Ever since the release of movies from Studio Ghibli, the quality and expectations surrounding anime movies have gone up. In response, studios working on anime movies have stepped up a notch in the past few years and released many incredible movies that have broken many records in terms of viewership and reviews.
Like with normal anime TV series, there are a lot of anime movies, but not every single one of them has enough quality to grab the attention of the viewers. For audiences who don't have enough time to try every movie, going through the ratings on MyAnimeList is economical as it saves time. Here are the site's top recommendations, and the scores it gives for each.
Updated on April 5, 2022, by Suzail Ahmad:Anime movies have become a lot more common over the last few years. Earlier the movies were not related to any seasonal anime, they were mainly written as standalone pieces. However, over time many famous anime started to release movies that were either linked to the story or were made just to provide more watching material to the fans. So, we have added more highly rated movies to the list.
15 Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu (8.62)
- Where to Stream: N/A
The movie was released in 2010, and it is based on the fourth light novel. The novel has been written by Nagaru Tanigawa, and the novel has the same name as that of the movie. The movie takes place after the events of The Melancholy Haruhi Suzumiya. In the movie, Haruhi starts to make plans for a Christmas party, but she ends up vanishing completely. Only Kyon is aware of Haruhi's disappearance.
14 Seishun Buta Yarou wa Yumemiru Shoujo no Yume wo Minai (8.63)
- Where to Stream: N/A
The movie is based on the seventh and eighth light novel volumes. It was released in 2019. The story follows Mai Sakurajima and Sakuta Azusagawa. The two of them have been dating for a few months, but their relationship is disturbed by the appearance of Shoko Makinohara. Mai and Sakuta face a new challenge and one of them has to make a huge sacrifice that would change their lives forever.
13 Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (8.65)
- Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video
Released on March 8, 2021, this film is the final installment in the RebuildofEvangelion movies series. The movie suffered from several delays, but it eventually managed to hit the theaters and gained a lot of critical acclaim.
At the beginning of the movie, not much had changed for Shinji, as he was still adamant about dying. However, after witnessing new things, he learns how to hope. The movie focuses on the Instrumentality Project as it is set in motion.
12 Howl's Moving Castle (8.66)
- Where to Stream: HBO Max
Howl's Moving Castle is one of the best movies that has been produced by Studio Ghibli. The movie came out in 2004 and fair to say, it still remains an interesting movie to watch. It is set in a world that has both magic and science. The main theme of the movie is anti-war and it manages to convey the message eloquently. The main characters of the movie are Howl and Sophie.
11 Mononoke Hime (8.68)
- Where to Stream: HBO Max
MononokeHime is a timeless classic, which has been directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie is set in Japan, where a prince named Ashitaka ends up being cursed by a demonic beast. In order to save himself from the curse, Ashitaka has to travel far to get his hands on a cure. On his journey, he meets San, and soon an epic story begins to unfold.
10 ​​​​​​Made in Abyss Movie 3: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei (8.68)
- Where to Stream: HIDIVE
It is the third movie in the series, and it is also the first movie that goes beyond the story of the first season of the anime. The movie sees the group of friends reaching the fifth layer of the Abyss. While exploring, they stumble across a mysterious character named Prushka. In the movie, the group continues to do a lot of exploring as they try to find a way to the sixth layer of the Abyss.
9 Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (8.68)
- Where to Stream: Funimation
With its outstanding first season, DemonSlayer burst onto the scene and it quickly became one of the most-watched anime series of its season. Due to its immense success, a movie for the series was quickly announced, which was titled DemonSlayer:MugenTrain.
The movie focuses on the Flame Hashira, Rengoku, and the team of Nezuko, Zenitsu, Tanjiro, and Inosuke. They end up facing one of the Upper Moon members, Akaza. Rengoku and Akaza are involved in a thrilling fight, which keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
​​​
8 Fate/stay Night Movie: Heaven's Feel – III. Spring Song (8.72)
- Where to Stream: N/A
This movie is the final installment in the Heaven'sFeel trilogy. It picks up from the events of Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. Lost Butterfly and continues to expand on it.
The movie was released in Japan on August 15, 2020. Fate/stay night Movie: Heaven's Feel – III. Spring Song was well-received by audiences and became the ninth highest-grossing Japanese movie of 2020.
7 Spirited Away (8.79)
- Where to Stream: HBO Max
Arguably the most famous Studio Ghibli movie of all time, Spirited Away was written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki. The movie played a pivotal role in defining the future of the industry. Spirited Away is an all-time classic and it is still enjoyed throughout the world.
The movie follows a 10-year-old girl, Chihiro Ogino, who is exposed to the world of spirits. Ogino's parents are turned into pigs by a witch, and a confused Ogino is left with no choice but to work at the witch's place to find a way to return her parents to their original form.
6 Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen (8.81)
- Where to Stream: N/A
Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen is the third and final part of the Kizumonogatari movie trilogy. The movie was released in 2017, and it garnered positive reviews from the fans of the series.
After finally restoring the Kiss-shot, Koyomi starts to believe that his older form will be returned, but things take a twist. When Koyomi returns from buying some food, he is mortified to see Kiss-shot consuming the corpse of Guillotine Cutter. After witnessing this gruesome moment, Koyomi thinks of killing himself.
5 Your Name (8.87)
- Where to Stream: N/A
In recent years, Your Name has become one of the most well-known anime movies. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, the movie is the recipient of many accolades, which shows its quality.
The movie follows two teenagers from different times. One day, the two begin to swap bodies, which makes them confused and they try to learn more about each other. Slowly, the two of them fall in love and try to transcend the boundary of time.
4 Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya (8.93)
- Where to Stream: N/A
In recent years, Gintama's popularity soared to new heights. Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya was released in the year 2013. The movie is based on a story that was written by Hideaki Sorachi, which has the hilarious Sakata Gintoki as the main protagonist.
The movie follows Gintoki, who travels to a different timeline. On his adventure, Gintoki meets the people from Edo, but they kept their older personalities. The movie offers a unique outlook on things, which makes for a very interesting watch.
3 Violet Evergarden (8.97)
- Where to Stream: Netflix
The Violet Evergarden series is known for its clean and beautiful animation. Violet Evergarden: The Movie was released on September 18, 2020, and it received a lot of positive feedback from viewers.
The movie's riveting story made it very successful and it racked up many awards in the process. Violet, a former child soldier, becomes an Auto Memory Doll — a type of ghostwriter — in order to attempt to understand the words, "I love you."
2 A Silent Voice (8.96)
- Where to Stream: Netflix
A Silent Voice is an animated movie that was produced by Kyoto Animation. The movie is based on the manga of the same name which has been written by Yoshitoki Oima. A Silent Voice was released in theatres in September 2016.
The movie follows Shoya Ishida, a depressed adolescent who planned to kill himself. However, after deliberating for a while, Ishida decides to fix some of his past mistakes. He plans to meet and apologize to Shoko Nishimiya, whom he bullied in the past.
1 Gintama: The Final (9.05)
- Where to Stream: N/A
Gintama is one of the best shonen anime series of all time. The series by Hideaki Sorachi is responsible for bringing joy to many viewers. Gintama's incredible plot and a great variety of characters have been responsible for making the series a great hit.
Currently, Gintama: TheFinal is the highest-rated anime movie on MyAnimeList. The movie acts as the finale of the anime's story and was released on January 8, 2021.