If you were to ask anime fans what their favorite series was, chances are that they would struggle to choose just one, or you end up bombarded with a slew of picks from different people. So many animes over the years have taken ahold of our souls and made themselves mainstays in pop culture, from Cowboy Bebop to Naruto to Demon Slayer. But if you were to question admirers about which film based on a beloved anime was their favorite, you might get a less enthusiastic response.
With the rising popularity of something like an anime comes predictable franchising, which takes numerous forms, such as movie spin-offs. Shameless cash grabs or not, most of them do not have a good reputation for several reasons, like uncertain canonicity, narrative inaccessibility, or the problem of trying to honor the ideas of an established series within a single film. However, there can be exceptions. Not necessarily great ones, but close enough.
'Cowboy Bebop: The Movie' (2001)
Spike and the rest of the Bebop crew face their toughest job yet when an enigmatic and deranged terrorist plots to eradicate the human populace of Mars by releasing a deadly pathogen, the likes of which no one has ever seen before.
This film, similar to many spin-offs of its kind, plays out like an extended episode of its base show, but it does so with style. The visuals, music, writing, and action sequences are all worthy of the acclaimed Cowboy Bebop series and, in many respects, are appropriately elevated to accommodate a full-length cinematic format.
'Road to Ninja: Naruto The Movie' (2012)
The masked man claiming to be the dreaded Madara Uchiha traps Naruto and Sakura in an alternate reality where all their comrades are no longer themselves, and an unknown villain exists to menace Konoha. Additionally, Naruto's parents are still alive in this world, complicating his desire to return home with Sakura.
An enthralling "what if?" story, Road to Ninja takes recognizable personalities from Naruto and turns them upside down, creating curious and amusing scenarios for fans to chew on. Besides the entertainment value of its premise, though, the movie has Naruto confront his orphan loneliness, which he admittedly does in the series proper, but an interesting and poignant spin is presented that re-contextualizes his parents' sacrifice for him.
'Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods' (2013)
Beerus, the God of Destruction, has awoken and is bent on annihilating Earth for kicks unless he can find the fabled Super Saiyan God to fight. While Goku trains to get stronger and tries to learn more about this Saiyan God, Vegeta swallows his infamous pride to distract and pacify Beerus.
Battle of Gods was the first Dragon Ball movie to come out in 17 years, and it did not disappoint. There is plenty of wacky comedy to delight viewers, carried mainly by Vegeta of all characters and the ultimately not-so-malicious Beerus, alongside, of course, the over-the-top Dragon Ball slugfests between titanic combatants that remain as stunning as ever.
'The Last: Naruto The Movie' (2014)
Two years following the Fourth Great Ninja War, Toneri Otsutsuki of the moon threatens the entire planet. Naruto and Hinata join the mission to stop him, with the former finally realizing the latter's love for him during the journey.
This film was made to be canonical to the source material and forms part of its definitive conclusion. The romance between Naruto and Hinata, mostly teased and hinted at previously, serves as the backbone of The Last, providing a heartfelt and satisfying resolution to that storyline for longtime supporters without denying the excitement expected of a Naruto movie.
'Digimon Adventure Tri.' (2015-18)
Taking place three years after the events of Digimon Adventure 02, the tri. film series puts the original eight DigiDestined back into the spotlight and has them reunite with their Digimon to solve a mystery involving a recent addition to their ranks and an evil that threatens their very bonds.
Combining the coming-of-age and slice-of-life genres with the epic monster battles of Digimon, these movies are an emotional roller coaster ride highlighting the relationships between humans and their Digimon partners and provide depth for the lesser favorites among the DigiDestined, namely Joe and Mimi.
'Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions' (2016)
Some time has passed since the Pharoah Atem's spirit left for the afterlife, and Yugi is struggling to accept his departure. Meanwhile, Kaiba has been excavating for the remnants of the Millennium Puzzle, hoping to revive Atem somehow to settle their rivalry, and a new villain appears to cause trouble for Yugi and his friends.
It's not easy to make a compelling show around a trading card game, much less a movie spin-off of one. However, The Dark Side of Dimensions delivers thrilling duels to match the best of Yu-Gi-Oh! and compelling storytelling that offers an unexpected layer of closure for the anime, its protagonists, and fans.
'My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising' (2019)
Class 1-A is enjoying a summer of wholesome hero work on the remote Nabu Island as part of a government-sponsored program. But everything escalates explosively when a group of villains, led by one who can steal Quirks, attacks the island in search of a child with a specific power.
Originating from a show with an extensive cast and narrative background, Heroes Rising wisely keeps the focus on the young students, giving each one a moment to shine, and saves the bulk of screen time for the primary two, Deku and Bakugo, all building to a climax of mind-boggling spectacle. It does cheat to avoid inconsistencies with the canon of My Hero Academia, but the impact is still potent.
'KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World! Legend of Crimson' (2019)
Kazuma and his small band of oddball adventurers are at it again. Their latest quest takes them to the Crimson Demon Village to meet Megumin's family and people, where they also have to contend with an especially powerful Devil King general. Along the way, Kazuma and Megumin are forced to consider how they feel about each other.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary once described Legend of Crimson as one of the best cinema experiences he ever had. How is that for a ringing endorsement? The KonoSuba characters and their escapades have not lost any of their hilarity or irreverence in the movie; things get even crazier and surprisingly moving in certain ways.
'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train' (2020)
Fully recovered from their last harrowing battle, Tanjiro and his companions are assigned to investigate a possible demon presence on a train under the guidance of Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. Once aboard, they are indeed attacked by one of the Twelve Kizuki, who uses his power to imprison them within their dreams.
It almost does not matter that Mugen Train feels like several episodes of Demon Slayer squeezed into one movie to adapt a whole arc from the original manga because it is exquisitely paced and keeps you thoroughly engrossed with marvelous animation, humor, action, and emotion. Plus, the film allowed audiences to get to know the boisterous and kind-hearted Rengoku, a relatively fresh face to the series at the time turned cherished icon by the end credits.
'Jujutsu Kaisen 0' (2021)
Adapted from the manga of the same name (which is a prequel for the popular Jujutsu Kaisen anime), Jujutsu Kaisen 0 centers on Yuta Okkotsu, a teenager haunted and protected by the cursed spirit of his childhood friend Rika. Curious about his peculiar condition, Satoru Gojo enrolls Yuta at Jujutsu Tech to help him understand and control Rika. While there, Yuta befriends the other students and becomes a target for the rogue sorcerer Suguru Geto.
In the anime, Yuta is referenced multiple times but has never actually appeared, making the movie his official introduction: he leaves a superb impression. His story and characterization are well-realized and deeply touching, particularly in his relationship with Rika. Beyond that, the film's plot and pacing aren't perfect, but the music and fight sequences make up for them.