Anime
Anime is the Japanese word for Animation. In Japan, the animation industry is more in the forefront than in the US, and animated shows covering virtually every genre can be found in the form of television shows, Original Animation Videos and feature films.
Much like any other entertainment medium, anime can range from the very silly to the very serious, and is not necessarily intended for children or any specific age group. Below is a hand-picked selection of titles that Alice's mavens consider the best of the genre on offer.
Right: 'Ghost In The Shell'
Your Name (2016)
8.4/10
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Ryo Narita, Mone Kamishiraishi
Mitsuha is the daughter of the mayor of a small mountain town. She's a straightforward high school girl who lives with her sister and her grandmother... Read more
Kai Doh Maru (2001)
4.9/10
Director: Kenji Wakabayashi
Set in the political intrigue of Japan's Heian Era (794 to 1185 AD), explosive action intertwined with a complex human drama brings to life a story of... Read more
Tekkonkinkreet (2006)
7.7/10
Director: Michael Arias
Based on the popular manga by Taiyou Matsumoto and directed by Michael Arias this visually arresting anime tells the tale of young, self-appointed her... Read more
Howl's Moving Castle ( Blu-ray ) (2004)
8.2/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
With its otherworldly beauty and charm Miyazaki's magical tale of adventure and self-discovery is testament to his limiltiless imagination. 18-year-ol... Read more
My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)
Director: Isao Takahata
Starring: Voices Of, James Belushi, Molly Shannon
Join in the adventures of the quirky Yamada family - from the hilarious to the touching - brilliantly presented in a unique, visually striking comic s... Read more
Paprika ( Blu-ray ) (2006)
7.7/10
Director: Satoshi Kon
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Toru Emori
Groundbreaking animator Satoshi Kon's visually stunning exploration of the boundaries between dreams and reality tells the magical tale of a revolutio... Read more
Karas: Part 1 - The Prophecy (2006)
7/10
Director: Kei'ichi Sato, Akira Takata
A slick, supernatural sci-fi with shape-shifting warriors who previously protected humankind from another dimension, overlaid but unseen, on their own... Read more
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Volume 6 (2002)
6.4/10
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Volume 6 of 7. Togusa finds himself in the hospital after being shot, but is desperate to impart what he's learned to the rest of the group. It seems... Read more
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya ( Blu-ray ) (2013)
8.1/10
Director: Isao Takahata
Eight years in the making and hot on the heels of Miyazaki's The Wind Rises, Studio Ghibli co-founder Takahata's adaptation of a centuries old Japanes... Read more
Spirited Away ( Blu-ray ) (2002)
8.6/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Animation visionary Hayao Miyazaki gets to fully unlock his boundless imagination through the otherworldly adventures of an innocent young girl that i... Read more