Highlights
- Isekai movies like Ni No Kuni and Escaflowne offer fans familiar themes of characters being transported to fantasy worlds.
- Children Who Chase Lost Voices and Re: Zero – Memory Snow explore the lengths characters will go to for loved ones in magical settings.
- The Boy and the Beast and Spirited Away showcase emotional journeys and personal growth in beautifully crafted isekai worlds.
Isekai, a well-known genre in the anime realm, revolves around protagonists thrust into fantasy or alternate worlds through reincarnation or transportation. Typically overpowered, they navigate unfamiliar landscapes, either adapting to this new reality or seeking a path back to their original world. Anime movies often extend or sequel certain series like The Saga of Tanya The Evil or Re: Zero -Starting Life in Another World, promising enjoyment for devoted fans.
7 Ni No Kuni
MyAnimeList Score: 6.44
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Japanese Title |
Ni No Kuni |
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Genre |
Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
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Studio |
OLM |
Ni No Kuni narrates the journey of three companions – Yu, Haru, and Kotana – who find themselves transported to a fantastical realm while rushing the injured Kotana to a hospital. Discovering that Kotana didn’t make the journey with them, they embark on a quest to locate her in this mystical world.
The narrative unfolds like a roller coaster, with Yu and Haru traversing between their reality and the Kingdom of Evermore. Upon their return, they learn of Kotana’s limited three-month lifespan, suspecting Astrid, the princess of Evermore, who shares uncanny resemblances with Kotana, to be the cause of this ominous fate.
6 Escaflowne
MyAnimeList Score: 7.51
| Japanese Title | Escaflowne: A Girl In Gaea |
| Genre | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi |
| Studio | Bones, Sunrise |
Depression is an overwhelming and overpowering feeling that needs a lot of effort to shake off and, unfortunately, Hitomi Kanzaki does not have what it takes to overcome her depression. As she is about to
When Hitomi decides to take matters into her own hands, the course of the movie takes a turn. Summoned to be Escaflowne, Gaea’s last hope, Hitomi finds herself in a new realm.
The 2000 Escaflowne movie deviates significantly from its 26-episode anime counterpart, The Vision of Escaflowne. While the settings bear resemblance, the plot takes a different trajectory, making it accessible for fans to engage directly with the movie without having to watch the anime adaptation.
5 Children Who Chase Lost Voices
MyAnimeList Score: 7.51
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Japanese Title |
Hoshi Wo Ou Kodomo |
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Genre |
Adventure, Fantasy, Romance |
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Studio |
CoMix Wave Films |
In this 2011 film, the narrative unfolds around Asuna, a young girl who, after encountering Shun, finds herself in the realm of the dead. Shun, a boy who hails from Agartha, rescues Asuna from a menacing creature. Asuna bids farewell to Shun, unaware that it would be their final meeting as he tragically falls from a bridge and passes away.
Following a classroom lesson about Agartha, Asuna discovers it to be the land of the dead, sparking the commencement of her extraordinary journey. Transitioning from the ordinary world to the realm of the deceased through a gateway, Asuna encounters numerous challenges alongside Morisaki, her substitute teacher, and Shin, Shun’s brother. This isekai anime captivates fans with its enchanting elements and delves into the depths people are willing to go to reunite with or attempt to resurrect a beloved one.
4 Re: ZERO – Starting Life In Another World – Memory Snow
MyAnimeList Score: 7.57
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Japanese Title |
Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu – Memory Snow |
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Genre |
Fantasy |
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Studio |
White Fox |
Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World introduces a movie that serves as a sequel to the original series. Titled Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World – Memory Snow, the film explores an alternate storyline where Subaru is not ensnared in a time loop. His sole challenge is to prepare for a date with Emilia, but a formidable cold front unexpectedly descends, jeopardizing their plans.
This cinematic installment functions as a therapeutic interlude for fans of Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World. It portrays a scenario where Subaru grapples with depression and undergoes multiple respawns. Initially an ordinary teenager, Subaru finds himself inexplicably transported to a fantasy realm, further complicated by his ability to rewind time. Triggered by a fatal encounter with thugs, Subaru is compelled to relive his demise, desperately attempting to escape the relentless time loop.
3 Saga Of Tanya The Evil: The Movie
MyAnimeList Score: 8.23
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Japanese Title |
Youjo Senki Movie |
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Genre |
Action, Fantasy |
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Studio |
Nut |
The Saga of Tanya the Evil is a familiar title for many anime enthusiasts, given its popularity in the isekai genre. Much like numerous anime series, this one also extends into the realm of cinema, presenting a sequel titled Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie. For optimal enjoyment, it is recommended that fans delve into the anime series before immersing themselves in the movie.
Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie perpetuates the gripping narrative of Tanya, a young and unrelenting soldier who, in a previous life, was an anonymous salaryman from Japan. Tasked with leading a battalion of soldiers into war, Tanya faces the challenge of upholding her formidable reputation and guiding her troops to victory.
2 The Boy And The Beast
MyAnimeList Score: 8.24
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Japanese Title |
Bakemono no Ko |
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Genre |
Adventure, Fantasy |
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Studio |
Studio Chizu |
Eight years after its release, this isekai movie still finds ways to stay relevant, and its fascinating plot helps it graciously. The Boy and the Beast tells the beautiful and emotional story of Ren, a nine-year-old boy who starts living on the streets after the death of his mother. This young boy, who is too young to be living alone, has to risk his life to feed himself, but not for long.
Ren is in search of his father, but before he can find him, Kumatestu, a beast from the beast world, comes to the human world in search of a disciple, and he finds Ren. Kumatestu transports Ren to the beast world, where he trains him to become his disciple. Soon after, Ren becomes Kyūta and fully kicks off his role as Kumatestu’s disciple. Home is truly where the heart is, as Ren still thinks about reconciling with his father.
1 Spirited Away
MyAnimeList Score: 8.77
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Japanese Title |
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi |
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Genre |
Fantasy, Adventure, Supernatural |
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Studio |
Studio Ghibli |
Spirited Away still manages to hold some anime fans in a chokehold even 22 years after its release. This isekai movie came out in 2001 and has stayed relevant since then. The story of Chihiro and her parents is something out of the ordinary, exactly what fans would expect from an isekai, but this movie goes above and beyond.
An unexpected stop at an amusement park turns Chihiro’s parents into pigs, and this causes 10-year-old Chihiro to put on her big girl’s pants and look for a solution to her parents’ predicament. In search of a solution, Chihiro finds herself trapped in the spirit world, but she does not let that faze her, as she is still determined to find a solution.
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