Top 10 most popular Japanese anime movies

1

Grave of Fireflies

Trailer

This Japanese animated film is based on a novel of the same name by Nosaka Akiyuki. The film's content revolves around two orphans Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, set in Japan after World War II. The two brothers lost their mother in the American bombing of the city of Kobe, while their father The whereabouts of the two children are fighting outside.

Grave of the Fireflies is not just a story about simple brotherly love or condemnation of senseless war crimes. In Grave of the Fireflies, viewers better understand the fable about the high self-esteem of Japanese people despite all circumstances.

Director: Isao Takahata
IMDb: 8.5/10
Country: Japan
Broadcast time: 1988
Genre: Romance, war
Duration: 89 minutes

2

Tonari no Totoro

Trailer

The content of the film revolves around the story of the forest god Totoro and two sisters Satsuki and Mei. Two sisters and their families moved to a house in a remote suburb that was rumored to be haunted. Here, two children met Totoro - a huge mascot who wrote their peaceful and laughter-filled childhood.

My Neighbor Totoro recreates a realistic picture of Japan in 1958 when the country was still poor. Since then, family love and traditional Japanese culture have been portrayed more prominently than ever. By integrating many close and familiar images from childhood, the film has become one of Studio Ghibli's most classic works.

Director: Miyazaki Hayao
IMDb: 8.2/10
Country: Japan
Broadcast time: 1988
Genre: Adventure, fantasy
Duration: 86 minutes

3

Spirited Away

Trailer

Spirited Away is a story about the gentle and kind girl Chihiro. During a move, she and her parents accidentally got lost in the spirit world. Here, her parents were cursed to turn into pigs. Chihiro must stay in the spirit land to work and find a way to cure her parents' curse. During the journey to rescue her parents, the girl encountered many strange things and new friends. Each small story in there brings extremely interesting philosophies to life.

Mixed with beautiful footage about the spirit world, Spirited Away is also a wake-up call about the exploitation of child labor and child abuse that has been taking place all over the world.

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
IMDb: 8.6/10
Country: Japan
Broadcast time: 2001
Genre: Adventure, Family
Duration: 125 minutes

4

Howl’s Moving Castle

Trailer

One of the best Japanese anime animated films based on the novel of the same name by author Diana Wynne Jones. The film is the story of Sophie - a gentle, kind girl. She was having a stable life at a hat maker when suddenly she was cursed to become a 90-year-old woman. Sophie, wanting to break the curse, stepped onto wizard Howl's moving castle. Here, Sophie tried to break the curse and find the lost heart of the wizard Howl.

The film brings profound human values, promoting the fact that good always triumphs over evil. And besides, sincere human love will help dispel all painful curses.

Director: Miyazaki Hayao
IMDb: 8.2/10
Country: Japan
Broadcast time: 2004
Genre: Adventure, Family
Duration: 119 minutes

5

Kikis Delivery Service

Trailer

Kikis Delivery Service​ is one of the most popular Japanese animated films of all time. The Little Witch Kiki brings viewers to the magical world. The main character Kiki has grown up and must live alone for a year to prove that she has enough ability to become a real witch. The girl moves to a new city and uses her flying powers to make a living. From here, the girl went through many different difficult journeys. The film is an interesting and sweet coming-of-age story but also shows the gulf between independence and dependence for teenage girls in Japan.

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
IMDb: 7.8/10
Country: Japan
Broadcast time: 1989
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Duration: 103 minutes