10 Best Anime Movies Of 2020, Ranked (According To MyAnimeList)
Many movie and television projects of 2020 were pushed to 2021. And due to this, it clearly wasn't a typical year for the entertainment industry. The medium of anime, too, wasn't untouched by the swathe of delays, but despite the changes in the 2020 anime calendar, many long-awaited anime films still premiered throughout the year and graced the screens of viewers from all over the world.
While some of these movies were standalone Netflix originals, others were long-awaited sequels for renowned anime franchises. The best among these have been ranked below based on their respective MyAnimeList (MAL) average user scores.
10 Goblin Slayer: Goblin's Crown (7.19)
The Goblin Slayer series met a whole lot of backlash when it first premiered. Not only was it too gory to befit the taste of most viewers, but it also had some objectionable plot points. Still, for the most part, its fantastical world-building, slam-bang action scenes, and post-apocalyptic visuals were received fairly well.
For the uninitiated, Goblin Slayer: Goblin's Crown begins with a half-an-hour recap and reinstates its characters. What follows is a very simple narrative in which the titular Goblin Slayer and his team set out on another quest to duke it out with evil Goblins. While the movie isn't a far cry from the anime series, it doesn't cover much ground because of its limited runtime.
9 A Whisker Away (7.37)
A Whisker Away is a romance anime with a supernatural twist. It focuses on a young girl, Miyo Sasaki, whose attempts to please her high school crush, Kento, fall futile. But then, in a twist of fate, she acquires the ability to become a cat and uses it to spend more time with Kento.
Soon she reaches a crossroads where she can either continue helping Kento with his problems, but risk giving up on her cat form, or she can spend the rest of her life as a cat. It's these defining decisions of her life that lead to wondrous explorations of the Neko world and beneath all of this is a beautiful tale of learning to let go.
8 Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector (7.87)
Akin to Steven Spielberg's Minority Report, Psycho-Pass is set in a world with a skewed justice system. Even before a crime is committed, citizens with criminal intent are identified using a complex system and brought to justice using relevant measures.
The Psycho-Pass franchise involves many movies. Among them, Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector easily ranks somewhere on top. However, unlike most other movies that adopt spin-off stories, this one serves as a direct continuation of season 3. So to get ahold of this one, a viewer must first skim through season 2, which in itself is quite intriguing with its nihilistic and philosophical undertones.
7 My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (8.08)
Studio Bones' work with the My Hero Academia series has always been well-appreciated. However, with Heroes Rising, the Studio goes above and beyond everyone's expectations by featuring some never-seen-before action scenes and shounen-esque character power-ups.
Not only that, but the movie also has a non-canon but well-executed storyline that gives equal screentime to all the beloved Class 1-A students. It's also interesting to see how despite having little to no connections with the present arc of the anime, the film drops subtle cues on what fans can expect in the future.
6 Given (8.18)
Although the shounen-ai genre remains unexplored, every once in a while, a great series like Given comes along and changes everyone's perception. Serving as a follow-up for the 11-episode show, the Given movie shifts its focus onto other secondary characters of the anime.
While the show was all about the romantic developments between Ritsuka Uenoyama and Mafuyu Sato, who are both a part of a rock band, the movie highlights the love relationship between the band's bassist, Haruki Nakayama, drummer, Akihiko Kaji, and Akihito's ex-boyfriend, Ugetsu Murata.
5 Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna (8.19)
Because of being compared to the Pokemon franchise, Digimon never reached the fame and recognition of other popular shounen of the late '90s. Even so, it did garner a fan following of its own that has stayed loyal to it even after all these years.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the anime, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna is the third and final installment of the Digimon Adventure movie trilogy. As suggested by many reviews, it brings a satisfying conclusion to the long-running franchise and is reminiscent of all the elements that initially made the series so great. For anyone looking for a throwback to the good old shounen era of the 90s, this one fits the bill.
4 Violet Evergarden: The Movie (8.66)
Set in the aftermath of a war, Violet Evergarden unfolds as a rite of passage for a young woman, Violet, who was a mere weapon all her life. With her old life behind her, she sets out to learn what it's like to be human and understand the true essence of the final words of her lover.
The movie continues this journey with the utmost profundity, as Violet holds on to the last bits of hope of finding her lost lover. While she's at it, she continues to light up the lives of others by writing beautiful letters as an "Auto Memory Doll."
3 Demon Slayer Movie: Infinity Train (8.72)
Often touted as one of the best anime of the past decade, Demon Slayer continues to please its massive fan following with the sequel film, Infinity Train. With Tanjirou and the Demon Slayer Corps at its fore again, the anime follows their action-fueled investigations of the mysterious disappearances in a train. Little do they realize, there's a lot more to the train than meets their eye.
Replete with scintillating battle scenes, breathtaking art, and all the right elements that fascinate shounen fans, the Demon Slayer movie never leaves a dull moment.
2 Made In Abyss: Dawn Of The Deep Soul (8.74)
It's hard not to judge an anime by its animation style, but in the case of Made in Abyss, its outward appearance is highly deceiving. Its chibi-style animation might give new viewers the impression that it's for kids. However, considering its darker themes surrounding death, grief, and cosmic horror, it's far from this.
In Dawn of the Deep Soul, the central characters delve deeper into the ghastly pit that rests in the middle of their small town. Now in the fifth layer of the abyss, they cross paths with Prushka, who claims to be the daughter of Bondrewd. As always, they must now be careful with every step they take and make some big sacrifices before they can dive deeper into the sixth layer of the hole.
1 Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel III. Spring Song (8.78)
The Fate series is one of the most sweeping anime franchises out there. It has everything from spin-offs and game adaptations to OVAs and movies. Heaven's Feel III: Spring Song is the highly awaited final part of the Fate/Stay Night movie trilogy and it does not disappoint.
Picking up where its predecessor left off, the movie begins at a critical moment in the Fifth Holy Grail War. A hidden enemy finally surfaces and the main heroes learn that there's a lot more on the line for them than they had anticipated. In its taut two-hour runtime, the movie keeps viewers at the edge of their seats and resolves the morbid Holy Grail War in the best possible way.
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