Genre: Animation, Music, Romance
Actor: Eman Xor Oña, Jon Adams, Ken Forman, Limara Meneses, Mario Guerra, Ray Gillon, Renny Arozarena
Director: Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando
Animation has always been integral to cinematic history, but over the past decade animated filims have flourished in terms of variety, technological innovation and emotional depth. From traditional to mixed-media, here are the best animated movies and shows to stream.
Genre: Animation, Music, Romance
Actor: Eman Xor Oña, Jon Adams, Ken Forman, Limara Meneses, Mario Guerra, Ray Gillon, Renny Arozarena
Director: Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando
Making a bucket list at the height of a zombie outbreak seems ridiculous, yet totally reasonable when you've spent the last three years overworked and undervalued. In real life, our workforce already feels zombified as higher-ups enslave the working class to high production and insufficient pay, so it's nice to see Zom 100 exemplify that notion. Zom 100 also immediately captures that essential reminder to "live now," which has become especially relevant as the Covid-19 pandemic found most people rekindling old hobbies and discovering new ones as death and sickness felt ever near.
Though there isn't a lot of character-building in episode one, the titular 100-item bucket list promises an eye-opening, personal journey with our protagonist Akira. Thankfully, the opening didn't shy away from the gore and electrifying tension of the zombie attacks, making this an interesting horror/slice-of-life/coming-of-age/drama to keep an eye on.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Makoto Furukawa, Minami Takahashi, Shuichiro Umeda, Tomori Kusunoki
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Atsuko Tanaka, Ayaka Nanase, Kengo Takanashi, Saya Aizawa, Shogo Sakata
Usually, being swallowed up by a dragon means death. However, for Rentt Faina, The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, becoming a skeleton is just a little setback in achieving his dream of becoming an defender for the kingdom. That’s because in this world, dying doesn’t mean dying– it just means that he has to kill other monsters and absorb their spirit in order to evolve into more human forms, like ghouls and vampires. It’s a strange premise, and the first episode relies on internal monologues, because, well, he doesn’t have the muscles to speak, but it's intriguing to see someone persevere despite having to start all over again. After obtaining the respect of novice adventurer Rina, the show plays out in a fairly entertaining way, with decent visuals, coherent storyline, and a more cautious protagonist we haven’t seen from previous shonen fantasy.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Ikumi Hasegawa, Mikako Komatsu, Ryota Suzuki, Sayumi Suzushiro
This Japanese animated film employs a gorgeous blend of CGI and traditional animation—as well as intricately orchestrated original songs—to present a plausible simulation of virtual reality where people are truly free to do anything. Belle might not be as careful with its characters and the difficult situations they're put into "off-screen," but this is still ultimately an optimistic movie. Director Mamoru Hosoda suggests that uniting ordinary people through the internet won't actually lead to chaos. Instead, it'll help each of us become more empathetic of people around the world. And while that means Belle is still a sci-fi fantasy story more than anything, the film's wondrous images and music make it feel good to dream.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family, Music, Science Fiction
Actor: Asami Miura, Fuyumi Sakamoto, Kaho Nakamura, Ken Ishiguro, Kenjiro Tsuda, Kōji Yakusho, Lilas Ikuta, Mami Koyama, Mamoru Miyano, Michiko Shimizu, Mitsuru Miyamoto, Ryo Narita, Ryoko Moriyama, Shota Sometani, Sumi Shimamoto, Taichi Masu, Takeru Satoh, Tina Tamashiro, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Yoshimi Iwasaki
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Narrated by the familiar voice of Jack Black, Apollo 10 ½ is a throwback story told with admirable specificity and imagination. Black plays a grown-up Stan, who looks back on his younger years with a mix of fondness and wonder: how did they get away with the things they did then? American suburbia in the 1960s was both loose and conservative, caught between a generation holding on to the reins of the earlier century and one eager to launch into the next.
