Famous franchises like Black Clover, Dragon Ball Super, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime recently announced new movies. However, while fans wait for their release, Netflix continues to mix and add new anime films to its massive catalog of titles.
Netflix’s extensive anime library stands as a lifesaver for anime enthusiasts who don’t have access to Crunchyroll or Funimation. Netflix has successfully acquired the licensing to some of the best movies from popular franchises, anthologies, and hard-to-find vintage anime for quality-seeking eyes. They’re highly rated and the best in their genre, both in the audience and critic’s eyes.
Tokyo Godfathers – 8.28
Tokyo Godfathers is a charming slice-of-life story about three homeless people, Gin, Hana, and Miyuki, who set out on a journey to find the mother of an abandoned baby. Themes like hope, good actions, family values, feel-goodness, and a happy ending, make Tokyo Godfathers a perfect Christmas movie.
The protagonist trio and their realistic depiction bring life to the story. They’re well-written, and each has a distinct, vital plot arc in the shape of their past. There is a multicultural representation in the movie with a few Spanish-speaking characters. Tokyo Godfathers is hailed as Satoshi Kon’s oddest and best anime film, with superb animation and music for its period.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – 8.37
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity is on the verge of extinction. It almost seems inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune. However, instead of mechas and advanced governments, giant insects, dense jungles, and kingdoms with both armored knights and airplanes distinguish the picture from others with similar themes.
As the name suggests, the movie centers around Nausicaä, the young princess of the Valley of the Wind Kingdom. She is courageous, strong, inspiring, kind, and loving, and she is always concerned about the well-being of her people and all living things. She is a character that any little child can admire. The movie is centered on an environmentalist theme, and it succeeds in sending a strong message to the audience.
Violet Evergarden I: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll – 8.41
The movie’s story is divided into two parts. The first is about Violet and her new client Isabella, where Violet attends an all-girls academy and works as a private teacher for Isabella while posing as a handmaiden. The second section is about Isabella’s sister and her time at CH Postal Company. These two chapters are expertly linked to form a single cohesive plot.
Isabella and Violet’s connection is the best feature of the film. Art and animation are vibrant, colorful, charming, and evoke a magical world. The movie is focused more on Isabella and her sister’s story, which is a refreshing sight in the Violet Evergarden series. The series is full of character development, and it’s a tearjerker.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion – 8.55
End of Evangelion is an alternate retelling of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series’ two last episodes. The characters in Evangelion are all traumatized or dealing with some emotional issue, but the animation remains flawless throughout. And the characters and their troubles are well-portrayed in the film.
It addresses concerns regarding the nature of humanity’s existence and if life is worth living. The film forces the characters to face the agony everything around them delivers, and the frequent confusion and chaos of Shinji’s and everyone’s thinking. The brilliance of this film is that it does not spoon-feed the idea; instead, the audience is left to choose what is actual, symbolic, and psychological.
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya – 8.62
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is based on the fourth light novel in the Haruhi series and takes place after the events of the series. It is one of the highest-rated and best KyoAni anime. The narrative depicts the characters’ reactions to the circumstances surrounding Haruhi’s absence. Kyon usually constantly whins about how stupid everything is, but after Haruhi vanishes, he finds himself in a world where he has no problems to complain about.
Kyon, the main character, finally realizes what he’s been living for. Nagato Yuki is another significant character because, unlike a humanoid interface, her existence as a person grows. Minor characters like Taniguchi play a significant part as the one who saves Kyon from complete despair. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a winding and emotionally draining time-traveling epic put together masterfully.
Howl’s Moving Castle – 8.66
Howl’s Moving Castle is the story of Sophie Hatter, a youthful, insecure young woman cursed with the body of a ninety-year-old by the vengeful witch of the waste. She then meets another magical being, the enigmatic wizard Howl, and his shifting castle in her desperate search for a cure. Howl swiftly exposes his true colors as a straightforward nice guy, providing shelter for Sophie while assisting her search for the witch. It is based on a children’s book by Diana Wynne Jones.
It’s a narrative about addressing one’s worries and overcoming them. The animation and scenery are magnificent, with just the proper amount of charm. Miyazaki produced beautiful, painterly pastoral images full of idiosyncratic charm in Howl’s Moving Castle. It’s lovely and full of heartfelt story aspects and themes like greed, cowardice, and war’s futility.
Princess Mononoke – 8.68
Princess Mononoke stands as Miyazaki’s most powerful and thought-provoking film. When the young protagonist, Ashitaka, is cursed while fighting a demon, he embarks on a journey to cure himself. He hears legends about a woodland ghost who has the power to give and steal life and soon finds himself in the thick of a battle between humans and animals. He learns of Princess Mononoke amidst this, a girl who took the side of the animals.
The movie communicates a strong message and has a much darker overtone than Miyazaki’s other lighthearted films. It depicts nature battling human civilization, while humanity within the film is attempting to overthrow each other. It eloquently explains how self-destructive humans are and our impact on nature.
Spirited Away – 8.79
Spirited Away is Studio Ghibli’s fairytale adventure and one of the most aesthetically pleasing movies. With magical animation and art, it moves like a dream. The film delves into a child’s secret amazement and awe-inspiring imagination. Chihiro, a 10-year-old headstrong, spoiled, and naive girl, is the protagonist of Spirited Away, a coming-of-age story.
The movie establishes its plot as Chihiro unintentionally crosses over into the spirit world in an abandoned amusement park. Her trip through a strange realm as she tries to save her parents and return home is amusing and transports the spectator to a world of enigmatic wonder from their infancy. One of the best things about this film is that it doesn’t have any good or evil characters; everyone has a little bit of both.
Violet Evergarden The Movie – 8.96
Violet Evergarden The Movie is the finale of Violet’s story and an absolute tearjerker. The film picks up where the 2018 television series left off. Violet is unable to forget Gilbert and refuses to accept that he is gone. Everything in the movie, from the animation to the character designs to the locales, is a masterpiece in storytelling.
Violet began as a robotic, an emotionally broken literal doll who couldn’t function without orders from a higher-up. Throughout the series, Violets slowly learn to think for herself, act on her impulses, and slowly comprehend what it means to feel “love” through her encounters while writing letters for various clients. Her character’s journey concludes in the film, with a well-deserved happy ending.
A Silent Voice – 8.96
A Silent Voice is an emotional rollercoaster. It is a moving depiction of adolescent abuse, reconciliation, and forgiveness for pain caused by others and ourselves. The movie primarily feeds on character development to progress. It is a redemption tale of a high school student, Shouya Ishida, who wants to make things right with Shouko Nishimiya, a deaf girl he mercilessly bullied in 6th grade.
It’s a film worth remembering and reflecting on. Even though it loses some points in following the development of side characters, the story is well-worth seeing. The camerawork, animation, character design, and graphics are excellent and well-received. The film, which deals with real-life concerns such as bullying and death, is deserving of its high rating.
