Your Guide to the Greatest Animes on Earth 

Ghost in the Shell (1995) 
Directed by Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell follows cyborg public-security agent Motoko Kusanagi on her mission to track down the elusive hacker, The Puppet Master.

Originally a box office bust, Ghost in the Shell found a second life on DVD, the film generating a huge cult following (the Wachowskis – creators of The Matrix – and James Cameron have both cited the film’s impact on their careers).  

A far cry from the formulaic Hollywood adaptation, the original Ghost in the Shell is still essential viewing for any self-respecting fan of anime. With dense philosophical underpinnings and a melancholic, techno-futurist palette, it’ll leave an indelible mark on your consciousness.

Akira (1988) 
A post-apocalyptic cyberpunk masterpiece by director Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira dragged anime into the future at breakneck speed. Based on 1982’s manga of the same name, Akira’s budget smashed the record books, the $5.5 million production becoming the most expensive anime film of all time. Still, every Japanese yen was well spent. 

Set in a dystopian neo-Tokyo, Akira tells the story of a motorcycle gang inadvertently colliding with a secret military project. A blood-soaked spectacle travelling at supersonic speeds, Akira’s eerily prophetic narrative and nuclear soundtrack (drawing influence from Indonesian gamelan and Japanese noh music) is still peeling back our eyelids three decades later.

Ninja Scroll (1993) 
Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s ultraviolent Ninja Scroll is not for the faint-hearted. Set in feudal Japan, Ninja Scroll follows the exploits of sword-for-hire vagabond Kibagami Jubei, as he attempts to stop a clan of demonic ninjas from overthrowing the Japanese government. 

Intrigued yet? 

A vicious spectacle of swordplay and in-your-face bloodletting, Ninja Scroll paved the way for the kind of high-end, stylised anime to follow. 

Open the gates of hell, this one’s a killer! 

Spirited Away (2001) 
It really doesn’t get much better than this. Arguably legendary director Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus, Spirited Away is one of the most transcendent anime films in history. Bringing us into a world of strange spirits and sorcery, a 10-year-old Chihiro is forced to work in a kami (spirits of Japanese shinto folklore) bathhouse after her parents are transformed into pigs.

A mesmerising fairytale bursting with genuine heart, Spirited Away is still (appropriately) the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. A cultural touchstone for artists and directors across the globe, Spirited Away is a triumphant testament to the human imagination. 

Your Name (2016) 
A modern masterpiece. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name is a heart-breaking romantic fantasy that tells the story of two teens that slowly begin swapping bodies. A dense narrative with some of the most superlative animation you’re ever likely to see, Your Name quickly pocketed awards across the globe, the film eventually becoming the fifth-highest grossing Japanese film of all time.

One for all of you emotional masochists out there, Your Name is a tale that could make an android shed tears. 

Princess Mononoke (1997)
Written and directed by storytelling savant Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke is breathtaking. Executed in largely hand-painted animation, the 14th century narrative invokes the gods of a forest whose resources are ravaged and consumed by humans. 

A prescient reminder about the dangers of environmental catastrophe, and a mesmerising tour-de-force by Studio Ghibli, Princess Mononoke helped establish Studio Ghibli’s international reputation outside of Japan.

There’s six of the greatest animes on earth to get you started. And you want to know the best thing about becoming a fan of anime in 2020? There’s no longer any need to track down rare and hard-to-find DVDs. Most of these films are available on Netflix!

Ikimashou!