Anime stand alone movies

[wave]

I'm looking for some good anime movies that arn't conected to any series. (like Pricess Mononok, for example) I know very few of these. Anyone have some sugestions for me? I love most genres, but I love sci-fi best and Romance least.

[SasukeUchiha]

Koh Dai Maru (I am not sure about the spelling of that) But its a great movie done in an extremely interesting style that I would reccomend seeing. Other then that You may want to be a lil more specific as to what you are looking for ^^.

[Flashlight]

Almost everything Studio Ghibli (The makers of Princess Monoke). Grave of the Fireflies is their best work, in my opinion. Just look through what they offer and I'm sure you'll find something that interests you (And don't put it off cause' it's old, it will still be good).

If your looking for a Sci-Fi movie, Ghost in the Shell comes to mind. I got bored of it within the first five minutes (And that's pretty rare for me), but most people seem to enjoy, so check it out if you wish.

As for Romance, I can't really think of any stand alone movies at the moment. Ah! My Goddess is really good, but it's better if you've seen the 5 OVA's first.

There are tons, tons, of movies out there. You just gotta look harder. Try searching for anime review sites on google :)

[WolfAngel]

I know it's kindof stating the obvious, but have you seen "Spirited Away"? it's great!

and the Cowboy Bebop movie is pretty standalone from the rest of the series, altho a lot of the symbolism in the movie comes straight out of the show.

[Hittokiri Zero]

"Voices of a Distant Star" is something I highly reccomend

[url]http://www.theanimesource.com/reviews/?type=1&id=46[/url]

there's a decent review of it there that doesn't have any spoilers, there's also another name the movie goes by but i can't recall what it is. Voices of a Distant Star is actually the translated/english name I believe x___X

[ElrickOtaku]

Hmm...Sci-fi standalone eh?...

Well, the first anime/manga film I saw was 'Gunbuster', a rather long but interesting film. There is a huge amount of action and characterisation in it. There are some sort of 'romantic' bits in it, but that's the same with almost all anime series and movies.

Another great couple of films are the Patlabor ones. They, again, have plenty of action scenes and characterisation in them. But unfortunately, they are less sci-fi, but more film-mecha.

If all else fails, fall back on to the great classic manga films; Akira and Ghost in the Shell. I rate Akira very highly, but it is not very science fiction-y. Ghost in the Shell is not really my taste, but it is worth having a look at.

[Dagger]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Hittokiri Zero [/i]
[B]"Voices of a Distant Star" is something I highly reccomend

[url]http://www.theanimesource.com/reviews/?type=1&id=46[/url]

there's a decent review of it there that doesn't have any spoilers, there's also another name the movie goes by but i can't recall what it is. Voices of a Distant Star is actually the translated/english name I believe x___X [/B][/QUOTE]

Voices of a Distant Star is [i]amazing[/i]. I bought it on a whim, knowing only that it had been created by a single man (Makoto Shinkai) over the span of seven months.

It's difficult to find independent OVAs or films in anime; the genre doesn't lend really lend itself to that kind of work. This makes Shinkai's accomplishment even more impressive. VDS blends traditional animation and computer graphics so seamlessly that its action sequences could easily be mistaken for something from a major studio, such as GONZO. In fact, this OVA outdoes most current TV shows; its quality is closer to that of a theatrical production.

In conclusion, Hittokiri has awesome taste in anime, and you should pay careful attention to his recommendations. ^_~

~Dagger~

[hawke3000]

Am I the ONLY person who did not like "Voices of a Distant Star"??I mean, props go to Shinkai for making it all by himself, but the film failed to grasp my interest.

Anyways, It's not really a movie, but the 2 episode OVA "Blazing Transfer Student" is shorter than most. It is a parody of boxing and fighting anime and was made by Gainax a few years before they got known.It is one of the funniest animes ever.

[WW2]

I suggest you get Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Its a western type Sci Fi/Horror adventure, with a little bit of romance thrown in. Plus the animation and production value is really great.

