The best quality anime films have an alluring beauty that just has to be admired.
The earliest anime production goes back almost a century ago in 1917, Japan and the production of these great pieces of work has never stopped since.
Nonetheless, the characteristic anime style of art as known today started back in 1960s courtesy of such artists as Osamu Tezuka.
The medium has produced a number of memorable films that could easily convert those who dislike it into serious fanatics.
Here are 7 of the best and most beautiful anime movies ever made:
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Redline (2009)
Considered so beautiful its addictive right from the start, Redline is an impressive work seemingly solid colour inked.
Rather than turn to digital cut-out variations in his animation to save both money and time, Takeshi Koike created Redline a frame after another; after seven years he came up with one of the best anime films you probably have never seen.
Princess Mononoke (1997)
One of the most beautiful anime films out there, Princess Mononoke presents very outstanding and unique visual features, especially the original character designs displayed throughout, more so in relation to the featured gods. A studio Ghibli masterpiece, watch it and know why it’s still a personal favourite of many.
5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)
A unique romantic anime drama, it tells the story of Akari and Takaki, Japanese youths in love but never act on the adoration flowing among them.
The lighting, characters and sets have a very special beauty that juxtaposes with the film’s sadness. Each frame, colour and lighting tell of an exceptional masterpiece. In terms of lighting, classical beauty and colour theory, it’s probably the best anime production around.
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Considered the anime film with visuals that inspired the Matrix film creators, it was a technical and artistic animated masterpiece in 1995. At the time computer graphics were uncommon and at their infancy but the film’s creative team was able to seamlessly juxtapose computer graphics and cel animation. Perhaps the best scene that captures this blend is the tank battle involving Major Motoko Kusanagi.
Spirited Away (2001)
Any person with the eye of a professional animator will love Spirited Away. Its artistic and technical perfection are so perfect and fun to watch that the anime film took Academy Awards’ best animated feature category of 2003. The creativity in the film is credited to Hayao Miyazaki.
Grave of the Fireflies (1998)
A perfectly executed anime, the film has the animation accurately and masterfully done to capture the pain that follows kids who mean well after their parents are killed leaving them abandoned. The film creates empathy with every viewer, especially the animation of the four-year-old girl, Seita’s sister. The artwork and action restraint contrast powerfully with the film’s obvious sadness.
Akira (1988)
Anyone familiar with anime has seen Akira a couple of times. It’s the masterpiece credited with bringing the Japanese anime into the world scene.
By breaking free from the limited animation tradition, Akira showcased diverse characters, fully animated with complex background support with excellent effects. Akira’s visuals remain complex, inspiring and very appealing to date. The film’s HD version comes with addictive fun that will draw your breath away.
Image Credit: “Niabot, because wikimedia commons lost his roots” [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
