Adventure! Sounds fun right? The protagonists go on a Journey, meet new people, defeat enemies who dare cross their path and finally reach their goals. The sceneries, the world-building, and the storyline in most adventure animes are almost always top-notch. This genre can be seen in action in some of the oldest animes and even in the new-gen, as the hype around it has never died.
Now that you love the Adventure genre, you want to watch some anime around it. But you have an issue with time; you can’t just sit and watch a series with so many episodes to enjoy your favorite genre.
Don’t worry now because, on this topic, we bring you the 40 Best Adventure Anime Movies that you can watch whenever you like without spending much time. So pick any one of these, take your popcorn, add it to your schedule, and let’s get into it!
Also Read: 40 Best Anime Series To Watch On Crunchyroll
40. Tales From Earthsea
Tales from Earthsea is a fantasy adventure anime movie released back in 2006. It is based on Ursula K. Le Guin’s first four books of the Earthsea series. The Movie was animated by Ghibli Studio, which is very popular for making classical anime movies.
As it is clear from the title, this Movie consists of Tale which connects the Earth and the Sea. What would be your first thought if you saw two dragons fighting in the sky? The End of the world is near! In a world where dragons don’t even exist, some people sailing in the sea witness a fight between two dragons which ends in the defeat of one of them.
Everyone exclaims that this is a sign of imbalance in the world and that the world itself is nearing its End. The King of the land suffers from a horrible disease that forces his son Arren to take the lead. Arren takes his father’s blade and departs on the Journey to save the world.
During his Journey, Arren meets a powerful wizard named SparrowHawk, who is also determined to bring balance to the world. They embark on their Journey, helping each other whenever needed to finally defeat the villain who wants to sacrifice the Earth to gain immortality.
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
39. Napping Princess
Released in 2017, we have yet another fantasy anime on this list. Napping Princess: The story of the unknown me is written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama and released under Warner Bros, which you would be very well familiar with because of its epic Hollywood movies.
As the title says, this movie is about a Napping Princess and features the concept of alternate realities. Kokone Morikawa is a teenage girl with a normal life, but she suffers from a disease that affects her sleeping patterns, but that’s not all.
Whenever Kokone falls asleep, she gets transported to another world called Heartland, where she is the daughter of the King. Heartland is an unusual place where one can find machines everywhere; even the King is regarded as the best car builder in the land. This world is so real that Kokone can’t differentiate it from reality.
Kokone in Heartland has access to various advanced technologies which she can use to bring any machine to life. Heartland also suffers due to a tyrannical machine named Colossus. The King sent many machines to defeat Colossus, but no one succeeded. Kokone decides to go up against the Colossus using her powers in hopes that it will lead her to the reason behind her reality alterations and also answers regarding her own existence.
- Runtime: 1h 50m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Itunes
Also Read: 45 Best Anime Series Where The Protagonist Is Female
38. Origin: Spirits of the Past
Origin: Spirits of the Past, also referred to as Silver-haired Agito, is a science fiction anime movie written by Nana Shiina and Naoko Kakimoto and released in 2006 by Gonzo Studios. If you were looking for sci-fi, then here’s your take, and there are a few more in this list.
Research aimed at altering trees on a genetic level to make them survive in harsh environments resulted in something truly frightening. The trees gained consciousness and attacked humans leading to massive destruction all across the globe.
The main story is set Three centuries after the horrible incident, and humanity has finally found a truce with the forest for peaceful coexistence, but there’s still a military group named Ragna who wants to destroy all the trees in the world as the only path to freedom.
In the neutral region, the protagonist Agito finds a girl sleeping in a cryogenic pod while he is out in search of water. He woke her up and brought her back to his city. The girl, Toola, explains that she has been asleep since the start of the tree’s attack.
Shunack, the leader of Ragna, believes that she is the Key to destroying all the trees and takes her with him. Shocked by this sudden turn of events, Agito decides to go after them and save Toola.
- Runtime: 1h 35m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Where to watch: Funimation, Apple TV+
Also Read: 30 Best Sci-fi Anime Movies to Watch In 2023
37. Mary and the Witch’s Flower
From the world of the witches, we have the next anime movie named Mary and the witch’s flower. This anime is based on the book written by Mary Stewart in 1971 named The Little Broomstick and is produced by Studio Ponoc.
It features the story of a girl named Mary Smith or Sugisaki. Mary is a teenage girl who recently moved to a new house in England. Being a lonely girl, she constantly tries to distract herself by doing housework, but she often fails and causes trouble. She always gets made fun of due to her distinct red hair and clumsy behavior.
One day Mary meets a mysterious cat that has the ability to change its colors. She follows the cat, and it takes her to a flower; the Gardner calls the flower by the name “fly-by-night” and tells her that it can give witch-like powers to anyone who touches it.
Mary tries to stay away from the flower but accidentally breaks it, releasing its magical power. This power gives life to her broomstick, allowing her to fly using it. She flies and reaches the witch school, and from then, her adventure to survive in this unknown world begins.