Stan, as the youngest child of a big, rowdy family, gives us a charming look into the times, as well as a projection of his own fascination: Apollo 11 and the space age. He inserts himself in this monumental narrative and generously brings us along in his fantasy. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether Stan’s recruitment by NASA is actually fact or fiction, but that’s part of the fun, especially since Stan himself doesn’t seem to mind at all.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, History, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Science Fiction
Actor: Bill Wise, Brent A. Riggs, Brian Villalobos, Buzz Aldrin, Christian Moran, David DeLao, Glen Powell, Holt Boggs, Jack Black, Janis Joplin, Jennifer Griffin, Jessica Brynn Cohen, John F. Kennedy, John Kaler, Josh Wiggins, Keslee Blalock, Larry Jack Dotson, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy, Mona Lee Fultz, Natalie L'Amoreaux, Neil Armstrong, Nick Stevenson, Richard Nixon, Samuel Davis, Walter Cronkite, Zachary Levi
Director: Richard Linklater
With a turbulent publication history – rebooting three times with three separate publishers – the Netflix adaptation of Akuma Kun doesn’t have the exact same plot or protagonists. Instead of the original Shingo Umoregi from the 60s manga and 80s anime, this show hands it off to Shingo’s successor and son Ichiro, who conducts the same magical experiments but also investigates rogue paranormal activity. However, this anime doesn’t stray too far from the original, taking inspiration from the 60s with its ink scratched art style, and even calling back the original director and voice actors. It makes for a weird and quirky supernatural series that stands out from today’s anime, while still honoring the original creator, the late Shigeru Mizuki, on his 100th birthday.
Genre: Animation, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Fairouz Ai, Ryoko Shiraishi, Toshio Furukawa, Yuki Kaji, Yumiri Hanamori
Seamlessly blending supernatural folklore and crime noir, the Filipino anime-influenced adaptation of Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo's award-winning graphic novels offers a fresh and culturally rich take on the supernatural detective genre. Set in Manila, the show follows the fearless detective Alexandra Trese who is tasked with protecting the balance between humanity and the Underworld. From investigating a haunted train to quelling the fight for power between rival aswang clans, Trese and police captain Guerrero's cases unlock this rich urban world. As Trese gets closer to discovering the powerful perpetrator of various crimes (and how intertwined humans and the Underworld really are), the show's dark and enchanting Filipino mythology expands. The series masterfully combines elements of horror, mystery, and action, never treating the mythology as a gimmick, creating a unique animated entry from the Philippines.
Genre: Animation, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Carlos Alazraqui, Eric Bauza, Jon Jon Briones, Matthew Yang King, Shay Mitchell, Steve Blum
The Sea Beast tells the story of Jacob, a legendary sea monster hunter, and Maisie, a wannabe monster hunter herself. When a dangerous encounter isolates them from the rest of the crew, they’re forced to team up and reconcile their opposing beliefs—Maisie believes there’s good in the beasts, but Jacob has yet to be convinced.
Action-packed, fast-paced, and thoroughly entertaining, The Sea Beast is a perfect weekend watch. The part-Moana, part-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean tale also has the added bonus of being age-appropriate (rated PG), making it suitable for those spending their precious movie time with kids.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Kids
Actor: Alex Wyndham, Benjamin Plessala, Brian T. Delaney, Dan Stevens, David S. Lee, Davis Pak, Doon Mackichan, Emily O'Brien, Helen Sadler, Ian Mercer, Jared Harris, Jim Carter, Karl Urban, Kathy Burke, Kaya McLean, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Max Mittelman, Paul Chowdhry, Rajia Baroudi, Shannon Chan-Kent, Somali Rose, Xana Tang, Zaris-Angel Hator
Director: Chris Williams
Structured like a series of vignettes based on the titular American writer's works, this stop motion animated film embraces how playful and bizarre the medium of clay can be, showing us everything from whimsical jumping frogs, to Adam and Eve, to Satan himself. But even if The Adventures of Mark Twain might get too weird even and rough around the edges even for a hardcore animation fan, there's an interesting emotional undercurrent here that deals with unanswerable questions on death and the meaning of life. Thanks to a lively and talented cast of voice actors, this fantastic voyage keeps itself grounded to something tangible and heartfelt, and never gets swept up too far into the clouds.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy
Actor: Chris Ritchie, Dal McKennon, Gary Krug, James Whitmore, John Morrison, Michele Mariana, Tom Gasek, Will Vinton
Director: Will Vinton
Based on Nathan Pyle’s famed webcomics of the same name, Strange Planets is a blunt and offbeat series that encapsulates the magic of Pyle's internet-famous relatable aliens. It uses a sitcom format (complete with recurring characters) to play on the absurdity of these human-like aliens and their human-like problems. With well-delivered jokes, crisp animation, and simple storylines, Strange Planets doesn't overcomplicate its premise, making it an easy, enjoyable watch. Although the writing and scenarios aren't entirely original—outside of Pyle's signature descriptive alien diction, that is—the wholesome, no-brainer vibe is a welcome change in pace for adult animation. Pyle's original work brought humor to the mundanity of everyday living, and the show (co-created with TV veteran Dan Harmon) doesn't disappoint.
