Anime moviesusually get the short end of the stick as compared to their series counterparts. People don’t usually get hyped for them as much as they do for a new season of their favoriteanimeseries. But, occasionally, fans get a taste of the brilliance they have to offer.
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The past year was an interesting one for the cinematic anime scene. With new titles continuing iconic franchises and a slew of original movies together making up the roster, there’s a lot to unpack for fans looking for thebest anime movies of 2021.
Updated February 11 by Mark Sammut:Anime movies fly under the radar far more often than series, despite the latter outnumbering the former by a considerable margin. Due to typically only receiving limited releases in Western nations and being quite difficult to find on streaming services, plenty of anime movies are looked over, especially if they were not made by a huge name like Studio Ghibli. 2021 produced quite a few great films, and this article has been expanded to include a few honorable mentions.
Studio
Studio Deen
Although popular during its first few seasons,The Seven Deadly Sinslost a lot of steam towards the end of its run.Cursed By Lightserved as the final hooray for the franchise as it came out exactly after the conclusion ofJudgement of Fury, and the movie highlights the best and worst elements of the franchise.
The action is gloriously over-the-top and the animation is solid for a streaming anime movie. On the other hand, the story is all over the place and packed with so many characters that it gets a bit overwhelming. Overall, it is a decent send-off to the series.
Honorable Mention: Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive - Aria Of A Starless Night (95% – Audience Score)
Japanese Title
Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria
A-1 Pictures
ProgressiveretellsSword Art Online’s opening arcs, and the light novels generally improve upon the source material. This holds true for the anime movies, asAria of a Starless Nightis a great addition to the popular but divisive isekai franchise.
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The Aincrad arc tends to be regarded asSAO’s peak, even if the anime series wastes the storyline’s potential.Aria of a Starless Nightgoes a long way to fixing some elements that did not work in the show, and the movie really does justice by Asuna.SAOfans owe it to themselves to check outOrdinal ScaleandAria of a Starless Night.
Audience Score
95%
Belledid not receive its wide release in the United States until January 2022, but some parts of the world could watch Mamoru Hosoda’s latest film in 2021. Continuing the director’s fascination with digital worlds,Bellefollows an isolated girl who can be her “real” self in a virtual realm called “U,” a location that is mesmerizing to behold.
Belleis loosely based onBeauty and the Beast, and while it is perhaps notHosoda’s absolute greatest project, the movie is a solid addition to the director’s filmography.
N/A
Expectations fromStudio Ghibli’s very first 3D CG animated film were a mix of concern and cautious optimism.Earwig and the Witchproved the fears were true. With its abysmal 30% RT rating, one can probably surmise what the movie had to offer, or the lack of it. Directed by Goro Miyazaki, son oflegendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, the movie was regrettably lifeless.
A plot with no substance, forgettable music, and wooden animation far removed from the perfection expected from a Studio Ghibli title, the less said about this misfire, the better.
36%
For the uninitiated,Bright: Samurai Soulis a prequel toNetflix’s 2017 critically-panned but streamed-to-hell filmBright.The anime prequel takes the concept of thelive-action featureand tries to flesh it out in 19th-century Japan. Does it actually work? Not really.
With a voice cast led byShang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' lead Simu Liu, the film barely had anything else of note. Although the story tried to paint a heartfelt journey of a ronin teaming up with an orc to save an elf, there simply wasn’t much to care about in the 1h20m long runtime.
74%
2021’s cinematic entry in the long-running franchise was largely a solid thriller for the fans of the hallowed mecha mobile suits. The keyword here is “for the fans.” The story pulls from character arcs running for years now and viewers not familiar with their rich history are likely to find themselves clueless and possibly also disappointed.
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That said, the movie sparks some thought-provoking questions about the larger universe ofMobile SuitGundam. It’s also noteworthy that the events of the movie are set 12 years after those of another beloved entry in the franchise –Char’s Counterattack.A sequel to Hathaway is slated to come out sometime in 2024.
My Hero Academiais one of the most spirited and well-madeanime series to come out in recent times. With the 2021 movie adding what is essentially a filler arc to the larger story,World Heroes' Missionwill no doubt satisfy hardcore fans of the series but will probably leave anyone else unimpressed.
For viewers new to the universe, the near-2 hour movie might only be a fun watch with Japan’s greatest heroes trying to uncover the mastermind behind a gruesome chemical attack. And for those waiting for the next season of the show, it would prove to be a decent stop along the way.
ufotable
99%
Famously holding the record for the highest-grossing anime movie ever in Japan,Mugen Trainexceeded all expectations from fans ofDemon Slayer. Tanjiro and the group are tasked with their latest mission on the Mugen Train to investigate the disappearance of over 40 people. The group teams up with a powerful swordsman to take down the demon aboard the fateful train.
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A treat for the eyes and packed with emotion,Mugen Trainwas packed to the brim with action-packed sequences and managed to become one of the best movies of the year, if not all time.
86%
Another Netflix title,Words Bubble Up Like Soda Popis agreat heartwarming storyabout a shy haiku-loving boy and a bubbly, self-conscious girl who share an intimate connection over a brief summer together.
Having a perfect 100% RT rating, the Kyohei Ishiguro (ofYour Lie in Aprilfame) movie blends soul-stirring storytelling with watercolor artwork to produce a memorable tale of human connection. Ishiguro’s reminiscent beats of tender romance embrace the viewer in an inviting cocoon, getting out of which seems almost brutal.
Violet Evergardenis widely hailed as one ofthe best anime seriesout there and the cinematic sequel to the fan-favorite show doesn’t disappoint either. The movie begins with the titular auto memory doll being beckoned by a terminally ill boy for her unique talents. She’s then forced to confront her past feelings of loss due to Major Gilbert’s death.
Violet Evergarden: The Moviedoesn’t shy away from its sentimental core. It rather dials it up to eleven and succeeds in delivering hard-hitting emotional beats.
91%
Usagi Tsukino returns with magical adventures in the 2021 movie, expanding the expansiveSailor Moonuniverse. What started as a manga almost 30 years ago was later adapted into one of the most beloved magical girl anime series. The impact ofSailor Moonon pop culture cannot be overstated.
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Scores of popular creators and animators have been influenced by the iconic themes and art style from original works in the series. The first movie in the franchise after 1995,Sailor Moon Eternalis a must-watch for long-time fans.
97%
Astory of young loveand the infectious promise of dreams,Josee, The Tiger and The Fishinvites the viewer to accompany Josee, a paraplegic artist, and Tsuneo, a marine biology student, on a journey of a lifetime. What starts with a carer job for Tsuneo soon blossoms into a budding love for Josee and her craft.
The movie’s incessant dose of melodrama tends to get a bit too much at times, but it doesn’t take away from the beautifully animated and sincerely narrated plot.
93%
A movie that had an unprecedented weight of expectations riding on it,Thrice Upon a Timedid much more than just give a conclusion to theNeon Genesis Evangelionfranchise. Hideaki Anno didn’t deliver a perfect culmination, he probably didn’t satisfy the hardcore fans either. But what he managed to do was tell the story he wanted to be told.
The final installment of theRebuild of Evangelionarcwas never going to deliver on every expectation, but as anyEvangelionstory, it was a flawed but delectable concoction of layered, deep storytelling.
