8 Anime Movies With a 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score, Ranked

With the immense popularity that anime enjoys in the world today, it’s hard to believe that the field was once considered a niche interest outside of the mainstream. Today, anime movies and shows are a huge part of the creative landscape, entertaining millions of fans around the world. But though it may have joined the mainstream relatively recently, the world of anime has a long and illustrious history marked by the releases of some of the greatest films ever made.

From landmark war dramas and slice-of-life stories to epic action fantasies and sci-fi thrillers, the expansive world of anime encompasses a wide range of genres and styles, though they all draw on the same shared visual language that constitutes and defines the field. It can seem overwhelming to a beginner, but thanks to tools like Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer score, audiences today have an easy and reliable way to zero in on the best and most acclaimed anime movies of all time. Here’s a look at some anime movies that have earned the coveted 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, including both recent hits and legendary classics.

8

‘Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King’ (2023)

Asta surrounded by smoke in Black Cover.

Directed by Ayataka Tanemura and produced by Pierrot, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King is adapted from Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover manga series and serves as a standalone spin-off of the anime series of the same name. The franchise takes place in a world of magic, where a boy born without abilities competes with his genius best friend in a quest to become the next Wizard King. Set between the fourth season’s Elf Reincarnation Arc and Heart Kingdom Joint Struggle Arc, the film follows series protagonist Asta (Gakuto Kajiwara) and the Magic Knights as they oppose four former Wizard Kings who seek to destroy the Clover Kingdom.

Released in Japanese theaters and internationally on Netflix in June 2023, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King premiered to a highly positive reception from critics and fans, becoming Netflix’s second-most-watched non-English film of that week. While the movie does require some knowledge of the anime, it’s an engaging fantasy action film with striking animation that’s a great watch even if you’re new to the franchise. The movie has gone on to become one of the most popular shonen anime films of recent years, and in 2024, it earned a Crunchyroll Anime Award nomination for Best Film.

7

‘Ghost in the Shell 2.0’ (2008)

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a remastered version of the 1995 adult animated cyberpunk thriller Ghost in the Shell, which was in turn adapted from Masamune Shirow’s 1989 manga of the same name. Set in 2029, the film follows cyborg public security agent Major Motoko Kusanagi as she hunts an enigmatic hacker known as the Puppet Master. Directed by Mamoru Oshii, the movie stars Atsuko Tanaka as the voice of Major, with Akio Ōtsuka and Yoshiko Sakakibara voicing key roles.

The 1995 Ghost in the Shell was a highly acclaimed film that became an international cult classic and inspired numerous subsequent works, including the Wachowskis’ The Matrix series. Ghost in the Shell 2.0 presents an updated version of the same, featuring enhanced animation and digital effects, a few changes in the story, and Yoshiko Sakakibara replacing Iemasa Kayumi in the voice cast. While the original version is more favored by fans of the franchise, the remastered film is a great watch in its own right and has earned slightly greater appreciation from critics.

6

‘Only Yesterday’ (1991)

Based on Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone’s eponymous 1982 manga, Only Yesterday is a 1991 animated coming-of-age drama directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the story of Taeko Okajima (voiced by Miki Imai and Yōko Honna), a 27-year-old woman living in Tokyo who takes a long overdue holiday to visit her sister’s family in the countryside. While there, Taeko finds herself reminiscing about her childhood, making her question her choices in life. An English dub version, voiced by Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Alison Fernandez, Laura Bailey, and Ashley Eckstein, was released in 2016.

Only Yesterday was quite successful in Japan when it was first released, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film of 1991, but it wasn’t released in North America until 2016. It’s a critically acclaimed and deeply nostalgic film with a simple yet sensitive story about self-discovery and reconciling your adult self with your inner child. The movie has been widely praised for its empathetic portrayal of women in Japanese society at the time, as well as for its beautiful animation and music.

5

‘Blue Giant’ (2023)

A still from Blue Giant featuring leading band member Dai Miyamoto playing jazz on the saxophone

Produced by NUT and directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, Blue Giant is an adaptation of the eponymous jazz-themed manga series by Shinichi Ishizuka. The film follows former high school basketball player Dai Miyamoto (Yuki Yamada) as he discovers a love for jazz, teaching himself to play the saxophone and moving to Tokyo in the hopes of becoming the greatest jazz musician of all time. Along the way, he teams up with pianist Yukinori (Shotaro Mamiya) and drummer Shunji (Amane Okayama) to form a jazz trio that wins the hearts of local audiences.

