Japanese anime is popular worldwide, and many foreigners visit Japan to experience the authentic anime culture.
Japanese animation began to be exported overseas around the 1960s and spread worldwide in the 1980s and 1990s, and it became common to refer to Japanese animation as "Anime." Today, in the 21st century, more and more anime programs are being distributed almost simultaneously with Japan.
In this issue, we will introduce you to the world's most popular Japanese animations, from the latest 21st century animations to legendary masterpieces, all in one place.
- Five popular animated films of the 21st century
- Six popular animated TV series of the 21st century
- Four legendary animated films that introduced "Anime" to the world.
- Four legendary animated TV series that introduced "Anime" to the world.
- Five nostalgic Japanese TV animation popular in various countries
- Let's travel through the vast world of Japanese animation!
Five popular animated films of the 21st century
In the 21st century, Japanese animated films have become a household name worldwide, often winning awards at international film festivals.
Here we introduce popular Japanese animation films released after 2000.
Spirited Away
Winner of the Golden Bear at the 52nd Berlin International Film Festival and the 75th Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, the film was directed by Hayao Miyazaki andStudio GhibliThis is the masterpiece that made the name of the company world-wide.
The story follows Chihiro, a young girl who enters a different world inhabited by eight million gods on her way to move with her parents, and struggles to survive as she is swept away by a series of mysterious events.
The film depicts an allegorical world that cannot be captured in a straightforward manner, while entertaining the audience with mysterious characters and episodes that resemble those from myths and fairy tales.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
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This is the last film directed by Isao Takahata, a close friend of Hayao Miyazaki. It is an animated adaptation of "Taketori Monogatari" (The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter), which is believed to be Japan's oldest existing story, with a hand-drawn touch similar to that of the old picture scroll "Tori-jyu-giga" (caricatures of birds and animals).
While the story mostly follows "Taketori Monogatari," the work delves into the inner life of Kaguyahime from a modern perspective.
Using Isao Takahata's uniquely muted color palette, the director has created an enchanting visual world that is at once heartwarming and acute.
bell bell pepper
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Director Satoshi Kon adapted science fiction writer Yasutaka Tsutsui's best-selling novel of the same title into an animated feature. The film was selected as an official competition film at the Venice International Film Festival and was highly acclaimed overseas.
In a future world where a device that allows people to share their dreams with others has been developed, there have been many cases of people abusing the device and causing others' mental breakdowns. Atsuko Chiba, a psychotherapist who has been entering other people's dreams as "Dream Detective Paprika" to provide mental treatment, enters the dreams of the victims of these incidents and struggles to get to the bottom of them.
In addition to this film, director Satoshi Kon also produced such masterpieces as "Perfect Blue," "Millennium Actress," and "Tokyo Godfathers," but he passed away in 2010 at the young age of 46. This film was his last theatrical work.
What is your name?
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This is a blockbuster movie directed by Makoto Shinkai, known for his delicate images using digital technology. It has been a hit in Asia, Europe, and the United States, and is especially highly acclaimed in the Asian region.
High school students Tachibana Taki and Miyamizu Mitsuha live in faraway places and have never known each other. Through a mysterious experience in which their consciousnesses are switched, the two are brought together, but the "gap" between them and the tragedy of a falling meteorite cause their lives to repeatedly pass each other by.
A sentimental and sad love story based on a science fiction setting is enlivened by beautiful images and music by the popular band "RADWIMPS.
Blade of Demon's Destruction the Movie: Infinity Train Arc
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It is a blockbuster animated film based on the popular manga and animated TV series by Yoseharu Agatoge that was serialized in JUMP magazine. Both the original manga and the animated TV version were so popular that they could be called social phenomena, and the movie became a blockbuster hit upon its release, breaking the Japanese box office record in its 11th week of release (until then, it had been the only movie to break the box office record ofSpirited Away(The first place).
The main character, Sumijiro Kamakado, was attacked by demons that killed his family and turned his surviving sister into a demon as well. Sumijiro begins a journey to return his sister to human form and becomes a member of the "Oni Killing Squad," an organization that resists demons, and goes through numerous ordeals. The film depicts the story that follows the first season of the TV anime version.
