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If you’ve ever watched a Hollywood blockbuster and felt, “Hey, this kinda feels anime-ish,” well, you’re not imagining things. Over the years, some of the most memorable and mind-blowing movies in the West have taken heavy inspiration from anime. And we’re not referring to superficial influences or “maybe kinda sorta” similarities. We’re referring to straight-up, “yoink that theme, add some budget, and roll camera” love letters.

Hollywood has always had a thing for anime’s over-the-top visuals, wild plots, and big ol’ existential meltdowns. From mecha warfare to dream-hopping craziness, anime has been the hidden ingredient in some of your favorite films. So buckle up, because we’re diving into five incredible movies that were inspired by anime. Some of these are obvious homages. Others? Well, after you know the source, you can’t help but see it.

1. Pacific Rim: The lovechild of mechs and mayhem...

What is love? For some, it is mutuality––a chemistry, care, and concern that blossoms into an equally supportive relationship. For others, it is devotion––a one-sided, obsessional affection that the lover finds selfless.

Japanese idol group Happy Fanfare sing about love, but they’re not allowed to pursue their own––such is the “No Love” clause present in their contracts. Their romantic isolation is deemed vitally important to the business of idol stardom, allowing their male fans to hold onto the fantasy of the attainable yet unattainable female. This ideal is perpetuated by meet-and-greet sessions where the quintet express fond recollection of fans’ past gifts and comments. A parasocial relationship is nurtured, but the cracks start to show when reality creeps in.

Koji Fukada is known on the festival circuit for cool, often unsettling character dramas that put the family unit in flux. Love on Trial is something of a departure: a heartfelt,...

Nora Aunor was the most awarded Filipino actress in history. Known as the Philippines’ “Superstar,” she was conferred the title of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022. Her death on April 16, 2025, was a national affair. President Bongbong Marcos declared April 22 a national day of mourning. Aunor was accorded state memorial services at the Manila Metropolitan Theater, followed by a state funeral at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the country’s cemetery for heroes. The Filipino diaspora around the world held memorials and shared tributes. In her final years, she frequently collaborated with Adolfo Borinaga Alix Jr., with her last credited role being in his “Mananambal.” “The Fan” (titled “Faney” in Filipino) is his tribute to her legacy.

On the day of Nora Aunor’s death, superfan Milagros is devastated. As she combs through her memorabilia, she must also justify her devotion to her K-pop-loving granddaughter Beatrice and her daughter Babette,...

Joseph Kosinski's F1 movie is quickly shaping up to be one of 2025's most anticipated releases. The film stars Brad Pitt as an aging driver who is brought in as part of Mercedes' team for the new Formula 1 season. The trailers have highlighted the high-octane racing scenes, most of which were shot in-camera. The latest promo also embraces the petrol-headed nature of the movie by referencing a classic anime film with one of the most iconic racing scenes in cinema.

The newest poster for F1 was shared by Dolby Cinema's official X (formerly Twitter) account, and anime fans were pleasantly surprised with the new promo. The minimally designed poster features Brad Pitt walking away from his Formula 1 car, which is half cut off at the top of the poster, along with the movie's logo in bold at the bottom. At first glance, it's a minimalistic poster like many others.

Horror anime has hardly managed to nail that feeling of eerie, bone-chilling atmosphere that the manga establishes. Though classics such as Perfect Blue and Higurashi: When They Cry have made the transition from manga to anime or on the big screen with ease, many adaptations have failed.

One of the most anticipated yet ultimately disappointing cases is Uzumaki, a long-awaited adaptation of Junji Ito. Riddled with production problems, its continuous delays had many fans doubting it could do justice to the manga’s striking, nightmarish panels.

The Summer Hikaru Died Trailer [Credit: CyGames Pictures, Netflix]

On the other hand, The Summer Hikaru Died may be well-positioned to do what Uzumaki hasn’t. Horror anime fans have been in anticipation for something new, and with its emotional depth, slow-burning dread, and themes of possession and loss, the anime adaptation of Mokumokuren’s story could be it.

Anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died...

Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon are big names in the anime industry. I have grown up watching both their works. Both have served cult classics that remain unparalleled in their respective genres. The works of both creators and directors have led to a huge international exposure.

Be it Perfect Blue and Paprika or My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, the works of these two mammoth creators are legendary. But the difference between the two has always stood out to me.

While both creators specialize in anime movies, their works could not be more different. While Satoshi Kon invokes a feeling of uneasiness and eeriness, Miyazaki loves creating whimsical and fantastical tales. In fact, they are the perfect parallels to each other.

Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon have perfectly contrasting approaches

Hayao Miyazaki mainly creates movies for children. His target has always been children, and adults are simply a secondary thought in his works.