Another good movie you might like would be Macross Plus. Although it is based in the Macross/Robotech universe, it has no ties to the original series and stands alone.

It centers around two rival Veritech pilots, and has some excellent mecha action.

Any one of these movies would make a great addition to any anime collection.
But then again....thats just my opinion.
:D

[Zephyr]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Flashlight [/i]
[B]Almost everything Studio Ghibli (The makers of Princess Monoke). Grave of the Fireflies is their best work, in my opinion. Just look through what they offer and I'm sure you'll find something that interests you (And don't put it off cause' it's old, it will still be good).[/B][/QUOTE]



I agree that Grave of The Fireflies is one of the best stand alone movies, but there is one thing that anyone thinking of seeing it should know. It is very depressing. It will put a lump in the throat of even the most emotionally hardened people.

Other then that, it is an excellent look at how WWII effected the Japanese civilians, and how any war can effect the civilians in the contries involved.

The only movie titles I can think of right now are Princess Mononoke, Ghost in The Shell (a personal favorite), and the Cowboy Bebop movie (which requires little knowledge of the series to enjoy).

[densuke]

[quote name='ElrickOtaku']Well, the first anime/manga film I saw was 'Gunbuster'...[/quote]
[b]GunBuster[/b] (Toppu o Nerae!) is a 6 episode OAV from GAINAX. It is an excellent and very touching SF series but I wouldn't call it a movie.

[b]Wings of Honneamise[/b] is a GAINAX SF movie which has escaped the notice of many. Some consider it the best anime film ever. The story, characterization and production values are outstanding.

[b]11nin Iru![/b] (They Were 11) has just been rereleased on region 1 DVD (there was a VHS release ages ago). This is a faithful adaption of a manga by Moto Hagio, an outstanding shoujo mangaka. It combines SF with shoujo themes to produce suspense and interpersonal drama.

[quote name='ElrickOtaku']Another great couple of films are the Patlabor ones. They, again, have plenty of action scenes and characterisation in them. But unfortunately, they are less sci-fi, but more film-mecha.[/quote]
[b]Patlabor Movie 1[/b] is weak. The computer-espionage plot is limp and somehow the movie fails to achieve the suspense it aims for.
[b]Patlabor Movie 2[/b] is an outstanding political thriller.
[b]Patlabor Movie 3 (WXIII)[/b] is also excellent. There is plenty of SF in this one. I have never seen [i]anything[/i] quite like the final scene.

The 3 Patlabor films run more to detective/thriller than to mecha. The stories take place beyond the time frame of all the original Patlabor series. New characters carry a major share of the screen time, and some of the older characters are merely name-checked.

[b]Hoshi no Koe[/b] is the original name for [b]Voices of a Distant Star[/b]. I also enjoyed this movie very much.

[b]Wonderful Days[/b] just doesn't have enough of a story IMO, and wastes what little it does have by telling it poorly. The visual production is superb; it is a shame that such an ambitious project failed so utterly.

A couple of Ghibli movies [i]not[/i] directed by Miyazaki:
[b]Omohide Poro Poro[/b] (Only Yesterday)
[b]Umi ga Kikoeru[/b] (I Can Hear the Sea/Ocean Waves)
could roughly be described as romances. I enjoyed them.

I recommend any of the above except Patlabor Movie 1 and Wonderful Days.

[Semjaza]

Macross Plus comes in a few parts. I don't think you could call it a stand alone movie. Macross II is another case, though. I enjoy that, but it really is the worst of the Macross titles I've seen.

If you can get your hands on Macross the Movie: Do You Remember Love? I recommend seeing it. It kind of compresses a good deal of the Macross series into movie form, basically.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a personal favorite of mine. It improves on the original in basically every department.

Grave of the Fireflies is probably my favorite anime film. I recommend everyone see it at some point. It deals with two children who can only rely on eachother during a war.

Roujin Z is one I saw a long time ago and finally bought last year. It's about an old man and a machine that takes care of him. The machine gets possessed by the spirit of his dead wife, more or less. I think it's interesting and fun. It's really hectic heh.

