Anime Movies and OVAs (Original Video Animation) are one of the most popular genres in the anime industry. Many people are often drawn into the world of anime through anime movies or OVAs. There are countless anime movies to choose from but not all of them are good and a poorly chosen anime movie or OVA may lead to a bad experience or even waste of time. Lately I found out that many people are asking for suggestions for some good anime movies or OVA. That is why I have decided to make a list of anime movies and OVAs that are worth the time and will definitely give you an enjoyable experience. So without further ado, let us get right into it.
1. Grave of the Fireflies
This is an anime movie that is produced by Studio Ghibli. It tells the story of two children from the port city of Kobe, made homeless by the bombs of World War II. Seita is a young teen, and his sister Setsuko is about 5. It follows their life after during the war and how it had affected them. Grave of the fireflies in an achingly beautiful Studio Ghibli movie that it will keep you entangled with its own sadness for ages. It will leave you in tears and you will need to punch a few walls to feel like a man.
2. My Neighbor Totoro
This film is about two girls who move to the country side to be near their ailing mother. They encounter some wondrous and magical forest spirits who live nearby. The movie entails the story of their adventures with of the two sisters with these mysterious spirits of the forest. This one is a childhood favorite of many people including mine. It is an absolute masterpiece of an anime movie made by Studio Ghibli and a great movie to enjoy with the whole family.
3. Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke is another masterpiece made by Studio Ghibli. This film is set during the Muromachi Period (1333-1568) of Japan. It a story about a princess who becomes involved in a mystic fight between the Animal Gods of the forest and humans. The plot line is epic and visual effects are mind blowing. There is that mythical fairy tale vibe here and there that will make you feel that you are glued to the sieve. It is an absolute must watch for anyone looking for a great anime movie.
4. Spirited Away
This film is one of the best anime moves out there. It is about a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
It is yet another studio Ghibli masterpiese. It is simply magnificent, enchanting and totally magical fairy tale and I promise you that you won’t forget about this movie that easily.
5. Howl’s Moving Castle
This film is about an in-confident young woman who is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch. Her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
This movie is jointly made by Studio Ghibli and The Walt Disney Company. If you are looking for a fairy tale with the vibe of love then this is the thing for you. It is an amazing fairy tale about the power of love to transform.
6. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
This anime movie is about a warrior/pacifist Princess Nausicaä who desperately struggles to prevent two warring nations from destroying themselves and their dying planet and an evil ruler’s plan to destroy it.
This movie is produced by Topcraft and Toei Company. It is feminist movie indeed. It will make you feel like to stand up for yourself and get more courageous to say what you believe in.
7. Castle in the Sky
Castle in the Sky is the story of a young boy and a girl with a magic crystal who must race against pirates and foreign agents who are after the girl. In saving her life, they begin an adventure searching for the girl’s identity in a floating castle of a lost civilization.
It is yet another great movie produced by Studio Ghibli. It is an absolutely amazing movie that will leave you speechless for a while. It is a must watch for anyone looking for a great anime movie.
8. Kiki’s Delivery Service
This film is about a young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life. She finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
I will not say much but it sounds like Harry Potter it is with a different era and vibe. But jokes apart it is a really good movie. Studio Ghibli really how to leave the audience mesmerized.
9. Only yesterday
This film is about a single woman named Taeko working a desk job in Tokyo in 1982, taking a vacation in the countryside with the family of her sister in-law. During her vacation, Taeko finds herself looking back at her time as a young schoolgirl growing up in 1966. The film flips back and forward between the two time periods with a lot of nostalgia and beautiful country scenery as Taeko sorts out her flashbacks and tries to make some tough decisions about her future.
It is produced by Studio Ghibli and is an absolutely blissful anime movie. It is a meaningful movie where the main character embraces perpetual beauty of oneself. It will make the viewer feel good about oneself and they will definitely enjoy it.
10. Whisper of the Heart
A young girl finds that all the books she chooses in the library have been previously checked out by the same boy. Later she meets a very infuriating fellow. Could it be her “friend” from the library? A love story between the two book lovers.
It is yet another Studio Ghibli production. It is a heartwarming love story with awesome visual effects. It is a great family movie and is highly enjoyable.
11. From up on the Poppy Hill
This anime movie is about a group of Yokohama teens who are looking to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball in preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Studio Ghibli never seems to fail to surprise you. The creativity of this movie will blow your mind. The story is very well told and greatly executed. I absolutely loved this movie.
12. The Tale of Princess Kaguya
This is a film about a bamboo cutter and his daughter who he found inside a shining stalk of bamboo. The tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her – but in the end she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime.
This is another amazing creation from Studio Ghibli. If you are awaiting for a masterpiece with all tangible emotions than go for it. You will not be disappointed. Trust me.
