Top 10 Overlooked Anime Movies Worth Adding to Your Watchlist
Top Anime Movies You Probably Missed
If you’ve been in the anime game for more than five minutes, you’ve already seen Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and probably Akira (or at least pretended you have to seem cultured).
But here’s the thing – anime cinema is bigger, weirder, and way more interesting than the same 10 titles every YouTube list regurgitates like they’re passing around a bad AMV from 2007.
So let’s ditch the obvious, dig up the criminally overlooked, and shine a light on ten anime movies you might have missed. You should absolutely watch them before you die, or at least before you get distracted by another 37 isekais.
First, Our Criteria for “Missed” Anime
We’re not talking about obscure films no one’s ever heard of outside of a 3am forum post. These movies had a release, had a shot, but got tragically overshadowed by bigger names, bad timing, or the fact that anime streaming algorithms have the attention span of an ADHD goldfish.
We chose a mix of genres: action, drama, fantasy, sci-fi, and “what the hell did I just watch?”
We spread them across decades, from cult classics to modern releases.
No mega-franchises here. Sorry, One Piece Film Red stans (you know who you are!).
10. A Letter to Momo (2011)
A slow-burn supernatural drama that looks like a Ghibli cousin but hits way more bittersweet. Momo, a girl coping with her father’s death, moves to a rural island and starts encountering mischievous spirits.
It’s part heartfelt coming-of-age, part “oh god, those yokai are kind of nasty.”
Video: A Letter to Momo Official US Trailer 1 | Rotten Tomatoes Indie
Why you missed it: It had the misfortune of dropping in a year packed with bigger anime releases. Overseas distribution was basically “blink and you miss it.”
9. The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)
Imagine a single night in Kyoto turning into a surreal, booze-fueled fever dream where time bends, people burst into song, and romance feels like a cosmic scavenger hunt.
That’s this movie. Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, it’s weird in all the right ways.
Video: The Night is Short, Walk on Girl Trailer #1 | Rotten Tomatoes Indie
Why you missed it: Yuasa’s style is an acquired taste. This one never got the mainstream push that something like Devilman Crybaby did.
8. Mind Game (2004)
This movie opens with the protagonist getting shot in the butt, dying, meeting God, and deciding to live life without fear. It only gets stranger from there.
Mind Game constantly shifts art styles, breaks the fourth wall, and delivers some of the most creative animation sequences ever put to screen.
Video: Mind Game [Official US Trailer, Masaaki Yuasa] | GKIDS Films
Why you missed it: Too experimental for mainstream audiences and too under-promoted for casual anime fans.
7. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
A heart-tugging, time-bending romance that’s both sweet and gut-punch sad.
Makoto discovers she can literally leap through time and naturally uses it to fix dumb everyday mistakes before realizing she’s messing with bigger stuff.
Video: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time – Official Trailer | Crunchyroll Store Australia
Why you missed it: Overshadowed by the rise of Makoto Shinkai and his Your Name era, even though it deserves the same level of love.
6. Sword of the Stranger (2007)
Peak samurai action. Gorgeous hand-drawn fight scenes. A wandering ronin, a hunted boy, and a conspiracy that leads to one of the best sword duels in anime history.
Video: Sword of the Stranger (Official Trailer) | ncmFATHOM
Why you missed it: No franchise name, no big marketing, and it came out during a flood of other big anime releases.
5. Redline (2009)
If Speed Racer and F-Zero had a love child on LSD, it would be Redline. Seven years in the making, this movie is a visual sugar rush from start to finish.
It’s just pure, unfiltered fun, and yes, it deserves to be watched on the biggest screen possible.
Video: Redline Official Trailer | Crunchyroll Store Australia
Why you missed it: Limited release and almost no marketing despite its insane quality.
4. Patema Inverted (2013)
A sci-fi adventure where gravity works differently for two separate societies, forcing the protagonists to literally hold onto each other to avoid falling into the sky.
Clever premise, heartfelt execution. I loved it so much that I made a whole article dedicated to Patema Inverted already! Don’t worry, any spoilers are hidden.
Video: Patema Inverted Official Trailer | Hanabee Entertainment
Why you missed it: Indie studio production with a small international rollout.
3. Tekkonkinkreet (2006)
A gritty, colorful story about two street kids trying to survive in a chaotic city. It’s equal parts urban fairy tale and psychological drama.
The animation style is unique, and yeah, some people bounced off it for that reason.
Video: Tekkonkinkreet Trailer | Robokonka
Why you missed it: Its unconventional art and slower pacing made it a tough sell for casual viewers.
2. Perfect Blue (1997)
Satoshi Kon’s psychological thriller masterpiece. It’s dark, twisted, and way ahead of its time, following a pop idol’s descent into paranoia as her life blurs with her roles.
Video: Perfect Blue (1997) Original Trailer [HD] | HD Retro Trailers
Why you missed it: Now a cult classic, but still skipped by younger anime fans who think “psychological horror” means Tokyo Ghoul.
1. Paprika (2006)
Dream-hopping chaos from Satoshi Kon that basically paved the way for Inception. Wild visuals, heady sci-fi concepts, and a score that will stay lodged in your brain forever.
Video: PAPRIKA [2007] – Official Trailer (HD) | Sony Pictures Entertainment
Why you missed it: Mature themes and a complex plot kept it from becoming a mainstream hit.
Honorable Mentions
Because leaving these out felt like a crime:
Promare: Studio Trigger being Studio Trigger.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices: Makoto Shinkai’s forgotten fantasy.
Summer Wars: Social media before social media was terrifying.
Colorful: A slow, emotional punch in the gut.
Get Out of Your Anime Comfort Zone
Anime cinema isn’t just Ghibli marathons and Shinkai tearjerkers. There’s a whole world of weird, wonderful, and wildly underappreciated films out there.
So next time you’re stuck scrolling, skip the comfort rewatch and give one of these a shot.
Stay tuned for more anime news from ReportAFK – your watchlist (and your brain) will thank you.
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Luffy
August 16, 2025
I legit have never heard of a single one of these. I don’t know if that’s good or bad lol
Ayefkay
August 18, 2025
Hey Luffy, they’re all worth a watch if you’ve got the time! Thanks for stopping by!