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Does the opening of Blue Lock The Movie -Episode Nagi- have you feeling like it's time for a dive into the world of anime? Curious about anime movies on Fanango at Home, like the Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron? We are right there with you. And so are our friends at Rotten Tomatoes.
We're counting down the best anime movies of all time, according to the Tomatometer. The top 15 titles are below. See Rotten Tomatoes for the full list.
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15. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
Tomatometer: 94%
Audience Score: 85%
Synopsis: Arrietty, a tiny teenager, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and housekeeper. Like others of her kind, Arrietty remains hidden from her human hosts, but occasionally ventures forth from beneath the floorboards to borrow sugar cubes and other supplies. A secret friendship forms when 12-year-old Shawn meets Arrietty, but their relationship could spell danger for Arrietty's family.
Critics Consensus: Visually lush, refreshingly free of family-friendly clatter and anchored with soulful depth, The Secret World of Arrietty lives up to Studio Ghibli's reputation.
Starring: Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, David Henrie, Will Arnett
Directed By: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Gary Rydstrom
14. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Tomatometer: 95%
Audience Score: 89%
Synopsis: In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds of cyborg-human hybrids. Her pursuit of a man who can modify the identity of strangers leaves Motoko pondering her own makeup and what life might be like if she had more human traits. With her partner (Richard George), she corners the hacker, but her curiosity about her identity sends the case in an unforeseen direction.
Critics Consensus: A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.
Starring: Richard Epcar, Mimi Woods, William Frederick Knight, Tom Wyner
Directed By: Mamoru Oshii
13. Belle (2021)
Tomatometer: 95%
Audience Score: 95%
Synopsis: Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious "beast" and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
Critics Consensus: A remarkable story brought to life with dazzling animation, Belle finds writer-director Mamoru Hosoda setting a brilliant new benchmark.
Starring: Kylie McNeill, Chace Crawford, Paul Castro Jr., Manny Jacinto
Directed By: Mamoru Hosoda
12. The Boy and The Heron (2023)
Tomatometer: 97%
Audience Score: 88%
Synopsis: From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) comes a new critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure. After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family's estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito's new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself.
Critics Consensus: Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece.
Starring: Luca Padovan, Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
11. Suzume (2023)
Tomatometer: 96%
Audience Score: 98%
Synopsis: 17-year-old Suzume's journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, "I'm looking for a door." What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob.... Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster. The stars. The sunset. The morning sky. Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky--guided by these mysterious doors, Suzume's journey to close doors is about to begin.
Critics Consensus: Suzume sees director Makoto Shinkai falling just a bit short of the bar set by previous outings -- but when the results are this visually thrilling and emotionally impactful, it's hard to find much fault.
Starring: Nanoka Hara, Hokuto Matsumura, Eri Fukatsu, Hakuo Matsumoto II
Directed By: Makoto Shinkai
10. Spirited Away (2001)
Tomatometer: 96%
Audience Score: 96%
Synopsis: 10-year-old Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong turn down a wooded path, Chihiro and her parents discover an amusement park with a stall containing an assortment of food. To her surprise, Chihiro's parents begin eating and then transform into pigs. In this supernatural realm, Chihiro encounters a host of characters and endures labor in a bathhouse for spirits, awaiting a reunion with her parents.
Critics Consensus: Spirited Away is a dazzling, enchanting, and gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by the world around them.
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
9. In This Corner of the World (2016)
Tomatometer: 97%
Audience Score: 88%
Synopsis: As she combats her daily struggles In Hiroshima during World War II, an 18-year-old woman gets married and has to maintain the will to live.
Critics Consensus: In This Corner of the World offers a unique ground-level perspective on an oft-dramatized period in history, further distinguished by beautiful hand-drawn animation.
Starring: Non, Megumi Han, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Natsuki Inaba
Directed By: Sunao Katabuchi
8. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Tomatometer: 98%
Audience Score: 89%
Synopsis: In this anime feature, 13-year-old Kiki moves to a seaside town with her talking cat, Jiji, to spend a year alone, in accordance with her village's tradition for witches in training. After learning to control her broomstick, Kiki sets up a flying courier service and soon becomes a fixture in the community. But when the insecure young witch begins questioning herself and loses her magic abilities, she must overcome her self-doubt to get her powers back.
Critics Consensus: Kiki's Delivery Service is a heartwarming, gorgeously-rendered tale of a young witch discovering her place in the world.
