The academic award historically omitted anime even though there are many Cartoons that deserve an Oscar released every year. In the ninety years since the Oscars began, only one animated film has actually won an Oscar, and with a number of years not being nominated for any animated films, that’s unlikely to change. early. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t countless cartoons that are truly loved by viewers and critics alike. From indie stories like those from Studio Ghibli to spin-offs of existing shows, anime deserves more recognition in the cinematic world.
While the term “Oscar-worthy” may conjure images of heavy and dramatic films, the animated films that deserve the most recognition span a wide variety of genres and tones. together. Upbeat slices of life and fantasy stories like Howl’s Moving Castle deserve the Academy’s favor just as much as heartbreaking tragedies like Grave of the Fireflies. Not only are these nominees for Best Animated Feature, each of these is deserving of Best Picture.
10. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
When sisters Mei and Satsuki move to the countryside to be near their ailing mother’s hospital, they begin to explore their new home. The girls meet and befriend a number of iconic forest spirits, chief among them the large and friendly Totoro. The spirits not only show them miracles and joy, but they are there to help when the family is in crisis.
Modern viewers might be shocked to learn that Hayao Miyazaki’s third film was originally released as a dual film alongside another 1988 feature film: Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies. It is hoped that theaters have a good sense of showing Grave of the Fireflies first. Totoro’s relatively lighthearted story about two siblings in an idyllic Japanese countryside recovering from World War II is probably just what audiences need to recover from a painful wartime tragedy. by Takahata. My Neighbor Totoro is a work of culture with good reason, and its historical impact and significance alone deserves recognition from the Academy Awards.
9 Akira (1988)
Neo Tokyo was a tough place to grow up. Orphan Tetsuo Shima grew up idolizing his stronger friend Kaneda, but resented having to live in Kaneda’s shadow and rely on his protection. Everything changes when the influence of the psychic child Akira awakens new and terrifying powers within Tetsuo, transforming him, Kaneda, and all of Neo Tokyo forever.
Akira was a huge turning point in anime’s growing popularity among Western audiences. Its shocking story and visuals created using cutting-edge new animation techniques, impressive to this day, have taken the cinematic world by storm. Its influence is still seen in both animated films and live-action films today, with the famous “motorbike sledding” moment just the tip of the iceberg. With a unique literary and animated theme, Akira was one of the most important films of 1988.
8 Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0: Three Times Once Upon a Time (2021)
Unlike many of the best anime remakes and reboots, the remake of the 90s classic Neon Genesis Evangelion comes in a series of episodes. The Rebuild of Evangelion film cycle has come to a beautiful conclusion with this fourth installment. In its first theatrical release, it became director Hideaki Anno’s highest-grossing film of all time.
Shinji Ikari and his companions wander the ruined Earth after the almost inevitable Fourth Impact. He and Asuka, the last remaining Eva pilots, must use their newfound powers to end the chaos and Gendo Ikari, who is still trying to tear the world apart to achieve his goal. Even if that means everything they know is destroyed, Shinji is determined to free them all from the cycle of suffering. While not as impactful as the animated remake series, Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 is an incredible artistic achievement that deserves at least a nomination for the Oscars’ best animated feature list. year 2021.
Howl’s 7 Moving Castles (2004)
Sophie’s quiet life is turned upside down when she encounters the Witch of the Waste and is cursed to turn into an old body. Although she wasn’t too bothered by the curse, she assumed it had to be broken and turned to the wizard Howl for help. The confusing and dramatic Howl is not at all what Sophie imagined, and as she becomes drawn into his magical world, she gradually realizes that she may be the key to saving him.
The film is based on the 1986 award-winning novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 2005 Academy Awards, but lost to Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. While that loss is painful for anime and Studio Ghibli fans, it doesn’t detract from the beauty of Miyazaki in Diana Wynne Jones’ beloved novel.
6 Princess Mononoke (1997)
The dying last prince of the Enishi tribe, Ashitaka was forced to leave his homeland for good when he was cursed to protect it. The exile brought him to Iron Town, a new industrial village. Before he can free himself from his curse, he must find a way to make peace between Iron Town and the jungle spirits who are outraged by the destruction of their land, namely San, the protector. fierce defenders grew up among them.
