12 Anime To Watch For Unique And Gorgeous Animation

Look, we all love anime. It's over-the-top, high energy, and can serve as a much needed reprieve from the doldrums of everyday life. After a while, though, much of the genre starts to look a little... derivative. If you're not paying attention, you can watch multiple episodes of different high school dramas or action-adventures from different series and they all sort of blend together. There are, however, some glowing exceptions to this rule. Aside from an anime’s fascinating story line or imaginative setting, the distinctive art style is a huge reason viewers become immersed in a show. 

Additionally, not all anime has to be vibrant or cheerful to be enjoyed. In fact, there are some anime titles that share a darker, more complex atmosphere. However, this doesn’t mean that its art style can’t be admired. Awaken your senses with these visually stunning anime titles that will tug at your heart-strings and open your mind. At the very least, it's something new.

• Spirited Away

  

  Photo: Studio Ghibli

  This award-winning film from Studio Ghibli is, quite simply, an animated masterpiece. Spirited Away follows a young girl as she learns to overcome her fears and take responsibility for her actions. The character designs and layouts are so gorgeous, they're visually addicting. Adorned with vivid colors and intricate details, these images are impossible to get out of your head.

  Take the bathhouse, for example. The walls, ceilings, and floors have so many complex details added to them it’s hard to keep your eyes focused solely on the action in the foreground. The unique hand-drawn art style of the film has an old-school animated feel to it, which is pure magic and exactly what Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki are known for. 

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• 5 Centimeters Per Second

  

  Photo: CoMix Wave Films

  A three-part movie from CoMix Wave Films, 5 Centimeters Per Second follows the story of two childhood friends that become separated by distance, time, and the realities of life. The art style in the film does a wonderful job of providing mesmerizing visual elements to captivate the viewer.

  The background scenery effectively uses bold contrasting values of lights against darks, along with a unique combination of imaginative colors. In addition, the strategic configuration of viewpoints and long shot angles helps highlight the animated foreground elements.

  Overall, the most impactful views in the film are the breathtaking skyscapes. These often includes a mixture of warm hues, such as red and orange, which are placed within cooler hues of blue and purple. The use of purposefully placed clouds only adds further interest, direction, and beauty to each setting.  

• Doukyusei (Classmates)

  

  Photo: A-1 Pictures

  From A-1 Pictures animation studio, Doukyusei is a touching tale of two male classmates who fall in love. The subtle line work and beautiful backdrops in this 60-minute film hold true to the original manga style employed by creator Asumiko Nakamura.

  Nakamura’s unique character design of long exaggerated forms completed with simplistic line work has been wonderfully transitioned over into the animation. In addition, the colors of the film are soft and gentle, evoking sensations similar to a lovely watercolor.

  In some instances, the backgrounds are a simple solid color or a soft gradient, allowing the viewer to focus their attention on the character and foreground. This particular anime is really more of a work of art.

• Mononoke

  

  Photo: Toei Animation

  Not to be confused with Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke), Toei Animation's Mononoke series is related to the Ayakashi Samurai Horror Tales series and follows the journey of a medicinal merchant who vanquishes dangerous spirits. The series is a visual delight, showcasing amazingly vivid colors, decorative backgrounds, and an overall storybook feel.

  Each new setting within the animation’s design is stunning and creative. In fact, the overall appearance closely mimics the details one may find on old Japanese tapestries or scrolls. The backgrounds are always different, as they incorporate an ever-shifting element of moving color. Because of these detailed aspects, the show is entrancing and effectively pulls the viewer's eyes all around the screen. You'll need your pause button at the ready for this one.  

• Wolf Children

  

  Photo: Studio Chizu

  This much-beloved animation follows the story of a young woman who falls in love with a mysterious man. She's forced to raise their two children on her own after he abandons her. From Studio Chizu, this beautiful film is an absolute joy to look at.

  The artistic details in Wolf Children are abundant, displaying richly colored scenes and uniquely styled characters. It’s also another film that uses some CGI to help entrance the audience. In addition, there are many beautiful landscape shots and even some intricate cityscapes that help give this film a realistic touch without losing its fairytale-like feel.

  It’s also flat-out spectacular to see moments where the characters and frames are still, allowing the viewer a chance to admire the scenery. If the Grand Canyon was an anime, this would be it. 

• Koi Sento (Coicent)

  

  Photo: Sunrise Studio

  This 25-minute feature by Sunrise Studio is about a boy who meets a mysterious girl. The artwork in this OVA (Original Video Animation) can be described as a marriage between 3D-animated models and 2D details and backgrounds.

  Most of the characters and foreground objects are completed in 3D. This gives them a distinct appeal that helps them stand out against the 2D architecture and backdrop work. The backgrounds themselves are beautify illustrated, painstakingly colored, and maintain a realistic feel. It's the perfect balance between the old and the new. 

• Flying Witch

  

  Photo: J.C. Staff Animation Studio

  Flying Witch follows a 15-year-old witch as she perfects her talents and makes friends in a less-than-normal environment. The fantastic elements of this anime series lie not only in the beautiful array of rich colors and detail, but also in the ability to adapt the characters and settings into an animation based on Chihiro Ishizuka’s original manga without losing its visual appeal.

  It’s one of those pieces that both expresses the creativity of the animators at J.C. Staff Animation Studio and honors the original title. In addition, there’s a grounding element of real photography combined into a few shots of the scenery. This is atypical for any anime, and it serves to give the film an authentic feel and realistic charm.

• Kotonoha No Niwa (The Garden Of Words)

  

  Photo: The Answer Studio, CoMix Wave Films

  This 45-minute film from The Answer Studio and CoMix Wave Films focuses on a deep connection between a high school student following his dreams and a teacher who is trying to escape her worries. Much like the verse used in the film, Kotonoha no Niwa is pure poetry in motion. This is especially evident in the film's captivating and eye-catching scenery.

  The landscapes and diverse locations portrayed throughout the film are masterfully created. The urban and residential settings are designed with intricate details and solid line work, while the garden scenes are saturated in cool colors and dynamic details.

  In fact, the lush greenery and tranquil waters are created in such a realistic fashion you could easily mistake them for being real. Overall, the scenic atmosphere depicted in the film allows the viewer to become totally immersed in a world of natural beauty

• Sword Art Online

  

  Photo: A-1 Pictures

  When players of a popular MMORPG game become trapped in the virtual world, they must band together to free themselves by completing each level of the ruthless game. From A-1 Pictures, Sword Art Online is an action-packed adventure filled with colorful characters, elaborate worlds, and scenic landscapes. Because the story is centered in an online world, the overall design elements displayed throughout the series are often whimsical and fantasy-based.

  While the character's overall design is generally pretty basic, they do combine nicely with the magnificent backgrounds and uniquely designed structures. The earthy and lush style of the scenic landscapes are created more realistically, while the skyscapes often exhibit a celestial and otherworldly appearance. Overall, the marriage between the realistic and fanciful elements provides the viewer a visually appealing balance of unity and contrast.

Source: ranker.com