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Also Read: 45 Best Magical Witch Movies That You Should Know
36. The Cat Returns
Next, we have yet another classic anime movie by Ghibli studios. The Cat Returns is based on the manga written by Aoi Hiiragi. This anime is sure to be your type if you are a cat lover.
Haru Yoshioka is the protagonist of this anime. She’s a teenage girl who has the ability to talk to cats. One day while returning home from school, she saves a cat from being hit by a car. The cat later turns out to be the King of the Cat Kingdom and offers Haru to come with him so that he can repay her for her kindness.
Haru soon finds herself in trouble as her replies don’t get through to the cats, and she can’t find a way out of the Kingdom. Her words get misinterpreted, and she gets chosen as the bride of the King. She also finds out that staying too long in the Kingdom could turn her into a cat. Afraid of what might happen, she begins her adventure to escape the Cat Kingdom.
- Runtime: 1h 15m
- Rating: G
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
Also Read: The Best Anime Movies That You Can Stream On Netflix In September 2020
35. The Princess and The Pilot
The Princess and The Pilot is the anime adaptation of the Light Novel written by Koroku Inumura in 2008 and released as a movie in 2011 by Madhouse Studio.
This anime has a very straightforward plot and sends the message that love can bloom anywhere, even in the midst of war. Juana del Moral is a princess belonging to the del Moral family; her family gets attacked during the war by the enemy fighter planes of the Amatsuvian Empire, which leads to her father’s death.
Charles Krino, a mercenary pilot, is sent to rescue the princess while the rest of the troops act as a decoy. The plan fails in the End, and Charles is left with the princess, and he has to now protect the princess alone. They travel to various places, fight enemies, hide, and share things with each other. This leads to a strong connection between the two of them.
- Runtime: 1h 39m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+
34. Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland
You might have heard of Finding Nemo, but have you heard of this classic named Little Nemo? This anime, also referred to as Nemo, is a musical fantasy movie adaptation of the Comic written by Winsor McCay. This anime has been produced in collaboration with various studios such as Ghibli, Disney, Looney tunes, etc.
Somewhere in Victorian-era America, there’s a house in which Nemo lives. Nemo has trouble sleeping and has woken up several days in a row due to nightmares. Sometimes he is chased by a train, and sometimes he is attacked by clowns. He just can’t sleep peacefully. Until one day, someone visits him in his dream and asks Nemo to come with him.
The person refers to himself as Professor Genius and tells Nemo that he has come to take him on a visit to Slumberland by the orders of King Morpheus. Upon reaching Slumberland, Nemo is told to stay away from a pitch-black thunderstorm raging at a distance from Slumberland.
Nemo, out of curiosity, reaches out for the thunderstorm and unknowingly releases the King of Nightmareland, an enemy who is so menacing and fierce that his presence is considered a threat to not just Slumberland but reality itself. Nemo gets determined to fix his mistakes, and so begins his Journey.
- Runtime: 1h 25m
- Rating: G
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime
Also read:55 Best Fictional Characters That Start With N
33. A Letter to Momo
A letter to Momo is a fantasy/drama anime movie written and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura and produced by Production I.G. This anime has a very wholesome and exciting plot.
Momo Miyaura has recently lost her father and decided to move to the Shio island with her mother. Devastated by the loss, Momo cried day and night in the memory of her father and the unfinished letter he left for her. One day she finds a mysterious book about goblins that belonged to her father.
After Momo opens the book, strange things start to happen in her house. She hears noises, horrifying shadows, and many eerie things. She soon finds that the book released three goblins into her house. She is determined to find the truth about the goblins and the mystery surrounding her father’s death. Momo puts her life on the line and faces great odds in this adventure.
This might be a spoiler, but for people who want to know if the ending is good, then yes, the ending isn’t sad, and it’s peaceful and wholesome, so you can try it without any worries.
- Runtime: 2 h
- Rating: G
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
32. The Girl Who Leapt through Time
Next, we have a science fiction romance anime movie produced by Madhouse studio. Based on the light novel written by Yasutaka Tsutsui, this Movie is a worldwide hit. It has received numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Film Prize for Animation of the Year. This should give you an idea of the great animation and storyline of this anime.
The story follows the concept of time travel, so if you are a fan of movies like interstellar and others, then you would definitely like this Movie. Time travel is a great ability, and you can get perfect scores on exams, avoid any accidents and even live that moment with your crush as long as you want. That’s exactly what our Protagonist, Makoto Konno, does.
Makoto Konno is a 17-year-old high schooler from Tokyo who receives the power to time travel due to some mysterious events. She uses her powers for fun while being completely unaware of the effects it caused on the world.
The more she used her powers, the more they affected her surroundings until, one day, she realized it. She also realizes that she’s slowly losing her powers and that she now has to dedicate what’s left towards saving the world.
- Runtime: 1h 38m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll
Also Read: 50 Best Anime Characters With Telekinetic & Psychic Powers
31. The Wind Rises
We have yet another war romance movie by the name of Wind Rises. The Movie was released in 2013 by Studio Ghibli. Unlike many other anime movies, this Movie is a fictionalized version of real life.
