A significantly large portion of the anime medium consists of episodic series ranging from anywhere between a dozen to a hundred episodes.For years this practice has remained the staple for the industry, but recently Japanese animators have started to shift at least some of theirfocus towards making full-length anime films.
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Anime anthology films have been far and few between, but almost all of them have had solid reception. This style of filming not only gives fans numerous delightful stories to watch in one sitting but also allows Japanese animators to showcase their ideas and experiment with their animation styles. Here are some of the best anime anthology movies that fans have been treated to over the years.
5Genius Party and Genius Party Beyond
Genius PartyandGenius party Beyondare a combination of bizarre but intriguing short films created by Studio 4℃. The first volume of this anthology, titledGenius Party, was released in 2007 and contained seven shorts, while the second volume, titledGenius Party Beyond,contained five shorts and was released in 2008. Each film uses a distinct art style and tellsa unique story from renowned Japanese screenwriters.
The films in the first volume includeGenius Party, Shanghai Dragon, Deathtic 4, Doorbell, Limit Cycle, Happy Machine,andBaby Bluewhile the second one containsGala, Moondrive, ‘Wanwa’ the Doggy, Toujin Kit,andDimension Bomb. Each story is intriguing in its own right and showcases the talents of Japanese animators and storytellers.
4Short Peace
From the creators ofAkira, comes an exciting compilation of four films under the titleShort Peace. Released in 2013, this anthology series portrays Japan in various eras, both real and fictional. Each film is brimming with style and tells a captivating story. The Oscar-nominated,Possessionsfollows a lone traveler as he tries to find shelter from a storm and ends up staying in an old shrine inhabited by spirits.
Combustibleis set in the Edo period and presents a tragic tale of love, which ends up setting fire to an entire neighborhood.Gambotells the story of a white bear, named Gambo, as he struggles to fight off an alien being to save a girl’s life. The last film in the anthology,A Farewell to Weapons,is a short saga of men battling robotic tanks in the aftermath of the Third World War.
3Modest Heroes
Modest Heroesis a Netflix original anime anthology seriescreated by Studio Ponoc and was released in 2018. This anthology contains three inspiring stories that successfully deliver powerful messages to their audience. The first short is calledKanini and Kaninoand follows two sibling fish creatures surviving the dangers of the ocean, trying to reunite with their family.
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The second film is calledLife Ain’t Gonna Loseand centers around a boy named Shun, who has a severe egg allergy. This condition makes Shun and his mother struggle to cope with everyday life. The last film is calledInvisibleand focuses on a man who is never seen by other people, which causes him to start losing his physical appearance as well.
25 Centimeters Per Second
5 Centimeters Per Secondcontains three short films that center around the same two protagonists, but each part is set years apart. The film as a whole showcases how hard it is to maintain long-distance relationships and how time eventually forces you to move on.This romantic drama was written and directed by Makoto Shinkaiand was beautifully animated by CoMix Wave Films.
The first episode, titledCherry Blossoms, is set in 1991 when Akari first moved to Takaki’s elementary school, where they soon became friends. However, in the next few years, the two friends eventually had to move to different corners of the country, making it harder to stay in contact. The second part, calledCosmonaut, is set in 1999 and follows Takaki’s journey through his third year in High School, where he still longs to talk to Akari, but fails to send her any emails. The final part of the series is called5 Centimeters Per Secondand gives a sad but understandable conclusion to the story.
1Flavors of Youth
Flavors of Youthis a compilation of three incredible short films all reminiscent of days passed. Created by Studio CoMix Wave Films, this anthology series not only has captivating visuals, but three beautiful stories, unfolding in different cities of China, that will leaveaudiences recollecting their younger years, and cherished memories.The first short is calledThe Rice Noodlesandis told from the perspective of a man named Xiao Min, who is seen trying to cope with adulthood but has lost the sense of contentment he had when he was a child.
The second film is calledA Little Fashion Showand stars two sisters trying to make it big in the fashion industry, but the struggle at times starts to feel too much for the elder one. The third film, calledLove in Shanghai, tells a tale of two lovers who end up moving farther apart because of misunderstandings.