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Debbie Reynolds, Janeane Garofalo
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
7. Demon Slayer - Kimetsu No Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train (2020)
Tomatometer: 98%
Audience Score: 99%
Synopsis: Falling forever into an endless dream... Tanjiro and the group have completed their rehabilitation training at the Butterfly Mansion, and they arrive to their next mission on the Mugen Train, where over 40 people have disappeared in a very short period of time. Tanjiro and Nezuko, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke, join one of the most powerful swordsmen within the Demon Slayer Corps, Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, to face the demon aboard the Mugen Train on track to despair.
Critics Consensus: Demon Slayer's visually stunning animation and masterful action set pieces serve a heartfelt plot that is sure to satisfy fans.
Starring: Zach Aguilar, Abby Trott, Aleks Le, Bryce Papenbrook
Directed By: Haruo Sotozaki
6. Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie (2021)
Tomatometer: 98%
Audience Score: 98%
Synopsis: When they were children, Rika Orimoto was killed in a traffic accident right before the eyes of her close friend, Yuta Okkotsu. "It's a promise. When we both grow up, we'll get married." Rika became an apparition, and Yuta longed for his own death after suffering under her curse, but the greatest Jujutsu sorcerer, Satoru Gojo, welcomed him into Jujutsu High. There Yuta meets his classmates, Maki Zen'in, Toge Inumaki, and Panda, and finally finds his own determination. "I want the confidence to say it's okay that I'm alive!" "While I'm at Jujutsu High, I'll break Rika-chan's curse." Meanwhile, the vile curse user, Suguru Geto, who was expelled from the school for massacring ordinary people, appears before Yuta and the others. "This coming December 24th, we shall carry out the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons." While Geto advocates for creating a paradise for only jujutsu sorcerers, he unleashes a thousand curses upon Shinjuku and Kyoto to exterminate all non-sorcerers. Will Yuta be able to stop Geto in the end? And what will happen to breaking Rika's curse...?
Critics Consensus: Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie offers a thrilling, beautifully animated gift for fans of the anime -- and a story that holds up as a standalone effort.
Starring: Kayleigh McKee, Anairis Quiñones, Allegra Clark, Xander Mobus
Directed By: Seong-Hu Park, Sunghoo Park
5. Your Name (2016)
Tomatometer: 98%
Audience Score: 94%
Synopsis: A teenage boy and girl embark on a quest to meet each other for the first time after they magically swap bodies.
Critics Consensus: As beautifully animated as it is emotionally satisfying, Your Name adds another outstanding chapter to writer-director Makoto Shinkai's filmography.
Starring: Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Laura Post, Glynis Ellis
Directed By: Makoto Shinkai
4. The First Slam Dunk (2022)
Tomatometer: 100%
Audience Score: 98%
Synopsis: Shohoku's "speedster" and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball. In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.
Critics Consensus: A heart-pumping, breathtaking, wonderfully crafted manga adaptation, The First Slam Dunk shoots and scores.
Starring: Syugo Nakamura, Jun Kasama, Shinichiro Kamio, Subaru Kimura
Directed By: Takehiko Inoue
3. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Tomatometer: 100%
Audience Score: 95%
Synopsis: A teenager (J. Robert Spencer) is charged with the care of his younger sister (Rhoda Chrosite) after an Allied firebombing during World War II destroys their home and kills their mother.
Critics Consensus: An achingly sad anti-war film, Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli's most profoundly beautiful, haunting works.
Starring: J. Robert Spencer, Rhoda Chrosite, Amy Jones, Kathleen McInerney
Directed By: Isao Takahata
2. Only Yesterday (1991)
Tomatometer: 100%
Audience Score: 82%
Synopsis: A put-upon 27-year-old Japanese office worker travels to the countryside and reminisces about her childhood in Tokyo and what life could have been.
Critics Consensus: Only Yesterday's long-delayed U.S. debut fills a frustrating gap for American Ghibli fans while offering further proof of the studio's incredibly consistent commitment to quality.
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Ashley Eckstein, Alison Fernandez
Directed By: Isao Takahata
1. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
Tomatometer: 100%
Audience Score: 90%
Synopsis: A tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors to prove their love by completing a series of near-impossible tasks.
Critics Consensus: Boasting narrative depth, frank honesty, and exquisite visual beauty, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a modern animated treasure with timeless appeal.
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Darren Criss
Directed By: Isao Takahata