When The Wind Rises was released, it took Japan by storm. It became the highest-grossing Movie and went on to win not one but three national awards, namely Best Animation Feature, Golden Globe Award, and Academy Prize for animation of the year. Apart from all that, this Movie has also been nominated for Oscar.
The story is actually a biography of a man named Jiro Horikoshi and his life in the war that struck Japan. Jiro wants to help his nation by making the best fighter aircraft there is. He studied and made various models, many of which failed, but he did not ever give up and finally made Mitsubishi A6M Zero the best fighter jet Japan used during world war II.
- Runtime: 2h 6m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Also Read: 41 Adventure Movies Based On True Stories
30. One Piece: Clockwork Island Adventure
One Piece is one of the longest-running anime of all time, and so it has some of the most and best movies of all time. One Piece is all about Luffy and his adventures in the sea, so you can expect a lot of adventure from its movies too.
One of those movies is “Clockwork Island Adventure,” which is also one of the earliest One Piece released in 2001 by Toei Animation. The anime received an English dub in 2015, so you can choose between the two official languages: Japanese and English.
The Movie is about Luffy and the Thief Brothers, whom the Straw hats meet after they lose their ship along with all their goods. The Thief Brothers inform Luffy and his crew about a tyrannical ruler who is causing trouble on their island, Clockwork Island. They also tell Luffy about the Diamond Clock and how much value it holds.
Luffy gets determined to defeat the ruler of the island with the help of the thief brothers. But the fearsome Bear King has other motives.
- Runtime: 1h
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
- Buy DVD: Amazon
Also Read: One Piece Guide to Watch: All The Episodes & Movies
29. The Boy and the Beast
Another award-winning movie in this list we have The Boy and the Beast(not beauty and the beast). The Movie is written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda and is a part of the action-adventure genre. Our main protagonist is a Nine-year-old orphan named Ren. Ren lives in the streets of Shibuya and survives by stealing food and money, and he also spends his nights there.
Meanwhile, far off in a separate world named Beast Kingdom, Iozen and Kumatetsu are pitted against each for deciding who will become the grandmaster. Kumatetsu is a very lazy and boring person, and so he lacks any students even though he is a master at Kendo. Kumatetsu is told that if he wants to prove his worth, he has to get disciples for himself.
Kumatetsu arrives in Shibuya in his search for students when he meets Ren. He gets impressed by his stealing skills, and they talk for a bit. After knowing all about Ren’s past, Kumatetsu decides to make him his disciple, to which Ren agrees, and they both begin their new lives to reach their goals.
- Runtime: 1h 59m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, Funimation
28. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Final Fantasy is one of the most loved gaming franchises, and this Movie is a direct sequel to Final Fantasy VII. The Movie is directed by Tetsuya Nomura and written by Shinji Hashimoto. The film is produced by Square Enix, which is a well-known studio.
In the Movie, you will get to see some of your favorite characters, like Cloud Strife and Sephiroth. The Movie is set in a world 2 years after the events of the Final Fantasy VII game, and the action in this science fiction movie is guaranteed to be top-notch.
An anonymous evil has appeared in the city and has abducted many children. The people of the city, including Sephiroth, suffer from a mysterious disease, the cure of which is yet unknown. In hopes of finding the cure and saving the children, Cloud and Sephiroth must pick up their weapons again to find and purge this evil once and for all.
- Runtime: 1h 41m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Where to watch: Sony Pictures, Netflix, Amazon Prime
27. Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa
Another movie from Square Enix we have the direct sequel to the legendary anime series Fullmetal: Alchemist. Unlike many other anime movies related to their series, this one is actually canon and so necessary to watch if you want the full story of Fullmetal: alchemist.
The power of alchemy is a curse and a blessing depending upon the user. In this Movie, we see Edward getting transported to the past at the time of world war II. He tries to return to his own timeline by making his own ship.
Edward has lost his powers of alchemy, and so he has to rely on science to make this work. His efforts alert the German Nazis, who believe that this power will make them victorious in the war. Now Edward has to face this enemy while trying to protect his own timeline and also make a return. What will he do?
- Runtime: 1h 45m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
26. Sword of The Stranger
Let’s talk samurais and swords and stuff. The next Movie on the list is Sword of The Stranger. It is an action-adventure anime movie released in 2007 by Bones studio under the direction of Megumi Endo. The Movie has received a lot of appraisal due to its unique style and storytelling.
The story is set in the Sengoku era of Japan, a period in which bloodshed and wars were common in the country. The country was overrun by various swordsmen, among which were the Ming Warriors. A group of swordsmen who wants to make a medicine capable of giving immortality to their leader. But the medicine requires a special ingredient, the sacrifice of the prophesied child.
The prophesied child, Kotaro, is the protagonist of the anime, who, along with his dog, is on the run to escape his death. During his escape, he meets with Nanashi, a master swordsman and a troubled ronin. He decides to help Kotaro in his Journey, and so begins their battle against death.