Princess Mononoke is notable for being the first Studio Ghibli film to receive a PG-13 rating in the United States for its scenes of violence and gore. Viewers shouldn’t let this put them off, however: the film is much more famous for its sweeping beauty and the complexity of its conflict. The English dub provides an extra twist with a script written by acclaimed fantasy author Neil Gaiman, taking on one of Ghibli’s best films.
5 Graves of the Fireflies (1988)
1988 was a pivotal year for animated films, and Grave of the Fireflies is one of the medium’s best-known productions. Sisters Seita and Setsuna lost their parents in the last years of World War II. As bombs fall on Japan and food runs out, Seita struggles to keep herself and her sister alive.
The film is based on a semi-autobiographical short story by Akiyuki Nosaka. It closely follows Nosaka’s commentary on the contrast between the behavior of wartime and peacetime youth, the obligations of families to each other, and the trauma of war inflicted on innocent children. Still one of the most difficult animated films to watch, Grave of the Firefly will sit right up the alleys of the Academy with a deep empathy for the human cost of war.
4 Perfect Blue (1997)
Idol singer Mima Kirigoe dreams of escaping her beautiful and innocent image to pursue a real acting career. But when she actually does it, what she has to do to be taken seriously is worse than she expected. And as if that wasn’t enough, the obsessed fan is furious that she’s abandoned her old self and is set to unleash a vengeful murder.
A masterpiece by famous director Satoshi Kon, Perfect Blue is ranked among the best psychological horror anime of all time. The stress and suffering that Mima goes through is irritating and can be concerning to anyone struggling in an artistic career. What this movie does so well is escalate it into an intense, headache-inducing struggle for her to rebuild and reclaim not only her identity but her sanity. The biggest proof that Perfect Blue is Oscar-worthy is how its director Satoshi Kon has inspired Oscar nominees like Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan.
3 Revue Starlight: The Movie (2021)
Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight is fun for any theater and music fan. Childhood friends Karen Aijo and Hikari Kagura reunite at a young age to pursue their shared dream of joining the legendary theater group Starlight. However, even getting to the audition will be the biggest challenge of their lives.
While the first Revue Starlight film is technically a synopsis of the series, from just another character’s perspective, this second film ranks among the best in the field of animation with a fresh and fresh story. Karen, Hikari and their classmates go through the emotional roller coaster of their senior year of high school. When they first look to the future, they rely on the friendships they’ve built for strength and inspiration.
2 The End of Evangelion (1997)
To end Neon Genesis Evangelion the way he always envisioned it, Hideaki Anno needed more time than two TV episodes allowed. So then there’s this movie, which serves as an alternate ending to the original film. Hurt after being forced to kill Kaworu, Shinji has a mental breakdown, but when the Third Impact appears, he is forced to act, and his final choice will determine the fate of humanity.
The End of Evangelion is in fierce competition with Perfect Blue to be the most disturbing and surreal anime anime of 1997. Its famous action sequences and apocalyptic visuals are highly emotional, and while While some viewers find the philosophical passages shallow or difficult to understand, there are also many philosophical scenes that are shallow and difficult to understand. see them deeply. After so much accumulation, Shinji’s acceptance of life for all it is can be extremely exhilarating.
1 Spirited Land (2001)
Perhaps Hayao Miyazaki’s most famous breakout film is the story of growing up, man’s relationship with the natural world, and traditional Japanese folklore. When her parents accidentally trap the whole family in the spirit world, little Chihiro must find a way to free them all. She befriends some spirits and deceives others, becoming a stronger and more confident person by the end of her journey.
Spirited Away’s breathtaking visuals and beautifully written character relationships make it one of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time. It remained the only non-English-language film to win Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and the highest-grossing film ever produced in Japan for nineteen years, until a series another animated fantasy — Demon Slayer — The Movie: Mugen Train — surprisingly dethrones it in 2020.
Anime is a legitimate art form and offers the opportunity to tell powerful stories that other mediums simply cannot. While the Oscars only award an Oscar for an animated film, that doesn’t detract from the beauty and meaning of the medium’s most powerful stories. Academy Awards would be wise to recognize many Cartoons that deserve an Oscar released every year.
