Anime movies are a good way to push stories that a director or manga author wants to do, but are not able to do in the main series. Sometimes these ideas fall flat, but other times they turn out better than expected.
Some anime movies turn out better than the main series. Whether a movie had a lackluster follow-up or exceeded expectations on a sub-par series, some films are a cut above their television counterparts. Sometimes, it takes a movie budget and a visionary director to transform a show into something extraordinary on the big screen for all to see.
10 Ordinal Scale Is A Return To Form
Many people who watched Sword Art Online liked the initial Aincrad arc but thought everything afterward was lacking. Questionable decisions made in the series made fans want to turn off their screens. Fans wanted something akin to the beginning of the show.
The Ordinal Scale film is a return to the Aincrad days. Not only does it bring back bosses and elements from that arc, but the action is top-notch in this augmented reality action flick. Kirito is skeptical of augmented reality and discovers a terrible secret about the Augma device. This SAO film packs a punch and will leave even the most lapsed fans satisfied.
9 Dragon Cry Has A Better Plot Than The Show
Fairy Tail can be very hit or miss. Sometimes there are epic battles and the power of friendship. Other times there are characters merely acting as eye candy and dumb plot twists like time travel. Some fans were wondering what Hiro Mashima was thinking with some of his decisions.
The second film, Dragon Cry, featured an artifact with the power to destroy the world. The artifact is stolen from Fiore by a traitorous man with the intent to destroy the kingdom. The movie contains epic battles like the show, but with less of the show’s usual baggage. It even features Natsu transforming into a dragon-like state that must be seen to be believed.
8 Fade To Black Is Compelling
Bleach hasn’t always been known for its storytelling. The series seemed to decline after the Soul Society arc. Kubo’s tendency to create massive amounts of characters combined with some questionable writing choices left fans wondering what was going on.
The 3rd movie, Fade to Black, was about Rukia and some childhood friends who erased her, and by extension, Ichigo, from people’s memories. It was up to Ichigo to set things right. The movie was a compelling dive into Rukia’s character and her relationships. Renji and Byakuya also get chances to shine in the film.
7 Naruto The Last Is More Focused On Romance
The last several episodes of Naruto Shippuden were focused on tying up some loose ends before entering the Boruto anime. One of those ends was figuring out how Naruto and Hinata would get together. The manga confirmed that they would wed and have kids, but how did that come about?
Naruto the Last featured the couple heavily in an attempt to answer that question. A Naruto movie focused on romance seems unusual, but it was a welcome change of pace from random filler and rocky pacing. The movie finally revealed the happy ending Hinata had been waiting for: finally being with her beloved after all these years.
6 The Ninja Scroll Series Doesn’t Measure Up
Ninja Scroll was a 1993 film by Madhouse about a wandering ninja being coaxed into a conflict by a government spy. The movie was quite an entertaining romp. It contained stellar action scenes, gore, and nudity. The movie had a conclusive ending, with the main villain Genma washed away by a sea of melted gold.
When Ninja Scroll was made into a TV series 10 years later, the charm of the original was not there. The clever fighting tactics that Jubei had were not present and the watered-down violence made this not as enjoyable as the film version.
5 Digimon Frontier’s Movie Is Pretty Cool
The fourth season of Digimon, Frontier, wasn’t that great. The plot left something to be desired and it was further muddled by the localization, handled by Disney. It is considered one of the worst Digimon seasons.
The movie accompanying Frontier, Island of Lost Digimon, was actually kind of fun. The Digidestined are caught up in a war between Beast Digimon and Human Digimon. The gang took out an exploitative “god” Digimon that was using both sides for their own personal gain. If only the main series was this satisfying, fans would have been a lot more satisfying.
4 Blood Prison Is A Roaring Good Time
Naruto Shippuden was 500 episodes plagued with filler and bad pacing. The series was so slow that it seemed to take forever to get to a conclusion. The Blood Prison movie is a satisfying romp about Naruto being framed for a crime he didn’t commit and thrown in prison.
Naruto has to think on his feet as his chakra is limited by a special jutsu. The movie features a sympathetic villain and a few interesting characters. The only real downside is that many of the show’s other main characters like Kakashi and Sakura are barely in the film.
3 The Rebuild Movies Fixed Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion ended on a weird note. It ended with two episodes deconstructing the psyche of the characters followed by Shinji being congratulated. Fans may recall Spike Spencer’s rant calling the director out for “running out of ink.”
The Rebuild films basically hit the reset button on the series and gave it a new direction. It was something fans had been waiting for for ages. With the recent fourth film, Evangelion finally reached its conclusion. With director Hideaki Anno finally in a healthy mental state, the series got its conclusion at last.
2 Hell Verse Unveiled A Cool New Location
Bleach’s 4th movie, entitled Hell Verse, took the heroes to a new location: the depths of Hell. In the movie, the villains kidnap Ichigo’s sister Yuzu and drag her into Hell, promising her safe return if they are freed from the fire and brimstone.
Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Uryu, and their new ally Kokuto travel to Hell in search of Yuzu. The new location is inventive and is a wonderful expansion of Bleach lore. Kokuto’s story is a welcome addition to the plot and Ichigo’s hollow form is taken to new heights.
1 Endless Waltz Made Gundam Wing Worthwhile
The Gundam franchise has a lot of hits under its belt. Wing was not one of them. Airing in the 90’s, Gundam Wing started out fine, but fell apart in the last 10 or so episodes. A three part OVA made into a movie, Endless Waltz, was made to tie the show together
The Gundam Meisters are called upon one last time to protect Relena and the Earth Sphere Unified Nation from one of Heero’s former mentors. The movie ends in a climactic battle that sees no one die whatsoever, proving that the Gundam pilots are now above war. After the battle, all mobile suits are destroyed, signifying an era of peace.
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