Netflix has added several anime films to its streaming service, some of which pull on audience’s heart strings.
Studio Ghibli has paved the way for anime movies. From mouthwatering food and ASMR-ish cooking to cathartic displays of emotion and complex feelings, anime movies have it all. Anime movies have unique concepts and relatable characters that give the audience an immersive experience.
With the popularization of OTTs like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime, among others, anime movies have become more accessible to people worldwide. Of these, Netflix has some of the best anime movies to offer seasoned and new viewers. Some anime movies overwhelm fans with emotion, exactly how they like it.
Sophie is a humble and hardworking daughter of a hat-maker who doesn't have huge aspirations in life. Howl is all the rage in town, being a handsome man and an infamous womanizer. Sophie invokes the fury of the Witch of the Waste, who has past grievances with Howl.
Cursed with the body of an elderly woman, Sophie must accompany Howl and his eccentric friends in a war that has torn her hometown apart. As Sophie lives and interacts with Howl in Howl's Moving Castle, she realizes what a kind and genuine man he is, albeit a tad lazy.
Jiro Horikoshi dreams of following in his idol's footsteps – Italian aircraft pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. Horikoshi cannot realize his dreams of becoming a pilot because of his nearsightedness. He heads to Tokyo Imperial University to become an aeronautical engineer.
The Wind Rises follows Jiro Horikoshi in the 20 years from the 1923 earthquake that shook Japan to Japan's surrender in World War II. Jiro's perseverance, determination, and love, test their limits against harsh situations, like his war-torn country and his beloved's untimely death.
Makoto Shinkai's Garden of Words depicts the harsh reality of lonely individuals who want to fit in. Following a high school teacher and a student, this movie portrays the massive weight of loneliness and how these characters cope with it.
From specific reasons like bullying to the more general misery, Garden of Words accurately depicts the need for a genuine connection and conversation in one's life irrespective of age and gender. A heart-wrenching tale, this movie brings most viewers to tears.
Some star-crossed lovers face painful fates and lose their soulmates without closure. 5 Centimeters Per Second deals with the harsh realities of long-distance relationships and star-crossed lovers. This anime movie depicts the real-life consequences of a failing love, striking a chord deep within most viewers' hearts.
The main characters of this romantic drama, Tataki and Akari, suffer through a love where they make no fresh memories. They end up hurting each other and the people around them as they half-heartedly live through their separate lives.
Hodaka Morishima, a rural boy, runs away from home and works for a publisher in Tokyo to make ends meet in Weathering With You. He meets Hina Amano when he saves her from dangerous thugs. Hina is a gifted girl who can control the weather and bring sunshine to a drowning Tokyo.
As fate would have it, the two fall in love and try their best to make their love last longer, even if it is at the cost of their home. Hina becomes a sunshine girl who can call out the sun by praying for it. However, all gifts come at an unsurmountable price that few can pay.
Your Name follows Taki, a city boy aspiring to be an architect, and Mitsuha, a girl from the countryside who wants to live a city life. One fine day, the two wake up in each other's bodies and live each other's lives. Taki and Mitsuha get to know each other through their journals and enjoy a genuine connection.
Taki sets out to the countryside to find Mitsuha, only to come across an uninhabited wasteland. From true love's touch-and-go nature to the obliteration of an entire village, Makoto Shinkai's Your Nametakes viewers on an emotional ride.
Violet is an auto memory doll who writes letters for those who cannot compose them. As Violet continues struggling with the concept of emotion and understanding the depth of situations, she continues her work as an auto memory doll, exploring what humanity offers.
Violet longs to hear from the man who once expressed his love for her. Kyoto Animation's Violet Evergarden is a profoundly touching series and film, worth every tear fans shed as they find themselves engrossed in Violet's world post The Great War.
Set in the Japanese countryside towards the end of the Second World War, Studio Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies breaks fans' hearts like no other anime movie ever could. Seita and his younger sister, Setsuko, endure everything from their parents' deaths to the loss of their material belongings in the American bombings in 1945.
Seita and Setsuko drift through rural Japan, running from their inevitable fates. They discover the true face of humanity, receiving kindness and apathy where they expected none.
Adapted from Yoru Sumino's novel of the same name, I Want To Eat Your Pancreas follows high school students Haruki and Sakura. Haruki is a quiet and passive boy who loves to keep to himself, thinking no one is interested in him. His classmate, the outgoing and cheerful Sakura, proves otherwise.
Sakura reveals to Haruki her pancreatic disease, which limits her already limited life. She drags him along to fulfill her bucket list as Haruki agrees to spend her last days with her. Haruki learns about the joy of genuine friendship and experiences a devastating loss.
Shoya Ishida and his classmates constantly bully the new deaf girl, Shoko Nishimiya, by snatching her hearing aids and breaking them. When brought to the teachers' notice, Shoya shoulders the entire blame. Shoya becomes ostracized and wallows in guilt till he wholeheartedly apologizes to Shoko.
A heart-wrenching tale of bullying, redemption, and friendship, Kyoto Animation's A Silent Voice has turned viewers into fans worldwide. As a bully treads the path of redemption, a bullying victim learns to open up and believe that people can change.
Jahanvi Shah is a linguistics major who dabbles in poetry. She is into everything pop culture, including anime and manga. She enjoys crochet and knitting, reading, painting, and learning languages. She prides herself on her vast music taste and has an innate affection towards flowers. You can follow her on Instagram @jahxnvi.
Subscribe to the CBR newsletter for exclusive comics, TV & movie news, reviews, interviews & much more!
About Summ
Check Also
The best movies leaving Netflix, HBO, and more in March to watch now – Polygon
Use your Google Account Forgot email?Not your computer? Use a private browsing window to sign …