an introspective approach in emphasizing personal change. It’s an intriguing message that attempts to highlight the fact that true change is not always physically visible, but it’s the changes on the inside that prove most valuable. It’s a brilliantly told story that evokes deep emotive contemplation upon trying to make sense of the events of the movie.
Porco Rosso is a highly skilled pilot, rescuing the victims that fall prey to the deeds of sky pirates. He finds himself turned into a pig after becoming a victim to an unusual curse. He’s faced with constant challenges throughout the movie that makes for a highly entertaining, action-packed watch.
8 Pom Poko (1994)
Studio Ghibli
As human development encroaches on their home in Pom Poko, the raccoon dog population of the forest find themselves in quite a predicament. They are threatened with the possibility of extinction and must respond or face their demise. They take on the desperate struggle to save their homes in this environmentally-themed anime. While having an unfortunate base storyline, this animated comedy-drama still manages to entertain and provide some genuine laughs at the lovable characters. They play up to the stereotypes of raccoon dogs and are wonderfully portrayed as fun-loving and mischievous in their adventures as they try to save their home. It’s quite a whimsical experience to view this movie, and it tells its story in a thought-provoking yet easy-to-watch manner.
7 Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Manga EntertainmentShochiku
Ghost in the Shell was originally so well received that it’s since had a movie sequel, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, a TV series, and a Hollywood live-action adaptation, albeit with questionable casting.
This anime movie is a sci-fi masterpiece that holds some brilliantly iconic visuals throughout and a strong cyberpunk personality. It involves the story of cyborg police agent Major Motoko Kusanagi in New Port City, 2029. She’s hunting down the infamous Puppet Master; a big-time terrorist who hacks into the tech-infused minds of New Port City’s elite. The movie’s super futuristic themes set in a technologically advanced world blend effortlessly into its philosophical message of self-identity. It’s a thought-provoking watch that earns the cult following it has gained since its release.
6 Castle in the Sky (1986)
Having had a strong influence on popular culture in Japan, inspiring many consequent films both in Japan and worldwide, Castle in the Sky was well received upon released and remains well loved to this day.
When a young boy discovers Sheeta mysteriously float down from the sky, he’s pulled into a whirlwind adventure with her. She was being chased not only by pirates but government secret agents and the army. They’re all after all because she holds the key to Laputa, the flying castle in the sky. It is presumed that Laputa hides many riches, hence the interest of Sheeta’s pursuers. Filled with stunning imagery and exciting adventures, it’s no surprise the influence this movie had in media following its success.
5 Vampire Hunter D (1985)
Vampire Hunter D is a brilliantly bloody surreal gothic fantasy set in an apocalyptic world where the remaining humans find themselves living in a wasteland rife with vampires. You’re met with ‘D’, the half-vampire, vampire hunter, after he finds himself hired by Doris Lang to hunt down the ancient vampire, Count Magnus Lee. The count has bitten Doris and she hires D in a desperate attempt to avoid transforming into a vampire herself.
The movie is filled with imaginatively placed supernatural beings and monsters so grotesque as to fit the apocalyptic setting of the vampire hunting adventures of D. It’s a brilliant option for someone after a gritty anime offering. It’s dark and violent, but with enough comedic relief that makes it an undeniably enjoyable viewing experience.
4 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind fuses together a somewhat violent storyline with a beautiful fantasy adventure perfectly. Young Princess Nausicaä lives in an apocalyptic world whereby her people live in the only remotely hospitable environment left in the world as the left of it has been ravaged by pollution and war. The young princess desperatley attempts to bring some peace back to the planet as she tries to prevent the kingdom of Tolmekia from destroying a jungle of giant insects with whom she is able to communicate. It’s through her actions that she’s able to avoid a war with the two neighbouring nations that would have surely threatened what little hospitable land remained on Earth.
The movie interestingly portrays the Buddhist roots of evil (greed, ill will, and delusion) rather than falling too much into good and evil. It’s got a very strong ant-war and pro-environmentalism message sewn across the entire movie as you get drawn into Nausicaä’s journey.
3 Whisper of the heart (1995)
Whisper of the Heart has an impressively high rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and rightfully so. It’s considered one of the all-time anime greats and was the highest-grossing film at the time of its release in Japan.
14-year-old Shizuku Tsukishima is an aspiring writer and while initially hating the boy, befriends Seiji. Initially, the two don’t get along and Seiji is relentless in his teasing of Shizuku, however, the two eventually go on to form an unbreakable bond of friendship. It’s an optimistically beautiful movie that takes you on a coming-of-age tale as the friendship between the two grows. Their bond in the movie highlights the value of true friendships in how the two support each other in achieving their goals. The movie was so well received it has a sequel, The Cat Returns, which is an equally worthwhile watch.
2 Perfect Blue (1997)
Rex Entertainment
Perfect Blue has received some mixed reviews, however, it’s still considered a brilliant piece of anime and has found itself on many top listings since its release.
Mima Kirigoe decides she’s had enough of the J-pop life and leaves her group in order to pursue a career in acting. However, it’s not smooth sailing when she discovers she is being stalked by one of her fans. This discovery leads to an unfortunate decline in her mental health brought on by intense paranoia and anxiety. It’s not an easy movie to watch by any means, and the rather distressing themes can be unsuitable for some. The distressing themes of the movie however strengthen its atmosphere and create a truly gripping story.
1 Fist of the North Star (1986)
Toei Animation
Fist of the North Star is slightly controversial in its particularly violent nature and because of this, it has received some mixed reviews.
The movie is another post-apocalyptic tale, this time following Kenshiro who holds a uniquely impressive set of martial arts skills. After a nuclear war leaves the world in tatters, the remaining human race must face the new realities of both their harsh environment and their oppressors who take advantage of new circumstances. Kenshiro is the protector of the weak and uses his skills against the evils of the wasteland he finds himself wandering in. He’s a savior in the intensely violent world the movie is set in and is shown as a beacon of hope in making the world a more livable place for all. With its cleverly orchestrated action sequences, It’s a movie well-suited to any martial arts fan.