This week's episode of AMC's hit period drama Dark Winds takes a hallucinatory journey into the troubled mind of Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon). As a drugged dart sends him on a surreal journey through his past and present, the show's creators used a variety of inspirations to craft the episode's striking visuals. Variety discussed the episode's cinematic inspirations with episode director Erica Tremblay.

The episode sees Leaphorn confronted with his professional and personal crises, which have come to a head this season, and also unearths a long-buried trauma; witnessing the sexual abuse of his cousin at the hands of a priest during their time at boarding school. Those memories are conveyed in a phantasmagorical sequence whose influences were carefully chosen to reflect Leaphorn's state of mind. Says Tremblay, "I watched a lot of anime, such as Perfect Blue. David Lynch was a huge inspiration in this episode, and thinking...

Well, Twisted Devotion is a story which tells you what is going to happen before it shows you. Picture this – a world renowned pop-star who has no bodyguards, which makes her an easy target for kidnapping; her boyfriend who is a scapegoat and not the savior she needs, and lastly, a stalker who is as sensitive and scared as his victims.

Films about stalkers obsessed with people in the public eye have been a staple since as long as psychological thrillers have existed. From the Stephen King classic, Misery, where an obsessive fan rescues her favorite author after a car crash, only to kidnap him in order to compel him to rewrite the ending of his book according to her own liking; to the anime masterpiece Perfect Blue by Satoshi Kon, which elevates the para-social relationship of a fan and the object of their adulation, through a visually rich landscape...

In the cold open for Dead Talents Society, the new film by director John Hsu (2019’s Detention), a young woman enters hotel room 414. Bizarre events quickly add up, including a whole wall that is suddenly plastered with glamour pictures of a woman. Then the closet door creeps open and the woman from the picture emerges. She slowly begins walking backwards down the hall before going into a bone-cracking back bend, scurrying on all fours towards her terrified victim.

Before the scare can even sink in, the action pauses, revealing that this is footage being played on a supernatural talk show. The scary woman is revealed to be Catherine (Sandrine Pinna), arguably the most famous ghost in the world thanks to her incredibly effective urban legend. The talk show is made for and run by dead people, who compose a whole other world: a “scare the living” world of entertainment with its own rules and hierarchy.

Adam Scott's Lumon Industries escapades on Apple TV+'s Severance got the world spellbound. The series is simple but effective in its deployment of a sci-fi dystopia. It's not shy about stillness, sparse dialogue, and the story twists slowly, simmering beneath the surface before finally boiling over. Severance takes its deceptively tame approach and weaves an existential dread to permeate the series. Season 2 is now in the rearview, an abundant success worth the three-year wait after Season 1.

Yet there's good news. All those ingredients audiences love about Severence can be found in an unlikely medium: anime. Anime pushes boundaries that the Ben Stiller-produced series loves to. Existential exploration into identities runs through realms that feel impossible to execute through conventional filming. Several standout anime mirror Severance's stylish aesthetic and its fascination with memory and self. Be sure to let your Innie know about the must-watch anime to serve as a Severance hold-over below.

Anime has become such a global phenomenon and an artistic style of its own that its influence — both in visuals and writing — can be felt in major Hollywood films. What's more, some of the most popular and respected filmmakers and actors in the industry produced these films. From sly nods to massive tributes, these Hollywood films made sure that audiences around the world knew how much they owed to anime's creative spirit.

It should be noted that these films wore their anime influences proudly on their sleeves, unlike the oft-cited Black Swan and Inception. In the latter's case, directors Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan denied any overt or subtle similarities between their films to certain anime. Respectively, the late great Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue and Paprika.

Creed III's Fights Were Inspired More by Anime Than Real Boxing Streaming on Prime VideoImage via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

When Michael B. Jordan...

Since its surprising theatrical run, The Substance has established itself as an instant classic. It showcased incredible horror scenes and brilliant makeup effects and opened the door for other body horror films in the years ahead. Movies like Together have been picked up by major studios after The Substance‘s success, and there will undeniably be more body horror flicks in production because of Fargeat’s masterpiece. While we wait for those movies, let’s check out some of the great horror, comedy, and drama films that both inspired The Substance and will appeal to fans of the movie.

1. American Mary (2012) Directed by Jen Soska & Sylvia Soska

While The Substance is a little heavy on its themes around plastic surgery to maintain youth, American Mary never hesitates to make this part of the text. The indie horror film might not feature great performances, but it does nail a campy, hedonistic...

There’s no doubt Hayao Miyazaki and Makoto Shinkai have made banger movies that took anime films’ popularity to a global level, and they do get a lot of love for that. But how can we forget there was another genius in the Japanese anime film industry that even Japanese people don’t talk about much nowadays? It’s none other than Satoshi Kon!