The Ranma 1/2 movies were my first exposure to Ranma. I've not seen them in years, but you might like to check them out. I've always loved the old man who is obsessed with panties and bras lol.

Then you have all the Ghibli movies (which includes Grave of the Fireflies, but that's not from Miyazaki). Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, etc. All awesome.

That's all that comes to mind right now.

[Kei]

[color=darkblue]To Semjaza: 'Tis Happosai of which you speak.[/color]

[color=darkblue]Well, one stand-alone movie that I've come across that was [i]Perfect Blue.[/i] I forget exactly who directed it, but I know it's a known psycho-thriller film.

While it gets seriously confusing if you don't actually sit down and really watch it, it's still a rather good movie. I'd recommend people to see it. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the confusion, lol.[/color]

[Ani_Freak]

[color=darkblue]Well, my recomendations would be:
[b]Perfect Blue[/b]
Great psycological thriller and highly detailed animation.

[b]Millennium Actress:[/b]
A personal favorite, tells the story of an old actress and her long lost love. Romantic storytelling with an historical background. Of course, beautiful animation.

[b]Ghost in the Shell:[/b]
This one is one of those films that most people have seen. Many people like it, and then again, many others don't. This one was one of the first anime movies I've seen. Excellent story (back when it was released anyway) and superb animation. What can you expect, it was made from the manga of Masamune Shirow.

[b]Armitage III: Dual Matrix[/b]
Follows the story of Armitage Poly Matrix and Armitage III OVA's. A cyberpunk thriller a la Akira, even though I like Armitage a lot more than Akira, don't ask me why.

[b]Voices of a Distant Star:[/b]
I wanted to see what the hype was about when this one was released. I liked it a lot, but there is something about the CG animation that just doesn't work for me. It looks great, and the fact that it was all done by only one person is a plus. It also comes with "She and Her Cat" a short movie winner of some awards in Japan. Very Nice one indeed.

[b]Street Fighter Alpha:[/b]
Why did I mentioned this one you might think? Simple, because the animation and the story is great. And because I am a SF fan ever since it hitted the VG industry. Period.

I guess that I could go on and on about some stand alone's that I like and enjoy. But this few are the ones that I've seen and seen all over again many times. The are my favorites overall.

[size=1]Lady Katana: I beleive that the director for Perfect Blue was Satoshi Kon, who did also Millennium Actress.[/size][/color]

[Panda]

I agree 100% on the Grave of the Fireflies. If you want to have a movie that will leave you feeling very uneasy and depressed...that is the film for you. Great animation and wonderful story, you can't help but fall in love with those two kids. Sheesh, just thinking about the film is making me sad.

The Vampire Hunter D movies are also great. Amano is a wonderful character designer and I love his style. The stories are great and if you like a dark and brooding lead male character, Vampire Hunter D and Bloodlust are a must see.

While I am on the vampire train of though, I recommend Blood: The Last Vampire. The animation is unbelievable! The only down side to that movie is it leaves you wanting to see more. If you watch the extras on the DVD the talk to the crew who made it and it sounds like they loved the challenge, but would never do it again since it was so difficult. Bummer.

I haven't seen Voices of a Distant Star yet. After reading what others here have said about it, I will definately have to check it out. Thanks. :D

[Dragonstar]

I'm a little stunned, there are this many posts and noone's mentioned Akira. (from what I can see anyway) This was the first anime I ever bought, and I love it! Although the ending gave me a headache, I'm still not entirely sure what happened there.

WolfAngel, I would LOVE to see Sprited Away, unfortunately, it got a very limited release here (I wasn't aware it had been realeased until a year too late) it hasn't even come out in region 2 yet. I'm actually really mad that any old crap can get relesed everywhere just cause it was made in Hollywood, but a great film like Spirited Away get's limited release because it's an anime, even if it did get an oscar. (drifting off topic)

hmmm... Dominion Tank Police. ok so it's not strictly a movie, but I just hqad to mention it, it's hilarious! ^_^ (and... kinda... adult in nature at certain points)