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Rating: Not Rated
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Where to watch: Funimation, Amazon Prime
25. Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Music can heal a heart, but do you know music can also end wars? Macross: Do You Remember Love? It is an anime movie that follows this concept. Also referred to as The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? It is a science fiction adventure anime movie released in 1984.
The Movie is an adaptation of the original Macross series and is often considered an alternate timeline. It features an advanced Macross Civilization, including Robots and spaceships. The Movie is also known for its mesmerizing Japanese Pop songs and Romance. So if these are your type, then give this movie a try.
A battle between the people from Earth and the Zentradi alien race. Thousands of humans have settled on a space station named SDF-1 Macross at the edge of the solar system due to this battle. One of these human soldiers is Valkyrie Pilot Hikaru Ichijyo, who is assigned to rescue a famous pop idol named Lynn Minmay.
The Zentradi find out that music has a devastating effect on their armies, and so they try to capture Minmay in any way possible. Hikaru and Minmay develop a deep relationship while on the run, and so the story continues.
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Bilibili, Crunchyroll
24. Macross Plus
Macross Plus is yet another movie from the Macross Franchise. Unlike Macross: Do You Remember Love? This Movie is a direct sequel to the Macross series rather than an alternate timeline. The Movie is known throughout anime for its excellent animation. The Movie was written by Keiko Nabumoto and was produced by Triangle Staff Studio.
The Movie is set after the Great war between Zentradi and the human race in 2040. The Movie is all about the rivalry between three people, namely Isamu Alva Dyson, Guld Goa Bowman, and Myung Fang Lone, who were friends in their childhood. But over the years, these three had a falling out and now are each other’s sworn enemies.
A test is conducted to find out a successor to the VF-11 fighter aircraft for Project Super Nova. The three childhood friends compete against each other to win by any means necessary while also facing other problems during their clash, an AI so evil that it could very well threaten their entire population.
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Rating: Not rated
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll
23. One Piece: Dead End Adventure
Another one of the many One Piece movies we have is the fourth Movie from One Piece named Dead End Adventure. The Movie was written by Yoshiyuki Suga instead of Oda, showing that it is not canon but a fun watch nonetheless. The Movie, as always is distributed by Toei Animation.
Forget normal adventure, and we are now going racing! The Straw Hats are in a dire situation and need money as they have gone broke. While sitting in a bar, Nami overhears a conversation between the bartender and a man, which she concludes could lead them to some money. Luffy and his crew mates convince the man to share info, and he takes them to a mysterious underground tunnel.
The tunnel reaches a mysterious island where numerous Pirates have gathered, including deserted naval officer Gasparde. The straw hats find out that a race is about to happen here, and the prize is huge. Luffy has his eyes fixated on the prize, and they take part in the race and also face off against Gasparde in the process.
- Runtime: 1h 35m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Where to watch: Bilibili, Amazon
22. Porco Rosso
Proco Rosso, or Crimson Pig, is an adventure-fantasy anime movie released back in 1992. The Movie is based on the manga written by Miyazaki with the name The Age of The Flying Boat. The Movie was animated by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
The story is set in a post world war I in Italy. Marco Pagot, one of the best Italian fighters, has now retired and is living a peaceful life while working as a freelancer. His life comes to an abrupt halt when one day, he gets affected by a mysterious curse that changes him into a Human Pig.
Now known as Porco Rosso or Red Pig. Marco must find out a way to break free from his curse and restore not only his body but also his dignity in the process. In his adventure, he meets new people and faces difficult challenges which he must endure.
- Runtime: 1h 34 min
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
21. Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
When talking about adventure, how can one forget Pokémon? Pokémon is the epitome of adventure anime and has released several great movies over the years. Pokémon is all about Ash Ketchum and his adventures to become the greatest Pokémon master ever.
Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew is yet another adventure movie released in 2005. It is also referred to as “Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation the Movie: Mew and the Wave Hero” and is the 8th Movie in the Pokémon Franchise.
Ash and Pikachu compete in the Sir Aaron Pokémon competition and manage to secure a victory. Ash receives Sir Aaron’s staff as the winning prize. Ash accidentally breaks the staff releasing Sir Aaron’s legendary Pokémon Lucario.
Meanwhile, Pikachu gets kidnapped by Mew, who takes him to the Tree of Beginnings. No one except Lucario knows the way to the Tree of Beginnings, and so Ash asks for his help. Lucario agrees and goes on to save Pikachu along with Ash and his companions.
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play
20. Doraemon: Nobita’s Great Adventure in the South Seas
Did you know that Doraemon is also an anime? Well, now you do. Doraemon is not exactly referred to as an adventure anime, but some of its movies are notably filled with exciting adventures. One of those movies is Doraemon: Nobita’s Great Adventure in the South Seas.
We all know Nobita and how he always comes up with some ridiculous wish for Doraemon. This time he wanted to experience the lives of pirates in the 16th century and how they lived their lives. He also wants to go on a treasure hunt by sea to truly enjoy a Pirate life.
