The Highest-Grossing Anime Movies Ever (& Where To Stream Them)

Studio Ghibli, Pokemon, and Demon Slayer; which anime movies have earned the most at the box office? Where can these films be streamed?

Over the last two decades, anime has firmly established itself on a global scale. Gone are the days when Japanese animated movies or series were limited to obscure VHS releases and short TV blocks; nowadays, the most popular anime films tend to get theatrical releases out of Japan, and fans from all across the world can follow the seasonal shows.

This shift towards mainstream acceptance has, naturally, resulted in improved box office performance, but which is the highest-grossing anime movie of all time? Is it a Studio Ghibli pick? Something directed by Makoto Shinkai? Or is it a continuation of a beloved anime series? Perhaps most importantly, do any (legal) streaming services have these films?

As the data can vary depending on the source, The Number’s Worldwide Box Office or Box Office Mojo’s Worldwide earnings will be primarily used; if the sites state different earnings for a film, the higher one will be picked. Regarding the availability of these films, the focus will be on U.S. streaming services.

Updated April 27, 2023 by Mark Sammut: The rankings of the highest-grossing anime movies have been constantly in flux over the last few years. Once upon a time, a year might have produced one anime flick that would gain significant traction outside of Japan, and it would have had to be produced by Studio Ghibli or feature Pokemon. That is no longer the case, and the animation world is all the better for it.

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22 Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time ($92,900,767)

Nearly a decade after Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo‘s debut, Rebuild of Evangelion finally dropped its final chapter. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time brings Hideaki Anno’s vision to a close in epic fashion. While the 2021 film revisits ideas explored in 1997’s The End of Evangelion, these themes are explored in fresh ways that reveal new sides to the characters and the world they exist in.

If Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time proves to be NGE‘s last anime, the franchise can forever claim that it went out on a high, both critically and commercially.

21 Case Closed: The Scarlet Bullet ($95,580,715)

While Case Closed is a recognizable name in Western nations, Detective Conan is a juggernaut brand in Japan. Alongside a series with over a thousand episodes, the franchise has released 25 movies across roughly the same amount of years. Such a consistent release schedule could result in public burnout, yet the series continues to perform well at the box office.

The Scarlet Bullet is not the only Case Closed film to rank among the highest-grossing anime movies, serving as a testament to the franchise’s enduring popularity in its home country. Unlike the recent Dragon Ball movies, Case Closed‘s features did not receive theatrical runs in North America.

20 Yo-kai Watch: It’s The Secret Of Birth, Meow! ($99,481,307)

Released at arguably the height of Yo-kai Watch mania, this movie roughly covers the second game in the series, although fans should not go in expecting a 100% faithful adaptation. Similar to the anime series, Yo-kai Watch: The Movie is predominantly concerned with delivering humor and lighthearted adventure, two things the film generally accomplished. At no point does this story attempt to extract a tear or get the audience thinking, and that is hardly a bad thing to experience every once in a while.

Yo-kai Watch has produced a couple more films following this release, but none of them have come close to achieving the same level of international success. Still, they are decent ways to kill 90 minutes.

19 Case Closed: Zero The Enforcer ($101,860,359)

An enjoyable entry starring everyone’s favorite anime detective, Case Closed: Zero the Enforcer finds Mori Kogoro accused of a terrorist attack at a Summit meeting. Despite evidence pointing towards Kogoro, there is clearly something not quite right about the case, and Conan sets out to discover the truth.

Zero the Enforcer is simply an entertaining film that moves at a good pace and comes with a fun final reveal. While not especially unique, this movie demonstrates Case Closed’s impeccable ability to craft tight mysteries with memorable payoffs.

18 Case Closed: The Fist Of Blue Sapphire ($115,570,314)

When it comes to highest-grossing anime films, it mostly boils down to Japan’s preferences, outside a couple of exceptions such as Pokemon and Dragon Ball.

The 23rd film released as part of the Detective Conan franchise, The Fist of Blue Sapphire sometimes feels like more of a Kaito Kid flick than a Conan piece. Nevertheless, it is a solid entry in a series that has produced many of them.

17 Dragon Ball Super: Broly ($122,747,755)

Dragon Ball needs no introduction since the show has served as an entry-level shounen anime for plenty of people. For all of its success, Dragon Ball had to wait nearly two decades after its heyday to produce a proper theatrical movie. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ walked so that Dragon Ball Super: Broly could run and smash through a few box office records along the way.