13. The Girl who Leapt Through Time
This is a film about a teenage girl finds that she has the ability to leap through time. With her newfound power, she attempts to use it to her advantage, but soon finds that tampering with time can lead to some rather discomforting results.
This anime movie was produced by Studio Madhouse. Madhouse is known for their breath taking animation and this one will not disappoint you.It is a truly imaginative movie that will leave you breathless.
14. Ghost in the Shell
The year is 2029. The world has become intensively information oriented and humans are well-connected to the network. Crime has developed into a sophisticated stage by hacking into the interactive network. To prevent this, Section 9 is formed. These are cyborgs with incredible strengths and abilities that can access any network on Earth.
This in and amazing Sci-Fi anime move with an awesome enthralling story line! It will amuse you and give you a really exhilarating experience.
15. Tokyo Godfathers
Christmas in Tokyo, Japan. Three homeless friends: a young girl, a transvestite, and a middle-aged bum. While foraging through some trash, they find an abandoned newborn. Hana, the transvestite with delusions of being a mother, convinces the others to keep it overnight. The next day, using a key found with the baby, they start tracking down the parents, with many adventures along the way.
If you are looking for an action comedy anime movie with magnificent story line, then this is the right move for you. Made by madhouse, this movie is an absolute gem. Loved it to bits.
16. Journey to Agartha
A coming of age story involving young love and a mysterious music, coming from a crystal radio left as a memento by an absent father, that leads a young heroine deep into a hidden world.
Produced by CoMix Wave, this an intimately beautiful movie with a mature and epic story line. It will make your mind space out in a magical era.
17. The Place Promised in our Early Days
This is a film about three middle-school students make a promise that they’ll cross the border with a self-constructed plane and unravel the tower’s secret, but their project was abandoned after the girl, Sayuri Sawatari, became mysteriously ill and transferred to Tokyo. Years later, on the verge of another war Hiroki Fujisawa finds out that Sayuri had been in coma since then, and he asks Takuya Shirakawa to help him finding a way to wake her up.
A beautiful film which will bewitch you for days, maybe your tears won’t drop from your eyes, but even after finishing the movie your emotions will overwhelm your days and mind.
18. Pale Cocoon
This is a sci-fi movie, which take place – In the far future when the continuity of the story has been lost, humans live in an ever more deteriorating completely artificial and enclosed world. The sea and the sky have disappeared, and the only window to “living” scenery exists in the records from the past, excavated in the relic. The Bureau of Record Excavation is an organization responsible for this project. Ura works for the 92nd office of the federal agency. He is absorbed by the refurbishment of various records and fascinated by the world of the past. Riko keeps a little distance to watch him, but averts her eyes from the records, believing that sometimes people just want things to stay the same. Everyone in this world knows that to know the best way to know the misery of this world, the present reality. But one day, Ura restores a strange video.
Produced by studio RIkka this an a stunning and highly enjoyable anime move. The animation is very fantastic with a good story line not to mention with an amazing plot twist.
19. Hal
The movie story takes place in a technologically advanced society in which robots can be programmed to act like a complete human. A robot is required to replace Hal, who died in an accident, to help Kurumi, Hal’s girlfriend move on in life. “Hal” struggles to read the real Hal’s past, Kurumi’s affections towards Hal as well as the meaning of being alive.
Produced by Wit Studios, it is has mesmerizingly beautiful visual effects with an emotional plot line and the plot twist in the end will leave you breathless.
20. Hotarubi No Mori E
This is a film about a young girl called Hotaru, who is rescued by a spirit when she gets lost in a forest as a child. The two become friends, despite the spirit revealing that he will disappear if he is ever touched by a human.
Love doesn’t need to be touched sometimes soul touch another soul in a beautiful, entwined way that what is this movie entirely about. Produced by Brain’s Base studio this is a really great anime movie and I enjoyed it a lot.
21. 5 Centimeters Per Second
This movie is about a young man named Takaki through his life as cruel winters, cold technology, and finally, adult obligations and responsibility converge to test the delicate petals of love.
Produced by CoMix Wave studio it is a pleasant tale with beautiful rhythmic charms that can give you a refreshing vibe.
22. Garden of Words
This movie is about a teenage boy called Takao, who is training to become a shoemaker, skipped school and is sketching shoes in a Japanese-style garden. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days.
In one word truly Charismatic animation art with a splendid storyline and the awesome soundtrack. If something called Surreal is out there than this ova is the finest example of that word. CoMix Wave Studio really outdid themselves with this one.
With that concludes my list of anime movies that are definitely worth the time and will leave you speechless. These are the cream of the crop and the very best of out there. I hope this list will be helpful to those looking for top notch anime movies.