Satoshi Kon’s last film Paprika | Credit: Studio Madhouse

His movies are truly one-of-a-kind, blending psychology, social commentary, and stunning visuals in a way that’s still hard to replicate. From the mind-bending surrealism of Paprika to the eerie social commentary of Perfect Blue, each and every Kon’s films is extremely thought-provoking and also visually stunning.

Recently, industry insiders like Mappa founder Masao Maruyama and anime critic Ryusuke Hikawa shared the same feeling of losing sight of Kon’s contributions. They also believe this is...

From explosive action flicks to grounded soul-stirring drama to suspenseful horror, anime is limitlessly diverse when it comes to tackling different genres. On top of the classic demographics, shonen, shojo, seinen, and josei, anime ventures into many stories to suit every taste, and even the most picky fans would be hard-pressed not to find something to enjoy within the medium’s expansive catalog.

However, whereas some anime genres, like battle shonen anime or high school romance, never struggle to achieve acclaim, the more obscure anime categories regrettably face prejudice from the casual anime viewer. Anime is a multifaceted medium, and limiting oneself to familiar genres could easily result in incredible shows falling through the cracks. These anime subgenres might be controversial, yet many fans might find their new all-time favorite titles within their ranks.

Harem Anime Doesn’t Always Sacrifice Quality in the Name of Indulgence Monogatari Series, High School DxD,...

Image Credit: Matt Lief Anderson With his music serving as a staple of Adult Swim’s ambiance, Flying Lotus, the producer name of Steven Ellison, was very likely the soundtrack of many fans’ formative anime years. For those who may not have heard his music while sneaking late night episodes of Trigun and Cowboy Bebop , you may have heard his works featured in series such as Carole & Tuesday and Yasuke , or felt his musical genius on Kendrick Lamar’s seminal release To Pimp a Butterfly amongst his many solo and collaborative releases. Ellison is so much more than a musician though. His directorial talents can be seen in music videos, short films, and feature length productions, with the latest of these being his sci-fi horror drama, Ash , for which he also did the music. He is not one to shy away from showcasing his love of anime, and that bled...

This article discusses sensitive content. Reader discretion is advised.

Movies are often a great way to unwind after a long day. They're also a great way to socialize and enjoy a piece of art with a group of friends, or enemies, depending on the movie. Anime movies, in particular, run the gamut from romance to action to historical dramas. There's a lot of ground to cover in the medium, and many filmmakers have taken on the challenge of encompassing the human experience with gusto in a wide variety of settings. The beauty of animation is that the story isn't restricted by the limitations of what works in the physical world.

Movie-watching is not always a relaxing activity. That's not always the point, after all. Art, in all its forms, is meant to repackage and build upon pieces of the human experience, and that experience is not always a walk in the park.

The best anime has to offer comes in many different formats — including feature films, which tell some of the medium’s most potent and highly acclaimed stories in a concise, dynamic manner. An incredible way to enjoy a spectacular narrative without excessive time commitments, anime movies also avoid many of the pitfalls longer series run into much more often.

A feature length film doesn’t have the luxury to include sprawling stories or narrative detours, resulting in every scene in the best anime movies being deliberate and serving the purpose of elevating the plot. Representative of many genres — and, sometimes, even entire franchises — the best anime films are faultless from beginning to end, not losing their audience’s attention even for a second.

Perfect Blue Contains Impactful Details in Every Frame Stream Perfect Blue on Apple TV

One of the most esteemed directors in the medium’s history, Satoshi Kon...

In the world of anime filmmaking, two names stand as titans for their craft: Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon. Though their creations are as varied as they can be in terms of tone, theme, and style, they share an undeniable mastery of storytelling that has left a lasting impact on both Japanese and international anime fans.

A still from Spirited Away. | Credit: Studio Ghibli

Miyazaki is famous for his whimsical, dreamlike tales that most often revolve around adventure, childhood, and environmental themes. Whereas Kon established a niche for grown-up, psychological fiction that blur the line between fantasy and reality. In many ways, Satoshi Kon was the perfect parallel to Hayao Miyazaki, a peer force whose brilliance existed in striking contrast to the Ghibli master’s warmth and accessibility.

Satoshi Kon and Hayao Miyazaki: Two masters of different dreams

Hayao Miyazaki is often regarded as an escapist filmmaker. His movies allows...

