10 Best Aesthetic Anime of All Time

Anime as a whole is massive. Hundreds of different shows or films are released each year, and while some fall into niche obscurity, there are others which stand out as something truly spectacular. Although a lot of shows and movies have an aesthetic style which is indistinguishable from others, there are a few which stand out for being nothing short of visual spectacles.

There is even a term to describe this animation – Sakuga, which refers to animation that is particularly high quality and memorable in anime. Though there are quite a few to pick from (including other unmentioned but obvious choices like Studio Ghibli), here are our top ten choices for the best aesthetic anime.

 

10. Death Parade

There are many different stories that follow a hypothetical scenario of what happens after death, and anime is no stranger to this concept either. One of the more unique titles that follows this narrative is Death Parade, a somewhat episodic anime where two souls are brought to a bar and compete in a game, with the winner being reincarnated and the loser having their soul cast off into the void.

Animated by Studio Madhouse, Death Parade stands out in terms of animation style for the fact that the show chooses to highlight certain colours to bring a unique aesthetic to the world, bringing attention to cold colours, making this purgatory feel unnatural, cold and unwelcoming.

 

9. No Game No Life

While most of the anime on this list are more mature, No Game No Life may still not be for everyone. Though it is a comedy isekai where a brother and sister are transported to a world where disputes are solved by magically influenced games, much of the comedy in the show is of the smutty variety. While that is a common trope in anime, it’s understandably one that not everyone enjoys. However, if that doesn’t bother you, then you’re probably going to enjoy No Game No Life, because as well as being simultaneously balls to the wall ridiculous with an intriguing plot, the animation also looks so pretty.

Another production helmed by Studio Madhouse, this show stands out both for its polished animation style, but additionally its colour palette, similar to Death Parade. However, No Game No Life is instead exceptionally bright, highlighting pinks and purples while darker tones are much muted, which adds a visual flair to this strange new world, making it aesthetically stand out from more typical anime where the colours might be normalised or even darkened.

 

8. Land of the Lustrous

CGI in anime can be a very mixed bag. On the one hand, you may get something like Princess Mononoke, in which the way it is used is subtle enough that you might not notice it’s there. On the other hand, there are projects like the 2017 adaptation of Berserk which is jerky and very ugly to look at. So, when you get a show like Land of the Lustrous, where the use of CG is a key feature, there’s every chance that it could be a disaster. But it isn’t — at least visually.

Produced by studio Orange and adapted from the manga by Haruko Ichikawa, the show follows a group of anthropomorphic gems – and no, this isn’t anime Steven Universe – populating a post-apocalyptic Earth who are at war with the Lunarians, jewel people who live on the moon. What makes it stand out in terms of unique aesthetics compared to other anime though, it lacks somewhat in the narrative. Much of the cast doesn’t get much development outside of the main character, and the narrative can be a bit hard to grasp at first. However, it is still worth watching for the simple fact it represents the best of what 3D animation is capable of in the medium of anime.

 

7. Monogatari

Next, we have the Monogatari series. Based on the light novel series by Nisio Isin and animated by studio Shaft, these different shows follow Koyomi Araragi, a survivor of a vampire attack whose close encounter has left him sensitive to supernatural phenomena. Each instalment follows a separate story arc in which Arargi helps a new character with ‘oddities’, usually a ghost or spirit plaguing them in relation to their personal trauma.

The franchise as a whole has a striking style with surreal visuals that mirror the odd nature of the anime, with abstract imagery throughout as well as unconventional transitions between scenes. From the first adaptation Bakemonogatari which came out in 2008 to the more recent Zoku Owarimonogatari film, this series will provide an unforgettable adventure into the world of the supernatural, standing out as an aesthetically marvellous story.

 

6. Mononoke

In Japanese folklore, Mononoke is a name given to supernatural spirits which are typically vengeful in nature. Not to be confused with the 1997 Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, this 2007 anthology anime animated by Toei Animation – the same studio who created Dragonball and One Piece – combines the rather simplistic premise of a character simply known as the Medicine Seller hunting Mononoke with an avant-garde animation style.

Most people don’t go into Mononoke for the story. The main draw of this otherwise simplistic anime is the psychedelic art style. Though it technically constitutes horror, despite having moments of tension, it isn’t particularly scary. Instead, each of the stories touches on subjects of abuse and human misery, in which the otherworldly nature of the Mononoke is amplified by the experimental style that looks more like sketches on a piece of paper than fluid animation.