It is an entertaining work that can be enjoyed by everyone, from children to adults.
Six popular animated TV series of the 21st century
Popular Japanese TV animations aired or distributed after 2000 are introduced here.
NARUTO
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It is an anime adaptation of the popular manga by Masashi Kishimoto, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. This battle action anime, in which ninjas engage in fierce battles with each other using supernatural techniques, has gained worldwide popularity.
The film depicts Naruto, a boy ninja who failed to make it through numerous trials and tribulations, honing his skills and spirit as he grows into a legendary ninja.
."Dragon BallIt has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad as a successor to "Dragon Ball" in terms of both popularity and sales.
ONE PIECE
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This TV anime is based on Eiichiro Oda's popular manga series in Weekly Shonen Jump. The original work boasts an astounding record for both volume and sales, and the animated version is very popular both in Japan and abroad.
Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who longs to be a pirate, eats a devil fruit called "Gomu Gomu no Mi" (rubbery fruit) and gains incredible power that allows him to freely expand and contract his entire body. However, in return, he suffers a fatal flaw as a pirate: he cannot swim for the rest of his life.
Luffy meets many unique friends and fights with unique and powerful enemies as he travels the world in pursuit of the "Greatest Treasure of All" (ONE PIECE).
Interspersed with innovative battle scenes that use Luffy's stretchy body, light comedy, and touching episodes, it is something that can be enjoyed by all.
The Titans of Progress
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This anime is based on the popular manga by Hajime Isayama serialized in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. Due in part to the influence of the original work on special effects movies, a live-action film version was later produced.
Humankind, on the verge of extinction due to the sudden appearance of mysterious Titans, had managed to build a peaceful world and maintain its vitality by living in confinement within the walls of a gigantic castle. However, their peace was shattered by the appearance of even larger Titans, and at the same time, humans with the ability to turn into Titans emerged. An era of fierce battles against the Titans and the world "outside the walls" begins.
This work, which depicts overwhelming claustrophobia, huge mysteries, and realistic conflicts centered on the existence of giants, has been highly acclaimed as an innovative dark fantasy.
magic square (game)
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This TV anime is based on the popular manga series by Akutomi Shimoji, which is serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. An animated film version has also been produced.
The story takes place in a world where there are "conjured spirits," which are born from negative human emotions and harm humans, and "sorcerers," who exorcise them. The main character, Eugene Toraje, was an ordinary boy, but an event causes him to take a powerful spirit into his body, and he becomes involved in a fierce battle between the spirits and the sorcerers.
This dark fantasy work has gained popularity both in Japan and abroad for its horrifying setting and depiction of battles that make full use of witchcraft.
SPY×FAMILY
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This TV anime is based on the popular manga by Tatsuya Endo, which is serialized in the app version of Shonen Jump (Shonen Jump +).
The story takes place in a fictional world where the Cold War continues between the major powers of the East and West. The film comically depicts a male spy who has infiltrated an enemy country, an espionage girl living in an orphanage, and a woman with a secret identity as an assassin, who become a pseudo family through their own agendas and coincidences, and work together to deal with various troubles they encounter on a daily basis.
It is a heartwarming home comedy work in which three different people with gloomy backgrounds communicate with each other and get through their troubles in a hilarious way.
[My guess is that the child]
![[My guess is that the child]](https://minnano-rakuraku.com/japan/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/oshinoko.jpg)
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This TV animation is based on the popular manga series by Akasaka Aka and Yoko Yari Mengo, which is serialized in Weekly Young Jump.
Ai Hoshino, a popular idol, wishes to have a secret birth, and a male doctor who is also Ai's fan takes charge of the birth. The male doctor is stabbed to death by Ai's stalker, but is reincarnated as Ai's children (twins named Aqua and Ruby) along with a former female patient who died of illness at a young age, and they grow up.
But this time, her mother Ai is stabbed to death by the same stalker. Aqua vows to take revenge on the mastermind behind the incident, and Ruby aims to become an idol like her mother, and they both work in the entertainment industry.