The Niigata International Animation Film Festival returns to the Chubu region city in spring for a six-day event from March 15 to 20. The festival will be full of talks, screenings and retrospectives on the history of anime in Japan. Today, the festival revealed the line-up for the Satoshi Kon retrospective, the first screening in Japan of the Studio Bones documentary Bones 25: Dreaming Forward and the first screening of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within since 2001 and more. As part of the festival’s Satoshi Kon retrospective, which already includes screenings of all his feature films, Niaff also confirmed that Roujin Z (which Kon worked as Art Director) will also recieve a screening. There will also be talks after the screenings of Millennium Actress , Paprika and Perfect Blue . On March 15, the A Turning Point in Japanese Anime CG event will be held all night . It will include a screening of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within...

Dark anime is a fascinating world to explore, especially when they dive into the human psyche. To easily evoke emotion from humans, psychological horror does the job since it draws upon feelings of unease, tension and thrill that aren't often touched upon in regular media. Criminal Minds tells some of the darkest stories that exist and anime also has a knack of becoming just as disturbing.

Anime continues to challenge its standards by diving deeper and leaning toward more gritty storytelling. It's fascinating to see how anime categorized as dark evolves throughout the years and how it compares to dark anime from older eras. Both newer and older dark anime all exhibit common themes that they explore: mortality, humanity and moral ambiguity.

Related10 Dark Anime Adaptations That Are Even More Twisted Than Their Manga

While manga tend to explore darker themes than their animated counterparts, these anime flip that idea on its head.

A diverse and uniquely appealing medium with countless devoted fans, anime has long since established its niche in mainstream pop culture. What has been considered an obscure and commonly misunderstood hobby in the past has now evolved into a booming worldwide cultural phenomenon acclaimed by general audiences and critics alike.

However, even if anime is more internationally accepted now than ever, plenty of people - even those deeply engrossed in other visual storytelling mediums, like film and TV - are still prejudiced against it, not recognizing anime as worthwhile. Be it due to the intrinsic mischaracterization of animation as “childish,” the lingering negative stereotypes, or the simple lack of exposure; many refuse to give anime a fair chance. Thankfully, these incredible anime films could help even the most skeptical movie buffs change their outlook on the medium.

Related10 Most Rewatchable Anime Films of All Time

Some anime films are so compelling they demand multiple viewings,...

Oshi no Ko was one of 2023's hottest anime titles, taking the anime world by storm with its captivating story and complex characters. Far from the typical idol story, this surprisingly dark series is an honest look inside the world of showbiz, featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly of idol life. Such an incredible title has left many fans hungry for similar stories. Luckily, there are plenty of series available that are sure to satisfy this need.

There are many great anime series similar to Oshi no Ko, spanning over just about every genre imaginable. From classic psychological series like Perfect Blue to beloved shojo dramas such as Nana, these titles are a must-watch for fans of the iconic series. These anime feature very similar tones, themes, and characters, offering a similar experience that fans will love.

Updated on January 15th, 2025 by Chelsea Steele: Debuting during Spring...

Anime production company N Lite and U.S. streetwear fashion brand Hypland have united to spotlight black anime characters in the first of multiple planned apparel releases.

Via a press release, N Lite has announced a multi-collection partnership with Hypland for anime-inspired streetwear. The first collection spotlights the Emmy Award-winning series Afro Samurai from renowned studio Gonzo, bringing the Wu-Tang Clan on board as a creative partner. Later drops will spotlight black anime characters through apparel and merchandise based on N Lite’s original afrime ("afro-anime") IP and legacy anime IP featuring black characters. The collection begins its rollout in the summer of 2025. Readers can check out the promotional art and more details below.

Related Sailor Moon's New Officially Licensed Faux Leather Jacket Is a Perfect Tribute to the Ultimate '90s Magical-Girl Anime

Hot Topic releases a new Sailor Moon collection for Winter, featuring the perfect Pretty Guardian...

Beneath the vibrant art style and engaging narratives of anime and manga lies a darker side: the pervasive over-sexualization of female characters. Among them, the legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki strays away from this trope by creating grounded, realistic, and self-reliant female characters. However, Miyazaki is not the only exemplary one, several others have fought against the irritating trope, and one of them is none other than Satoshi Kon.

Satoshi Kon’s Paprika | Credit: Studio Madhouse

The late filmmaker has challenged these conventions with his groundbreaking films, offering complex portrayals of women that transcend harmful stereotypes. Yet, as the anime industry grew, series like One Piece and Bleach amplified the very tropes these visionaries sought to critique, perpetuating fan service that often undermines character depth.

Anime visionaries’ challenging stereotypes with harsh realities

Anime’s treatment of women has long been a point of heated debate, both within and outside the fandom.

Uzumaki is one of the finest horror masterpieces by Junji Ito as the terror of being trapped in a world of spirals comes to life. Naturally, several fans were excited about the dark horror series with the black-and-white depiction of the narrative.