Doraemon disagrees at first but, as always, accepts Nobita’s wish. He creates a Pirate simulator and takes Nobita and his friends on a trip. But suddenly, something strange happens; the simulator breaks, and a time distortion happens, which throws everyone into an era where real Pirates exist. How will Nobita and Doraemon find their way through this problem? Watch the Movie to find out.
- Runtime: 1h 31m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
- Where to watch: Bilibili
19. Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Naruto! An anime series is known throughout the world and is one of the greatest of all time. Naruto is all about its main character Naruto Uzumaki and his adventures to finally achieve his goal of becoming Hokage. The series has also released many movies. Even though most of its movies are non-canon, they are fun to watch nevertheless.
Road to Ninja is a movie released in 2012 when the Naruto series was nearing its End. It was a delightful watch as it brought many of the fan’s wishes to life. Naruto and Sakura have been put under a temporary Tsukuyomi by Tobi, which leads them to a parallel world.
In this world, everything is the reverse of the actual Naruto world. Naruto’s parents are alive, while Sakura does not have parents. Hinata has a bold and aggressive personality, while Sasuke is a Playboy who is head over heels for Sakura.
Naruto and Sakura must find a way to break this genjutsu and return to their original world to save everyone in the Great Ninja War.
- Runtime: 1h 49m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime
Also read: What Episode Does Naruto Fight Sasuke For The Last Time?
18. Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
Released in 2003, we have another science fiction adventure movie named Interstellar 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. This Movie is actually related to the daft punk album and worked as an advertisement for the same.
The Movie is produced by Toei animation, which is known for producing some of the greatest anime like One Piece and Dragon Ball.
The Movie features an intergalactic band of singers who are kidnapped by some humans. They are then forced to perform on various occasions by those humans after they get their memories erased.
On Earth, a human named Shep becomes a huge fan of a singer from this intergalactic band. The singer is named Stella. He decides to save all of the alien singers along with Stella and send them back home. With fights between the Solar System, this Movie is sure to be adventurous.
- Runtime: 1h 30m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
17. Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn
If we talk about distance traveled during adventures, then Dragon Ball would definitely come out on top. Son Goku has traveled across the universe, and even the afterlife in his search for Strong opponents, and this Movie is no exception.
Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn is the last Movie from the Z series of Dragon Ball and includes the strongest antagonist in the entire series. The Movie was released back in 1995 and was one of the best dragon ball movies to ever get released for obvious reasons.
Janemba has appeared. With his reality-bending powers, he destroys the boundary between the living world and the afterlife. Many dead villains have been released and have invaded Earth. Son Goku, who is still in the afterlife, challenges Janemba to a battle but is severely defeated.
On Earth, Gohan and Videl face off against the undead villains. Vegeta arrives, but even the combined strength of Goku and Vegeta fails against the mighty Janemba. Their only option left is to use the fusion dance and bring back the legendary Gogeta!
- Runtime: 51m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Apple TV
Also read: Top 15 Unforgettable Dragon Ball Z Moments Everyone is a Fan Of!
16. The Last: Naruto the Movie
The last few episodes of Naruto showed everyone preparing for the wedding of Naruto and Hinata, but there was no actual development in the relationship between these two characters. The Naruto Franchise released one last Naruto Movie to fix this.
Naruto: The Last is an anime movie made for the sole purpose of building the relationship between Naruto and Hinata. It was written and released under the guidance of Kishimoto, who is the writer of the Naruto series. This makes this movie canon despite some people believing otherwise.
The Hyuga clan is attacked by a mysterious foe who has abducted Hinata’s little sister. After getting this news, Naruto and Hinata, along with some other companions, set out to find her. Their Journey helps develop Naruto and Hinata’s relationship as both of them soon unravel their love for each other.
The antagonist, Toneri otsutsuki, has threatened to destroy the whole Earth by colliding with the moon. He has also demanded to marry Hinata, who he believes is the “Byakugan Princess.” Faced with great odds, Naruto must defeat this foe to save not only Earth but also the love of his life.
- Runtime: 1h 52m
- Rating: TV-14
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime
Also Read: What Episode Does Naruto Tell Hinata He Loves Her?
15. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
One of the most expensive anime movies based on a video game, we have yet another addition to this from the Final Fantasy universe, Final Fantasy: The Spirits within. This was one the greatest animated Movie when it was first released, and the animations still hold out pretty well even to this day.
This Movie is set on a dystopian Earth. Earth is invaded by an alien species known as Phantoms, who have the power to instantly kill any human they touch. Two scientists, namely Sid and Aki, are assigned to find a way to get rid of the Phantoms.
Aki gets infected by a Phantom after she stays out of the city parameters for too long, but she also finds a way to defeat the Phantom in the process. They must find the 8 Gaia spirits scattered across the Earth and combine them to form a weapon capable of destroying the very essence of the Phantoms.
