5 really good anime movies that are not from Studio Ghibli

When we talk about anime or Japanese animated movies, the first few that pop up in mind are Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and so on. But aside from them, there are a plethora of anime movies that are not from Studio Ghibli which are just as amazing.

Top 5 favorite anime movies that are not from Studio Ghibli:

*not in order

1. Flavors of Youth

When I first watched Flavors of Youth, I thought it would be a lot about food— like the first part of the movie about a noodle shop. It was so mouthwatering to watch and oh- how I wish I could taste that. But as I watched even more, it wasn’t about the food. The context of flavor was about the feeling, emotions and experiences you go through during your youth. That’s to say, I was extremely misled by the trailer too. Overall, this movie wasn’t tear-jerking but it speaks so much to our past as a youth. As teenagers struggling to be adults.

2. Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel

*TW: This movie contains disturbing scenes, rap3 and ab*se

I know it feels like cheating to include this— since it became a 3-part movie but I have to put it on my top 5 list because of how much I loved the Fate universe. Also, UFOTABLE’s animation is always top-notch. This movie is dark, heavy yet sublime. I probably won’t be able to stomach it if I wasn’t ready for the light gore scene (heck, the disgusting crawlies still get to me) but it’s actually a movie that keeps you on your toes. However, only thread on this trilogy if you can accept the trigger warnings and you’re well versed on the previous Fate anime series.

3. A Silent Voice

Oh boy, this movie turned on my waterworks. It speaks so much about the effects of bullying towards people who have special needs/conditions. It was heart-wrenching when you realise that it actually reflects real society. Humans are not always kind and even though the movie ended with a good note, can the same be said for reality?

4. Children Who Chased Lost Voices: Journey to Agatha

One of the lesser known films from Makoto Shinkai before he received worldwide recognition. This movie touches about a fantasy world, life/death and respect. Journey into Earth’s core to discover a new world and civilization. This movie introduces the mythology behind Agatha in a breathtakingly beautiful world design. There’s so much magic in one movie— for Ghibli fans, you may find this the most appealing among this list!

5. Hotarubi no Mori E

Albeit a short movie, spanning over 45mins only, this movie is a real tear-jerker. I wasn’t expecting myself to be sobbing into my pillow and lightly traumatized by the movie for being so extremely sad. It’s a calm story of developing friendships, romance, growing up and the passage of time. The beautiful soundtrack will put you within the story itself as you watch it unfurl. Honestly, this entire movie can be summed within 10 minutes, it felt too short.

I didn’t include the others like Your Name, Weathering with You, Pokemon movies etc. They are wonderful movies but as I’ll only pick 5, these are the ones I’ve chosen! I hope you’ll find them enjoyable as well and leave me your thoughts on what other anime movies should be on this list?

Wishes,

Melody