The horrifying cannibalism scene in a still from Junji Ito’s anime | Credit: Adult Swim

Junji Ito’s work has been adapted to both film and anime television series, highlighting the mangaka’s influence in the community. Although fans finally got their anime adaptation, it inevitably led to huge disappointment. Amid controversies and criticism, fans left unsatisfied with Uzumaki should revisit a classic 1997 horror title that remains one of the scariest series ever.

Disappointed Uzumaki fans should watch this 1997 horror classic to lift their spirits

In the world of horror manga, few names evoke as much admiration and fear as Junji Ito, widely regarded as the most influential horror manga artist.

Parker Finn exploded onto the horror scene in 2022 with Smile, one of the most frightening and original films of the new millennium. When he returned two years later with the even scarier Smile 2, it was inevitable that he would be asked about his favorite horror movie. One of his answers was eye-opening: Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 1997 thriller Cure, which has fascinating parallels to Parker Finn's films.

Finn confessed that his favorite movie of all time is The Shining, which may account for casting Jack Nicholson's son Ray in Smile 2 — but he quickly added that Cure is another all-time favorite. His Smile franchise may bear the influence of J-horror classics like Jun-On and Ringu, with its virus-like supernatural contagion, but Cure is an even more interesting reference point for Finn's films. Kiyoshi Kurosawa's film features an evil influence that spreads from one innocent bystander to another, and, like Smile 2,...

Over the last 40 years, Japanese animation has begun to dominate world cinema, spreading from outside of its original market to become one of the most popular subgenres of film and television in the world. The 1990s was a boom era for the medium, when anime films and series started to cross over and gain more critical attention by proving that the style was not just dominated by children's television series like Dragonball and Sailor Moon but by more adult-focused works like Cowboy Bebop and Porco Rosso.

Emerging out of the boom of adult-focused anime films, director Satoshi Kon became one of the most dominant voices in the medium during the late 1990s and 2000s, with his films and television series further proving that anime was not limited to the confines of traditional Western animation. And while his movies like Millenium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are all excellent, his most...

Movies play a pivotal role in many families' Christmas and holiday celebrations. To some people, it isn't truly Christmas until they've watched The Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, or It's a Wonderful Life with their family. However, there is one anime Christmas film that, despite being heavily praised by both critics and viewers, has failed to join the pantheon of quintessential Christmas films despite the film being a modern take on many of the themes found in popular Christmas classics.

Arriving on screens in 2003, Tokyo Godfathers has an all-star production team featuring many of the biggest names in the anime industry. It was directed and co-written by the legendary Satoshi Kon, who also wrote and directed modern classics like Millennium Actress and Paprika and directed the critically acclaimed Perfect Blue. The film's other writer was Keiko Nobumoto, who wrote the screenplay for Cowboy Bebop and its big-screen follow-up,...

Following the theatrical screening in September 2023 , the 4K remaster edition of the late Satoshi Kon's 1997 anime film Perfect Blue will get its ultra HD Blu-ray release in Japan on February 28, 2025. The official X (formerly Twitter) for Kon's Stone , a company that manages the anime and manga works of Kon, announced the news today. As the first feature film work by Kon, the anime film adaptation of Yoshikazu Takeuchi's Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis psychological thriller novel released in Japan on February 28, 1998. The original character design was by acclaimed manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Eguchi ( Stop!! Hibari-kun! ). As well as his following works, including Millennium Actress (2002), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Paranoia Agent (2004) and Paprika (2006), Madhouse worked on anime production. After its release, the film was well received at film festivals around the world, winning awards at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada and the Porto International Film Festival in Portugal.

Anime is no longer a niche industry due to its increasing popularity over the past few decades. The global rise of anime has redefined the boundaries of storytelling and artistry, leading to an era where animated films hold equal weight as mainstream cinema. Among the contributors to the worldwide success of anime films, Hayao Miyazaki’s name first comes to mind.

Spirited Away | Credit: Studio Ghibli

As his masterpiece Spirited Away secured an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, it marks a monumental achievement both for him and the industry in general. However, anime is far from a one-man show. The medium has a rich tapestry of directors whose unique visions could challenge the Oscars’ norms. Here are four anime directors who could, much like Hayao Miyazaki, carve entirely new paths in the global cinematic landscape.

4. Mamoru Hosoda

Mamoru Hosoda is no stranger to the Oscars, having earned a...

Satoshi Kon is one of the most prolific and acclaimed film directors in the annals of anime, even if his name isn't exactly mainstream. The same goes for some of his films, with movies like Perfect Blue becoming beloved classics while others have fallen under the radar. The latter is definitely the case for an anime Christmas movie classic which goes in a different direction than most holiday films.

