Joe O’Connell

Ultimate Anime: 100 Essential Films and Series Joe O’Connell

A 'genre killer' guide to the world of anime featuring 100 movies and television series, from all-time classics to cult favourites and under-the-radar gems. Ultimate Anime is for newcomers and anime aficionados alike, not reviewing but instead celebrating the medium’s most incredible achievements to date. Packed with specially commissioned artworks, film stills and essays on directors and Japanese pop culture, Ultimate Anime is an irresistible 'way in' to the art form for newcomers as well as an essential purchase for even the most hardcore anime otaku.

Whether looking at the ephemeral arthouse tragedy of Belladonna of Sadness, the iconic legacy of Cowboy Bebop or the genre-busting touchstone of Suzumiya Haruhi, there are worlds beyond worlds worth exploring once a new fan has finished their first Ghibli binge. Each featured movie is supported by an in-depth commentary and branching recommendations to other movies that may overlap with viewers' tastes. Movie profiles are illustrated by stills from the movies themselves.

These celebrations explore the titles’ creation, from the minds that brought them to life to the thoroughly Japanese culture and themes woven throughout, all while breaking down what makes each of them such enduring classics. By building a library of recommendations around such well-known works, fans old and new will quickly be able to find a new favourite to check out. Built from the ground up to be a 'genre-killer' title, Ultimate Anime is the defining guide to anime for established fans and curious newcomers alike.