 

5. Gankutsuou: The Count de Monte Cristo

Gankutsuou is an adaptation of the Count of Monte Cristo, written by French novelist Alexandre Dumas, in which a sailor betrayed by his friends adopts the identity of the Count and seeks revenge. On top of being the anime adaptation of a literary classic, there are a few things of note which make Gankutsuou stand out.

Animated by studio Gonzo, this show has a unique art style influenced by Ukiyo-e Japanese paintings and the works of Art Nouveau artists, turning a timeless story of revenge into a stunning visual delight. While the original novel is set in 1830s France, the anime is set in the year 5053. This already gives the animators a lot to play around with in terms of creations, taking a story from post-Napoleonic France and putting it into an intergalactic spanning science fiction setting with an ethereal and almost otherworldly aesthetic.

 

4. Redline

Moving away from cinema blockbusters, let’s mention something more under the radar. The best way to summarise the 2009 movie Redline is basically if the Fast and Furious movies broke the insanity meter. However, that is still oversimplifying a truly remarkable anime film. Following the protagonist JP as he tries to win the intergalactic racing event known as Redline, most of the characters are cookie-cutter archetypes and the story about an underdog struggling to be the best isn’t anything new. Despite all this, that is not the selling point of Redline. The animation alone makes this a truly magnificent piece of anime, and animation overall.

Animated by Madhouse, Redline is a completely hand-drawn project, taking seven years to produce with over 100,000 different frames, bucking the trend at the time of using computer animation. Though it wasn’t popular when it came out, it has achieved status as a cult film and personally, it’s something I think everybody who is at least curious about anime should watch once in their life. If you want to see something truly special while turning your brain off, check out Redline.

 

3. Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden has its spot on this list for how meticulously crafted the show is as a whole. Animated by Kyoto Animation, this animation is combined with an emotionally charged narrative, as it follows a soldier known as Violet Evergarden who tries to reintegrate into society by taking a job as an Auto Memory Doll, effectively a ghostwriter but for letters.

The high-quality animation adds an additional point of interest to this heartfelt story. As well as a well-designed world and characters, the animation is detailed to an almost microscopic degree. While other anime might cut back on animation quality as a style choice or budgeting reasons, Violet Evergarden goes in the complete opposite direction, with the characters having subtle movements and expressions while other anime may choose to make them more exaggerated.

Together with the seamless fluid motion of every movement, the stunning level of quality makes Violet Evergarden a fully immersive experience, both for its story and its visual appeal.

 

2. Demon Slayer

Due to how popular the anime has become, you will have no doubt heard of Demon Slayer. Set in early 1900s Japan, the show follows Tanjiro, whose family has been wiped out by a supernatural attack with only his sister still alive, but as a demon. Instead of accepting his sister’s fate as a monster that should be destroyed, Tanjiro embarks on a journey to become a Demon Slayer in the hopes of saving the only family he has left.

While the show is full of loveable characters who you are eager to follow on their journey, it’s not the only aspect which has made this show such a fan favourite in the genre of anime. It is also absolutely stunning. Though the animation is painstakingly rendered, the obvious highlights are the fight scenes between the protagonists and the demons that plague this world where the realistic background gives way to more vibrant colours as otherworldly elements come clashing together. Though the show is top-tier anime by itself, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train takes the phenomenal aesthetic that its predecessor is well known for, and with a cinematic budget, makes it all the more spectacular.

 

1. Your Name

The works of director Makoto Shinkai are just a few examples, with his latest works breaking into mainstream cinema and becoming the highest-grossing Japanese films in the world at the time of their premiere. Even if you aren’t an anime fan, there’s a chance you’ve heard of these movies online or through a friend, and there is a good reason for Makoto Shinkai’s films achieving such profound success. But for this entry, let’s talk about the one that started this trend: Your Name.

While Shinkai’s work has a very meticulous aesthetic to it, it was Your Name that propelled him from being a talented director into a household name. A romantic fantasy film about two teenagers who swap bodies with each other, Your Name still remains one of the highest-quality anime films produced, even seven years after its initial release. The film is based in modern-day Japan, and the artists were committed to replicating real-life locations throughout the country as accurately as possible, from rural villages to the bustling metropolis of Tokyo. Though his older works like 5 Centimetres Per Second and The Place Promised In Our Early Days maintain his trademark aesthetic, it was Your Name that was the first step that made Shinkai into a titan in the industry today.

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