The complex drama combines trendy themes such as "supporting idols (推し活)," "turning into a hero," and "the darkness of the entertainment industry."
Four legendary animated films that introduced "Anime" to the world.
From the late 1980s through the 1990s, Japanese animation became widely viewed around the world, and the term "Japanese animation = Anime" became popular.
Here are some of the legendary classic animated films that helped popularize "Anime" around the world.
AKIRA
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It is Otomo's own adaptation of the popular manga by Katsuhiro Otomo that was serialized in Weekly Young Magazine. Although the film did not do well at the box office when it was released in Japan and was only released on a small scale in the U.S., it became a cult favorite among anime fans through video software, sparking a worldwide boom in Japanese anime.
The story takes place in "Neo Tokyo" after World War III. An ordinary motorcycle gang boy meets and clashes with an escaped psychic born from human experimentation, and is taken away by the military organization that sponsors the experiment and made into a new experimental subject. From there, the story becomes a great swell of excitement as it rushes forward into the grand mystery of the birth of life and the universe.
This is a masterpiece among masterpieces whose innovative and subversive animation expression has had a great influence on later creators in Japan and abroad. The music by the performing arts Yamashiro group also works in unison with the images to highlight the unique world of the film.
GHOST IN THE SHELL / Ghost in the Shell
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Mamoru Oshii directed this masterpiece science fiction anime film based on the manga by Masamune Shirow. Set in the near future, where the brain and computer networks are directly connected by injecting microscopic machines into the human brain, the film depicts a battle between hackers who control other people's brains and a cyborg intelligence unit.
Mamoru Oshii is one of Japan's leading animation directors and has directed numerous animated television series andChinese "Girl" constellation (one of the 28 mansions)", "Mobile Police Patlabor", the sequel to this work, "innocence", "sky croquette (Chromis opercularis)He has directed in theatrical films such as
Although this film did not do well at the box office when it was released in Japan, it was enthusiastically received by American animation fans and is said to have influenced the science fiction films of James Cameron and the Woschowski Brothers (sisters).
My Neighbor Totoro
."Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind"Laputa: Castle in the SkyThis is Studio Ghibli's third feature-length animated film, following
Sisters Satsuki and Mei move to a rural village with their father, a part-time university lecturer, to be near their hospitalized mother, and encounter strange creatures living in the countryside. The small dramas in the sisters' lives and the small miracles of the creatures combine to create a dreamlike story that is a mixture of excitement, sadness, and warmth.
Although the film did not perform well at the box office when it was released, the popularity of the film and its characters exploded through television broadcasts, and it is now one of Studio Ghibli's most popular works. Today, it is one of Studio Ghibli's most popular works. It has been widely viewed and highly acclaimed overseas as well.
Grave of the Fireflies (Japanese horror movie)
The film is an adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka's novel of the same title, directed by Isao Takahata.My Neighbor TotoroThe film was shown at the same time along with
At the end of the Pacific War, sisters Seita and Setsuko lost their parents in the Kobe Air Raid and were sent to live with relatives. However, they are constantly quarreling with relatives who treat them as a nuisance, so they leave their home and begin living in a nearby air-raid shelter.
Isao Takahata uncompromisingly portrays young war orphaned siblings with thorough realism.
The film has been highly acclaimed both at home and abroad as a work of art that transcends entertainment, and on September 16, 2024, it was made available for distribution to more than 190 countries and regions worldwide through the video distribution service NETFLIX.
Four legendary animated TV series that introduced "Anime" to the world.
The following is a list of classic animated television series from around the 1990s that introduced the word "Anime" to the world.
Dragon Ball
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It is an animated television series based on Akira Toriyama's manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. Later, a sequel series, Dragon Ball Super, based on a new original idea by Akira Toriyama, was also created.
The story begins when Son Goku, a boy with superhuman physical abilities, meets Bulma, a girl traveling in search of seven Dragon Balls that can grant wishes, and they embark on an adventure together.
