Calling all weebs and closet-weebs alike!
BY YU CAMPOS
Just like K-Dramas, anime has been a mainstay in everyone’s watchlists as we inch closer towards the end of the year with little foreseeable change in regards to the pandemic. The joy of immersing oneself in the realm of fantasy and adventure in these turbulent times leaves us an unparalleled feeling of hope.
Much like every other form of media and entertainment, the animation industry has soared through great heights in the past few decades with more and more studios providing top-quality shows. If you’re on the hunt for anime films and series with a great plot and incredible, aesthetically pleasing visuals — from art styles, screenplay, and composition to animation and technique — we drafted 12 of the most visually stunning series you can binge-watch in your free time.
Land of the Lustrous (2017)
Critically acclaimed anime series ‘Land of the Lustrous’ explores a well-crafted fantasy setting about the struggle of immortal lifeforms fashioned like gemstones to escape captivity from unknown predators with confounding motives. With a fresh concept and outstanding worldbuilding, this masterpiece of a show was well-received and deemed as one of the best CGI-made anime released this decade.
The Tatami Galaxy (2010)
A third-year university student unceasingly faces major setbacks in a parallel universe after idling away in his first two years of college. In a quest to collect himself from the results of his dubious schemes with his eccentric best friend Ozu, this unnamed protagonist grapples to snatch the one opportunity that has always been dangling before his eyes.
Violet Evergarden (2018)
Violet Evergarden is a multi-award-winning drama series produced by Kyoto Animation that tells of an ex-soldier’s attempt at deciphering the meaning behind her mentor’s last words. In the process she becomes acquainted with Colonel Hodgins who later employs her as an Auto Memory Doll, putting her ability to translate murky emotions into tacit words and beautiful letters.
Mononoke (2007)
This supernatural fantasy anime about a wanderer simply known as the ‘Medicine Seller’ takes aesthetics to the topmost level with the masterful use of colors and picturesque visuals. Mononoke (not to be confused with Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke), a classic hidden gem that’s often overlooked for its avant-garde approach, tells of the main character’s journey to exorcise devious spirits.
5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)
This animated film by the well-known director of ‘Your Name’, and ‘Weathering With You’, Makoto Shinkai, is a bittersweet melancholic story of first love and two childhood friends drifting apart in the inevitable flow of time.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
Devilman Crybaby is a Netflix original net animation based on the work of Go Nagai called “Devilman” from the 1970s, a compelling apocalyptic manga diving deep into humanity’s spiral into despair as it faces ravaging demons claiming ownership of the earth. The series rides on the same premise as the original but edges away into a modern-day setting with a chaotic display of anarchy and debauchery.
Samurai Champloo (2005)
Traditional Japanese period setting meets an old-school hip hop twist in the creative direction and sound design perspective with this series by Cowboy Bebop director Shinichi Watanabe. An unlikely companionship is formed between two polar opposite swordsmen when they are hired by a free-spirited young girl to set out on an adventure to find a missing samurai.
Demon Slayer (2019)
Global sensation new generation anime Demon Slayer often commended for its stellar animation is as visually captivating as its massive fanbase claims. The shocking death of his family and the conspicuous transformation of younger sister Nezuko to a demon pushes Tanjiro to the dreadful path of a demon slayer.
Akira (1988)
Akira is a post-apocalyptic animated film that helped pioneer the Japanese cyberpunk genre and had a widespread cultural impact in the 1980s. In 2019 Neo-Tokyo, leader of a biker gang, Shota Kaneda, attempts to save an injured Tetsuo who later manifests psychic powers powerful enough to become a trigger.
Dorohedoro (2018)
Kaiman has no recollection of his identity and past life and is left looking more reptile than a man on account of an unknown magic user. This animated series depicts Kaiman and Nikudou’s journey to unravel a mystery in a ghastly dystopian hole inhabited by humans who live their everyday lives in fear of being targeted by sorcerers.
No Game No Life (2014)
Legendary gamer duo and siblings, Sora and Shiro are both highly intellectual and astute. However, they lack the ability to connect with the real world. Upon receiving a cryptic email from a person who claims to be a god, they are hauled into a different dimension where small banters to territorial disputes are settled by gambling into high-risk games.
The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
Studio Ghibli breathes life into a splendid tale of friendship and the Clock family’s efforts to survive and mask the existence of their kind from humans. The Secret World of Arrietty is a spellbinding film that garnered praise from Ghibli fans all over the world with such intricate concept art and careful detailing.
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