Tokyo Godfathers isn't exactly the cheeriest or brightest film to watch during the holiday season, but it is one centered around the concept of family. When combined with Satoshi Kon's usual film artistry, it makes for an anime masterpiece that's been overlooked for far too long. To this day, Tokyo Godfathers is a must-see for viewers who want to experience the Christmas spirit in a much different way than usual, and it's an excellent entry in its director's filmography.

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In the West, animation has historically had a reputation for being a medium of kids entertainment. And while, in recent years, the popularity of adult-oriented animated TV shows and films has skyrocketed worldwide, Japan has been creating excellent mature animation content for decades. Anime has always been pushing the boundaries of storytelling, both thematically and visually, and many of the most enticing examples of the mediums creativity come in the form of violent, heavy, emotionally complex works unsuitable for general audiences, such as Paprika.

R-rated anime is not a rarity, with many popular TV series, like Chainsaw Man and Re:Zero, featuring an abundance of gore, explicit content, and mature themes. Yet, some of the most impactful R-rated anime comes in the form of feature films, which pioneered the international popularity of mature animation, and continues to be the source of some of...

One Shot invites close readings of the basic unit of film grammar.Paprika.More than a decade ago, Satoshi Kon’s premature death left a vacuum in the animation world. Not many directors so intuitively understood how the form could convey cinematic subjectivity, or were as imaginative in their experimentation. He used character designs that were unusually realistic for anime, then found ways to fray that realism. Think of a man vomiting scrawled katakana in Paranoia Agent (2004), or a nighttime chase in which a murderous specter appears to sail across rooftops in Perfect Blue (1997). In Kon’s cinema, the boundaries between reality, dreams, imagination, and memory are in constant flux.The lead character of Kon’s final completed feature, Paprika (2006), is a psychiatrist who treats patients with an experimental device that lets her enter their minds as they sleep; the title refers to the mischievous persona she assumes within that headspace.

From Dragon Ball Super: Broly to Suzume, Chikashi Kubota has worked on notable projects. He’s one of the finest animators in the industry with a career spanning over two decades.

Be it a key animator or character designer, Kubota has assisted several animation directors. This also includes the One Punch Man franchise that is gearing up for its third season. But here’s the catch.

Genos in a still from the anime | Credit: Madhouse

In a recent interview, Kubota opened up about the third season. His comments sent several fans into shock and disbelief. Regarding the nature of the production, the animator gave a vague answer. This also points to the production status of the season along with other concerns.

Fans on X respond to Chikashi Kubota’s comments about Season 3

One Punch Man is in a class by itself, especially through its take on the shonen genre. The...

Movies are for everyone, with a wide range of genres and stories appealing to kids and adults. The beauty of films is that every genre can be either a kid's or adult film. However, there is a stigma that animation is only for children and unable to appeal to an older demographic. Whether the stories are for kids or not, animated movies bring out a well of creativity and imagination, perfect for all ages, including Sleeping Beauty and Perfect Blue.

The anime industry lost a long-treasured gem as Ryou Kouno, a talented art director, passed away recently. Kouno has been in the anime industry for decades and has made significant contributions during her career. News of her passing away has been received by fans with grieving hearts.

She was a part of popular works like Mob Psycho 100, Devilman Crybaby, Perfect Blue, and many more. Her easy adaptability to such widely different art styles made her a favorite in her field.

Talented Art Director Ryou Kouno Passes Away Mob Psycho 100 | Credit: Studio Bones

Ryou Kouno, a popular background artist and art director in the anime industry, passed away on October 23, 2024. News of her death was publicly revealed two days later, on October 26, by her nephew via Twitter. Her nephew also reported that she passed away due to suspected gastrointestinal bleeding.

Fans of the artist have commented their condolences under the post,...

There are very few mangas that encapsulate dark themes. Be it corruption or powerplay, such works are a true rarity. Oshi no Ko is one such example with its portrayal of idol culture.

The series started as a rager with its first premiere. It is considered one of the finest works in the seinen genre. With its recent developments, however, we may have spoken too soon.

Ai Hoshino in a still from the anime | Credit: Netflix

Aka Akasaka’s masterpiece took a nosedive with the manga’s recent chapters. But what surprised fans was the latest announcement. Like Jujutsu Kaisen, the manga is treading on thin ice.

With this sudden and unanticipated announcement, one thing is certain. The series fell flat in living up to the mangaka’s vision, especially through its misrepresentations.

Oshi no Ko pulled a Jujutsu Kaisen move

Of all the seinen manga, Oshi no Ko is...

Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna was released in Japan on February 21st, 2020. The anime movie serves as both a finale for Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure tri., as well as a precursor to 2023's Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning. While Last Evolution Kizuna was originally slated for a North American release in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented this. After four years, the movie was finally and officially screened in America for the first time on October 16th, 2024, in celebration of Digimon's 25th anniversary.

