Studio Ghiblifilms capture audiences’ hearts with their magical and beautiful storytelling. These movies have become gateways into the world of anime for many fans across the globe and continue to attract new fans.Studio Ghibli’s reputation is well-earned and deserved, and its influence has impacted millions of viewers worldwide.
However,anime cinema extends far beyond Studio Ghibli and offers a wide range of vibrant and complex storiesthat shine just as brightly. Outside of the Ghibli spotlight, filmmakers have brought to life unforgettable stories that leave behind a powerful legacy. These films stand on par withStudio Ghibli’s best worksand deserve just as much attention if not more.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Timecenters on Makoto, a high school girl who stumbles upon a mysterious object that grants her the ability to leap through time. At first, she uses the power to fix minor inconveniences, but soon enough, the consequences of her actions grow more apparent. Makoto comes to understand the butterfly effect that her actions create and realizes that the past, present, and future can’t be altered without repercussions.
10 Movies Like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time You Have To See
For fans of the sci-fi anime The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, they should check out these 10 movies.
The film’s blend of lighthearted humor and a strong emotional core powerfully reflects on the passage of time. As a story about the choices we make and things beyond one’s control,The Girl Who Leapt Through Timestands out for its depth and stunning animation. With relatable characters and complex themes,the movie is a coming-of-age story that reflects on the bittersweet nature of moving forward.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices, also known asJourney to Agartha,is directed by Makoto Shinkai, who also directed hits likeSuzumeand5 Centimeters per Second. The film is set in a world where myths come to life. The story follows a young girl, Asuna, who finds herself in the land of Agartha after an encounter with a strange boy. The three central characters in the film each have a unique purpose for being in Agartha, dealing with loss and grief in their own ways.
The key themes of the film are love, loss, and the search for meaning. With its adventurous plot and melancholic themes,Children Who Chase Lost Voicesis a work of art. The animation is beautiful, and the characters' journeys offer viewers a lasting emotional impact.
Weathering With Youtakes place in an alternate world whereTokyo is engulfed by relentless rain. The narrative follows Hodaka, a young boy who escapes his troubled home and meets a girl named Hina, who has the ability to dispel the rain and bring sunshine through prayer. As their relationship grows, they come to realize thatHina’s abilities have both a purpose and consequences for the world around them.
The film examines the cost of chasing dreams while trying to escape reality and the weight of life’s heavier burdens.
Weathering With Youexplores themes of love, sacrifice, and the unpredictability of fate. The film examines the cost of chasing dreams while trying to escape reality and the weight of life’s heavier burdens. The story reveals the complexity of love and sacrifice as Hodaka and Hina come to terms with their choices.
Perfect Bluefollows Mima, a pop idol who retires from music to pursue acting. Her world slowly begins unraveling in terrifying ways, as the line between reality, performance, and delusions starts to blur. Mima is haunted by a stalker and tormented by an online presence that claims to be her. What begins as a career shift turns into a dark, psychological descent marked by paranoia and the fracturing of her identity.
Perfect Blue, One of Anime’s Greatest Movies, Is Finally Getting a 4K Remaster
Perfect Blue is widely regarded as a classic anime film, and now, Satoshi Kon’s first masterpiece is getting a new 4K rerelease.
Perfect Blueis a haunting exploration of fame, identity, and public scrutiny. Itstense, fragmented story mirrors Mima’s mental breakdown and pulls viewers into her increasingly unstable headspace. The film’s fast-paced, unnerving atmosphere continues to influence both anime and Western cinema even decades after its premiere.
Your Namefollows two strangers who begin waking up in each other’s bodies. Mitsuha is a young girl from a rural mountain town, and Taki is a young boy living in the heart of Tokyo. What starts as a curious, somewhat comical phenomenon quickly becomesa deeper, cosmic event that ties their fates together.
The movie weaves together a tender, emotional arc that explores a connection that transcends time itself without ever losing its grounded humanity. The non-linear structure builds suspense, and the longing for someone just out of reach keeps viewers hooked to the screen.Your Nameis visually stunning and has a powerful emotional arc.
Akiradrops viewers into the dystopian Neo-Tokyo, a city with high tension and simmering with unrest. When Tetsuo, a street-level biker, gains uncontrollable psychic powers after a military experiment goes wrong, he finds himself at the center of chaos that threatens to engulf everything. Akira is a fast-paced story where childhood friendships, government conspiracies, and the fear of unchecked power collide.
The film’s cyberpunk aesthetic is visually eye-catching, and its narrativegrips audiences with its examination of societal and personal upheaval. Its explosive energy is matched with a sense of existential dread, exploring how trauma, control, and identity can fracture under pressure. The scale ofAkira’sanimation successfully conveys tension and emotion, making the film both provocative and unforgettable, even decades after its release.
Wolf Childrenfollows Hana, a young mother raising two children who inherit their late father’s ability to transform into wolves. After his sudden death, she retreats to the countryside, seeking a life where her kids can grow up freely, away from prying eyes. The story that unfolds is a personal journey that spans years, seasons, and theevolving nature of Hana and her family.
The film gently explores thecomplexities of navigating parenthood and the bittersweet reality of letting goand moving on. The emotional core of the story is matched with moments of lyrical beauty, and without relying on grand spectacles,Wolf Childrenfinds strength in life’s quiet moments, crafting a powerful coming-of-age narrative.
Hotarubi No Mori Etakes place in a quiet forest filled with folklore where a young girl named Hotaru meets Gin, a spirit bound by a tragic rule. If he ever touches a human, he will forever vanish. What begins as a summer encounter grows into a bond that spans across years, even as the unbreakable boundary between them remains.
Hotarubi No Mori Eis short in length, but rich in emotion and depth. The film explores the beautiful yet fragile connection between Hotaru and Gin. The moments shared between the two feel both timeless and fleeting. The restraint throughout the movie is one of its greatest strengths, and without the need for grand gestures or sharp plot twists, it delivers audiences with a powerful and emotional climax that is unforgettable.
I Want to Eat Your Pancreasis an emotionally charged story about an introverted high school boy who stumbles upon the diary of his terminally ill classmate, Sakura. Despite their opposite personalities,the two form an unexpected, powerful bond and spend their remaining days together. The story is told through quiet conversations and everyday moments, and their relationship changes them both in subtle yet irreversible ways.
Rather than leaning too heavily into melodrama, the narrative finds beauty in restraint. It explores themes of morality without cynicism, allowing joy and heartbreak to coexist in the same scene.I Want to Eat Your Pancreashas thoughtful, reflective pacingthat explores the impact of fleeting connections and what it truly means to be alive.
A Silent Voicecenters on Shoya, a boy who bullied a deaf classmate, Shoko, in elementary school. Years later, when the two reach high school, Shoya is burdened by guilt and searches for redemption by trying to make amends with her. The film dives into themes of forgiveness, consequences of actions, and connections that can be reforged and made anew.
A Silent Voicetakes on a raw and powerful storylinethat addresses shame, self-worth, suicidal ideations, and healing. It does not shy away from the pain of its characters and provides them with profound emotional growth throughout their journey. The film portrays the struggles of communication between each character, both spoken and unspoken, andthe ways that people reach out to others after they have been hurt.
