Beyond Studio Ghibli Part One
For many, the filmography of beloved animation studio Studio Ghibli was what kick-started their journey into anime, and for good reason. However, there are plenty of non-Ghibli anime films out there that are just as important and incredible, even if they haven’t received the same degree of international attention. In this two-part Spotlight, we're showcasing some of the best non-Ghibli anime films created.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
(人狼 JIN-ROH)
Trouble follows after officer Kazuki befriends the sister of a young girl he failed to stop from detonating a bomb.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1999
- Director Hiroyuki Okiura
- Cast Yoshikatsu Fujiki, Sumi Mutou, Hiroyuki Kinosha, Eri Sendai, Kenji Nakagawa, Kohsei Hirota
- Genre Animation, Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
- Available on Crunchyroll, Tubi TV
Perfect Blue
(パーフェクトブルー)
A retired pop singer starts to lose her hold on reality when she is stalked by an obsessive fan.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1998
- Director Satoshi Kon
- Cast Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ōkura, Yōsuke Akimoto, Yoku Shioya
- Genre Animation, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Ghost in the Shell
(GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊
)
A group of cybernetically enhanced cops are called into a stop a biohacking threat.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan, United Kingdom • 1995
- Director Mamoru Oshii
- Cast Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Otsuka, Iemasa Kayumi, Kouichi Yamadera, Yutaka Nakano, Tesshou Genda
- Genre Action, Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Memories
(MEMORIES)
An anime trilogy of sci-fi and the supernatural.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1995
- Director Koji Morimoto, Katsuhiro Otomo, Tensai Okamura
- Cast Shigeru Chiba, Hisao Egawa
- Genre Animation, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Video, Kanopy
Ninja Scroll
(獣兵衛忍風帖)
Feudal Japan—a time of danger, intrigue and deception . . .
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1993
- Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri
- Cast Koichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gouri, Toshihiko Seki, Shûichirô Moriyama
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Fantasy
- Available on HiDive, Fandango At Home, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Neo Tokyo
(迷宮物語)
Three shorts directed by the same names that brought you Metropolis, Ninja Scroll, and Akira.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1989
- Director Katsuhiro Otomo, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Rintaro
- Cast Banjo Ginga, Masane Tsukayama, Hideko Yoshida, Iemasa Kayumi, Hiroshi Ôtake, Kazumi Tanaka
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Akira
(AKIRA
)
Neo-Tokyo is about to E.X.P.L.O.D.E.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1988
- Director Takashi Nakamura
- Cast Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tesshou Genda, Hiroshi Ohtake, Kōichi Kitamura
- Genre Science Fiction, Animation
- Available on Crunchyroll, Fandango At Home
Robot Carnival
(ロボットカーニバル
)
An anthology of nine robot themed shorts from some of Japan's most well known artists and directors.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1987
- Director Koji Morimoto, Katsuhiro Otomo, Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Yasuomi Umetsu, Atsuko Fukushima, Hiroyuki Kitazume, Takashi Nakamura, Manabu Oohashi, Hidetoshi Omori
- Cast Kumiko Takizawa, Katsue Miwa, Chisa Yokoyama, Koji Moritsugu, Keiko Hanagata, Aya Murata
- Genre Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, RetroCrush Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Retrocrush, Freevee, Cineverse
Royal Space Force - The Wings Of Honneamise
(王立宇宙軍 オネアミスの翼)
On a future Earth, a small group seeks to propel mankind into space in order to escape Armageddon.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1987
- Director Hiroyuki Yamaga
- Cast Leo Morimoto, Mitsuki Yayoi, Aya Murata, Kazuyuki Sogabe, Masato Hirano, Masahiro Anzai
- Genre Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Angel's Egg
(天使のたまご)
A young girl protects a mysterious egg while exploring the ruins of a city and bonding with a young boy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1985
- Director Mamoru Oshii
- Cast Keiichi Noda, Mako Hyoudou, Jinpachi Nezu
- Genre Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Vampire Hunter D
(吸血鬼ハンターD
)
A young girl requests the help of a vampire hunter to kill the vampire who has bitten her and thus prevent her from becoming a vampire herself.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1985
- Director Toyoo Ashida
- Cast Kaneto Shiozawa, Michie Tomizawa, Seizō Katō, Ichirō Nagai, Kazuyuki Sogabe, Kan Tokumaru
- Genre Animation, Fantasy, Horror
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Barefoot Gen
(はだしのゲン)
Gen cares for his pregnant mother and assists other survivors in the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1983
- Director Mori Masaki
- Cast Issei Miyazaki, Masaki Kouda, Seiko Nakano, Takao Inoue, Yoshie Shimamura, Takeshi Aono
- Genre Animation, Drama, War
- Available on RetroCrush Amazon Channel, Pluto TV, Retrocrush, Cineverse, Plex, Plex Channel