Beyond Studio Ghibli Part Two
We’re back this week with part two of our Spotlight series of worthy, wonderful anime films to enjoy outside of the Studio Ghibli catalogue. This time we’re showcasing anime films released from the turn of the millennium to present day — check out last week’s Spotlight to find great films from before the year 2000.
Weathering with You
(天気の子)
Hodaka runs away from home to rainy Tokyo and meets a young girl with a mysterious and magical power.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2019
- Director Makoto Shinkai
- Cast Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori, Tsubasa Honda, Sakura Kiryu, Sei Hiraizumi, Yūki Kaji
- Genre Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
- Available on Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Hoopla
A Silent Voice: The Movie
(映画 聲の形
)
A high-school boy seeks forgiveness from the deaf girl he bullied in elementary school.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2016
- Director Naoko Yamada
- Cast Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yuki, Kensho Ono, Yuki Kaneko, Yui Ishikawa
- Genre Animation, Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Your Name.
(君の名は。)
High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2016
- Director Makoto Shinkai
- Cast Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Masami Nagasawa, Etsuko Ichihara, Ryou Narita, Aoi Yuki
- Genre Animation, Drama, Romance
- Available on Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Apple TV
Wolf Children
(おおかみこどもの雨と雪)
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident, a woman must find a way to raise the son and daughter that she had with him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2012
- Director Mamoru Hosoda
- Cast Aoi Miyazaki, Takao Osawa, Haru Kuroki, Yukito Nishii, Momoka Ohno, Amon Kabe
- Genre Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Redline
(レッドライン)
Daredevil driver JP is ready for the most dangerous and exciting car race in the universe, Redline.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2010
- Director Takeshi Koike
- Cast Takuya Kimura, Yu Aoi, Tadanobu Asano, Takeshi Aono, Tatsuya Gashūin, Unsho Ishizuka
- Genre Action, Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on Fandango At Home
5 Centimeters per Second
(秒速5センチメートル)
Covering three stages of Takaki's life, from elementary school to adulthood, and the relationships with women that he navigates.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2007
- Director Makoto Shinkai
- Cast Kenji Mizuhashi, Yoshimi Kondou, Satomi Hanamura, Risa Mizuno, Ayaka Onoue, Hiroshi Shimozaki
- Genre Animation, Drama, Romance
- Available on Netflix, Criterion Channel, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Paprika
(パプリカ)
Just anyone can let themselves into your dreams now...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2006
- Director Satoshi Kon
- Cast Megumi Hayashibara, Tōru Furuya, Kouichi Yamadera, Katsunosuke Hori, Toru Emori
- Genre Animation, Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV
Tekkonkinkreet
(鉄コン筋クリート)
Orphans Black and White must fight off assassins' in order to save their town from an angered Yakuza boss.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2006
- Director Michael Arias
- Cast Kazunari Ninomiya, Yusuke Iseya, Yu Aoi, Kankuro Kudo, Min Tanaka, Rokuro Naya
- Genre Action, Adventure, Animation
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
(時をかける少女)
A teenage girl finds out she can travel through time and, after some missteps, must make things right again.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2006
- Director Mamoru Hosoda
- Cast Riisa Naka, Takuya Ishida, Mitsutaka Itakura, Ayami Kakiuchi, Mitsuki Tanimura, Yuki Sekido
- Genre Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Available on Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Apple TV
Mind Game
(マインド・ゲーム
)
After an encounter with the Japanese mafia in which he fails to save his crush, Nishi journeys to heaven and back.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2004
- Director Masaaki Yuasa
- Cast Koji Imada, Sayaka Maeda, Takashi Fujii, Seiko Takuma, Tomomitsu Yamaguchi
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Mystery
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Hoopla
Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
A visual companion to Daft Punk's Discovery, this follows an interstellar pop band kidnapped and forced to perform as humans.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan, France • 2003
- Director Kazuhisa Takenouchi, Daisuke Nishio, Bernard Deyriès, Hirotoshi Rissen
- Cast Romanthony, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Todd Edwards, DJ Sneak
- Genre Adventure, Animation, Music, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Animatrix
A collection of short animated films that provide background for the Matrix universe from the creators of the Matrix trilogy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United States, Japan • 2003
- Director Koji Morimoto, Peter Chung, Andrew R. Jones, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Mahiro Maeda, Shinichiro Watanabe
- Cast Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Clayton Watson, Pamela Adlon, Melinda Clarke
- Genre Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Tokyo Godfathers
(東京ゴッドファーザーズ)
A bizarre, heartwarming holiday tragicomedy film inspired by Peter B. Kyne's novel "Three Godfathers."
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2003
- Director Satoshi Kon
- Cast Aya Okamoto, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Toru Emori, Satomi Kourogi, Mamiko Noto, Ryûji Saikachi
- Genre Animation, Drama
- 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, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Freevee, Hoopla
Millennium Actress
(千年女優)
A documentary filmmaker interviews an aged actress about her legendary career.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2002
- Director Satoshi Kon
- Cast Miyoko Shoji, Mami Koyama, Fumiko Orikasa, Shozo Iizuka, Masaya Onosaka, Showko Tsuda
- Genre Animation, Drama, Romance
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel, Crunchyroll, RetroCrush Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Retrocrush, AsianCrush, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Shout! Factory TV, Freevee, Cineverse
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
(カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉)
The crew of the spaceship Bebop must stop a terrorist from destroying the human population of Mars.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan, United States • 2001
- Director Shinichiro Watanabe
- Cast Kouichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Aoi Tada, Ai Kobayashi, Megumi Hayashibara
- Genre Action, Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Metropolis
(メトロポリス)
Android Tima befriends young Kenichi, who must investigate how Tima is being used by those trying to gain destructive power.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2001
- Director Rintaro
- Cast Kei Kobayashi, Yuka Imoto, Kōki Okada, Taro Ishida, Kousei Tomita, Norio Wakamoto
- Genre Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on No streaming locations found.