Japanese anime films are a class on their own, and their category is influential and beautiful enough to gain recognition from western institutions such as the Academy Awards. It's all thanks to the unconventional vision of Japanese anime directors. Among them, Hayao Miyazaki is perhaps the most prominent, and has been a household name for a long time now.
This fame and impact somewhat overshadows the feats and creations of other Japanese anime movie directors. Turns out, there's a lot of incredibly skilled directors, and each has their own distinct animation and storytelling style just as Miyazaki has his own signature. Japanese anime film fans ought to be delighted with these other directors and their masterpieces, once they've exhausted their Studio Ghibli rewatches.
10 Makoto Shinkai
Notable works:
- Your Name
- Weathering With You
Makoto Shinkai's big breakout film — one that put him on the western radar and also put him closer in status to Miyazaki — is Your Name. It was lauded for its crisp, smooth hand-drawn animations as well as the heartfelt and atmospheric use of music. As the film shows, Shinkai also frequently incorporates elaborate use of weather effects, and the seamless blending of supernatural elements and the modern world.
Prior to this, Shinkai was already making some notable leaps in animation with short films such as Garden of Words, among many others that share an art style. Funny enough, Makoto Shinkai himself stated that his primary art style inspiration was Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.
9 Satoshi Kon
Notable works:
- Paprika
- Perfect Blue
Satoshi Kon's magnum opus is arguably Paprika, a film that explores the hidden world and the power of human dreams. It's centered around a device that helps people manifest their dreams or control them. Such a unique trope was even made as an inspiration for another mind-bending western movie from Christopher Nolan, Inception.
As such, Satoshi Kon's ideas for his films and anime series are truly novel. Coupled with his dreamy, surrealistic animated cinematography, watching his anime films can feel both like a fever dream and a somber realist painting in motion. Such was the case for Perfect Blue and many of his works.
8 Mamoru Hosoda
Notable works:
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
- Summer Wars
Mamoru Hosoda's forte seems to be incorporating heavy sci-fi elements into modern-day Japanese settings. One of his most notable creations, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, is all about an unlucky, clumsy teenage girl who discovers that she can prevent mishaps by traveling through time.
That one was more conservative in its use of sci-fi. Summer Wars, on the other hand, was a full-blown battle royale of artificial intelligence and a virtual world playground. This was also where Mamoru Hosoda began experimenting boldly with 3D animations interspersed with 2D.
7 Hideaki Anno
Notable works:
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
Hideaki Anno actually has a lot of sci-fi flavored works both in anime and anime film, but he's known mostly for one thing: the chaotic Christianity allegory that is Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's only one of the most culturally relevant and impactful anime franchises in existence.
Anno himself stated that one of the primary reasons for Evangelion's heavy themes of trauma and psychological issues was the depression that he experienced all throughout creating the anime and its films. It's safe to say that he turned something negative into a masterpiece, as no other anime has been able to match Evangelion's concept and execution.
6 Katsuhiro Otomo
Notable works:
- Akira
- Neo Tokyo
Katsuhiro Otomo is behind one of the biggest contributions ever to the cyberpunk genre, and that is the anime Akira. Back when it was released in 1988, Akira was both a marvel of animation and cyberpunk storytelling. It was among Japan's earliest forays into the relatively fresh cultural medium of cyberpunk.
Suffice to say, Akira shines when it comes to creating a truly oppressive and disheartening cyberpunk world. Otomo did have another cyberpunk film prior to that called Neo Tokyo, an anthology that served more like a prototype or testing ground for his magnum opus.
5 Isao Takahata
Notable works:
- Grave of the Fireflies
- The Tale of Princess Kaguya
One anime film from 1988 is a chore to watch not because it's boring or uninteresting, but rather because of how heavy and gloomy it is for the viewer's fragile hearts. That would be Grave of the Fireflies.
One can thank director Isao Takahata for that heartbreaking period piece of an anime. Needless to say, Isao Takahata prefers his stories untainted by the escapism of the supernatural, fantasy, or sci-fi. His other popular film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, while supernatural in essence also deals in mature and serious cultural subject matters.
4 Mamoru Oshii
Notable works:
- Ghost in the Shell
Thanks to director Mamoru Oshii, The Matrix fans have one of the best action and sci-fi films of all time. That's because Oshii's magnum opus, Ghost in the Shell, was the Wachowski brothers' main inspiration for The Matrix. One doesn't even need to see both films to discern the similarities.
To that end, Mamoru Oshii is also a significant cyberpunk pioneer similar to Katsuhiro Otomo. Ghost in the Shell does lean more towards the philosophical side of cyberpunk, concerning free will, existentialism, and humanism. Even more impressive is the fact that he was able to spawn a franchise based on one film.
3 Shinichirō Watanabe
Notable works:
- Cowboy Bebop
- The Animatrix
- Blade Runner Black Out 2022
Shinichiro Watanabe is yet another Japanese cyberpunk pioneer. Watanabe himself was one of the directors and artists responsible for creating the timeless entry anime Cowboy Bebop (and its film). That one's not quite cyberpunk, but Watanabe also contributed his vision and animation into cyberpunk anthologies such as The Animatrix which serves as a prologue for The Matrix.
When it comes to style, Watanabe's is certainly distinct. Character movements outside of action are lanky and almost clumsy while his colors are intentionally washed out or pale. That lends much to the atmosphere of his animation and gives it a grown-up yet spirited look.
2 Naoko Yamada
Notable works:
- K-On!
- A Silent Voice
Naoko Yamada is one of the few woman Japanese anime film directors in an industry seemingly dominated by male artists. As for her works of art, K-On!, a music-focused anime, is probably the most memorable and culturally relevant. It still has a solid fanbase more than a decade later, and still stands as one of the most unique anime in its genre.
Naoko Yamada did offer another culturally important contribution in 2016 in the form of A Silent Voice. It's also an anime that takes into account the importance of sound or hearing to the storytelling. That kind of style pairs well with her shoujo-esque character designs and stories.
1 Yoshiyuki Tomino
Notable works:
- Mobile Suit Gundam
Ever wanted to thank one person for all those Gundam model kits on the shelves that add personality to an otherwise bland room? Yoshiyuki Tomino is the guy that deserves that gratitude. He's the person wholly responsible for creating the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise.
Yoshiyuki Tomin is the novelist, animator, screenwriter, songwriter, creator, and of course, director of most Mobile Suit Gundam films and shows. That's quite an impressive portfolio and an even bigger presence in pop culture. The mecha anime genre also wouldn't be at the same height it is today if it wasn't for him.