Meanwhile, another Scientist named Hein believes that these methods won’t work and the only way to defeat Phantoms is to use the Zeus cannon, but Sid warns that using the Zeus cannon can damage Earth’s Gaia and could lead to the destruction of the planet. Sid and Aki must stall Hein and also find all the Gaia spirits while Aki’s infection gets worsens.
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- Runtime: 1h 46m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube Movies
Also Read: Best 18 Tifa Lockhart Cosplay From Final Fantasy VII
14. Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Next, we have another anime adaptation from a video game. This time it is Street Fighter which was a very popular video game in the 90s because of its impressive action. The Movie was released in 1994 and was written by Kenichi Imai, and was distributed by Toei animation.
If you are a fan of action games, then you would already be familiar with their storylines. Be it Tekken, Mortal Kombat or Streetfighter. All of these games include a main protagonist who goes on his adventure to find worthy opponents to challenge his strengths and ultimately come out on top as the strongest.
This Movie follows the same story; Ryu is a Mua Thai expert who has remained undefeated for many years. Now he has started exploring for opponents to fight. Meanwhile, a criminal organization wants to subjugate Ryu by any means Necessary.
- Runtime: 1h 42m
- Rating: Not Rated
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Also read: 45 Anime Like Akira: Best Sci-Fi Anime Recommendation
13. Appleseed Ex Machina
Appleseed Ex Machina is a science fiction anime movie and is based on the manga written by famous mangaka Shirow Masamune. The Movie is a direct sequel to another Appleseed Movie released in 2004. The Movie is produced by Micott & Basara and distributed by Toei Animations.
The Movie follows a plot that can be related to the hit Hollywood movie series Terminator. The human race is facing an evil terrorist group that wants to wipe out humanity. Humans have developed their own fighter robot named E-SWAT and must defeat the enemies for their survival.
The protagonist of the anime is a SWAT member named Deunan Knute, and her partner is Briareos Hecatonchires, who is a bioroid or human-cyborg hybrid. After Briareos suffers a fatal injury in battle, he is put under restrictions until he heals. Deunan is given a new partner to work with named Tereus.
Tereus looks completely similar to Briareos, which makes Knute suspicious. She now has to pursue two goals: to find out the truth about bioroids and save Briareos and also save her city Olympus from these Terrorists.
- Runtime: 1h 45m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 7/10
- Where to watch: Amazon, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
12. Appleseed Alpha
Yet another movie from Appleseed, but this time it’s not a sequel to the Appleseed series and is instead an alternate timeline. This Movie was released years after the first two Appleseed movies in 2014. The Movie still followed the original manga, but the script was written by Marianne Krawczyk.
In this Movie, we get to see Deunan Knute and Briareos Hecatonchires years before the actual battle of Olympus. We get to see that the world has just been through a war era, and Briareos is suffering from some severe wounds. Both Deunan and Briareos live in the ruins of what once was New York.
Briareos is undergoing treatment when two SWAT members from Olympus approach Deunan and him. They ask for their help as they are being chased by a group of terrorists who want the Key to a deadly weapon. Briareos and Deunan agree to help them, and so begins their Journey to evade the terrorists and defend the city of Olympus, a place to which they are still unknown.
- Runtime: 1h 33m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
11. Suzume No Tojimari
If you are a fan of “Your Name” or “Weathering with you,” then you would definitely like this anime movie too. Written and Directed by the legendary light novel artist Makoto Shinkai, this Movie is sure to leave its mark on you. The film also features some great voice actors.
Suzume no tojimari, or just “Suzune,” as referred to in some countries, is the latest release movie in this entire list. The name of the Movie literally translates to “Suzume’s locking up,” which kinda gives away its plot.
The story revolves around Suzume, a 17-year-old high school girl who lives in Miyazaki. One day while going to school, Suzume witnesses a strange old door in the middle of the forest. She opens the door and sees the exact world she used to see in her dreams, but this makes her scared, and so she leaves the door and continues on her way to school.
After some time, many such doors start to open across Japan, and all of these doors bring along with them huge calamities. Only Suzume and a strange man named Sōta Munakata have the ability to close these doors and save the world, or these doors could bring about great destruction.
- Runtime: 2h 2m
- Rating: Not Rated
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
- Where to watch: This movie will be available to stream by fall 2023.
Also Read: Parasite Movie Ending Explained: What Happened To The Kim Family?
10. Ponyo
Entering the top 10 best anime movies. I want to clarify that this is not a ranking, as all of the movies mentioned till now are great in their own way, so it’s hard to rank them. But the top 10 is still the top 10. These are some of the most awarded and critically acclaimed movies of all time.
At number 10, we have Ponyo. Despite its unusual name, this Movie is one of the best of all time. Ponyo is a fantasy adventure anime released in 2008. The Movie is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who is very well-known in the anime industry. Apart from this, Ponyo is the 5th highest-grossing anime movie of all time.
