5 Must-Watch Films To Become An Anime Buff

|By Khushi Sitapara|

Like one of my friend likes to say,” The world of anime is like an ocean and I’ve just started taking swimming lessons.”

Are you an Otaku? Are you really an Otaku? Well, if you are one or if you’re on your way to achieving Otaku-hood you must have seen these movies. Because the world of anime, may it be movies or series is immense and packed with amazing content. It’s like Doraemon’s pocket, there’s something for everyone. With varying genres from Shoujo to Isekai to Slice of Life, no one’s going home sad! Here are some of the greatest, most iconic, top-grossing anime movies from the world-famous Studio Ghibli, Makoto Shinkai anime and others. How many have you seen?

5. A Silent Voice or The Shape of Voice- You know where you can find the best depiction of love (romantic or platonic)? Any romance anime (Or manga for that matter). They don’t just kiss on the first date and confess their undying love to each other on the second one. They take it slow and steady, painstakingly steady. Shouko Nishimiya is a girl with impaired hearing who is bullied mercilessly in her new school but she never says anything and when it becomes too much she transfers to another school. After years, Shoya Ishida, one of her bullies, wants to apologize to her and make everything right. Having been on the receiving end of bullying he’s realized what a horrible person he has been to Nishimiya. This anime is extremely moving and emotional. It deals with sensitive social issues such as disabilities, suicide, teen bullying, and parental divorce. It is a story of redemption, forgiveness and learning to love yourself.

4. Weathering With You- Now, I’m thankful to the Gods above that I had the chance to see this movie on a big screen and this happened to be my first ever anime movie. It is genuinely funny, terrifying and suspenseful at times. The jokes are on point. There are some moments that are so genuinely scary that you worry about the characters you’ve come to love so dearly. A high schooler Hodaka runs away from his home and moves to Tokyo and starts working at a small publishing company, investigating urban legends about a ‘weather maiden’, someone who can clear the weather. Meanwhile, Hodaka befriends a McDonald’s employee Hina, who later turns out to be the ‘weather maiden’ Hodaka was looking for. Inspired by the legend Hodaka proposes a business idea that they start clearing the weather for weddings and parties. Everything is well until it’s not. It’s a must-watch for Your Name fans (whispers: it has a cameo). The animation is so captivating at times and if anyone asks, this is the soundtrack to my heart.

3. My Neighbor Totoro- This is a sweet little story of a sweet little family who has just moved into a new house near a forest. The story revolves around the two sisters Satsuki and Mei, who are absolute bundles of energy, as they discover the secrets of their neighbourhood and why the neighbour’s kid calls their house a haunted house, sure it’s old and rickety but that doesn’t mean it’s haunted, right? Soon they befriend a fuzzy rabbit-like creature Mei calls Totoro and their father says is the forest king. The soundtrack is something you can fall asleep to or dance around while making a traditional meal. It beautifully depicts the wacky imagination only a child could have. It is a very simple, HAND DRAWN, cute and evergreen anime suitable for all audiences. It’ll make you fall in love with the traditional anime genre which is now rare, but once you’re into it, its heaven!

2. Your Name- Where do I even begin with this one? Firstly it’s a must-watch for 'Weathering with you' fans. The story features two main characters a young boy Taki Tachibana living in the metropolitan Tokyo and a girl Mitsuha Miyamizu living in the countryside Itomori (I’m loving the alliteration here). One day out of the blue they realize that they have been switching bodies with each other. Mitsuha believes it might have to do something with a falling star. The story starts out a bit slow and seems average but oh boy, the turn it takes. The first half seems very fun as both characters struggle to live each other’s lives and figure out things and when you are all happy and giddy the movie takes a dark turn and sucker punches you in the stomach. It hits you out of nowhere and this is the part that will keep you on your toes and have you thinking of the unexpected. It will have you biting your nails (trust me, I almost ate all my fingers). The beautiful depiction of Japan’s traditions shows us just how amazing their culture is. The soundtrack conveys various moods so wonderfully that you don’t need to know the language to understand. The animations, especially the scenic views of various locations makes you want to see those places with your own eyes.

1. Spirited Away- Okay kids, repeat after me, which is the best anime movie of all time? Spirited away! Have you heard of the famous character No face? This is where he is from! A little girl Chihiro and her parents wander off to an abandoned theme park which is the world of kami (spirits) and witches. Her parents are turned into pigs due to the curse of a witch, Yubaba. Chihiro has to work at the Bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba if she ever wants to save herself and her parents which Yubaba is not making any easier. The story moves rhythmically without any rush. There’s ample of character development, even a bit for the villain. The spirit realm that Chihiro goes in is a visual treat, the characters, the building structures, it’s all very unique and shows the spirits and monsters as almost human. The animation is absolutely gorgeous and the soundtrack is like none other. The characters are unforgettable. One very cool thing about this movie is that you can watch it from various perspectives and have different ideas and opinions about the same movie. If you ask me this should be everyone’s first anime.

If you have seen all these movies and feel lost you can watch some of the other great anime's such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Howl’s Moving Castle, In This Corner Of The World, Ghost In The Shell, Cowboy Bebop, Rebuild of Evangelion and so on! Happy Watching!