Eventually, the focus of the story shifts from the search for Dragon Balls to Goku's battles with powerful enemies.
Both the manga and anime gained great popularity in Japan and abroad, and have become legendary works representing Japan. Akira Toriyama's prodigious brushwork, influenced by Hong Kong kung-fu films, greatly influenced the battle manga that followed.
Sailor Moon
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An animated television series based on Naoko Takeuchi's popular manga series serialized in the girls' manga magazine "Nakayoshi. The original story was originally planned to be made into an anime, and both the original story and the anime were explosive hits.
Five beautiful girls, each with a different type of appearance, personality, and abilities, are transformed into "Sailor Senshi" by means of "transformation brooches" and fight against evil organizations using magic.
The story is basically one complete episode, with comical and romantic elements woven into the story.
The "Sailor Senshi" setting was created by adapting tokusatsu TV dramas such as the "Super Sentai" series (for boys) and "Bishojo Masked Poitrine" (for girls). Since Sailor Moon became a hit, the story of "beautiful girl magical warriors" fighting physically has become common.
Sailor Moon" has gained wide popularity not only among elementary and junior high school girls, its main target audience, but also among adult women and male anime fans, and the TV anime has become a series, with live-action TV dramas and musicals also being produced.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
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A TV animation series created by Hideaki Anno, one of Japan's leading animation directors, which aired from 1995 to 1996 and became a cult favorite among animation fans (otaku) and a social phenomenon among the intelligentsia. Numerous sequels and feature films have been made, and they have also been huge hits.
The story takes place in the near future, when most of the population has been lost due to a mysterious catastrophe. In order to fight off the mysterious life form "Apostles" that are attacking the Japanese capital "New 3rd Tokyo," boys and girls chosen by a mysterious organization fight aboard the mysterious artificial human weapon "Evangelion.
Numerous mysteries scattered throughout the film keep the viewer's interest. Mysterious entities are given names derived from the Bible and Western mythology and folklore, inviting viewers into their spiritual worlds.
While following the formula of robot anime since "Gundam," in which "boys and girls get involved in a struggle for the fate of the world and fight on humanoid weapons," the new concept of "weapons → artificial humans" and "machine control → neural connection (mental attunement) between lives" was novel.
The classic characterizations, such as "the somewhat introspective male protagonist" and "the mysterious heroine," have been reconstructed from a fresh perspective.
cowboy bebop
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This is a science fiction TV animation aired at the end of the 20th century. While many anime are based on comic books, "TheEvangelionAs with the film "The Last of Us," it was created as an original television production. Later, a theatrical film was also produced.
The story follows the exploits of a group of bounty hunters who travel through the solar system in a battered spaceship. The hard-boiled story focuses on interstellar travel, gun battles with bounty hunters, and hacking into computer networks.
The main characters are older, and the story, dialogue, design, and music are all stylish and mature in taste.
In particular, the use of jazz, blues, and rock music performed by top musicians instead of "anime songs" was very innovative. There have not been many animated films with this characteristic after this one.
It was also broadcast in the U.S. and received high acclaim for its unique style.
Five nostalgic Japanese TV animation popular in various countries
Legendary works that became the source of today's anime culture and works that gained high popularity in specific countries and regions will be introduced.
Doraemon (dwarf planet)
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Based on Fujiko F. Fujio's popular manga, this TV animation is a nationally long-running program that has been broadcast in Japan from 1979 to the present. Isao Takahata was involved in its production during its initial period. It is highly popular and well known overseas, especially in Asia. Feature-length animated film versions are also produced on a regular basis.
Nobita Nobi, an ordinary elementary school student who is neither good at studying nor sports, receives a cat-shaped robot named "Doraemon" from his future descendants. Whenever Nobita is mean to Gian and his friends or gets into trouble, Doraemon helps Nobita out by producing useful tools made with futuristic technology from his "four-dimensional pocket".
Basically, each episode is a complete comedy. The standard flow is that Nobita uses a tool to gain an advantage for a time, but gets carried away and causes trouble, or a tool that was thought to be only useful has unexpected side effects or costs, and ends up being a comical failure.
