This is a fun action adventure that resonates because it doesn’t glamorise everything. You feel a warmth after watching it, as there’s something in its depiction of imperfect, loving family relationships that stays with you.
Napping Princess(ひるね姫~知らないワタシの物語~)
✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Japan · 2017
1h 51m
Director Kenji Kamiyama
Starring Mitsuki Takahata, Yosuke Eguchi, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Rie Kugimiya
Genre Fantasy, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Science Fiction
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Kokone is a student studying for her university entrance exams in the not-so-distant future. While this sounds perfectly doable, Kokone is struggling to stay awake long enough to actually get any studying done. What's more, she receives mysterious visions in her dreams that hint at long-hidden family secrets.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Los Angeles Times by Charles Solomon
Inventive and imaginative, Napping Princess confirms [Kamiyama] as one of the most interesting writer-directors working in Japanese animation.
The Hollywood Reporter by John DeFore
Kamiyama, a vet of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, brings plenty of sci-fi genre ingredients to what at times might look like a Miyazaki coming-of-age adventure. Though occasionally lopsided, the mix works well.
As reality and fantasy blur, we’re taken on an occasionally confounding but enchanting quest with poignant reveals in store.
It starts feeling fairly mechanised itself, every clank of those boysy Transformer knock-offs further drowning out its wistful heroine.
Users who liked this film also liked
Once
Two aspiring musicians collaborate, finding love along the way.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Ireland • 2007
- Director John Carney
- Cast Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Hugh Walsh, Gerard Hendrick, Alaistair Foley, Geoff Minogue
- Genre Drama, Music, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
(新世紀エヴァンゲリオン劇場版 Air/まごころを、君に)
The second of two theatrically released continuations of the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1997
- Director Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki
- Cast Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi, Yuko Miyamura, Fumihiko Tachiki, Miki Nagasawa
- Genre Action, Animation, Drama, Science Fiction
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Summer Wars
(サマーウォーズ)
A timid teen math genius must stop a sadistic artificial intelligence he has accidentally set loose.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2009
- Director Mamoru Hosoda
- Cast Ryunosuke Kamiki, Nanami Sakuraba, Mitsuki Tanimura, Takahiro Yokokawa, Mieko Nobusawa, Mutsumi Sasaki
- Genre Animation
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike
(テイルズ オブ ヴェスペリア~The First Strike~)
First Strike
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2009
- Director Kanta Kamei
- Cast Kohsuke Toriumi, Mamoru Miyano, Rika Morinaga, Mai Nakahara, Fumie Mizusawa, Arisa Ogasawara
- Genre Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Hotarubi no Mori e
(蛍火の杜へ)
A story of friendship and romance between two unlikely beings; a human girl and a mountain spirit.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2011
- Director Takahiro Omori
- Cast Ayane Sakura, Koki Uchiyama, Shinpachi Tsuji, Hayato Taya, Izumi Sawada, Kanehira Yamamoto
- Genre Romance, Animation, Fantasy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Perras
Do your parents know?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico • 2011
- Director Guillermo Ríos
- Cast Claudia Zepeda, Karen de la Hoya, Scarlet Dergal, Alenka Ríos, Steph Bumelcrownd, Andrea Pedrero
- Genre Thriller, Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Patema Inverted
(サカサマのパテマ)
Patema, a princess in her underground village, loves to explore the tunnels. Her favorite place is a "danger zone" that her village prohibits people from entering.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2013
- Director Yasuhiro Yoshiura
- Cast Yukiyo Fujii, Masayuki Katou, Takaya Hashi
- Genre Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Available on Kanopy, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home
In This Corner of the World
(この世界の片隅に)
Newlywed Suzu Urano moves to her new life in Hiroshima, where she perseveres through World War II with pluck and determination.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2016
- Director Sunao Katabuchi
- Cast Non, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Daisuke Ono, Mayumi Shintani, Shigeru Ushiyama, Minori Omi
- Genre Animation, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Shout! Factory TV, Freevee, Hoopla
Aikatsu! Music Award: We all get a prize SHOW!
(アイカツ!ミュージックアワード みんなで賞をもらっちゃいまSHOW!)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2015
- Director Shinya Watada
- Cast Yuu Wakui, Shino Shimoji, Yui Ishikawa, Aya Saito, Makoto Yasumura
- Genre Animation, Music
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Liz and the Blue Bird
(リズと青い鳥)
Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki are two close friends who are part of the Kitauji High School music club. The group has decided to play Liz and the Blue Bird, and the musical piece puts both Mizore and Nozomi on the spotlight due to a solo part by Yoroizuka and forces the two girls to reexamine their friendship.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2018
- Director Naoko Yamada
- Cast Atsumi Tanezaki, Nao Touyama, Ayaka Asai, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Miyu Honda, Yuichi Nakamura
- Genre Music, Animation, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Shout! Factory TV, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl
(青春ブタ野郎はゆめみる少女の夢を見ない)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2019
- Director Souichi Masui
- Cast Kaito Ishikawa, Asami Seto, Yurika Kubo, Nao Toyama, Atsumi Tanezaki, Maaya Uchida
- Genre Animation, Comedy, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
White Snake
(白蛇:缘起)
A tale of deadly mythical beasts, wuxia action, and the promise of eternal love.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, United States • 2019
- Director Zhao Ji, Amp Wong
- Cast Zhang Zhe, Yang Tianxiang, Tang Xiaoxi, Liu Ziling, Zhang Yaohan, Zheng Xiaopu
- Genre Animation, Fantasy, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Hoopla
A Whisker Away
(泣きたい私は猫をかぶる)
A magical mask gives Muge the power to turn into a cat and spend time with her crush.
- Japan • 2020
- Director Tomotaka Shibayama
- Cast Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Kouichi Yamadera, Hiroaki Ogi, Minako Kotobuki
- Genre Animation, Drama, Romance, Fantasy
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads