Verdict: Spirited Away is the best anime movie ever made, and it’s the right first pick for almost anyone. If you want something darker, start with Akira or Perfect Blue. If you want to cry, watch Your Name or Grave of the Fireflies.
Updated October 12, 2026 · Blu-ray prices checked October 9, 2026 on Amazon (US)
Who this is for: new anime fans looking for a starting point, and longtime fans checking what they’ve missed. Looking for TV shows instead? See our 25 best anime series of all time.
What are the best anime movies of all time?
Graphic: NerdSnack.
| # | Movie | Watch it if you want |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spirited Away (2001) | The best starting point |
| 2 | Princess Mononoke (1997) | An epic with real stakes |
| 3 | Your Name (2016) | A romance that hits hard |
| 4 | Akira (1988) | Cyberpunk action |
| 5 | Grave of the Fireflies (1988) | A war film you won’t forget |
| 6 | Perfect Blue (1997) | A psychological thriller |
| 7 | My Neighbor Totoro (1988) | Something for the whole family |
| 8 | Ghost in the Shell (1995) | Big sci-fi ideas |
| 9 | A Silent Voice (2016) | A quiet drama about guilt |
| 10 | The Boy and the Heron (2023) | Miyazaki’s latest |
The 20 best anime movies, ranked
1. Spirited Away (2001)
Spirited Away. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
Hayao Miyazaki’s story of a 10-year-old girl working in a bathhouse for spirits is the most complete anime film ever made. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and is the easiest anime to recommend to anyone, at any age.
Watch it if: you’ve never seen an anime film and want the best one first.
2. Princess Mononoke (1997)
Princess Mononoke. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
A cursed prince gets caught in a war between a mining town and the gods of the forest. Miyazaki doesn’t give you a clear villain, and the fights are as violent as anything in the genre.
Watch it if: you liked Spirited Away and want something bigger and darker.
3. Your Name (2016)
Two teenagers who’ve never met start waking up in each other’s bodies. Makoto Shinkai turns that setup into a mystery and then a gut punch, with some of the most beautiful skies ever animated.
Watch it if: you want a romance with a twist you won’t see coming.
4. Akira (1988)
Katsuhiro Otomo’s biker gangs, psychic kids and exploding Neo-Tokyo set the template for cyberpunk animation. Every frame is hand-drawn, and the motorcycle slide is still copied in movies and games today.
Watch it if: you want the film that made anime cool in the West.
5. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Isao Takahata follows two orphaned siblings trying to survive in Japan at the end of World War II. It’s one of the saddest films ever made, animated or not, and you probably won’t want to watch it twice.
Watch it if: you’re ready for something heavy and unforgettable.
6. Perfect Blue (1997)
A pop idol quits to become an actress and starts losing track of what’s real. Satoshi Kon’s debut is a genuinely scary thriller, and it still feels ahead of its time about fame and obsession.
Watch it if: you want anime that plays like a psychological horror film.
7. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
My Neighbor Totoro. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
Two sisters move to the countryside and meet a giant, sleepy forest spirit. Nothing bad really happens, and that’s the point. Totoro became Studio Ghibli’s logo for a reason.
Watch it if: you’re watching with kids, or you just need something warm.
8. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Mamoru Oshii’s cyborg detective story asks what makes you human when your body and memories can be replaced. The Wachowskis have said it shaped The Matrix, and it’s easy to see how.
Watch it if: you like sci-fi that leaves you thinking.
9. A Silent Voice (2016)
A former bully tries to make amends with the deaf girl he tormented in grade school. Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation handle guilt, depression and forgiveness with real care.
Watch it if: you want a drama that feels painfully real.
10. The Boy and the Heron (2023)
The Boy and the Heron. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
Miyazaki came out of retirement for this strange, personal fantasy about a grieving boy and a talking heron. It won him a second Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Watch it if: you’ve seen the Ghibli classics and want the director’s newest film.
11. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Howl’s Moving Castle. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
A young hatmaker is cursed into an old woman and ends up living in a wizard’s walking castle. It’s Miyazaki at his most romantic, based on Diana Wynne Jones’s novel.
12. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (2025)
The first of three films finishing Demon Slayer became the highest-grossing anime movie ever worldwide. Ufotable’s fight animation is the best in the business. Watch the series first, because it starts mid-story.
13. Paprika (2006)
Satoshi Kon’s last feature follows a therapist who enters patients’ dreams, until a stolen device makes dreams leak into reality. It’s wild, colorful and often compared to Inception.
14. The End of Evangelion (1997)
Hideaki Anno’s alternate ending to Neon Genesis Evangelion is brutal, surreal and divisive. Watch the TV series first, or none of it will make sense.
15. Wolf Children (2012)
A young mother raises two kids who can turn into wolves. Mamoru Hosoda makes it a quiet, moving story about parenting and letting your kids choose who they become.
16. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
Miyazaki’s post-apocalyptic adventure came out before Studio Ghibli existed, and its success led to the studio’s founding. Its environmental themes still hold up.
17. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (2025)
MAPPA’s follow-up to the first season is a summer romance that turns into one of the most explosive action films in anime. It works best if you’ve seen the series.
18. Look Back (2024)
This adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot runs under an hour and follows two girls bonded by drawing manga. It’s short, and it will wreck you.
19. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki’s Delivery Service. Image: © Studio Ghibli.
A young witch moves to a new town and starts a flying delivery service. It’s a gentle story about burnout and finding your place, and it’s perfect for younger viewers.
20. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
A high schooler discovers she can jump back in time and uses it for small, selfish things until the consequences catch up. It’s Mamoru Hosoda’s breakout film.
Which anime movie should you watch first?
- Never seen anime: Spirited Away.
- Want action: Akira, then Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle if you’ve seen the show.
- Want romance: Your Name.
- Want a thriller: Perfect Blue, then Paprika.
- Watching with kids: My Neighbor Totoro or Kiki’s Delivery Service.
What to skip
- Franchise movies before the show. Infinity Castle, Reze Arc and The End of Evangelion all assume you’ve watched the series.
- Grave of the Fireflies as a casual watch. It’s a masterpiece, but don’t put it on for a fun night in.
- Bootleg discs. Unbranded “complete collection” Blu-rays on marketplace sites are usually fakes. Stick to listings from GKIDS, Shout! Factory, Crunchyroll and the other official labels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best anime movie of all time?
Spirited Away. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and works for every kind of viewer.
What is the highest-grossing anime movie?
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (2025), which passed Demon Slayer: Mugen Train as the highest-grossing anime film worldwide.
What’s a good anime movie for beginners?
Spirited Away, Your Name or My Neighbor Totoro. None of them need any background knowledge.
Which anime movies won an Oscar?
Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron, both from Hayao Miyazaki, won Best Animated Feature.
Want only Ghibli? We ranked every Studio Ghibli movie, all 25 of them.
Next step: start with Spirited Away, then pick from the “watch it if” lines above. For more, see the 25 best anime series of all time, our fall 2026 anime watch guide and the best anime gifts of 2026.
Own the best anime movies on Blu-ray
More from this list, all sold by Amazon: Princess Mononoke · Akira 4K · Grave of the Fireflies · Perfect Blue · My Neighbor Totoro · Ghost in the Shell 4K · A Silent Voice · The Boy and the Heron · Howl’s Moving Castle. Prices from $14.79 to $26.99, checked October 9, 2026.
Sources: release years, directors and awards from each film’s official release and the Academy Awards database. Box office from Variety and Collider reporting on Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Blu-ray prices checked on Amazon (US) on October 9, 2026; every disc listed is sold and shipped by Amazon. Film stills from Studio Ghibli’s official free-to-use image library, © Studio Ghibli. Graphics: NerdSnack.
Crunchyroll has every simulcast, classic series, and anime film you could want — in HD, with new episodes every week.