Last Evolution Kizuna follows a college-aged Tai Kamiya and Matt Ishida as they confront the reality that they're growing up, and face the threat of being separated from their lifelong Digimon partners, Agumon and Gabumon, forever. At the same time, they and the other original DigiDestined are forced to team up with the American genius Menoa Bellucci to stop the mysterious Eosmon from robbing every DigiDestined of their consciousness.

When considering some of the most terrifying anime shows to date, a few recognizable names come to mind. Apart from the long-awaited Uzumaki adaptation to recently hit Max, fans of a more cerebral horror will undoubtedly gravitate towards classics like Death Note, while those looking to double down on the genre's supernatural terrors can get their fix by switching on Devilman Crybaby or the perpetually-unsettling Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre. From Perfect Blue to The Promised Neverland, anime is known for its long history full of unearthly stories, and those looking to continue their October fright fest can do no better than streaming the most horrifying anime on Netflix, Monster.

Spoilers for "Smile 2" follow.

By necessity, "Smile 2" remixes director Parker Finn's original film. "Smile" concluded with lead Rose (Sosie Bacon) succumbing to her curse; the smiling demon possessed and murdered her, passing itself onto Rose's ex Joel (Kyle Gallner). After a cold opening resolving Joel's fate, "Smile 2" jumps to our round two antiheroine: pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott).

The original "Smile" was about a therapist's own mental health unraveling. By switching protagonists, "Smile 2" takes on a new theme, but one also as old as the movies: the psychic torture of fame. It's impossible to watch Skye and not think of real female celebrities like Britney Spears who were chewed up and spit out by tabloid media and impossible expectations.

Even before the smiling demon shows up, Skye is feeling uneasy, as if she's balancing on the top loop of a spiral. A recovering addict...

Based on the Junji Ito manga of the same name, the anime for Uzumaki has been years in the making. Highly-anticipated by legions of fans, the show was announced years ago and is only now coming out. This makes the hype stronger than ever, though that's only part of why the show might be the best new anime series of Fall 2024.

Packed with horror and scares galore, the creepy Uzumaki is far different from most of the major anime that have begun their run this fall. This extends to how it tells its story, both in terms of the art direction and how long the series will last. These elements come together to create a show that stands out from the crowd in the best way, with Uzumaki being more than worth the wait.

The Uzumaki Anime Is Not a Sequel

There are several great anime that have been released...

Soulkeeper continually push the boundaries of what is heavy. With their 2023 release Holy Design , the band weaves in crushing riffs, smashing drums, and a special splash of anime love. Guitarist/songwriter Scott Gilmore and vocalist Eric Roberts sat down with me to discuss how their anime journeys began, how those building blocks led to their musical careers, and finding tasteful ways to work in elements from shows they love into the art they create. Where did your love of anime start? Scott Gilmore : So we're going all the way back to 1998. I would come home from preschool. And my older brother Mark is four years older than me, he's watching Dragon Ball Z . That became a thing we would do together like every day. It was weird because I never saw anything like it. Even I realized then that this wasn't a kid's cartoon, but it is definitely a cartoon.

Ghosts usually come with a fair bit of baggage in the movies: A tragic romance leading to an even more tragic suicide, maybe, or a howl for justice from a murder victim from beyond the grave. The protagonist of “Dead Talents Society” has no such tale attached to her untimely (and embarrassing) death, and this is where her problems begin. John Hsu’s frightfully entertaining Taiwanese horror-comedy imagines a world where the dead are just as beholden to the pressures of fame as the living, and an industry has grown around ambitious apparitions building their personal brands. Urban legends live forever, and forgotten ghosts literally disappear — so get out there and scare ‘em good, kid!

There’s obvious potential for media satire baked into the concept, and co-writer and director Hsu includes scenes of talk shows, ceremonies, and gala events where the undead stars come out to celebrate the afterlife awards season.

Quentin Tarantino has been an influential figure not only within the Hollywood industry but also outside of it. Many have taken note of how unique his methods of storytelling are and try their level best to adapt those. Even in the world of anime, he has been a figure many could look up to. Hokazono Takeru, the author of Kagurabachi, admitted that Tarantino had a big influence on his manga as well.

Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 | Credit: Miramax

Putting inspiration to the side, one can also find similarities between some works that would remind fans of Tarantino’s unique filmography in an instant. Whether it is about the classic revenge tale, gore, or even spectacular action sequences, one anime in particular is perfect for any fan of the director.

Quentin Tarantino-esque Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon comes in the line of classic yet underappreciated anime. There...

Jon Bernthal ducked out of "The Walking Dead" at the right time (the end of season 2). He stayed on long enough to prove his talent without winding up tied down to the show. Of the series' original main cast, Bernthal has also had easily the most prolific film and television career since.