The twist and satire in the flow of events leading up to the failure may be the secret of its popularity.
Mobile Suit Gundam
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This original TV animation by Yoshiyuki (Yoshiyuki) Tomino, one of Japan's leading animation directors, is the origin of the "Gundam" series that continues to this day. In Japan, it is called "First Gundam" or "First Gundam.
It was aired from 1979 to 1980, and a version that was re-compiled into three theater movies was also released, becoming so popular that it became a social phenomenon.
The story takes place in a future world where war has broken out between the Earth government and the Principality of Zeon, a dictatorship established on a space colony. The space colony on the Earth side, where the main character Amuro and his friends live, is attacked by mobile suits (humanoid weapons) of the Principality of Zeon. In the midst of the chaos, Amuro shows his genius in controlling the new mobile suits on the Earth side and defeats the enemy.
This battle led to a fierce war in which Amuro and other boys and girls were forced by fate to board a new type of ship.
This work inherited the idea of "humanoid weapons operated by human pilots" from "Mazinger Z" and "Getter Robo" and incorporated it into a realistic war scene. The realistic depiction of politics, economics, and people's conflicts during the war period had a decisive influence on subsequent animations.
First Gundam" has not been widely broadcast overseas, and in many countries it is considered a legendary work known only to anime fans.
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Robotech)
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It is the first work in the "Macross" series, which continues to this day. It became popular for its unique style that incorporated elements of "idols" and "romance (romantic comedy)" into the realistic robot anime that followed "Gundam," and became the origin of the "robot anime with beautiful girls in the foreground.
When a huge mysterious battleship crashes on Earth and mankind learns of the danger of invasion by aliens, the fallen battleship is refurbished and a huge air-capable fortress called "Macross" is built. Through various coincidences, the hero pilot, heroine, and many civilians end up aboard the Macross and become involved in a war in space.
In North and South America and France, "Robotech," a book proposal and re-edited version combining this film with other unrelated works, was aired and gained wide popularity.
Lupin III
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Based on Monkey Punch's manga, this hard-boiled and comedy anime series was produced over six series beginning in 1971, with the second series broadcast from 1977 to 1980 being particularly popular and re-broadcast many times, establishing the image of "Lupin III" among the public. The second series was also broadcast in Italy and other countries, where it gained high popularity.
The main character is "Lupin III," a genius thief who is descended from "Arsene Lupin," a gentleman thief in the mystery novel by Maurice Leblanc. Due to copyright issues, the film was televised overseas under a name other than "Lupin.
The story is filled with amusing dialogue and rich ups and downs with the addition of unique characters such as Daisuke Dimeji, who wields the Combat Magnum with his superhuman marksmanship; Gomon Ishikawa, who saves the day with his famous sword, the Zantetsu Ken, which can cut through any object; and Fujiko Mine, a thief who uses her beauty and rational calculation to play tricks on those around her.
Several film versions have been made, especially "Lupin III: Cagliostro's Castle," directed by Hayao Miyazaki before he established Studio Ghibli, which has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
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This is a masterpiece TV animation based on the children's novel "Heidi" by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. Isao Takahata directed the film, and Hayao Miyazaki was in charge of scene setting and screen composition. The main staff members conducted meticulous research in Switzerland and Germany, and the animation was created with great attention to the depiction of backgrounds.
The story begins when Heidi, who lost her parents at an early age and grew up with her aunt, is sent to live with her grandfather in a cabin in a highland meadow. The film depicts Heidi's growth and the changes in the people around her as she interacts with the great nature of Switzerland, the people and animals living there, and Clara, a crippled girl living in the city.
It was broadcast not only in Japan but also in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other countries, and gained wide popularity among children and adults alike.
Let's travel through the vast world of Japanese animation!
We have introduced popular Japanese anime at a glance, from the latest works to those that have become the source of anime culture. If there is a work you have not watched yet that interests you, please watch it. There are still many more popular anime that we have not been able to introduce. We hope that this article will deepen your interest in Japanese anime!
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