I like to watch all sorts of anime, whether a serialization for TV, an OVA, an ONA, or a movie! As long as it presents me with an entertaining story, I'm in!

But I know that, as adults, we often only have a little time to enjoy watching episodes for long hours throughout the week, especially when the anime in question has hundreds of them, amiright?

Look, I'm not complaining. Being an adult has its bright points too! For instance, adults can subscribe to the ecchi version of the otaku box. 😂

Anyway, thinking about my busy otaku friends, today’s recommendations are…. ANIME MOVIES!

So without further ado, Here are some award-winning animes to watch in just one go!

Your Name (2016)

Your Name (Kimi no Na wa) is a sweet and fun romance with a nice touch of fantasy! The story goes like this:

Mitsuha Miyamizu lives in a small rural town and is tired of her simple country life as a shrine maiden. She wishes she could have a different life, as a handsome boy in Tokyo.

On the other hand, Taki Tachibana is a boy who leads a hectic life, studying and working a part-time job.

One day, Mitsuha and Taki wake up in each other’s bodies! Not only is this a shocking experience at first, but this phenomenon also keeps happening to them every couple of days.

While searching for answers, Mitsuha and Taki eventually learn that the reason behind the body switching is much deeper than simply experimenting with an opposite lifestyle.

A Silent Voice (2016)

Besides the cute romantic pairing, A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi) covers some serious topics, like inclusion, bullying, and forgiveness.

It is that sort of story which makes us think of our role and responsibilities as part of a society… At least, that's what I found myself thinking about after watching the movie.😂

While in elementary school, Shouya Ishida and his classmates would have fun bullying the newly transferred student, Shouko Nishimiya, for her deafness.

But when Shouko’s mother notifies the school, only Shouya is blamed for everything and becomes the victim of his classmates, who turned against him.

Tormented by his past, Shouya, now in high school, tries to make up for his mistakes.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

To me, Studio Ghibli is a synonym for "top-tier animation", which is no different when it comes to Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka).

No wonder it won so many awards! It’s an impactful anime movie based on a semi-autobiographical tale by Akiyuki Nosaka that takes place near the end of World War II.

It’s a story about the siblings Seita and Setsuko, orphans who lost their family and their home because of the war.

Having nothing or nobody to rely on other than themselves, Seita and Setsuko have no choice but to struggle to survive against hardships like starvation and disease.

Belle (2021)

Finally, the most recent movie on this list! Belle (Ryuu to Sobakasu Hime) is based on the classic story Beauty and the Beast!

Because of that, I can’t say the plot is full of surprises, but the movie is still an interesting adaptation of the well-known fairy tale with its high-tech appeal!

Besides, Belle's songs are so touching and catchy, so I wouldn’t skip this one!

The story is about Suzu Naito, a shy girl who loves music, but can’t sing anymore due to childhood trauma.

However, while logged in on the app "U", a popular social media platform based on virtual reality, Suzu, who goes by the username Belle, quickly becomes a famous singer that is loved (or hated) by the members of the community.

Belle has her concert interrupted by a commotion caused by a user only known as “The Dragon.” This mysterious beast-like avatar is only known as an evil and violent person, but Belle feels that there is more about him than the rumors tell.

Prepare your snacks!

Just so this list doesn’t get way too long, I want to remind you to watch the classics too!

November and December also promise great titles too such as Suzume's Door-Locking, which will be available worldwide in 2023, and The Solitary Castle in the Mirror (Kagami no Kojou), and I’m looking forward to watching them both!

So, what movies would you add to this list? I’d be thrilled if you could share your thoughts with me! So feel free to join the forum and tell me what you think!

Images from IMDb