Wisely focusing on Broly rather than Goku, the 2018 film delivers a surprisingly effective story that creates a sympathetic figure out of a character who, up to that point, was mostly known for screaming.

16 Pokemon: The Movie 2000 ($133,949,270)

Released at the height of Pokemon mania, Lugia’s star-making vehicle is a pop culture relic of the late ‘90s. When a collector seeks to “catch” the three Legendary Birds to summon Lugia, the world is sent into chaos. Obviously, Ash and Pikachu are dragged right into the middle of this dangerous situation.

Pokemon: The Movie 2000 is not going to offer much to people not already fond of the franchise, but it holds nostalgic value for those who grew up with Ash’s adventures or even the Nintendo RPGs.

15 The Wind Rises ($136,742,301)

In 2013, The Wind Rises was billed as Hayao Miyazaki’s final movie, however, the director has since come out of retirement and is currently working on a new project entitled How Do You Live? Although this development takes some shine away from The Wind Rises, the film still represents a culmination of the esteemed filmmaker’s work.

“Flight” is a constant theme throughout Miyazaki’s filmography, and The Wind Rises finds the director exploring this concept without any distractions. Unsurprisingly, the film is visually stunning, and the narrative pulls from reality in a way that adds significant weight to the story beats.

14 The Secret World Of Arrietty ($151,496,097)

Studio Ghibli is the most renowned anime studio in the world, at least when it comes to movies. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, The Secret World of Arrietty presents an enchanting world hidden within everyday reality, as small Borrower people live inside humanity’s walls.

Moving at a measured pace, The Secret World of Arrietty delivers plenty of atmosphere, charm, and drama. The characters are generally likable and grounded, particularly the Borrower Arrietty and the human Shou.

13 Pokemon: The First Movie ($163,644,662)

Along with Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, Pokemon introduced many ’90s children to anime. While films like Akira and Ghost in the Shell gained a following outside of Japan, Pokemon: The First Movie was arguably the first anime flick to truly feel like a big deal in the West.

Obviously, Mewtwo Strikes Back is far from perfect. The film suffered from pacing issues and the fact it couldn’t impact the overall Pokemon universe in any significant way, but these things ultimately didn’t matter. Pokemon: The First Movie was an event.

12 The First Slam Dunk ($164,650,000)

The First Slam Dunk brings fans back to Takehiko Inoue’s seminal basketball manga, which received an incomplete anime adaptation during the ’90s. Rightfully hailed as a classic, the original series does have a fairly satisfying ending despite not being granted the opportunity to adapt the manga’s final arc. The First Slam Dunk tries to rectify this by covering the source material’s climactic match between Shohoku and Sannoh High.

As only so much content can be crammed into two hours, the movie does not work all that well as a standalone feature; that said, the story does try to fix this by shifting the focus to Ryota’s family trauma, which does introduce a fresh emotional core to the bout. Nevertheless, The First Slam Dunk is primarily for fans of the manga and anime, and going by its box office success, they exist in the millions.

As of April 2023, The First Slam Dunk is still rolling out in certain countries, including a big launch in China; consequently, the box office data is definitely outdated, and the film has likely surpassed $200 million worldwide. However, for the sake of consistency, the same sources will continue to be used as a benchmark.

11 Princess Mononoke ($170,005,875)

The oldest film to make the cut, Princess Mononoke might just be Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus, which means it’s also one of the best movies of all time. Like many of Miyazaki’s works, Princess Mononoke tackles environmental themes through a fantasy-laced narrative. While still overflowing with imagination, this 1997 epic is not quite as whimsical as some of the director’s other projects, and that is by no means a criticism.

Princess Mononoke‘s greatest strength is in its unpreachy representation of both sides of the coin, be it nature or humanity. The story is mature, engrossing, and timeless.

10 Stand By Me Doraemon ($183,442,714)

Debuting in 1969 as a manga, Doraemon is an institution. The franchise has produced more than 40 movies, and Stand by Me Doraemon presents a convincing case for being the best of the bunch. The plot sees Doraemon, a robot cat, traveling to the past to lead Nobita, a clumsy kid, away from a catastrophic future. It’s a coming-of-age story with a twist.

By tweaking a few key stories from the series’ history, the 2014 film covers Doraemon’s entire time with Nobita, including their emotional goodbye.

9 Weathering With You ($192,917,583)

In the last decade, Makoto Shinkai has emerged as perhaps anime’s leading visionary director, especially since most of his projects tend to feature common themes. In many ways, Weathering With You is the definitive Shinkai film, as it amplifies nearly everything that has become synonymous with the director.

Weathering With You might not hold too many surprises for those familiar with Shinkai’s previous creations, but it’s still a beautiful work of art. The music is brilliant, the animation stunning, and the characters enjoyable.

8 Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie ($196,290,952)

Releasing on March 18, 2022 in North American theaters, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 stands alongside the likes of Uncharted and Scream as one of the year’s highest-grossing movies so far. The prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen is also still in theaters and has yet to release in every country, so its total international gross will likely grow further in the future.

Featuring a different protagonist than the main series, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 centers on Yuta Okkotsu and the spirit of Rika Orimoto. Packed to the brim with fantastic action and sporadic flashes of humor, this movie is a must-watch for not only fans of the overall series but also anyone who just appreciates a good battle shonen story.

7 Ponyo ($205,162,666)

Another one of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s projects, Ponyo tells the charming story of a young boy and the goldfish that changes his life. While Miyazaki’s films are typically suitable for the entire family, Ponyo seems to primarily focus on entertaining children, particularly in the story department.

Although not as complex as Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away, Ponyo seeps magic out of every frame. The movie does not have a dull moment in it, and the animation might just be Studio Ghibli’s best. Naturally, that is saying a lot.

6 Howl’s Moving Castle ($237,536,126)

For the follow-up to Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki redirected his attention toward war, a decision stemming from the social climate of the early 2000s. Howl’s Moving Castle echoes Miyazaki’s anger with its anti-war rhetoric, although that’s not the only idea the movie explores. Ultimately, this is a film about life, nature, and love.

Howl’s Moving Castle follows Sophie, a young woman who’s forcibly aged by about 60 years by a witch. In order to reverse the curse, Sophie sets out to find Howl, an enigmatic wizard.

5 One Piece Film: Red ($246,500,000)

Blowing away every other One Piece movie in terms of earnings, Red has enjoyed a long and prosperous run in theaters. In recent years, anime movies have exploded in global markets, earning success that used to be limited to Studio Ghibli’s projects. Nowadays, features based on the most popular shonen anime seem to have a reasonable chance of being worldwide hits, which reflects the industry’s expansion and growing accessibility.

Film: Red pushes Shanks to the forefront by introducing his daughter, Uta, who has become a popular singer. The latter is also Luffy’s childhood friend, and the Straw Hat pirates wind up attending a concert held by her. Historically, One Piece movies have been hit-and-miss when it comes to introducing memorable new characters, but Uta comfortably ranks among the franchise’s best additions.

Box Office Mojo lists One Piece Film: Red‘s worldwide gross as $187,170,704; however, Eiichiro Oda’s own Twitter has confirmed earnings of 31.9 billion yen at the box office. As such, the latter has been used rather than Box Office Mojo or The Numbers.

4 Suzume ($299,906,656)

At this point, Makoto Shinkai’s movies seem to be guaranteed box office hits, and the filmmaker’s latest project is no exception. Suzume has many of Shinkai’s hallmarks, including a narrative that explores themes dealing with nature and grief. The eponymous girl meets a boy who talks about a door that, once opened, causes quite a few issues for Japan in general.

While driven by a supernatural entity, Suzume is rooted in relatable and powerful human emotions, both personal in the protagonist’s case and also collective via Japan’s history with earthquakes. Shinkai’s filmography sets such a high bar that anything below near-perfection would be a step back; consequently, the fact Suzume comes very close to meeting and surpassing those expectations speaks to the director’s consistency and brilliance.

Suzume is still in theaters, so its box office earnings should grow.

3 Your Name. ($382,238,181)

Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name proved an anime film doesn’t need to be by Studio Ghibli or based on a well-established property to be a global hit. Sometimes, the movie can simply be incredible. A body-swap comedy that eventually transforms into something far bigger, Your Name revolves around Taki and Mitsuha, two teenagers from very different walks of life who meet through supernatural circumstances.

Your Name is a crowd-pleaser, a movie that offers humor, great plot twists, and effective character drama.

Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime