00:00When you hear the word anime, what comes to mind?
00:03Spiky hair?
00:04What if I told you that some of the most breathtaking fantasy epics,
00:08the most mind-bending psychological thrillers,
00:10and the most heartbreaking dramas of the last 40 years are all anime?
00:14What if I told you that directors like Christopher Nolan
00:17and the creators of The Matrix were heavily inspired by the films on this list?
00:21This is my list of the top 12 anime movies made for true movie lovers.
00:26Give me a few minutes and I promise to change your mind
00:28about what anime can be forever.
00:31Number 12. My Neighbor Totoro, 1988
00:34Let's start with pure, unfiltered magic.
00:37For anyone who grew up loving the wonder of classic Disney
00:40or the heart of Pixar films,
00:42My Neighbor Totoro is your perfect entry point.
00:45The story is simple.
00:47Two young sisters move to the countryside
00:49and befriend ancient, lovable forest spirits.
00:52There's no big villain or complicated plot.
00:55It's a beautiful, gentle film about the magic of childhood
00:58and the comfort of family
01:00that will leave you with the warmest feeling imaginable.
01:04Number 11. The Wind Rises, 2013
01:06For the serious film buff who appreciates a grounded, historical drama,
01:11this is the final masterpiece from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki.
01:15It's a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikashi,
01:19the man who designed Japan's infamous Zero fighter plane in World War II.
01:23It's not a war movie, but a beautiful and tragic story
01:27about the conflict between dreams and reality
01:29and the heavy price of creation.
01:32It's as complex and adult as any live-action Best Picture nominee.
01:36Number 10. Howl's Moving Castle, 2004
01:39If you love sprawling fantasy adventures like Harry Potter
01:43or the Chronicles of Narnia, this is for you.
01:45It's about a young woman who is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch
01:49and whose only hope of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent
01:53yet insecure young wizard and his living, walking castle.
01:57Howl's Moving Castle is a visually spectacular anti-war epic
02:00filled with magic, heart, and imagination on a grand scale.
02:05Number 9. A Silent Voice, 2016
02:08This is not a fantasy. This is a stunningly realistic
02:12and emotionally raw look at the consequences of bullying.
02:16For fans of grounded, character-driven dramas,
02:19A Silent Voice tells the story of a high school boy
02:21who seeks to make amends with the deaf girl
02:23he mercilessly tormented in elementary school.
02:26It's a powerful, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful film
02:30about depression, forgiveness, and the struggle to communicate.
02:34Number 8. Akira, 1988
02:36This is a landmark of cinema.
02:39For any fan of gritty, dystopian sci-fi like Blade Runner or The Matrix,
02:44Akira is required viewing.
02:46Set in the cyberpunk metropolis of Neo-Tokyo,
02:49it's a story of biker gangs, government conspiracies,
02:52and a young man who develops terrifying telekinetic powers.
02:55The hand-drawn animation is absolutely staggering,
02:59and its influence on modern science fiction is immeasurable.
03:02Number 7. Ghost in the Shell, 1995
03:05Before the live-action movie, there was this philosophical masterpiece.
03:10If you appreciate the deep, cerebral science fiction of films like Ex Machina or Arrival,
03:16this is essential.
03:17In a future where humans can transfer their consciousness into cyborg bodies,
03:21a government agent hunts a mysterious hacker who is questioning the very nature of identity.
03:26It's a slick, intelligent, and visually stunning film that asks what it truly means to be human.
03:31Number 6. Perfect Blue, 1997
03:35Now we venture into darker territory.
03:38For fans of psychological thrillers from directors like Alfred Hitchcock or David Fincher,
03:43Perfect Blue is a chilling masterpiece.
03:46It's about a pop idol who retires to become an actress,
03:49only to have her life unravel as she's stalked by an obsessive fan and loses her grip on reality.
03:54It is a terrifying, brilliant, and unforgettable exploration of fame and identity.
04:00Number 5. Paprika, 2006
04:03From the same genius director as Perfect Blue.
04:06For every fan of Christopher Nolan and his film Inception,
04:10you need to see the movie that directly inspired it.
04:13Paprika is a mind-bending thriller about a device that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams.
04:18When the device is stolen, reality and the dream world begin to merge in a visually spectacular and surreal explosion of imagination.
04:26Number 4. Princess Mononoke, 1997
04:30This is an epic in every sense of the word.
04:33For fans of grand-scale fantasy like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones,
04:37Princess Mononoke is a legend.
04:40This is a violent, complex, and morally gray story about a war between the gods of an ancient forest
04:45and the humans who are destroying it.
04:48There are no simple heroes or villains here,
04:50just a breathtaking and brutal conflict for the soul of the world.
04:54Number 3. Grave of the Fireflies, 1988
04:58I need to give a serious warning for this one.
05:01This is not a film to watch casually.
05:03Many critics consider it one of the most powerful anti-war films ever made, animated or otherwise.
05:09It tells the story of two young siblings struggling to survive in Japan during the final months of World War II.
05:15It is a profoundly heartbreaking and devastatingly beautiful film.
05:19If you appreciate powerful historical dramas like Schindler's List, this film will stay with you forever.
05:25Number 2. Your Name, 2016
05:27This is the modern blockbuster that took the world by storm.
05:32Forget every stereotype you have about anime romance.
05:35For fans of big, emotional, high-concept blockbusters,
05:39Your Name is a triumph.
05:40It's a hilarious, beautiful, and stunning story about a teenage boy and girl who mysteriously begin to switch bodies.
05:48But what starts as a comedy soon evolves into a sweeping and epic romance
05:52with one of the most incredible plot twists in modern cinema.
05:56Number 1. Spirited Away, 2001
05:59And at our number 1 spot, the film that is perhaps the perfect gateway to anime,
06:04the only one to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
06:08For anyone who loves classic fables, Alice in Wonderland, or The Wizard of Oz,
06:13Spirited Away is a masterpiece of imagination.
06:16It follows a young girl named Chihiro who wanders into a world of ancient gods, spirits, and monsters.
06:22To save her parents, she must work in a bathhouse for the spirits.
06:27It is a breathtaking, enchanting, and profound journey that represents the absolute peak of animated storytelling.
06:34So there you have it.
06:3512 cinematic masterpieces that prove anime is not a genre,
06:39but a medium capable of telling any story imaginable.
06:43I truly hope this list has opened the door to a new world of film for you.
06:47If you found a new movie for your watch list, please help this channel grow and hit that like button.
06:52Let's try to get this video to 100 likes.
06:55We are a small but growing community, and our big goal is to reach 500 subscribers.
07:01Hitting that subscribe button is the best way to help us get there and keep finding these hidden gems for you.
07:06And now I have to ask you, which of these movies will be the first one you watch?
07:11And for the existing anime fans out there, what masterpiece did I miss?
07:15Let me know everything in the comments below.
07:18Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video.
