Anime is an exceptional storytelling medium whether it’s presented as an ongoing series or a feature film, but the latter has the potential to hit especially great heights. Nothing is off limits when it comes to these movies’ subject matter, and this was especially true during the experimental decade that was the 1990s.
Some of the biggest and most innovative anime feature films include Belladonna of Sadness, Akira, Spirited Away, Redline, and Your Name. However, the ‘90s offered an assortment of perfect films that are superior to all the aforementioned titles. Not only are these anime movies representative of the ‘90s’ best work, but they’re still titles that are being talked about three decades later.
Princess Mononoke Unites A Prince & Animal Gods Against A Demonic Curse
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the biggest names in the anime industry and the ’90s were a fascinating period of change for the Studio Ghibli director. There was a time when Princess Mononoke was going to be Miyazaki’s final film, and this ’90s gem functions with the confidence and finality of a filmmaker’s farewell project. 1997’s Princess Mononoke tells a moving story that examines the delicate balance between humans, animals, and gods.
Some of the director’s most profound statements about nature, industrialism, and the toxic nature of hatred. Princess Mononoke‘s depiction of industrial technology as a fundamental advancement, albeit one that’s directly at odds with nature, is a chilling idea that he continues to unpack in his subsequent films.
Additionally, Princess Mononoke avoids archetypal villains and heroes. Everyone is flawed and morally complicated, which helps give the film a more mature sensibility. This also carries over into Princess Mononoke‘s action sequences, which are still some of Miyazaki’s most impressive work to date. It’s rare to see Miyazaki depict all-out war, let alone with such an eclectic collection of characters and weapons.
Perfect Blue Is A Prophetic Psychological Horror Hit About Toxic Fandom & Fractured Identity
Perfect Blue is such a perfect, fully-formed film that it’s hard to believe that it was Satoshi Kon’s first feature, and that it came out all the way back in 1997. The film’s depiction of Mima, a pop idol who leaves her career behind and tries to reinvent herself as an actress, feels even more relevant today than it did back in the ’90s.
Throughout the film, Mima loses sight of herself and who she is during her attempt at rebranding. This is only exacerbated by an obsessive fan who pushes a parasocial relationship to toxic heights. Perfect Blue‘s visceral depiction of Mima’s loosening grip on reality makes for a harrowing experience.
The film works so well because its horror elements are considerably more subtle in nature. At times, it’s unclear if Mima is in reality, lost in fantasy, or somewhere in between. It becomes a disorienting experience, especially when Perfect Blue‘s editing and shot composition intentionally play with the audience’s conception of reality.
Mima’s journey is all the more frightening because the audience still needs to question the validity of what they’re seeing. Perfect Blue‘s psychological horror continues to resonate, and its ideas have wound up in a myriad of other mainstream projects, such as Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Every single one of Kon’s films is a masterpiece, but Perfect Blue‘s disturbing themes and haunting visual styles make it a timeless classic.
The End Of Evangelion Immerses The Audience In An Angst-Ridden Existential Apocalypse
The ’90s were a big decade for the mecha genre, and Neon Genesis Evangelion came around at the perfect time to both lovingly embrace the genre’s tropes and staple, while also deconstructing these exaggerated stories and turning them into something much more psychological and internal. The End of Evangelion is the feature film finale to the anime series that was produced largely in part as a response to the contentious response to the anime’s ending.
The End of Evangelion doesn’t necessarily erase Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s conclusion, but it gets out of Shinji’s head and presents it from a different angle that’s able to push these ideas even further. The End of Evangelion almost feels akin to Fire Walk With Me‘s relationship with Twin Peaks in the sense that this theatrical expansion only doubles down on the surreal storytelling and existential horror.
The End of Evangelion manages to be even more extreme and polarizing than the anime’s original ending. It’s an angry piece of storytelling that lashes out at the franchise’s fans in a way that’s incredibly prescient for the ’90s.
This film’s experimental and obtuse nature may have led to it losing some mainstream appeal, but it’s these daring touches that have made The End of Evangelion such a timeless classic. The End of Evangelion provides an excellent window into Hideaki Anno’s talents as an abstract storyteller who can confidently lead with emotion.
Adolescence Of Utena Is A Subversive Magical Girl Romance That Redefined The Genre
The ’90s were a decade that opened many doors for more reflexive and post-modern takes on the magical girl genre. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a formative series that pulls from the magical girl genre and fairy tales, only to subvert standard gender roles and embrace a more forward-thinking and inclusive LGBTQ+ take on the material that helped break down barriers. All this innovation is also present in Adolescence of Utena, Revolutionary Girl Utena‘s theatrical retelling.
Adolescence of Utena distills this story into a tighter package that’s pushed to adopt a more surreal and avant-garde style. Much like with The End of Evangelion, Adolescence of Utena evokes a Lynchian atmosphere, and it often requires multiple viewings in order to fully understand the film’s message.
The standard Revolutionary Girl Utena anime looks great, but J.C. Staff tops themselves with Adolescence of Utena. The film is full of detailed visuals that beautifully encapsulate Utena‘s dream-like world. The same is true for the film’s epic, operatic score that heightens the tension for every duel that Utena engages in for Anthy’s honor.
It’s easy to get lost in Adolescence of Utena‘s sweeping visuals and layered characters, but it’s the movie’s deep themes about liberation from conformity and transitioning from childhood into adulthood that have turned it into a challenging masterpiece. There are very few anime films that can nonchalantly turn one of their main characters into a car that the other character then drives away in. Adolescence of Utena turns such nonsense into brilliance.
Ghost In The Shell Remains Anime’s Definitive Psychological Cyberpunk Classic
Anime is a medium that generously caters towards science fiction fans, and there’s no lack of love for the technologically-infused cyberpunk subgenre. Ghost in the Shell is a standout cyberpunk genre that helped set a gold standard that’s been endlessly chased. Ghost in the Shell‘s plot involves a rogue hacker who takes over the minds of cyborgs, which in turn puts the film’s intrepid cyborg protagonist, Major Motoko Kusanagi, in a unique position.
Ghost in the Shell is an utterly beautiful movie that features a detailed, futuristic world. It’s easy to see how this film would go on to inspire a number of sequels, expansions, and spin-offs that exist within the same technologically dangerous setting. The movie is also full of adrenaline-pumping action sequences and suspenseful showdowns.
Ghost in the Shell is so special because of the thought-provoking philosophical questions that it prompts. The film, at its core, is an examination of humanity, identity, and conformity. Mamoru Oshii of Angel’s Egg and Patlabor: The Movie fame makes sure that Ghost in the Shell is just as rich in the director’s signature theological and philosophical themes.
Many different sci-fi anime feature detailed cyborgs, futuristic technology, and disturbing dystopian societies, but Ghost in the Shell finds ways to use these exaggerated elements to explore intimate ideas that cut to the very core of what it means to be human. It’s a narrative masterstroke to wrap these heavy questions up in a gritty crime drama.