10 Best Anime Films of the Last 25 Years, Ranked

Anime movies often get less attention from dedicated fans than ongoing series. With so many new anime episodes released each season, it’s easy to forget about the films. However, missing out on anime movies means overlooking some truly great classics.

Anime movies are increasingly getting bigger budgets and more development time, leading to truly stunning animation. Plus, we’re seeing both brand new anime stories and beloved series make their way to theaters. For fans who enjoy both, it’s a fantastic time, and they’re likely to find some of the best anime released in the last quarter-century.

Demon Slayer The Movie: Infinity Castle Begins Demon Slayer’s Last Arc

The popular anime series Demon Slayer is back in theaters with a new movie based on the Infinity Castle story arc, which concludes the manga. The film depicts the Demon Slayer Corps’ all-out attack on Muzan Kibutsuji and his strongest demons, the Upper Moons, and features an epic battle between Tanjiro and Akaza, a powerful demon he first encountered in Mugen Train. As expected, the movie was a huge hit, earning over $700 million and surpassing the success of Mugen Train.

Ufotable has truly outdone itself with the stunning visuals in this film, creating one of the most beautiful anime movies ever made. The action sequences are phenomenal, rivaling even those in Dragon Ball Z. Despite the intense battles, the film remains deeply emotional, particularly in Tanjiro’s efforts to reconnect Akaza with his humanity. However, while it’s an excellent movie, it lands at number ten on our list because, unlike Mugen Train, it’s difficult to appreciate without prior knowledge of the series.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly Is The Best Dragon Ball Film

While Dragon Ball Super: Broly isn’t perfect in terms of plot or character arcs, it still delivers an amazing experience. This new take on Broly’s story, guided by Akira Toriyama, captures everything fans love about Dragon Ball Z, and offers one of the best action sequences ever. The film provides a compelling origin story for Broly, and a surprisingly detailed look at life on Planet Vegeta. But Super: Broly offers much more than just that.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly is packed with action – roughly half the movie is dedicated to it – but it manages to stay exciting throughout. The fights featuring Goku, Vegeta, and Frieza against Broly are visually stunning thanks to the incredible animation by Toei. Beyond the action, the movie does a great job of making Broly a sympathetic character, showing how he’s used and controlled by others, leading him into battles he has no chance of winning.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Represents Peak Gothic Horror

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a stunning example of gothic horror. It’s considered director Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s best work, featuring breathtaking and eerie visuals of a vampire-dominated, post-apocalyptic world. Much of this striking look is thanks to the incredible designs of artist Yoshitaka Amano.

Even though Bloodlust is based on a series of novels, it’s very easy for anyone to enjoy, making it a great choice for someone new to anime. The story follows D, a famous vampire hunter, as he tracks down a young woman and her vampire companion. What seems like a simple job quickly turns into a much bigger and more dangerous problem. It’s a film newer anime fans will definitely want to check out if they haven’t already.

Suzume Offers A Beautiful Take On Confronting Disasters

It takes a truly gifted director like Makoto Shinkai to create a stunning film even with a bizarre premise – in this case, one of the main characters spends much of the movie as a three-legged chair! Suzume tells the story of two teenagers traveling across Japan to close mysterious doors, preventing supernatural events from triggering disasters. The film is a moving and visually beautiful response to the devastating natural disasters Japan experienced in 2011.

Though known for his romantic films, director Shinkai takes a different approach with Suzume. It’s not a typical love story; instead, it’s a story about growing up and overcoming past trauma. This makes the film relatable to a wide audience, even though it specifically depicts Japan’s recovery from disaster, because its themes are universal.

Your Name Tells A Beautiful Story Of Longing

Considered the strongest film in Makoto Shinkai’s “disaster trilogy”, Your Name tells the story of Taki and Mitsuha, two high school students who unexpectedly start swapping bodies. As they experience life from each other’s perspectives, they grow to understand and eventually fall in love with one another.