Based on an award-winning manga series, Blue Giant had a lot to live up to when it first premiered in 2023, but the film exceeded those expectations with its mind-blowing narrative style and excellent music. A passionate musical journey charting one young man’s quest for greatness, the movie is an immersive, almost hypnotic experience and arguably one of the best music films of recent years. The film has earned a number of accolades, including a Crunchyroll Anima Award nomination for Best Film and a Japan Academy Film Prize nomination for Best Animation Film.

4

‘Look Back’ (2024)

Two young girls wearing winter coats and reading a manga together in a convenience store in 'Look Back' (2024) — Two young girls wearing winter coats and reading a manga together in a convenience store in ‘Look Back’ (2024)

Based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot web manga, Look Back is an animated coming-of-age drama written and directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and produced by Studio Durian. The film follows two girls, the outgoing Ayumu Fujino (Yuumi Kawai) and the reclusive Kyomoto (Mizuki Yoshida), who share a passion for drawing. Though Fujino initially sees Kyomoto as a rival, the girls become friends and partners, but a tragedy later in life makes Fujino rethink their connection.

Look Back had its world premiere at the 2024 French Annecy International Animation Film Festival ahead of a theatrical release, earning highly positive reviews from critics. A sentimental and heartwarming story that deals with themes of connection, artistic passion, and the value of art, it’s a powerful, near-perfect film rendered in a beautiful animation style. The movie earned several accolades from around the world, including an Annie Award nomination, the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Picture, and the Crunchyroll Anime Award for Film of the Year.

3

‘EVANGELION: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time’ (2021)

Evangelion Unit 1 kneeling and thinking in Evangelion Thrice Upon A Time

Chiefly directed and written by Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is an animated epic science fiction film produced by Studio Khara that serves as the fourth and final movie in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. A sequel to 2012’s Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, the film revolves around the final confrontation between series protagonist Shinji Ikari (voiced by Megumi Ogata and Ryunosuke Kamiki) and his father Gendo Ikari (Fumihiko Tachiki), an epic battle that will decide the fate of the universe.

The Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is easily one of the biggest and most influential names in the anime world, and its rebooted film series is among the most popular anime film franchises of all time. A highly anticipated film that was over a decade in the making, Thrice Upon a Time premiered in 2021 to universal acclaim, earning praise from critics and fans for its animation, story, emotional maturity, and the satisfying conclusion it delivers for the franchise’s story. The movie was also a huge box office hit, becoming the franchise’s highest-grossing film and the second-highest-grossing Japanese movie of the year.

2

‘Grave of the Fireflies’ (1988)

Seita and Setsuko together in Grave of the Fireflies.

Written and directed by Isao Takahata, Grave of the Fireflies is a 1988 animated war drama produced by Studio Ghibli and based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s semi-autobiographical 1967 short story of the same name. The film follows the stories of Seita and Setsuko, two siblings orphaned by the Allied bombing of Kobe, Japan, who are forced into a desperate struggle for survival in the aftermath of the attack. The movie’s voice cast stars Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Akemi Yamaguchi, and more.

Grave of the Fireflies was universally acclaimed by critics at the time of its premiere, and though it was only moderately successful at the box office, the movie has gone on to become one of the most influential anime films of all time. A painfully emotional character drama, the film explores the unforgivable cost of war through the lives of two innocent children. Beautifully animated and heartbreakingly tragic, the film was reportedly not developed as an anti-war movie, but it’s arguably one of the most compelling statements ever delivered against the pursuit of war and one of the greatest films of all time.

1

‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ (2013)

Princess Kaguya smiling while looking up in The Tale of Princess Kaguya — Princess Kaguya is at the top, once again.

The final film directed and co-written by Isao Takahata before his death in 2018, The Tale of Princess Kaguya is an animated historical fantasy produced by Studio Ghibli and adapted from the 10th-century Japanese story The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The film follows the story of a divine child discovered inside a bamboo stalk by a farmer and his wife. Raised to become a beautiful princess, she is revered by all she meets, but that doesn’t stop her from growing increasingly dissatisfied with her life. The movie’s voice cast includes Aki Asakura, Kengo Kora, Takeo Chii, Nobuko Miyamoto, Atsuko Takahata, and more.

A masterpiece of traditional animation, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time of its premiere. An emotionally deep story brought to life with stunning art, it’s a timeless and evocative film that explores the immense pressure placed on children by parents and the restrictions forced on women by society. The movie received universal critical acclaim and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.