Sky Movies recently released a list of 50 anime features that you simply MUST watch. Seeing as how I’m Anime Vice’s resident noob, I wondered how my viewership ranks here. I’ve watched 12 out of the 50 seminal works - - not totally lacking, but it just reminds me how much deeper I’d like to delve into the world of features. Why don’t I recount the list and then offer my observations?
In no particular order…
And the ones that I (me, myself) have seen are…
So, more or less, everything Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli have produced make the list. I wasn’t that enamored with SPIRITED AWAY, but I was absolutely enchanted by MONONOKE and CAGLIOSTRO. I think want to see TOTORO the most, although I’m pretty shocked that Sky Movies says that it was released on a double bill with GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES. Animated or live-action, that movie is one of the most sobering, intense things I’ve ever seen - - so talk about a serious switch in tones! I acknowledge that VAMPIRE HUNTER D certainly has a place of influence, but the movie hasn’t aged well, in my eyes, and I agree that BLOODLUST was a much better follow-up. I'm really glad to see INTERSTELLA 5555 and JIN-ROH there, but I have to say I never got in to GHOST IN THE SHELL. I've tried to watch it several times and it keeps losing my interest.
Since I’ve been going through EVANGELION for the first time, I have to say it’s a pretty impressive testament to the enduring popularity of the show that its spin-offs show up twice on the list. It’s even more impressive considering that those features aren’t new stories, but remakes of the beginning and ending of the show (or so I understand).
This list is surely going to ruffle some feathers, so let’s get the wings a'flapping. What titles are you flabbergasted weren’t included in the list? What tiles are you seizuring with consternation over somebody daring to include in any list of must-see anime? And which five titles out of the remaining 38 should I, the Anime Noob, watch first?
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Pre-order the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover now on Amazon.com.
Of course if you're not into philosophical futuristic robotic worlds then there's nothing that can be done about that.
@YotaruVegeta said:
This
5 I would recommend:
5 cms per second: Makoto Shinkai in his best!
Read or Die a very-well animated piece of anime
Perfect Blue: My first Satoshi Kon
Wings of Honneamise : 1st Gainax
and of course Evangelion
Also, I'm kinda disappointed Whisper of the Heart didn't make it onto the list. Probably one of the most underrated Ghibli flicks, not to mention the only feature Yoshifumi Kondo (who was poised to succeed Miyazaki before his death in '98) directed.
@Tom_Pinchuk - Yeah, you should really see Totoro (although Nausicaa, Laputa, and Howl's Moving Castle are as good if not better)... and just wait till you get to the Eva movies (after finishing the series, of course)! Also, Millennium Actress is crazy good.
I really really love that Pokemon: The First Movie is on there. It's really pretty good! It has that insanely intense part where Pikachu wears down Clone Pikachu via the power....of goodness.
...
Then again.. as I look at this list more maybe it just IS every licensed anime film with a few stragglers cut.
Some I wonder how much they qualify as movies also.. Kai Do Maru is maybe 45 minutes long, hardly theatrical.
Wasn't the Macross Plus Movie just the OVA cut down into a single entity? Did it actually have a release in theatres?
Read or Die was an OVA series not a movie (unless I've been misled all these years)
Others yep.. looks like a wikipedia list of Studio Ghibli, Satoshi Kon pieces, and Makoto Shinkai's (yay!) works along with some others. Surprised they didn't shoe-horn a Bleach, DBZ or Naruto movie onto the list.
The Pokemon movie and Utena movie feel like odd fits. Thought it's been ages since I saw either.
And Urotsukidoji ?!
Agreed.
Windaria and Vexille