The story revolves around two main protagonists, Sosuke, a five-year-old boy, and Brunhilde, or Ponyo, a fish with magical powers. After Ponyo decides to live with Sosuke and become a human, the balance of the whole world collapses,
Ponyo’s father, Fujimoto, is forced to take action and declare that Ponyo must return to her original form, or the balance of the world won’t be restored. With love on one side and the whole world on the other, what will Ponyo and Sosuke do?
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Rating: CBFC: U
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
9. The Secret World of Arrietty
The Secret World of Arrietty or Arrietty the Borrower is a fantasy adventure anime movie released in 2010 by Studio Ghibli. This is also Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s first anime movie as a director. The Movie has received an English dub from Disney, including the voice of Tom Holland. The Movie was also awarded the 34th Japan Academy Prize.
The concept of this story is really interesting. Arrietty is the daughter of Pod, and they are referred to as the “borrowers.” The borrowers are very small human-like beings who “borrow” or steal things from humans for their own use. They also always keep their existence hidden as they fear being caught.
One day Pod takes Arrietty to teach her how to borrow things. They reach the house of Sho, another main protagonist of the anime, and steal a sugar cube, but Sho notices Arrietty, which makes them scared, and they run away. The next day Sho places a sugar cube at his door with a note apologizing for scaring them.
Pod tells Arrietty not to take the note, but she still takes it and finally gets to talk to Sho. This move from Arrietty risks the borrower’s secret and causes panic among them.
- Runtime: 1h 34m
- Rating: G
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
8. Children Who Chase Lost Voices
Another masterpiece from Makoto Shinkai is an anime movie released in 2011 named Children Who Chase Lost Voices. The Movie is also referred to as Journey to Agartha and features elements of action, romance, fantasy, and adventure.
The main protagonist of the Movie is Asuna Watase, a 6th grader. She is a very lonely and distant person, but she wasn’t always like this. After her father’s death, her mother had to work alone to provide for her, which made her mature early so she could help her. Asuna’s father left a cat and a radio as his last gift, which Asuna treats very dearly.
Asuna always listens to strange music on the radio until one day, while listening to the music, she gets attacked by a mysterious monster. A boy named Shun comes to her aid and defeats that monster. Asuna thanks Shun and asks about where he lives. He says that he’s from Agartha.
The next day Shun disappears from town, and Asuna learns that Agartha is the land of the dead. To unravel the mystery surrounding Shun and to find the truth behind her father’s mysterious radio, Asuna begins her adventure.
- Runtime: 1h 56m
- Rating: TV-14
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
- Where to watch: Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime
Also read: 25 Best Anime Girls With Pink Hair: From Kawaii To The Powerful
7. Patema Inverted
One of the best science fiction anime movies from a storytelling perspective, we have Patema Inverted, an anime movie that would turn your world upside-down quite literally. The film was written and directed by Yasuhiro Yoshiura and was released in 2013.
Let’s go to the future! The year is 2067, and scientific research is at its peak. One of these many scientific research is a study focusing on acquiring control over the Earth’s gravitational energy. This research turns into a complete disaster and causes the Earth’s gravity to invert, which sends everyone flying.
Years later, Humans have succeeded in making civilizations underground away from the gravity inversion effects. In one of these civilizations lives the protagonist of this anime, Patema, a young teenage girl. In her civilization, people worship gravity, and anyone who wanders off to an inverted part of the Earth is labeled as an “invert” and is despised by everyone.
Despite all the warnings, Patema decides to fix the Earth and enters the forbidden zone. She, along with a strange boy named Age, who lives in the forbidden zone as he’s also called an invert, set out to fix things once and for all.
- Runtime: 1h 38m
- Rating: Not rated
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, Apple TV
Also Read: 90 Best Sci-fi Anime Shows Of All Time: The G.O.A.T
6. Kiki’s Delivery Service
Did you order something online? If yes, then Kiki would probably be on her way to your house right now. Kiki’s delivery service is yet another one of Hayao Miyazaki’s works aimed at showcasing the lives of teenage girls and their independence in Japan.
The Witch delivery service is a delivery business run by a witch named Kiki. She, along with her cat Jiji uses her flying broomstick to deliver goods to people. Even though she struggles at first, she still manages to get her work done. While in the human world, Kiki meets a boy named Tombo, who gets fascinated by her flying powers.
Tombo also decides to make a flying ship from scratch, and Kiki helps him in his quest. This story is about Kiki and her struggles to make her delivery service successful and finally earn something.
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Rating: G
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix
5. Castle in The Sky
It’s really fascinating to know that almost all of the most successful anime movies have been written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and this Movie and the rest of the top 5 are no exception. Castle in the sky is an anime movie produced by Studio Ghibli and was released in 1986.
Lucita Toel Ul Laputa, or Sheeta, gets kidnapped by Captain Dola and his gang of evil pirates. Being a descendant of the Laputan Royal Family, Sheeta is considered to be the only person aware of the Myriad treasure hidden within the floating city of Laputa, and the pirates want to steal that treasure by extracting that information from her.