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Actor: Danny Pudi, Demi Adejuyigbe, Hannah Einbinder, Lori Tan Chinn, Tunde Adebimpe
Slaying monsters online is definitely more exciting than typing on a computer all day, but having to do so in real life might be a different story. The highly anticipated anime adaptation Solo Leveling depicts a world where those online adventures are a mundane but dangerous day-to-day gig for some people with unique abilities set in stone, but with a twist– every player doesn’t have the video game information, stats, and structured quests, except for the world’s weakest hunter Sung Jin-woo. It’s an intriguing world that brings up themes such as gamification and inherent talent versus acquired skill, and it’s one that’s matched with great animation, thrilling fight scenes, and gory deaths.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Daisuke Hirakawa, Genta Nakamura, Haruna Mikawa, Reina Ueda, Taito Ban
Held back by awkward and uninspired musical numbers but otherwise a surprisingly funny and sweet animated comedy, Leo gets a lot of mileage out of being simply weirder than many of its direct-to-streaming contemporaries. As the titular lizard works through his cynicism by spending his last days helping others with their early years (a premise heartwarming enough to stand on its own), the film expresses itself through plenty of cutaway jokes and throwaway lines, excellent physical comedy, and a few particularly bizarre character designs. Everything is played in good fun though, and the movie's witty, easygoing personality allows it to overcome any limitations from its admittedly ordinary animation.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Music
Actor: Adam Sandler, Alex Quijano, Allison Strong, Andre Robinson, Andrew Morgado, Ashley Lambert, Ava Acres, Bill Burr, Blake Clark, Bryant Tardy, Carson Minniear, Cecily Strong, Chris Kattan, Chris Titone, David Wachtenheim, Heidi Gardner, Jackie Sandler, Janie Haddad Tompkins, Jaquita Ta'le, Jason Alexander, Jason Griffith, Jo Koy, Joel Marsh Garland, John Farley, Jonathan Loughran, Kelly Stables, Nicholas Turturro, Nick Swardson, Nikki Castillo, Noah Robbins, Paul Brittain, Rob Schneider, Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, Rose Abdoo, Ryan Bartley, Ryun Yu, Sadie Sandler, Scott Menville, Sheila Carrasco, Shelby Young, Sonya Leslie, Stephanie Hsu, Sunita Param, Sunny Sandler, Terence Mathews
Director: David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel
Fantasy shows usually follow one hero into their quest, but the newest isekai anime on Hulu has plenty of them, and instead of straightforward awe, the people they save hold unexpected emotions to the power they wield. Ishura starts with this– its first few episodes are dedicated to introducing each hero, or Shura, that would fight against each other, and possibly take over the world. Through this approach, Ishura has plenty of spectacular action, as each of the heroes have to prove themselves somehow, and has plenty of fantastical powers that look great on-screen, even when the CGI sometimes falters in certain moments. It’s a wild ride, and some deaths can certainly be brutal for some viewers, but it’s an interesting approach in building a fantasy world that values strength above all else. Ishura is a great start to fantasy anime this year, if you can stomach the gore.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Aoi Yuki, Koichi Yamadera, Mamiko Noto, Reina Ueda, Rie Takahashi, Romi Park, Showtaro Morikubo, Soichiro Hoshi, Sora Amamiya, Yuki Kaji
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Actor: Mamiko Noto, Nao Toyama, Shin-ichiro Miki, Shiori Mikami