Your Name quickly became a beloved and award-winning film, ultimately becoming the highest-grossing anime movie ever made. What makes it special is its ability to portray a deep longing for an unattainable love, a theme not often explored in typical romance anime. Beyond the romance, it’s a truly captivating story with unexpected turns that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

Chainsaw Man Movie: Reze Arc Brings Back A Popular Anime In Style

I remember when Chainsaw Man blew up in 2022, and fans were eagerly awaiting more of the story. It felt like a long wait, but MAPPA really delivered with Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc. Honestly, it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen this year, 2025. And it wasn’t just me who thought so – the movie has earned over $170 million, making it a huge success and one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time, even surpassing classics like Pokémon: The Movie and Princess Mononoke.

The Reze Arc, based on two volumes of the manga, begins with Denji finally getting a date with Reze, a girl he meets at a coffee shop. However, a hidden truth about Reze puts their new relationship in danger. While the arc features a genuinely sweet romance, it doesn’t shy away from the violent world of Chainsaw Man, and manages to balance these tones effectively. It currently remains in fifth place because it’s more impactful for those already familiar with the series than for new viewers.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Train Is Demon Slayer At Its Best

ufotable’s anime adaptation of Demon Slayer has been a huge success, praised for its incredible animation which truly brought the series to life. The Mugen Train arc took the visual quality to another level, and it’s no surprise that the resulting film became a blockbuster, earning over $500 million worldwide.

I absolutely loved Mugen Train! Even though it happens a bit later in the story, it’s a fantastic entry point for anyone just getting into Demon Slayer. The arc is just perfectly suited for a movie! It throws Tanjiro and the others onto a mysterious train where people are vanishing, and they quickly run into one of the weirdest, most powerful demons they’ve ever faced. The movie wraps things up nicely, but trust me, it’ll leave you desperate to jump into the anime and see what happens next! It’s a great adventure that really pulls you in.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie Provides Fans With Just One Last Adventure

I always considered Cowboy Bebop to be special, so it’s no surprise the movie is a fantastic anime film. Instead of continuing the story with a sequel, the director, Watanabe, gave us one last adventure with the familiar crew of the Bebop. This time around, the story centers on Spike and the others trying to stop a mysterious man named Vincent Volaju from unleashing a biological attack on Mars.

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is a fantastic example of what makes Cowboy Bebop so great. Created through a collaboration between Sunrise, BONES, and Bandai Visual, it offers a beautiful look into the show’s unique retro-futuristic world. Despite its short runtime of under two hours, the film carefully builds its setting and characters, making it accessible even for new viewers. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone curious about Cowboy Bebop.

Tokyo Godfathers Presents The Best Anime Christmas Story

Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers is widely considered the greatest anime Christmas film ever made. It follows three people experiencing homelessness as they work to reunite an abandoned baby with its family. While more grounded than some of Kon’s other work, the movie still features a series of humorous and increasingly improbable events, making it both a funny and heartwarming Christmas story.

Don’t let initial impressions deter you from watching Tokyo Godfathers. Though the story might seem sad, the film is actually very funny. And despite concerns it might make light of homelessness, it offers a surprisingly honest and thoughtful look at society, all while keeping you entertained.

Spirited Away Is A Strange Yet Unforgettable Fairy Tale

Studio Ghibli is famous for consistently making high-quality films, and Spirited Away is a prime example. When it was released, critics and anime fans immediately hailed it as one of the best anime films ever made. It was a huge commercial success, earning nearly $400 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing anime film for almost twenty years. The film also received widespread critical acclaim, winning almost a dozen awards, including an Academy Award and an Annie Award.

In Spirited Away, a young girl named Chihiro enters a magical world when her parents are transformed into pigs. She must then find her way through this bizarre and enchanting spirit world. The film is beautifully animated and offers something new to discover with each viewing, or you can simply relax and enjoy a truly unique and imaginative fairy tale.

2025-12-01 07:44