During their Journey, the pirates meet with an accident, and Sheeta manages to escape from their shackles. While on the run, she meets up with an orphan boy named Pazu. Sheeta decides that the only way to avoid the city’s treasure falling into the wrong hands is for her to find the treasure and transfer it somewhere safe, and so they begin their quest to find the floating city, which is only heard of in legends.
- Runtime: 2h 5m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Vudu
4. Howl’s Moving Castle
This Movie was made by Hayao Miyazaki as a way to show his rage and anger. When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, Miyazaki felt really sorrowful for the loss of lives in this attack. For this reason, Howl’s moving castle contains many anti-war elements and delivers the message of peace and compassion.
Sophie is a teenage girl who gets turned into an old woman by a witch’s curse. She meets with a powerful wizard named Howl in her Journey to find a cure for her curse and decides to work for him as she believes that he’ll help her. Howl is a devout servant of the King and hence fights many battles for the King’s sake.
Sophie finds herself caught up in all this and struggles to get out. Will Sophie be able to find the cure for her curse? Or will this war keep her trapped forever? Watch the Movie to find out.
- Runtime: 1h 59m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 8.2/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Also Read: 35 Anime Movies Like Howl’s Moving Castle You Need to Watch
3. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a futuristic fantasy anime movie animated by Topcraft. The Movie is based on Hayao Miyazaki’s manga of the same name. This Movie is yet another in this list to carry anti-war sentiments and preach the message of peaceful coexistence.
The story is set in a futuristic world which is the aftermath of a great war called Seven Days of fire. War is so huge that the nuclear fallout from it caused the whole Earth to get covered in toxic forests and also caused a mutation in insects causing them to become catastrophically large.
In this world lives Nausicaa, the young princess of the valley of the wind. She has a unique ability that allows her to communicate with various giant mutant insects. Nausicaa promotes humans coexisting with insects but faces severe opposition from other ruling parties.
One day, Lastelle of Pejite, Princess of Tolmekia, finds a dormant humanoid bioweapon from the seven days of fire war. She immediately seeks to destroy it and asks Nausicaa for help. But things don’t go so well as Tolmekia’s aircraft crashes and the bioweapon is seized by the current ruling party of Tolmekia.
Nausicaa attempts to stop them, but the Tolmekian army kills her father and gets away with it. The Tolmekian army, now led by Princess Kushana, wishes to use the bioweapon to destroy all mutant insects and forests. Blinded by rage, Nausicaa must find a way to stop them from succeeding in their goals.
- Runtime: 1h 57m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 8/10
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO max
2. Princess Mononoke
At number 2, we have a blockbuster movie named Princess Mononoke. Yet another one of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s works. The film has historical as well as fantasy elements in it, which make its storyline very unique.
A battle between the gods and humans would definitely result in great catastrophes. Ashitaka, the protagonist of this Movie, gets attacked by a mysterious monster and gets infected because of it. Ashitaka, being an Emishi Prince, has never left his village and has always protected it.
This time Ashitaka is forced to leave his village in search of a cure for his curse. A wise old lady from his village informs Ashitaka that the cure can only be given by the god named Shishigami. Ashitaka sets out on his Journey to find the cure and witnesses the human world for the first time.
Ashitaka gets shocked and concerned by looking at the humans destroying the lands leading them to suffer gods wrath. Ashitaka decides that he would also help maintain peace between the humans and the gods, along with his quest to find the cure.
- Runtime: 2h 14m
- Rating: PG-13
- IMDb rating: 8.4/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Netflix, HBO Max
Also read: Popular Anime Princess That Will Hook You Into Nobility
1. Spirited Away
If you have read this far, then it would be rude for us to disappoint you. For that reason, At number 1, we have the best anime movie of all time, and that is Spirited Away. Being the only anime movie to ever win an Oscar, this Movie is surely worth the watch.
This Movie is regarded as Hayao Miyazaki’s greatest work and has won so many awards that it is hard to even list them. Spirited Away was produced by Studio Ghibli and was bought by Walt Disney for distribution in America. Okay, enough about the achievements; let’s talk about the story.
Chihiro is a normal 10-year-old human girl who only knows about witches, spirits, and monsters from the fantasy books her parents read for her. One day Chihiro’s parents decide to move to a new house, and while on their way, they come across a mysterious tunnel.
Chihiro insists that they keep walking, but her father decides to explore the tunnel. They enter the tunnel and reach a strange place that looks like an abandoned amusement park. In the amusement park, there’s a food shop with exquisite-looking food items, but there’s no owner.
Chihiro’s father and mother eat the food as they believe it’s a gift for them. Chihiro explores the area and finds a boy named Haku, who tells her that this place is cursed and she should never eat the food from that food shop. Frightened, Chihiro runs to her parents and finds out that they have been turned into Pigs.
Determined to return her parents back to normal, Chihiro goes deeper into this scary amusement park and encounters many spirits, witches, and even demons lurking in her path.
- Runtime: 2h 5m
- Rating: PG
- IMDb rating: 8.6/10
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Netflix
Also Read: 33 Memorable Anime Quotes From Spirited Away