One of his most popular roles was in another comic book-based television series: Frank Castle/The Punisher on "Daredevil," and then a two season "Punisher" spin-off. Bernthal's Punisher is easily the highlight of "Daredevil" season 2; the season suffers whenever it pivoted to the less compelling Elektra/Hand storyline (Elodie Yung never steals a scene like Bernthal does). Even with the controversies surrounding the Punisher character, Marvel Studios has chosen to bring Bernthal back for revival series "Daredevil: Born Again." Welcome back, Frank!

In a funny coincidence, Bernthal is not the only "Walking Dead" alum to have played the Punisher.

Satoshi Kon was always known for pushing the boundaries of animation, blending reality and dreams in ways that have inspired filmmakers worldwide. Recognized for masterpieces like Perfect Blue and Paprika, this Japanese director explored the complexities of the human mind, subconsciousness, and memory. However, one of Kon’s unrealized dreams had the potential to reshape the landscape of cinema and animation forever — combining the two mediums in a single film.

Atsuko Chiba’s alter ego Paprika | Credit: Madhouse Studio

Though he never get the chance to bring this vision to life, Satoshi Kon’s dream continues to influence discussions on what’s possible in film, leaving a permanent mark on both fans and creators.

Satoshi Kon’s Mastery of Dreams and Reality

Before diving into Satoshi Kon’s vision, it’s important to understand his work’s core themes. In a French interview via DVDrama in 2006, Kon expressed his deep...

A connoisseur of the psychological thriller genre, Satoshi Kon, only brought the best in the game. His 2006 film, Paprika, is a unique blend of science fiction and the surrealistic genre into a thriller. It was also the director’s fourth and final film before his passing in 2010. His films continue his legacy as one of the best filmmakers of the 21st century.

Paprika by Satoshi Kon. [Credit: Madhouse]

The film was adapted from Yasutaka Tsutsui’s novel published in 1993. Kon knew he wanted to make Paprika after Perfect Blue, another psychological thriller film, but something held him back. Despite the idea’s inception in 1998, the director waited to meet Tsutsui personally and actually get his blessing to make the film. It’s like an honorable way to pass the baton to someone.

Paprika Was Still a Personal Commitment to Him Paprika by Satoshi Kon. [Credit: Madhouse]

For Satoshi Kon, Paprika was more than...

Satoshi Kon is one of the most ambitious directors in the film and anime industry. He knows how to instil fear into the hearts of viewers through psychological elements a bit too well. From Paprika to Perfect Blue, the director has an incredible body of work that makes him one of the best in the psychological thriller genre. But one of his lesser-known works and an anime, Paranoia Agent, is much more disturbing than any of his feature films.

Lil’ Slugger in Paranoia Agent by Satoshi Kon. [Credit: Madhouse]

Paranoia Agent has many layers to its narrative. It blends Kon’s signature narrative style of questioning what is reality and when the mind is playing tricks on you. However, it deals with completely different themes than Perfect Blue does. The ending of the anime also left viewers baffled and questioning what really happened. It’s time to dive into it.

A Darker,...

The late, great anime director Satoshi Kon was famed for pushing the boundaries of storytelling in animation, and no work exemplifies this better than Perfect Blue. Arguably one of the darkest and most mature anime films of all time, Perfect Blue was a twisted and disturbing psychological thriller that explored the dark side of all things polished, glossy, beautiful and perfect. Among such gorgeous, shiny things included the Japanese entertainment industry, idols and pop stars, and most importantly, the fledgling phenomenon known as the World Wide Web. Released in August 1997, Perfect Blue didn't just expose the burgeoning fears of a society grappling with a new technology and worrying industry it eerily and accurately predicted the bleak future of the modern Dark Web, making it one of the most disturbingly timeless and relevant films ever made.

Mima Kirigoe is a part of the cute and bubbly idol trio Cham!, and enjoys fame and fandom.

Satoshi Kon has marked his place in the world of psychological horror and mystery in the film industry. With just four films in his portfolio before his passing, the late director’s arguably best film, Perfect Blue, is still a hot topic of several debates. Fans love to analyze and pick the film apart.

In an interview with Kon, he mentioned that the film might have also worked with a male protagonist. According to him, it would have been relevant to the Japanese climate but to the taste of the Japanese animation audience, a younger girl was kept at the protagonist. Now, why was Perfect Blue (literally) perfect with the female main character in ways more convincing than a male main character would’ve been? Let’s dive into why Mima Kirigoe is irreplaceable.

Mima Kirigoe’s Story Embodies What’s Wrong with Parasocial Idol-Fan Culture Mima’s performance in Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue.